Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares.. etc (Gordon Ramsay)

[mellowinman]

I used to work with a top five star chef. He was like a Marine Drill Instructor who had gone psycho, and made Gordo seem like a kitten.

Strangely, I actually like and respect him. He's VERY good at what he does.

 

[cronker]

I have worked in the restaurant industry for over twenty years and yes, it’s a very volatile business. Quite frankly, a warm and fuzzy chef just isn’t going to make it- there’s too much cut throat competition and so many illogical variables that you face every day.
Even the very calm and organised chefs I have worked with all had a cold, steely determination when under enormous pressure.
A whole lot of what you see with Ramsay is part of his act, making for entertaining television. Read either of his autobiographies, or Marco Pierre White’s too, to get a better picture of what drives them and has made them such successful business people.
By his own admission, Bourdain was a hack in the kitchen, his real skills lay in his writing and personality.

 

[MJ5150]

Yeah, it shouldn't be forgotten that these shows are designed to draw audiences. Everyone is acting for the camera.

-Mike

 

[bholder]

making for entertaining television

Different folks have different definitions of "entertaining".

 

[phangtonpower]

People like him in a position of power often keep the underlings in line by fear rather than actual respect. Yes, I have seen this one in person (the effect that is, lucky to have never been in Mr. Ramsay's presence). Maybe he's an exception and is really nice under all the raging frothing hate, but I'm not buying it.

Yup has no respect for people.
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Yup has no respect for people.
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So being decent sometimes makes up for being a complete jerk at other times? Not in my book, not the way it works.

 

[phangtonpower]

So being decent sometimes makes up for being a complete jerk at other times? Not in my book, not the way it works.

But you do agree that American TV has different standards to the UK where most of his shows are? And that he does have to change for the American audience. Like I mentioned before he is not as angry in his UK shows. Even if you actually watch his American shows, you see that he's more of a mentor than he is a hard ass. Editing does do wonders only showing the part Americans want to see.

I get you don't like him and already formed your opinion on him and I know you explained yourself earlier on, but I still don't get why you had to post on this thread. Are you trying to change peoples minds?

Since you obviously don't watch him and don't understand his shows, it just feels like you killed the thread before anyone was able to appreciate what he has done.

 

[Stevorebob]

Ramsay was equally the F-bomb-dropping abussive jerk in the original BBC Kitchen Nightmares. The change to American television added over-the-top production and a cheesy-dramatic voiceover along with a fresh content full of potential victims.

Yeah, he’s done some good things and some say he’s a sweetheart really. But there’s no difference between being abussive and portraying abussive in unscripted television. It sends the message that such behavior is acceptable. It is not.

 

[fingerguy]

I love him and it was entertaining awhile but eventually it got old. But still have a crush on her:
Holli Ugalde

 

[Callused Finger]

Seems to me you could've done those things equally as well without watching the show... I don't need some shouting swearing abusive jerk (yes, I still believe he is one) to know that a bad restaurant sucks and is to be avoided.

Hello pot.

 

[phangtonpower]

Ramsay was equally the F-bomb-dropping abussive jerk in the original BBC Kitchen Nightmares. The change to American television added over-the-top production and a cheesy-dramatic voiceover along with a fresh content full of potential victims.

Yeah, he’s done some good things and some say he’s a sweetheart really. But there’s no difference between being abussive and portraying abussive in unscripted television. It sends the message that such behavior is acceptable. It is not.

Maybe it's because I grew up in a time that i was spanked and yelled at pretty bad when I was a kid and most of my friends as well. Do I think my parents were abusive. Nope. Not at all. He was always angry at people who were to ignorant, people who couldn't follow simple direction, people trying to change things. Always gave praise when it was deserved. Sometimes people need that kind of stuff instead of feeling entitled to things especially in a cut throat world of cooking.

It's like coming into a rock audition playing Latin Jazz. You might have talent, but if you can't follow what is needed then yeah people are going to speak their minds if you wanna play ball. No body is gonna pussy foot around and cradle you.

 

[Muddslide]

I don't watch a ton of TV but I always preferred Master Chef and Master Chef Jr. to Hell's Kitchen. It seems like the same thing every season and the contestants are often harder to take than Ramsay.

