"Many of ponies from all trots of life have been in this kitchen standing behind me." Chef Ramsay said towards the camera. "Many have triumphed with success, and many have fallen to the ground in doubt and stress. This year will be the biggest year yet. A chance to work in my restaurant as an executive chef with a salary of a quarter million bits in the brand new Saddle and Gallop in Canterlot. The pressure is on in Tartarus Kitchen."
The 12 hopeful chefs were on board the bus heading from Los Pegasus International Wingport and heading towards Tartarus Kitchen. The 12 candidates were:
Bon-Bon: A bread baker from Ponyville, with her own catering business.
Colgate: A dentist, with experience in the field of being a front line cook.
Twilight Sparkle: A princess born in Canterlot, now living in Ponyville with experience in the studies of running a restaurant.
Rainbow Dash: A fast Flyer in the Wonderbolts from Cloudsdale, with expertise in the speed of serving food.
Pinkie Pie: A famous baker also from Ponyville, who owns part of a business in serving all kinds of desserts and sweets.
Fluttershy: A quiet pony from the outskirts of Ponyville, who has the knowledge of not giving up and keep working.
AppleJack: A country born pony, who has experience as a baker and cider mixology.
Rarity: A fashion pony, born with the sense of presentation and good taste.
Cheese Sandwich: A Party Pony, who is also a former caterer to special events.
Starlight Glimmer: A pony of immense abilities, who also has the knack of learning things quickly within the restaurant.
Big Macintosh: Applejacks sister, who also runs part of the cider selling and dessert business
Soarin: Another Wonderbolt, who has the secret prowess of a chef in the background.
"I'm kind of nervous about meeting him...He's always yelling..." Fluttershy said quietly.
"Heh...He thinks he's going to be able to break me, but I will be the best in that kitchen!" Rainbow boasted out.
Tons of jeers were pointed towards Rainbow who just brushed it off.
"Kind of weird having all of us as friends going against each other, isn't it darlings?" Rarity asked curiously.
"Yes but no matter what happens, we will always remain friends...hopefully" Twilight answered a little cautiously.
The bus pulled into the parking lot and the ponies trotted out of the vehicle and stood before a stallion in a nice black tuxedo.
"Hello and welcome to Tartarus Kitchen. My name is John Phillipe and I am the Maitre D. If you will please follow me inside." He led the 12 ponies in through the doors into the dining room, where they gasped at the space and the kitchen.
"Oooh this is lovely..." Rarity said looking around.
"I'm glad you think so, because this place won't be lovely here in the next 5 minutes!"
A familiar voice stemmed from behind the 12 as the turned on hoof and faced him.
"What the hay are you all staring at me for? You have 20 minutes to cook me your signature dishes! MOVE YOUR FLANKS!" Chef Ramsay commanded them.
With a rush, all 12 ponies galloped quickly into the kitchen and the sounds of pots and pans could be heard hitting the stove top as they ran around like ponies in the dark of the Everfree Forest.
"That was kind of expected. When he said Move your flanks, I high tailed it to that kitchen." Twilight said to the camera.
"Alright 13 minutes to go, yeah?" Ramsay trotted around the cooks quickly.
"It was a lot like a regular party, but more intense without all the balloons and stuff, so more like a Kitchen party? Yeah I think that works." Pinkie Pie said to the camera.
The ponies continued to cook and run around with seasoning.
"FIVE MINUTES, START PLATING!" Chef yelled across the kitchen.
The ponies scrambled there plates together and took them up and set them on the silver plate just as Chef Ramsay finished counting to zero.
"Right, for me to get a good idea of this competition and understand you, I have to test your knowledge and see who you are on a plate. So..." He picked the lid off of one of them. "Who's is this?"
"Mine, chef." Applejack stepped forward
"And your name please?" Chef asked.
"Applejack, but most ponies just call me AJ."
"I really didn't feel intimidated by the colt standing there in front of me, in fact I think he looks cute to be honest." AJ said to the camera.
"So explain to me what this is?" Chef Ramsay said taking a fork with his magic and taking a bite.
"It's a cinnamon toasted pie crust with apples and a hint of blackberry reduction."
"Oh that's not bad, I really love the flavor and the way it just sort of blends together, but it needs work for presentation. Back in line.
"Thank you, Chef.
"Hmm... Okay who's this?" He pulled the lid off of another one.
"It's mine!" Cheese Sandwich walked up to him.
"Alright and uhh... What is this?" Chef asked curiously as he picked up the food with his magic and it dripped out.
"Deep fried Grilled cheese with BBQ sauce and parsely."
"Honestly I don't really know how to cook good food, I'm a caterer for pony sakes." Cheese said to the camera.
"I think your brain is deep fried, back in line." Chef said.
