This season looks like it's going to be great, so let's dish on how these poor chefs are doing. As a bonus, in this thread only, you will magically learn how to cook a risotto!

Eddie was robbed! I wanted to see more of what this guy could do. And that was just wrong the way that Rock said he felt Eddie would have trouble because he was little.
And why is cryin', panic-attack-havin' Aaron still there? At least, last season's person who did almost nothing but panicked anyway left early on. Rock did a very poor job of choosing two people. How he could not see that Aaron doesn't belong in this competition is a mystery.

Maybe he left Aaron because he knows he can beat him?!

I think you hit the nail on the head with that one chairo.

I find the fact that Aaron is still there almost embarassing.

OK, I know I missed the first episode but what the heck is wrong with Aaron? Is he ill? Does he have some kind of chronic illness? and what the HECK is up with that staring off into space with Gordon? Does he think anyone buys that? No one can be that flaky--can they?

Actually I don't think it is an act. At first I did but if it is this guy deserves an academy award. I still can't figure out why he was chosen to be on the show in the first place. Of course we get one every year. I think he and Eddie were the novelty acts this year.

Though I believe Aaron should have been nominated I also think Eddie leaving was the right choice between the two chosen to be put up. Eddie talked the big talk but produced nothing. I wouldn't have wanted to eat anything he cooked. His signature dish was poorly cooked (raw) scallops and things went downhill from there.

If truth be told there is nobody who stands out for me right now. All of the women with a couple exceptions are bitchy and paranoid and the men are trying their macho act with Ramsay and nobody is go to out macho him.

It will be interesting to see who blossoms and actually becomes someone I would want to cheer for.

chairo, I think Melissa has proven to be fairly competent so far. And the girl who ran the kitchen in last night's show (forget her name) did a great job of keeping their attitudes positive.

I was disappointed with Rock for not putting up Aaron and Vinnie with Eddie. Two of those three. I don't think Josh deserved to be nominated... yet.

I think part of the reason Aaron is dizzy is because he isn't eating... I'm sure his body is used to much more calories than the one apple for the day he confessed to eating. I think we'd see a bit of a change in him if he'd just shove some calories into his body. He's worse than dead weight for his team right now though, if he had prepared just one or two of those fish instead of going for a nap, the guys could have won the challenge.

Johanna is a mess. She really wants it, you can tell, but last time she couldn't cook spaghetti, and this time she forgot to cook the lettuce... yeesh.

Great show though, and next week looks fairly good when someone poisons a customer??? :O Not that that's a good thing, of course, but, well, you know what I mean... right.

I agree Melissa appears competent but I have a problem with her attitude. She has said in her 'asides' to the camera that she doesn't want anyone else getting credit for things. I suppose they all feel that way but right now is not the time to be flying solo. They need to survive as a team first to prove they can work with other people. Jen did a good job, but she seems a little out of her element at times. I at first thought she was to be the female Aaron when she swooned and refused to acknowledge her signature dish on the first show.

However now I think it was just Ramsay jitters ... being in front of the great chef might cause all of us to be star struck and swooooon ... NOT! I do believe she is stepping up though and will be anxious to see how she progresses.

Bonnie is a novelty act for me .. the token ditzy blond. I do like Julia but not sure how far she will go. She has the best personality and compassion for others.

I am not linked into any of the men yet. As I said earlier, they are all trying to be Mr Wonderful right now instead of proving their abilities as chefs.

As for what coming up, the previews have been misleading to a point. They show an ambulance .. talk about customers being sick but show the bones left in the fish. They talk about kitchen mutiny by the men and blood from someone. I believe these are perhaps ambiguous peviews of the rest of the season and not just of next week.

I agree with you Chairo about Melissa. Her attitude sucks and where does she work anyway? Waffle House? She needs to get over herself. I agree that the girl who ran the kitchen last night did a great job! Can't remember her name though. Joanna--she has a bit of an attitude too. :S

It was Jen they attributed running the kitchen at the end, when they got everyone served. Personally I didn't notice anyone really running it but last night was mainly a focus on the men just as last week mainly stayed covering the women. Joanna does have an attitude but she really tamed it down this week. I think she realized if she wants to have longevity on this show she had to suck it up and be more of a team player. I do believe she did that ... at least this week. Obviously her flirting didn't get her anywhere.

I forgot ... don't know if you were joking but Julia is the Waffle House girl who will more than likely prove herself invaluable when they serve breakfast next week.

Jen is her name, JB.
I think we all agree about Aaron. Usually everyone is so cut throat on this show, including Ramsay and i don't understand why everyone is cutting him so much slack?! He is a nice guy, but totally not suited for this show.
It does make for great TV watching!

I just about cheered when Chef Ramsey called her "Barbie" because that's just how I think of her. What was on her mind when she decided to walk around their house in those tiny clothes, bending over and reaching for things, getting everybody's attention--oh, I guess that's it. Desperate plea for attention.

This is just like any other reality show where the participants have a say in who stays and who goes. Usually they get rid of the most bossy or intolerable first. They keep the weakest around as long as possible because they know they can beat them in the end. After they rid themselves of the real competition then they work on the weak.

It is very possible at some point Ramsay might override other nominations and get rid of Aaron himself. He has done that in the past as well as booting both nominees.

I actually don't feel any in this group are as good as some in the past. By this point in previous shows I could see standouts and either didn't like them or was in their corner. There are a couple here who are sort of sliding under the radar though it is harder on this show. Rock hasn't been a standout but he hasn't made major mistakes either.

On the womens side it is the same though they are more vocal in their bickering among themselves.

With no clear stand outs at this point I guess I'd like to see Rock and Vinnie in the end for the men (Vinnie because he gets on Ramsays nerves) and for the women I just can't narrow it down because they are all really bitchy and covet the spotlight.

I thought Melissa was VERY bossy and I didn't like her at all. Of course, I thought the same thing of Heather at the same point last season and wound up liking her so... stranger things HAVe happened.