Suvechha Sarkar
Fox’s ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ acts as the battleground where the aspiring chefs are pushed to their limits to determine who possesses the most refined culinary skills. It all happens with Chef Gordon Ramsay as the judge, who is always ready to put forth his assessment. As season 24 moves closer toward its climax, episode 15, appropriately titled ‘Hell of a Showdown’, raises the heat to an entirely new level. The pressure is now not just about survival but also about legacy and precision. It is a pivotal moment for Cydni, Ellie, and Jada, who are selected as the Top three contestants. They must now face the final challenge that determines which two among the three chefs advance to the Finale.
The Top 3 Chefs are Surprised by the Final Challenge and Family Reunions
As Cydni, Jada, and Ellie return to their dorm, they discover a surprise gift: it is not one, but two, free plane tickets to anywhere they want to fly. While Ellie feels a weight has been lifted off her chest, Cydni reveals that she felt like an underdog in the entire competition, but now, when she is in the Top three, she realizes she has been undermining herself. Shortly after, Gordon Ramsay asks them to come to the dining room. There, he announces that for the final challenge, the contestants must design a stunning menu featuring one incredible cold appetizer, one hot appetizer, and three entrees, each prepared with chicken, fish, and beef. Since there are three remaining chefs, they will get the help of three amazing Sous Chefs: Michelle Tribble and James Avery, along with another of Gordon’s employees, Kesha Tatro.
Gordon then assigns each Sous Chef to one of the contestants, with Jada getting assistance from James, Ellie getting help from Kesha, and Cydni being paired up with Michelle. With that being said, Jada, Cydni, and Ellie proceed to have a meeting with their Sous Chefs to decide what they are going to create. The next morning, the competitors take their positions before Gordon once again. He expresses that he would like to take a moment and share about the mentors who shaped his culinary journey. He continues that there are similarly some people who have inspired Jada, Cydni, and Ellie. The judge then surprises Cydni with a video message from her mother, LuSung Lei Ward, congratulating her for moving this far in the competition.
It is followed by a message from Ellie’s boyfriend, Brandon, expressing his love and longing for her. Lastly, Jada receives a video message from her parents, Nelson and Erica, and her boyfriend, Adam. To add more to the surprise, Brandon and Ellie’s best friend, Kevin, greets her in person in Hell’s Kitchen. Within minutes, they are also joined by Cydni’s parents and her boyfriend, Brian, and Jada’s parents and boyfriend. Following the greetings, Gordon announces that he has arranged a stunning and delicious brunch for the contestants and their families at Red 36 restaurant. Shortly after that, Jada, Cydni, and Ellie will have a stylist assisting them with their makeup and hair before meeting the press for photo shoots.
Emotions Overflow at Brunch Before the Pressure Takes Over the Top 3 Chefs
Once every contestant has settled down for brunch, Ellie reveals that being far away from her family is hard, as she has missed her father’s wedding. In her confessional, she admits that it feels selfish, but her father insisted that she can always watch the wedding videos later. Meanwhile, Cydni and her family are joined by Gordon, who asks the contender to describe her journey in the competition. She honestly explains she has just gone through a year’s worth of learning. The judge then moves on to Jada’s table, where she divulges that, although it may sound corny, meeting Gordon is one of the best moments of her life. She further adds that the experience is more rewarding than she expected. When Gordon asks Ellie about the same, she remarks that it is the most gratifying and validating thing she has ever done in her life.
After the girls have their hair and makeup done, they appear before the press for the photo shoots. However, they are shocked when they turn around and find a large audience cheering for them, including their loved ones and their fellow competitors who have been eliminated. Ellie is further delighted to discover that her father, Daniel, has flown in to show his support. Ultimately, Gordon announces that it is now time for Jada, Ellie, and Cydni to cook a delicious five-course tasting menu. He reveals that the Top two finishers in this challenge will continue on in the following night’s Grand Finale. As the 60 minutes on the clock begin ticking, the contestants rush to the kitchen with their Sous Chefs. Jada starts with her Parisian gnocchi preparation and notes that it needs to be shaped appropriately to cool.
