Hell's Kitchen star Gordon Ramsay eliminated Fernando Cruz during Wednesday night's broadcast of the thirteenth-season culinary competition on Fox.
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Fernando, a 28-year-old executive chef from La Quinta, CA, was ousted from Hell's Kitchen after Chef Ramsay asked both the Blue Team and the Red Team to nominate two chefs for elimination based on their performance in the dinner service.
Chef Ramsay said he sent Fernando home because, although he was a good chef, he wasn't ready to be a leader.
In addition to Fernando, the Blue Team also nominated Brian Santos, a 33-year-old sous chef from Boston, MA, for elimination. The Red Team nominated Roe DiLeo, a 33-year-old head chef from Dallas, TX, and Sterling Wright, a 40-year-old grill chef from Nashville, TN.
The Hell's Kitchen broadcast began with Chef Ramsay explaining the challenge. Both teams had to participate in a blind taste-test. Incorrect answers resulted in teammates getting dropped into a dunk tank. After both teams tied 4-4 with correct answers, Roe faced off against Blue Team member Bryant Gallaher and defeated him.
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Since the Red Team won, the group received a day at the Santa Monica Pier and then enjoyed lunch at The Lobster restaurant. Meanwhile, the Blue Team was forced to clean the kitchen for their upcoming dinner service.
As for the dinner service, both teams -- which featured the Final 8 chefs -- served firefighters a five-course gourmet menu.
Chef Ramsay announced both groups had fallen short of his expectations. He called them "clumsy and lost," expressing his disappointment.
Roe was then nominated for her "inconsistencies and hiccups" during dinner services. Sterling's teammates agreed he wasn't great in general nor could he put flavors together well. The Blue Team said Fernando lacked confidence and Brian tended to get nervous under pressure.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski