'Hell's Kitchen' Season 9, Episode 12 Recap - '6 Chefs Compete'

With Natalie out, it's down to six: Elizabeth, Jennifer and Elise on the red team, and Paul, Will and Tommy on the blue team. I am now taking bets on who will be going home tonight. Odds are looking pretty good on Tommy or Elizabeth.

Time is of the essence for the challenge today, as the chefs must prepare a 30-minute, 20-minute and 10-minute entree, which will all go out at the same time. Clearly Tommy should take 30, Will takes 10 and Paul is in the middle. Jennifer hops on 30, Elise takes 10 and Elizabeth takes the 20.

Jennifer starts off, and has her teammates yelling at her to find out what's available to them in the kitchen. The blue team, meanwhile, focuses on telling Tommy what to do, as he remains completely clueless. But when it comes time for the tasting, Tommy actually did just fine. But Jennifer steals the point away with a lucky break as she managed to cook her almost-raw lamb just enough to be presentable.

Paul managed to edge out Elizabeth on the 20-minute dish, but only barely. Point goes to blue team, and it's all tied up. But when Elise undercooks her calamari, the point goes to the blue team, and Elise immediately starts crying. "Look at that face," muses Ramsay as she blubbers. "Stop crying!"

So the guys get to head over to Rodeo drive (aw, they pronounced it "row-dee-oh," how cute) and get to enjoy a shopping spree while the girls rearrange the dining room. Dinner service will be a VIP charity dinner, giving a six-course meal to only two tables. Each chef will be responsible for two courses, but they'll still have to work together...which is bad considering that now Elise and Elizabeth are going at it. Elise has a real talent for starting fights with anyone and everyone.

The pressure's on, as the chefs are just one dinner service away from the black jackets. Elizabeth is already starting to get that look on her face, the panicked look. The blue team almost gets everything out smoothly, but Tommy managed to put wet salad on the scallops, forcing them to re-garnish. Red team's scallops go fine, but Elizabeth isn't showing great leadership skills.

Elise, on the other hand, shows some good leadership and puts out some fine risotto. Tommy manages to screw his up, though, and only with the help of Will does it go out properly. The capellini doesn't go as well for the red team, as Elise and Elizabeth hold Jennifer up and mess up on the plating, of all things. Ramsay is upset enough to throw a mini hissy fit, and then talk about how embarrassed he is. Because, apparently, throwing hissy fits in front of his customers isn't as embarrassing as a few extra pieces of lobster on a plate.

That gives the blue team a leg up, as they get their third course out before the red team finally gets their capellini out. But the customers on the red team's side don't get to enjoy it very long before it gets pulled for Elizabeth's chicken, which is ready too early.

Tommy actually has a surprising moment of clarity when he takes over for the wellingtons, showing that maybe he is just "focused" and not "totally lost" after all. On the read team's side, Elise accuses Jennifer of trying to sabotage her wellingtons by not seasoning the potatoes. But the shoe's on the other foot when Elise undercooks Jennifer's apples for dessert..."I've kept my mouth shut for a long time, but I'm not keeping it shut any more," she says. "The war's on."

The blue team is pretty clearly the winner, and all three red team contestants--Elise, Elizabeth and Jennifer--will be up for elimination. Elise, freaking out over the prospect of going home, shows her true colors: Tommy tries to be nice and tell her "don't try to stress too much." "Are you f***ing kidding me?!" she responds.

The women plead their cases, and eventually calls Jennifer up first...but then hands her a black jacket. That gets Jennifer literally begging for Ramsay not to give up on her, but he sends her out the door, and hands Elise a black jacket. I guess we have to deal with her another week...and now, so does the blue team. It's going to be interesting to see if the no-nonsense Will and Paul will be able to stand up to Elise's crap.