Unfortunately, Jada realizes that the dough is warm, which results in the gnocchi falling apart as soon as she puts it into the water. She tries to cool the dough before attempting to shape out the gnocchi again, but she finds herself unable to achieve what she wants once more. She admits that if she and Kevin don’t get the dish fixed soon, they may have to switch to risotto. In the meantime, the focus shifts to Cydni, who is trying to make a poached egg, but unfortunately, it doesn’t come out quite right like she expected. With just 7 minutes left on the clock, Ellie takes the risk of adding more cream to her bisque at this stage. At the same time, Jada gives it her all to prepare the gnocchi for the third time. The competitors rush to plate their dishes carefully as the time on the clock finally comes to an end.
Top-Tier Guest Judges Praise Technique and Flavor Across Multiple Courses
Wasting no time, Gordon announces that the chef for the first round tasting is chef and restaurateur, Susan Feniger. First up is Jada’s hiramasa crudo with charred oranges, which instantly earns praise for both its visuals and taste from the guest judge. Next up is Ellie’s filet tartare, which receives compliments, but Susan also notes that she would’ve liked more horseradish in the dish. Lastly, Susan is also left impressed with Cydni’s grilled peach burrata salad. During scoring, Susan awards Jada with 10 points, Ellie with 9, and Cydni with 8. Gordon informs everyone that the judge for the hot appetizers is the James Beard Award-winning chef, Nina Compton.
During tasting, Ellie is the first one to present her seafood dish, which Nina observes is a great start to a meal due to its lightness. Upon tasting Cydni’s crab cake, Nina compliments the use of spice in the preparation. Lastly, the judge remarks that although she is picky about her gnocchi, Jada has completely nailed it. For this round, while Cydni and Ellie are rewarded with 8 points each, Jada takes the lead with 9 points. The judge who will be tasting the fish course is Ming Tsai. Upon seeing Jada’s glazed and seared Chilean sea bass, Ming notes that the plate looks a bit crowded, but the fish is perfectly cooked. Ellie’s pan-seared salmon also earns praise for its texture, but he points out that it could be better with a little more acid. In the end, Cydni’s fish stew receives praise, especially for the addition of the poached egg.
Ultimately, Ming provides Jada with 8 points, while he gives Ellie and Cydni 9 points each. For the Round 4 chicken entree, the judge is Chef David Standridge. The first dish for his tasting is Cydni’s chicken and dumplings, which he compliments for its presentation, flavor, and beautiful sear. The next turn is for Jada’s chicken dish, for which David points out that, although it is incredible, it would’ve been better without the pearl onions. After tasting Ellie’s chicken breast preparation, the judge remarks that the dish is quite bold, but it truly is good. As the tasting ends, Cydni and Jada each receive 8 points, while Ellie gets 9. The fifth and final round of beef entree preparations is being judged by the returning judge, Stephanie Izard.
Final Scores Pave the Way For Jada and Ellie to the Finale, Leaving Cydni Heartbroken
The first chef to present their dish is Cydni, who has cooked a pan-seared filet. Stephanie carefully notes that using cheese is something she likes, and although Cydni has taken the risk of adding two proteins on the plate, both of them are cooked beautifully. Next up is Jada’s pan-seared New York strip. Although Stephanie praises the perfect seasoning on the steak, she adds that the richness of the dish can be balanced with a bit of citrus. For the last dish of the night, Ellie has made pan-seared ribeye. Stephanie points out that despite the perfect harmony of the components on the plate, the preparation needs a little more acid. The judge then awards Cydni with 9 points, bringing her total to 42 points. When Jada receives 9 points, her total increases to 44, which means she is moving on to the Finale.
Now, Ellie needs 8 points or higher to secure her spot in the Grand Finale. Fortunately, Stephanie gives her 9 points, helping her become one of the Top two contestants. In her interview, Cydni expresses that she is definitely happy for Ellie and Jada, but she can’t help but think about how sad she is. After Cydni leaves the stage, Gordon announces that although Jada and Ellie have tied with 44 points, Jada is the only one who has received a perfect score of 10. Hence, Jada can first choose her team from the returning contestants for the last dinner service. While Jada ends up choosing Anaiya, Anthony, Henry, and Chris, Ellie selects Cydni, Lisa, Jayden, and Alexandra. Gordon then explains that tomorrow night will be the final dinner service, which indicates that Jada and Ellie are one step away from becoming the next ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ champion and the Head Chef of the institution.
Read More: Hell’s Kitchen Season 24 Episode 13 and Episode 14 Recap
