Ep 2. Raising the Bar

In Hell's Kitchen season 17 episode 2, titled "Raising the Bar," Chef Gordon Ramsay pushes the remaining contestants to new heights as they continue to compete for the ultimate prize of becoming the head chef at the Hell's Kitchen restaurant in Las Vegas.

The episode begins with Ramsay addressing the chefs in the dining room, where he introduces two new additions to the competition. First, chef Lee Hefter, who has worked alongside Ramsay for over a decade, joins the show as a guest judge. Second, Ramsay reveals that the chefs will be cooking for a room full of VIP guests, including a group of professional athletes and influencers.

The chefs are then split into two teams to prepare their signature dishes, which will be judged by the VIP guests and the judges. However, the challenge quickly takes a turn when one team's dish is completely ruined and they must start over from scratch. The chefs scramble to get their dishes completed on time, with tensions and pressure rising as Ramsay and Hefter oversee the cooking process.

After the VIP guests finish tasting and judging the dishes, Ramsay announces the winning team. The victorious chefs are rewarded with a trip to the racetrack, where they get to drive luxury cars and enjoy a day out of the kitchen. Meanwhile, the losing team is put to work cleaning the kitchen and prepping for dinner service.

As dinner service begins, the chefs are tasked with preparing dishes for the VIP guests once again, but this time, with the added pressure of impressing Hefter and Ramsay. The chefs struggle to keep up with the pace, with some making critical errors that could lead to their elimination.

Throughout the episode, Ramsay pushes the chefs to raise the bar and reach their full potential, while also delivering his signature tough love and brutally honest critiques. The pressure is higher than ever as the chefs work to prove their worth and stay in the competition.

Overall, "Raising the Bar" is a thrilling and intense episode of Hell's Kitchen that showcases the fierce competition and high stakes of the show. The addition of guest judge Lee Hefter adds a new dynamic to the judging process, while the challenge and dinner service push the contestants to their limit. Fans of the show will not be disappointed by this exciting episode.