'Hell's Kitchen': It's Christina

Looks like a woman's place is in the kitchen -- "Hell's Kitchen."

Christina, the wide-eyed 25-year-old culinary student from Missouri, has bested the competition to become Chef Gordon Ramsay's newest protege. Not only did she survive the boot camp that is the "Hell's Kitchen" but she thrived -- blossoming during the course of the competiton from a mousy, insecure cook to a creative, authoritative chef. Her prize: A job as executive chef in Ramsay's newest restaurant, London West Hollywood, and a $250,000 paycheck to show for her troubles.

"Christina had the least amount of experience coming into 'Hell's Kitchen' but I saw something in her that was quite special," Ramsay said in explaining his decision. "She had the best potential across any of the chefs. . . . And in my business, I think long-term. I definitely, definitely made the right choice."

That choice pitted Christina against Petrozza, the humanist catering director from North Carolina. But it was a tight race -- it wouldn't have been a shock had Petrozza won. He too came into his own over the course of the show, and proved to have a motivational touch with his "staff" made up of his former competitors. But in the end, Christina's creative approach to food won her the job.

It was a fitting finale -- but frankly too short on the fireworks. C'mon. I was totally waiting for either Matt or Jen to get thrown out one last and final time. No such luck. By turns, Christina and Petrozza suffered ups and down during dinner service, and to their credit found ways to turn it around. When Petrozza ran out of the key ingredients for two of his menu's three appetizers, he improvized and came up with a tasty risotto backup. When Matt kept serving up raw monkfish -- and sushi was nowhere to be seen on the menu -- Christina kept kicking it back to the kitchen.

Jen thought she was coming back to "Hell's Kitchen" for the finale to prove that Chef Ramsay was wrong to boot her off the show. But, as she was picked to join Petrozza's team, she only proved herself to still have the bad attitude, coming across as sloppy and slow, and pissy to boot. Chef Ramsay wondered whether her larger game was "sabotage." At one point, she failed to deliver a single crispy onion ring, leading Petrozza to wail: "C'mon, put up a decent onion ring! . . . Onion rings! You're frying onion rings! With one arm I could have done a better job. . . ."

Meanwhile, Matt once again came across like he was in need of mental health care as he joined Christina's team. Perhaps he would claim it was all in the editing. But he talked to himself, sang a song about his herbs, imitated an Indian accent when he should have been prepping and made repeated inappropriate comments. (When Christina asked for a pea puree he asked whether she wanted him to "pee in the puree.") And then there was the muttering at Chef Ramsay under his breath.

But, alas, none of that ever came to a head.

I'm scheduled to interview Christina by telephone Wednesday morning before she hops on a plane to do publicity in New York. Any lingering questions out there you'd like me to ask? And what do you think? Did the best chef win?

-- Rene Lynch

(Photo courtesy Fox)

Comments

[Cheyenne]

I think Christina Was the best.
I don't think Petrozza should've been the one with Christina though, I think Corey should've been up there with her.
Christina was the over-all better Chef.
It wasn't about How they look.
And it wasn't about JUST that LAST episode.
It was about The challenges as a whole and Christina outshined and outcooked everyone.
She has potential & can handle her Chef's. [CLEARLY]
Sh'es sure of herself in the kitchen and is a good leader.

Also, someone mentioned how Petrozza should have won becuase he asked his teamate for an idea??

WTC. it was him stressing under pressure..
HELLO.

And i loved how after each of the "gift" things she always came back and put what she's learned to the test=]
Way to go!

