Ep 9. Blind Taste Test

In the ninth episode of season 19 of Hell's Kitchen, titled "Blind Taste Test", the two teams, Blue and Red, are challenged to work together and prepare dishes with a variety of ingredients. The catch is that they will have to rely on their taste buds alone, as they will be blindfolded during the entire process.

The episode begins with Chef Ramsay welcoming both teams in the kitchen, where he tells them about the challenge. The teams will be divided into two groups of four, and they will each take turns in preparing a dish with six mystery ingredients, selected by Chef Ramsay himself. The group members will have to guide each other, as they will have to rely on their sense of taste to identify the ingredients and decide how to combine them.

The first group to take on the challenge is the Red team, made up of Amber, Josie, Fabiola, and Jordan. As they walk towards the kitchen, they try to devise a strategy. Amber, the team captain, decides that they should communicate clearly and avoid shouting, to prevent confusion. The group members then put on their blindfolds and start cooking, with Amber starting with the protein, while the others help her identify the vegetables and spices. They have to work quickly, as they only have 25 minutes to prepare their dish.

Next, it's the Blue team's turn, and they consist of Kori, Marc, Mary Lou, and Declan. They also put on their blindfolds and begin cooking, with Kori taking charge. She decides to start with the vegetables and asks her team members to help identify the protein. The Blue team completes their dish in time, and both teams present their creations to Chef Ramsay for tasting.

Chef Ramsay is impressed with the creativity of both teams and praises them for creating such delicious dishes while blindfolded. However, he has to choose a winner, and after careful consideration, he declares the Blue team as the victors of the challenge. The Blue team is rewarded with a day at the spa, while the Red team is left to do prep work.

As the contestants start preparing for dinner service, tensions rise, and the pressure becomes overwhelming. The Red team struggles to communicate effectively, and their frustration results in several mistakes during the dinner service. Meanwhile, the Blue team starts strong, but their momentum slows down as they also face several challenges.

Throughout the service, Chef Ramsay keeps a close eye on the teams, and his critique is harsh. He calls out the contestants for being slow, careless and not working together, and at one point, he even kicks one of the Red team members out of the kitchen.

In the end, only the Blue team manages to complete all the orders and deliver quality dishes. Chef Ramsay declares them the winners of the dinner service and rewards them by inviting them to go horseback riding in the morning. The Red team, on the other hand, is left to face a brutal punishment of cleaning up the kitchen.

The episode ends with the contestants reflecting on their performance and the lessons they learned. They know that there is a long way to go before they can earn the title of head chef, but they are determined to improve and give it their best shot.