TV PREVIEW
“Hell’s Kitchen,” 8 p.m. Tuesday, Fox, 14th season debut
Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” like many aging reality competition shows, has a recipe and sticks to it because it works.
The primary course is the fiery, demanding, bleep-filled judge and jury Gordon Ramsay. His side dishes are the contestants each season vying to work for one of his many restaurants. The casting company sprinkles in great cooks amid a goulash of tasty personalities with bad attitudes and even cruddier cooking skills.
“Shut it down!” Ramsay will inevitably thunder partway through dinner service, leaving Hell’s Kitchen customers wishing they had hit the drive-thru on the way in.
Season 14 is no different. Atlanta line cook Torrece “T” Gregoire is cast for both her food and her spicy bigger-than-life persona. Based on the first episode alone, it’s clear she’ll be around awhile.
Here’s a quick preview:
Hometown: New York City
Occupation: line cook
Signature dish: coffee-crusted flank steak
Why "T"? "Ever since I was in elementary school, kids would mispronounce my name, so I started just going by 'T.' It's easier, especially in a kitchen with new people. They don't have to say, 'Hey, you!' "
Why she moved to Atlanta in 2010: She needed a change of scenery. "It was a rejuvenation coming down here for me."
Why "Hell's Kitchen"? "I was in a rut. I needed something to put the fire back in me. I applied and had no idea this would be a life-defining moment for me."
On a contestant in the first episode who used canned spaghetti sauce in her signature dish: "If you want to represent yourself as Chef Boyardee, by all means!"
On Ramsay: "Thanks to him, I will never look at food the same way again. I have nothing but awe and respect for him. He never compromises on the integrity of the food."
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