Good Luck Christina!
All my best=]

[simon shaw]

Ptetty young blonde culinary student was favored to win challenges and job .Pretty young Blonde. powerfull tv star over 40 years of age money to burn .also Ramsey is male and she is not .figure it out .Two young blondes in finall three and one older geyser .if your young and blonde get in there its hollywood

[simon shaw]

cristina

[simon shaw]

Pretty girl aging chef .ramsey likes blondes .sorry petrozza

[simon shaw]

sorry to repeat myself but i did not not know i could really post here untill the post appeared

[BIG BEE]

HELLO ROOM I AM A COOK AND SO FOR WHAT I SAW THIS SEASON THE WRONG ONE WON AND FOR JEN SHE DID HER JOB JUST GO BACK AND LOOK OVER IF SHE DOSE EVERYONE JOB SHE WILL FALL ON WHAT HVE TO DO .FIRST WHEN YOU GO IN TO WORK KEEP A LEVER THIS WAS A CONTEST AND I MOST SAY WHEN THE FOUR WAS LEFT I KNOW THEY WANTED HER BOOTED BECAUSE SHE WAS A CHALLAGE . AND FOR MR P HE ARE A FOLLOW AND NEED TOO BEE TALK TOO MUCH IF YOU CANT TAKE THE KITCHEN GET OUT AND TO ALL YHOU YOUNG AND OLD PEOPLE WHEN GOING ON A JOB BE PREPARE FO WORK GET YOUR HEAD FROM BETWEEN YOUR LEGS ARE TELL YOUR PARENTS TO TAKE YOU TO A DAY CARE .I HATE WORKING WITH CRY BABY YOU CANT RUNING NO KITCHEN ALL WAYS CRY .GET SOME TISSUE AND WIPE YOUR FACE AND ASS AND CLEAN YOUR HAND GET BACK TO WORK
A REAL COOK ALSO KNOW IF YOU GET A BURN ON YOUR HAND GET SOME WHITE FLOUR AND STICK HAND IN THE AND GET BACK TOO WORK RESTURANT CANT CLOSE DOWN FOR LITTLE BURN PLEASE BABY GROW UP .EVERY DAY I COOK ENOUGH FOOD FOR SIX HUNDRED PEOPLE AND EXTRA. NOTHING NEVER COME BACK I DONT I DONT NEED ALOT OF PEOPLE RUN THERE MOUTH DO AS I SAY ARE GET THE HELL OUT OF MY KITCHEN . MOST OF MY PEOPLE THAT I COOK FOR I DONT KNOW BUT THEY ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE FOOD FROM THE BEST THAT THEY KNOW . AND I LOVE COMING UP WITH NEW MEALS AND I ALSO TRAVEL ALL OVER THE WORLD TY FOR YOUR TIME I JUST FOUND THAT CREW WAS JUST TOO LAZY FOR ME.

[steel4real]

It was a very entertaining year! yes they werent the best picks, but Christina by leaps and bounds became a real good chef with the great possibility of becoming a great chef, she is young, but grew probably better than anyone in any of the other seasons. She is clean and learned well on how to run a kitchen and give direction, albeit she will have to get a little harder. Pettrozza will now get better offers for a lot of money, dont worry about old or heavy or glasses as many of you do,somebody will always make a big deal over stupid crap like the blonde won it or throw the race crap in it, yeahhh general bobby with the crap leadership skills compared to everyone else, he was all about "me", or Jen asking GR "can you give me a letter of recommendation?" during the hugeist competition of 2 other peoples life!! what the hell??? also all about "me". you watch over a ten year period the big boy will probably come out ahead of the "pretty blonde one". And p winning the last contest (while Christina won 9 others) killed himself picking the worst of the two left standing, as jen quietly sabotaged the service-(couldnt cook an onion ring folks), and if she was all that she wouldve come up with the diff. dish when they ran out of ingredients, she was a deer in the headlights,crash & burn orrrrr, did she just look stupid on purpose. Lastly I think the producers put Matt up to that psych crap, it looked pretty staged, which worked for the ratings, it made me think of a new title- hells kitchen-the mole edition. Christina did well kickin Matts ass when needed, and threatned to run him!! Good for her- a win well deserved for this season.

[tom]

Hmmm, looks like Hell's Kitchen did very well, especially amongst the 18 to 49rs. Now it's off to New York to battle brand new, rain fed baby cockroaches!

[eunice]

Louis should have won IMPO. Jen needed to be kicked out....lazy heifer!!!! and what gives her the 'right' to have an 'attitude?' ((@*#&&!^@(#)&@#!)

[palominoway]

I was terribly disappointed but not surprised when Chrisitna won. I knew she would but in my mind and heart I knew she didn't deserve it over Petrozza. I noticed a couple of shows ago when being interviewed Christina referred to Chef Ramsay as 'Gordon', something none of the other contestants had ever done that I recall. It caught my attention and I knew then she would be the winner. I wish her luck but by no means acknowledge her as the better chef. I, like many other viewers changed the channel when Christina's door opened. I was really upset. I doubt I'll ever watch another program affiliated with Chef Ramsay and I know I'll never visit another of his retaraunts. I have no respect for the man.

[Tinkb7]

Give Ramsey and Christina both a break here...I really liked P the whole time but in the long run Christina has more potential for growth and that is what Ramsey needs...I am sure she will not be left to her own devices at the London West Hollywood (especially since it opened before the winner was announced so she wasn't working yet)...I am sure there is more than one "executive" chef and I'm sure it is Ramsey's menu first and foremost, plus I read that Ramsey will be there as much as possible also. I for one am excited for her and wish her the best.

[Lakey]

I am surprised at the low level of talent on HK compared to Top Chef, and I am surprised that Gordon chose Christina after she produced such a bland and uninspiring menu. Personally, since P made the effort to create some really remarkable dishes and pulled it off, it seems to me that he should have been the winner. But this isn't American Idol, and G get his pick. Next year, I would hope that they would limit the competition to really top chefs.

[D]

o Stars
We had made reservations some time in advance for our dining experience for 7/8/08 at the Terra Verde Restaurant in Nevada...after being loyal watchers of Hell's Kitchen.

All the hype of being a restaurant ran by one of Gordon Ramsay's selected chefs Rock was a huge disappointment.

As we approached the restaurant...a teenage girl is on the phone telling whoever is on the other end that Rock never comes to the restaurant and it is just hype. She never looked up to acknowledge us and continued talking negatively about Chef Rock and stated she has never seen him and heard it had been 8 months since he visited the restaurant.

First of all talking on the phone like you are chatting with your teenage friends....with guests in front of you was a huge disappointment.

You would think that no phones would be in the reception area.....

Our expectations were to high for this low class place.

Then to hear this conversation was horrific.

We just walked away and then proceeded to tell as many as we could that all the hype is a gimmick and don't fall for it, plus there Mater De is a high school teenager with absolutely no manners.

Took our business elsewhere and had a great dining experience.

With our economy today..glad to know you can afford to lose business. Won't be visiting any of these restaurants.....

[Donny Walace]

I'd love to know what Mrs. Ramsay really thinks about the Christina winning. Actually I think all of our posts can be summed into the one so many above me-
Ramsay likes young blonde chicks.
I guess he had to go with Patrozza as the runner-up to not make it look too obvious by picking two chicks. And don't forget Corey decided that she was too happy with having sex and traveling with her new husband around the world and you know that must have killed her chances.
I think I would have liked the show more if they added a laff track.

[Donny Walace]

Hugo, I think that Christina would tell you that actually she knows Petrozza and other chefs were clearly better than her but guess what i get the money and the move to a long-term career with only the experience from HK and they don't. I don't need to work for over a decade to get to this point... And then she'd walk off laughing. When are guys ever going to learn when to keep it in their pants. Notice that Corey did better with less mistakes but she was too married to go for Ramsay and guess that was when she got booted as punishment.
Mmmmm- I'd love to know what Mrs. Ramsay thinks about all of this.

[Tonya]

I really think Petrozza should have won. He came a long way from the first show to the end. He had to work with Matt, then Jen. That was not easy.

I think they should bring him back again for the 5th season.

way to go Petrozza for making it to the end