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Raw Chicken And Burger Pucks Burn Craig’s Pasta
By Heather Wallace
Created 04/23/2008 - 09:20

mediatype: 
text
Authoring Information
Author Type: 
Orato Editor
Original Author: 
Craig Schneider
country: 
USA
Preamble: 

Seems back talk trumps the sin of raw chicken, since last night on Hell's Kitchen Chef Gordon Ramsay gave the boot to Craig Schneider, saying he was a bad cook with an even worse attitude. This despite the fact that some poor child during the family-style service chomped into some nasty cold bird because of Matt's sloppy service. Understandably Craig is still a bit raw about it as well. He doesn't know if he would have made it all the way, but says Matt should have walked through the double doors ahead of him.

Body: 

Watching last night’s episode was a little weird, knowing that I was going to get the boot. But I know damn well sure that Matt’s ass should have been out the door before mine. He was the cause of our downfall last night.

I think Chef Ramsay booted me because of my attitude. I really didn’t have a bad attitude, it just came off like that because you have all your team mates standing there watching you with their hands in their pockets, trying to get the rest of the meals out, which was slowed because of the raw chicken at the beginning of the service.

I had everyone screaming, “Where’s this? Where’s that?” and I couldn’t hear Chef Ramsay. When I go to answer him, it comes out like I’m giving him attitude because it was loud.

I don’t mean I was set up by Hell’s Kitchen, but I’m just saying we had raw chicken and burnt burgers. I can’t re-cook pasta; I have to make it fresh from scratch. You ever eat re-heated pasta? It’s disgusting.

Given the quality Chef Ramsay demands and deserves, I’m not going to give him reheated pasta. I had to do it again and it put me in a hole. When I’m the last person to put out entrees, it looks bad.

When I yelled, “It’s coming!” it was really directed at my fellow team mates, though I don’t really call them ‘team mates,’ since they were just people. I don’t feel we were ever a team. Everybody was out on his own, and that’s fine if it’s later in the season, but not the beginning.

I could apologize to Chef Ramsay because I’ve got the utmost respect for him. He came into my hotel a few months ago, when he was filming for Kitchen Nightmares. I sent him up an amenity and a bottle of wine, talked to him for a few minutes. I think he’s a good guy.

The Pasta Challenge

I was comfortable with the challenge, but I can honestly say that working in a large hotel, I don’t make my own pasta. I made it in college and I’ve made some pasta for tortellini that I have on my menu, but I don’t sit there and make my own pasta. It’s time-consuming and takes a lot out of you, especially when you’re exhausted.

I’m sitting there holding the pasta machine and Petrozza’s just cranking it and smashing my hand, which was pretty bruised up from it. When I started feeding the pasta they were trying to tell me to keep it straight, but it’s hard to keep it straight when you’ve got the machine moving. It’s like throwing a Tic Tac into a windshield of a 90 mph car. It’s impossible.

Beyond Hell’s Kitchen

It was a great experience to be part of a group of 15 people after I found out that over 23,000 people applied. You know, 23,485 people were shoved away and Craig was on his way to LA. That’s how I look at it.

It was an opportunity of a lifetime. I got to do something I wanted to do…it didn’t work out, but I still woke up, I have a pulse and am still breathing. I have my mom, my dad, my family, my friends, my job, and that’s really what’s important.

Predictions

The women work more as a team. I think Jen and Christina have the drive and determination to get to the forefront. I think Shayna’s a bunch of hot air, Rosanne’s nice, but I don’t think she’s got what it takes. I think Corey’s a lot of talk and her team mates are against her like mine were with me.

I hope none of the men win because they don’t deserve to. They really don’t.

*****

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Pullquote: 
Given the quality Chef Ramsay demands and deserves, I’m not going to give him reheated pasta. I had to do it again and it puts me in a hole. When I’m the last person to put out entrees, it looks bad.
Thumbnail: 
CraigHome.jpg
Average: 5 (5 votes)

Source URL: http://www.orato.com/arts-entertainment/2008/04/23/raw-chicken-and-burger-pucks-burn-craig-s-pasta

Links:
[1] http://www.orato.com/arts-entertainment/2008/04/10/hell-039-s-kitchen-chopping-block
[2] http://www.orato.com/arts-entertainment/2008/04/10/song-over-american-idols
[3] http://www.orato.com/current-events/2008/04/10/high-school-confidential
[4] http://www.orato.com/www.orato.com/current-events/2008/04/10/people-peril
[5] http://www.orato.com/current-events/2008/04/10/naked-reporter-michelle-manhart
[6] http://www.orato.com/pickton-trial