As the HELL'S KITCHEN contestants prepare for their sixth dinner service, Chef Ramsay reveals the latest twist - each team will create its own menu consisting of three appetizers, entrees and desserts. Egos and tempers reach a boiling point as the wannabe chefs hustle to get their signature dishes up to Ramsay's impeccable standard and out to the hungry guests in a timely manner. At the end of the service, the contestants learn the hard way that each person is out for him- or herself while two contestants' futures at HK are on the line. The next night, the five remaining contestants learn they are no longer competing as teams, but as individuals who must work together (and against one another) to complete an entire dinner service. The theme of the dinner is tableside service, with both the appetizers and dessert prepared tableside. To further complicate matters, there is a power failure, and the filet mignon mysteriously disappears. Accompanied by the usual relentless criticism from Chef Ramsay, the service proves to be too stressful for some of the wannabe chefs, who lose their cool and retaliate. But Ramsay gets the last word and someone's head ends up on his chopping block.

HELL'S KITCHEN opens its eighth night with not only the contestants left over from the previous night's service, but also the ingredients. The four remaining chefs are given 15 minutes and a tray of leftovers to create a meal that Chef Ramsay considers servable. The winner of the challenge is rewarded with a chance to cook on a live national TV show alongside Ramsay. Jealousy and desperation are eating away at the wannabe chefs and with all of them fighting for themselves, the kitchen feels like a pressure cooker. Who can handle the heat and who gets kicked out of the kitchen?