August 14, 2007
D.C. Chef Wins Hell's Kitchen
Sorry for the bad video, but it's the only shareable footage we've found so far of the season finale of Hell's Kitchen from last night, which featured chef Rahman “Rock” Harper, Executive Chef at B. Smith’s in Union Station, winning the whole shebang. My oh my, is that some overly dramatic reality game show outcome production -- they have to try to open a door to see if it's locked or not? Sheesh.
Rock wins the title of Head Chef of a new fine Italian restaurant at the Green Valley Ranch Resort and Spa in Las Vegas -- guess that means there's an opening for Executive Chef at B. Smith's. Anyway, a hearty congrats to Rock, as it's always good to see a D.C. chef noticed on a national stage. Let us know what you thought of his performance last night in the comments -- currently a whopping 71 percent of those responding to the FOX online poll think he deserved to win, versus 27 percent who say it should have been someone else.
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And to think Doree Shafrir complained about eating at Union Station!
"someone else"? sounds to me like maybe you didn't watch this show :) her name was bonnie, btw.
not that i would've watched this either, i admit, but it was one of my bf's favorites, so i was made to watch it weekly.
pretty impressive, those stats.
Good for him! We went to B. Smith’s after my sister’s high school graduation in June, and it happened to be right before Hell’s Kitchen started so Fox was doing a story and asked us if they could film Rock bringing us some appetizers and whatnot. They were delicious and he was really nice. Couldn’t bring myself to actually sit through Ramsay’s heinous screaming and bitching though.
I think Rock is great but he didnt do too well on the last challenge. Bonnie ran a better kitchen and had an inventive menu. Rock turned out BSmiths light and had problems completing service.
Actually that was just how FOX worded their online poll: should it have been Rock or "someone else."
I think Rock definitely deserved to win - everything looked great and he didn't run into those pesky little issues of running out of food...
I'd work in his kitchen any day.
As was often mentioned, it was his to lose. But think the disparity is unfair. It's a reality show for aspiring chefs to prove their worth and win a job as an executive chef. People will have different backgrounds, but I think it's not fair to have an executive chef in the competition in the first place. He has training and was currently employed as an executive chef. He's supposed to be better than a nanny and a line chef from Waffle House.
Did anyone go to B. Smith's yesterday? Sounded fun, but I opted for Casablana instead.
Bonnie ran a better kitchen? Bonnie was not even on speaking terms with Julia. That's a big problem. Bonnie should have thrown her out of the kitchen after that bullshit about wrapping the cheese. Rock had problems with that one guy but he did (finally) do something about it.
Either way, they edit the hell out of these shows, so it's really impossible to tell who actually did better.
Note to Fox...The Green Valley Ranch is not in Las Vegas, it is in Henderson. Its a decent enough place, but Rock won't be cooking for Justin Timberlake and Prince on the strip. He will be cooking for tourists priced out of the strip at a low rise hotel complex about a 20 minute drive from the action.
Last year's winner was sent out to the Red Rock Casino, a nice place, but again far from the strip out in Summerlin. Both Red Rock and Green Valley Ranch are owned by the same company btw.
I cant believe I actually watch this show, but did you see how many dumb looks Rock gave throughout the episodes? This guy looks like an idiot and like he just doesnt "get it".
I'd rather work for Bonnie than Rock. Seemed like Gordon wanted him to win by coming into his kitchen and telling him to kick that guy off his appetizers.
Hell's kitchen should bend over for Top Chef anyways.
Ehh, it was sort of a foregone conclusion. They spent about 10 episodes making it clear that Rock knew how to cook, was driven, had a compelling back story, and was reasonably self-aware (for every blow-up, they showed him apologizing or agonizing).
It looked a lot like last night's show was edited to show Bonnie as a reasonable competitor, but there's just so much you can do when one chef is less experienced with cooking and running a restaurant than another.
I've also seen speculation (on TWoP and AV Club) that the Green Valley Ranch is less a substantive opportunity. He seemed confident enough to merit a real chance at his own restaurant, so I hope he gets that chance - either at GVR or elsewhere (back in DC?).
I thought Bonnie ran a tighter ship on the last competition. She shouda bitch slapped Julia for giving her lip.
hey what up im new
im into taken photos any one else out there in taken photos