Rarity, Pinkie, and Twilight's plates didn't make much of an impression unless you counted Chef's yelling "A Chile verde cupcake? What kind of hay you been smoking?" to Pinkie.
Rainbow's made chef cry with how sour her lemon glazed flowers were, and saying: "You need to go 20% slower."
Soarin's, Big Mac's, and Starlight Glimmer's food passed, with quite a bit of issue with Big Mac only saying "Eeyup" Everytime.
"Alright, let's see. What in the peeve is this?"
Fluttershy stepped forward timidly.
"Name?" Chef Asked
"Fluttershy" She said barely audible.
"Sorry?"
"It's Fluttershy."
"Why so quiet don't be afraid to talk up a little more, anyways what is it?"
It's...Glazed Asparagus with grilled carrots in an onion gravy.
"In terms of style and appearance, a no. But, it tastes rather delicious. Back in line."
She quickly trotted back.
"Alright last two step forward please." He stated
Bon Bon and Colgate trotted up to him, and their dishes were not at all appetizing and Chef actually spit Colgate's back out.
"Seriously? I'm deeply concerned about you all. If this is the best you got, we've got a lot of work ahead. Right. Let me introduce you to your Sou Chefs. Please meet Scott, and some of you may already know her from last season, Spitfire. They are my number 2s. Go back up to the dorm and change, because tonight we are opening for dinner.
"Just what I needed after a stressful day." Fluttershy said
The evening came quickly and with only 15 minutes before the doors of Tartarus Kitchen opened, Chef decided to pull both teams of 6 aside before the opening.
"Right let's get one thing straight, I want those tickets out all of them tonight. Don't make me or yourselves look stupid at all. Because one of you will be galloping out that door no matter what tonight."
"YES CHEF!" Both teams yelled back, Fluttershy just nodding.
"Okay John Phillipe! We're open!"
Oui, Chef.
As the dining room started feeling up already the pressure was starting to bother one of the ponies, Fluttershy. She was stiff and standing still not knowing what to do.
"Umm...Fluttershy do you mind not just standing there please? First order red kitchen! Table 21 two Wheat Risottos, one Dandelion Soup!"
"YES CHEF!" The kitchen was full of hustle as the cooking began.
The appetizers, led by Rainbow Dash, need to be cooked and prepped for the red kitchen to get off on the right track.
"Come on Crash we ain't got all night!" Spitfire yelled from behind.
While things continue to slow the red kitchen, the other side of the kitchen, the blue team is now receiving their first order.
"Alright listen up! Table 33, Two Cucumber salads, and two Wheat Risottos."
The team was quiet.
"Oh Bucking hay, Oi, YES CHEF!"
"YES CHEF." The blue team called back.
"Good Celestia..." Chef trotted over to the red kitchen, where Rainbow Dash has presented her first Risotto.
"What... What the buck?" He turned to the red team. "All of you just stop for a minute and touch this with your hoof...oh bloody hay."
He then turned to Dash who was shocked. "What the flying feather is this?"
"I swear I thought it was perfect!"
"Does that look perfect to you, you donut, because if you are now telling me now that this is perfect I'll be right with the customers Dashing out of here in a flurry of colors!"
"Oooh he just can buck off!" Rainbow yelled at the camera
"START AGAIN!" He yelled as he threw the pan back on the table.
While Rainbow is dashing to please Ramsay, Cheese in the blue kitchen has presented his first attempt at his Risottos as well.
"I have no idea how he does that!" Scott whispered to Ramsay who turned around and threw the pan in the trash can.
"Yo, the lot of you, the simplest order and melted cheese brain over here decided to make a Risotto soup. Come on you dumb flanks."
Cheese began making another order, but Rarity came in and interrupted him.
"Here move over darling."
"Heh, excuse me, you want to tear the bread of this sandwich open? We're going to fight later!" Cheese said to the camera.
"Get off my station!" He yelled at her
"You messed up now I have to do this!"
As Chef Ramsay started trotting over a leader emerged.
"You two shut up and work together this is a team thing not a pony boxing ring, do it later when were not around others, Rarity get back on the potatos, and you just focus on the risotto." Soarin said
Chef Ramsay turned to the other side the red kitchen, where Dash was still having trouble getting her first Risotto out.
"Still the Risotto? I thought you were meant for speed and accuracy!" Just then she dropped the cooking pan that had the Risotto in there. "Oh no, may Luna please not give me any nightmares tonight while I sleep."
Chef as he shook his head, and turned around to the blue team where Cheese brought his risotto up again.
"Hey" Cheese looked up at him. "Nicely done that one, keep going yes?"
"Yes chef."
"Whoo! Hahaha!" Cheese exclaimed to the camera
"Alright blue te... now what the buck is she doing?" He was looking at Rarity who was cutting the potatoes into shapes of trees and other plants and frying them.
"I'm frying them, chef darling."
"Yes, but why ahead of orders and it's not peeving darling to you!"