In Master Chef, Ramsay seems more laid back, constructive and encouraging for the most part. Plus I feel I learn more about food and cooking in this show.

The thing that really caused me to quit Hell's Kitchen is when I saw him get in some young lady's face and scream at her that she was a "stupid cow."

Maybe I'm just overly sensitive to this, and I understand Ramsay getting hot headed and yelling and cursing, but "stupid cow", to me, is highly sexist and gender specific.

I have great admiration for women in general and have a hard time seeing them disrespected. I think Ramsay saying that is completely classless and crude and uncalled for.

 

[phangtonpower]

I don't watch a ton of TV but I always preferred Master Chef and Master Chef Jr. to Hell's Kitchen. It seems like the same thing every season and the contestants are often harder to take than Ramsay.

In Master Chef, Ramsay seems more laid back, constructive and encouraging for the most part. Plus I feel I learn more about food and cooking in this show.

The thing that really caused me to quit Hell's Kitchen is when I saw him get in some young lady's face and scream at her that she was a "stupid cow."

Maybe I'm just overly sensitive to this, and I understand Ramsay getting hot headed and yelling and cursing, but "stupid cow", to me, is highly sexist and gender specific.

I have great admiration for women in general and have a hard time seeing them disrespected. I think Ramsay saying that is completely classless and crude and uncalled for.

I haven't lived in the states in over 10 years. And I'm with you on how women are treated. Maybe things have went over board on the PC thing? Most of my "girl" friends would have laughed at that comment if it was deserving. My Japanese wife differently loves it, but different cultures?

Edit: Just watched that clip. How would you have dealt with that situation in the heat of the moment when people aren't listening to what is supposed to happen? If I were her, I would have either worked harder to prove him wrong, or realized that maybe being in the kitchen professionally wasn't for me. One of the reasons why I didn't commit to being a pro musician or a cook.

 

[Muddslide]

I haven't lived in the states in over 10 years. And I'm with you on how women are treated. Maybe things have went over board on the PC thing? Most of my "girl" friends would have laughed at that comment if it was deserving. My Japanese wife differently loves it, but different cultures?

Maybe it's just me. I'm old fashioned or whatever. I mean, sure--call someone an a-hole or whatever--I get that, but women being referred to as b!tches or cows just bothers me.

 

[phangtonpower]

Maybe it's just me. I'm old fashioned or whatever. I mean, sure--call someone an a-hole or whatever--I get that, but women being referred to as b!tches or cows just bothers me.

To me being called out if deserved is just that. I see no difference between being called an a$$hole or a cow if it's deserved on either side.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

Now if you want a chef that is nothing like Ramsay here you go: Soeur Angèle

She's a nun and a cook, what can go wrong...

 

[catcauphonic]

I can't look at risotto anymore without picturing him throwing up his hands while screaming 'how do you fV<k up a simple risotto!?!?'

 

[FunkBear]

He's very abrasive, and that does wonders on television. But, in context, is he being too abrasive? His job on Kitchen Nightmares is to go into restaurants with terrible food/business practices/etc and turn it into a successful business with better quality food. In a restaurant patrons do not see behind the curtain, which is where all the disgusting stuff happens. Sure, he throws tantrums at the owners, but that typically happens after they outright refuse to acknowledge any criticism directed their way. It sure as hell ain't courteous, but he only gets angry when other people are perfectly content serving their customers garbage food.

Comparing it to music, imagine if your job was to go and help struggling bands become more successful and do a better job putting on a show. You show up and listen to a few songs (like tasting a few dishes) and everyone's EQ is all out of whack, the electronics in one main are finicky so the signal drops 10% of the time, and the bassist cant find the one. You tell them the problems and they're convinced you are nuts and dont know what you are talking about. A few of those and I know that I'd be getting pretty loud and angry on my consults. *This scenario assumes you are a world-class sound engineer who is widely known in your profession*

 

[Stevorebob]

Sorry, there is no excuse for abussive antics in any environment.

 

[fdeck]

Maybe it's just the "reality TV" version of Fawlty Towers. After all, John Cleese throws tantrums too.