‘Hell’s Kitchen’ finale: Passion-player Christina crowned winner

The finale of “Hell’s Kitchen” came down to a Passion vs. Palate Play. And passion ruled the day as Chef Gordon Ramsay crowned Christina Wilson the Season 10 winner of “Hell’s Kitchen.”

Her punishment -- er, make that her reward! -- is to become Ramsay’s full-time employee at his new steakhouse, Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris Las Vegas. There, she’ll continue to toil under “Hell’s Kitchen”-like conditions under Ramsay’s rule -- but she will at least get paid to do it. And a princely sum at that: $250,000 a year.

Christina’s talents are “undeniable,” Ramsay said in announcing the winner, noting that he’s “not rolling the dice with her in Vegas because she’s the real deal.”

Left unsaid, or perhaps unclear, is precisely why she trounced her competitor, Justin Antiorio. His talents are undeniable as well, especially his palate. He’s the only competitor in the history of “Hell’s Kitchen” to go 4-0 in the taste test. (And on sunchokes, no less!) He clearly had the passion (as well as a dad that seemed to dole out disapproval.)

Bottom line: Ramsay would not have been rolling the dice too much on Justin, and he acknowledged as much when he talked about what a tight call it was.

How much of a role do you think Clemenza Caserta played in Justin’s loss? Clemenza seemed to be going out of his way to undermine Justin by dragging his feet and complaining that he should have been among the last folks standing. “My heart is not here,” Clemenza said. Should Justin have let him go when he threatened to quit?

Christina had to put up with Dana Cohen botching the fish and talking back, so perhaps the final two competitors were even on that front after all. (Given Dana’s refusal to bow to Christina’s demands to recook the fish, etc.... was Dana undermining Christina as well? do you think the two are still fast friends?)

In the end it seemed that perhaps Christina’s friendlier nature in the kitchen as she tried to create a cohesive team mentality might have impressed Ramsay the most.

Perhaps there’s only room for one “culinary drill seargant” in a Gordon Ramsay kitchen, and that spot is reserved for Gordon Ramsay.

What did you think? Did the right person win? Are you planning a trip to Gordon Ramsay Steak?

Random observation: I thought the Tavon Hubbard joke was mean! Did you?

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