"And all of a sudden Rarity was over here making food ahead of orders and cutting pretty shapes out of things. Seriously?" Starlight said towards the camera.
"Oh Celestia please burn me with the sun..." He walked away as Rarity threw away the fried batch and cut shapes with tears. To the Red Kitchen, to find Fluttershy bringing him the Risotto.
"Now, oh come on Dash! Why is she bringing this to me?"
"I made it." Fluttershy said.
He tasted it. "Wow good choice take over appetizers, Dash go get a rag and make yourself useful and just keep this place clean."
"Oh look Fluttershy can actually be assertive by throwing her friend under the bus!" Dash threw the towell at the camera.
"Right Red Team, Table 12, Two orders of lemon grass, and one order of Breaded daisies."
"Yes Chef!"
"Bucking Hay..." As Chef went back to the blue kitchen, one of the customers were there.
"Yes, Froo Froo hair?"
"I want to know where my food is, we've been waiting an hour."
"Well if you want to be kind enough to cook it yourself with these guys be my guest, other wise I'd high tail it back to your chair and put your flank back firmly in it."
"No I'll just leave, not even worth it."
"Alright then you can also whine like a little filly out the door!"
"Hey all of you! Come here! We are now starting to get customers complaining now, get a grip, pick up the pace or we're screwed!"
Almost 2 hours into service and with a lack of leadership in the red kitchen, and disorginization in the blue kitchen, Chef Ramsay has had enough.
"All of you bucking stop, it's over, Not good enough. Shut it off!"
"Alright listen here, you in the background of silence, but a good risotto, you with all your eeyups, and then a speedy doofus who can't even cook properly, then a melted sandwich who can produce, but has pony who has a shining example of a stupid decorative idea and cooking food off before an order is called. It's so painful to even watch, and the question remains, do I even have the pony who can run the Saddle and Gallop. I want each team to go upstairs and pick one pony from each team who should go home tonight, now buck off."
Upstairs in the dorms, the emotional tension was breaking loose for both teams.
"Seriously cutting little shapes of things and cooking before the orders came? Your brain is as hard as a rock isn't it?" Starlight yelled at Rarity.
"Oh so sorry to make a presentable idea on the potatoes so they look appealing!" Rarity yelled back. "And what about this guy right here? the one who couldn't even deliver on the first attempt!"
"SHUT YOUR BUCKING SNOUT!" Cheese stood up. "I may have messed up but to push me out of the way and say that this was your station like the goody good mare you are, actually are not." He got up and walked out
Over in the red dorm, things were a little more emotional.
"Oh yeah you're such a great friend for cooking the risotto and taking it over to him... IT'S NOT YOUR STATION!" Rainbow shouted at Fluttershy, who was crying.
"I-it's not my fault you didn't do it right and that I did! You messed up not me!" Fluttershy ran into her room.
"Sheesh, rough crowd." Pinkie said
Downstairs, Chef Ramsay was waiting for them.
"Right. Uhh Blue team. Soarin who did you vote for and why?"
"We voted Rarity. She just didn't seem to want to listen and do things her own way." Soarin said
"And Red team. Bon-Bon, your choice and why?"
"We chose Rainbow Dash, she was not cooking anything right and kept slowing the kitchen down.
"Right both of you come forward."
"Rainbow, why do you think you should stay here?" Chef asked.
"I believe in my heart I can learn from my mistakes and become a great chef pony just like you and to succeed as a leader." Dash said
"Rarity?"
"I messed up, I shouldn't have done what I did and I'm sorry and I want another chance to correct myself." Rarity stated.
"You've both got me in a tough position. But my decision is... Rarity... Take off your jacket and leave Tartarus Kitchen. She walked forward shook his hoof.
"Good night."
"Hmph, well I came here to try my hoof at this cooking thing, and it didn't turn out right, I look forward to still doing better in the future, but for me I will return to the fashion scene for now" She said to the camera.
"You've all got a lot of work to do, and just because I didn't call your name tonight, doesn't mean I do not have my doubts about you at all. Now back off to the dorms."
"Rarity was a pretty pony, in demand to have her own spotlight and do things on her own terms, that is not the pony I want leading my kitchen in Canterlot" Chef Ramsay stated to the camera.
Author's Note
Next Time on Tartarus Kitchen:
Big Mac hits a wall with Twilight Sparkle and anger runs deep, And then at Lunch Service Fluttershy and Colgate go on the offensive against Pinkie Pie. All that and more on the next episode of Tartarus Kitchen.
Team Blue:
Rarity
Cheese Sandwich
Starlight Glimmer
Soarin
Twilight Sparkle
Colgate
Team Red:
Big Mac
Rainbow Dash
Bon-Bon
Fluttershy
Applejack
Pinkie Pie
Also other characters will be popping up I promise
