Given Asuna's mastered cooking skillz this show is obviously a sexist show. And I suspect she is really good even at ironing, it was simply cut out from the VN.
(just kidding)
Back to the episode, it seems that my concert about Asuna/Kirito duoing the boss was excessive. But the episode was awesome, like the previous one. I mean, not that my rational side didn't knock at my emotive door when Kirito went in god mode (ok, he didn't but that what it seemed at the moment) soloing him, but we ignored it.
But when Asuna started her never-ending-hug even my rational side was celebrating.
So, I can totally forgive anything for the rule of cool !!
Speaking of Asuna change of behavior when with Kirito, I agree that it's a bit a way to make kirito shine. But on the other hand it's true that she has never cared for anyone else until now and never relied on anyone, I guess, so she needs to get used to it.