Hell's Kitchen 2008

[Gary Marshall]

Well marco didn't disappoint, he had the whole place in the palm of his hand, no shouty, sweary boll*cks but they certainly got the message

Food is all the marco classics, and for the trivia fans, he was cooking in the box tree at ilkley in the earlier interviews.

couldn't care who wins but it's going to be entertaining.

[offcentre]

He disappointed me. I was cringeing throughout this embarrassment of a program. No entertainment value at all in the show for me. I felt sorry for everyone concerned, from the celebs right through to Angus Deayton.

If MPW wants to act like a drunken has-been I guess thats his role, but the sous chefs were disgusting too.

What is the point of this program - embarrass the celebs and abuse the diners. Is this entertainment?

[ameiden]

In a recent interview MPW said he only accepted the offer to do Hell's Kitchen if the program would focus more on food than it has done in the past. Yesterday, other than his analysis of the miscooked eggs there was not much else about food in 90 minutes. Hopefully, we will actually see some of his classics being prepared from start to finish in the future.

Edited September 4, 2007 by ameiden (log)

[Gary Marshall]

What is the point of this program - embarrass the celebs and abuse the diners.  Is this entertainment?

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works for me

[BRIGHTON CHEF]

He disappointed me. I was cringeing throughout this embarrassment of a program. No entertainment value at all in the show for me. I felt sorry for everyone concerned, from the celebs right through to Angus Deayton.

Apart from Gary, I think you guys are missing the point...........

"If MPW wants to act like a drunken has-been I guess thats his role, but the sous chefs were disgusting too"

Please explain your comment offcentre?

Define disgusting?

(for the record, I was employed by Mr White 94-95)

[Basildog]

Just loved it.Seeing MPW in a kitchen is enough for me.

[Matthew Grant]

He disappointed me. I was cringeing throughout this embarrassment of a program.  No entertainment value at all in the show for me.  I felt sorry for everyone concerned, from the celebs right through to Angus Deayton.

If MPW wants to act like a drunken has-been I guess thats his role, but the sous chefs were disgusting too.

What is the point of this program - embarrass the celebs and abuse the diners.  Is this entertainment?

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Why were you disappointed? Marco's reputation preceded him and he certainly lived up to it. I thought he was pretty inspiring and terrifying at the same time. i too hope that we get to see some more food though. As for the sous chefs, yeah they got the arse but maybe we need to see the whole sequence rather than the edits to understand why, it must be pretty frustrating trying to run a kitchen with a complete brigade of novices knowing that you are going to get hit with close to 80 covers in a couple of hours.

[ravelda]

I thought it was brilliant - they were all pi**ing themselves everytime Marco spoke to them at the start, but at the end they seemed inspired (if knackered!). Sure Marco was a little tough on a couple of the customers, ensuring those not acquainted with his reputation for kicking out diners mid-way between courses quickly became so, but it was great TV. I think Jim Davidson was spot on when he said "I'm here for a 2 week cookery course that I couldn't buy for £1m" - those who keep their heads down, listen and work hard will learn a lot!

Edited for the longest sentance in the world ever - even I nearly passed out when reading it

Edited September 4, 2007 by ravelda (log)

[erica graham]

What is the point of this program - embarrass the celebs and abuse the diners.  Is this entertainment?

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works for me

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Us too! Our favourite quote of the night was "Well you've got two choices, apologise or leave" The cheer in our front room could be heard up the high st!!!!!

He is much more mellow than before, but aparantly the sous chef Mathew doesn't seem to of!

[Matthew Grant]

Us too! Our favourite quote of the night was "Well you've got two choices, apologise or leave" The cheer in our front room could be heard up the high st!!!!!

He is much more mellow than before, but aparantly the sous chef Mathew doesn't seem to of!

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The way the guy was left speechless was just fantastic, completely took the wind out of his sails. Great TV.

[David Naylor]

He disappointed me. I was cringeing throughout this embarrassment of a program. No entertainment value at all in the show for me. I felt sorry for everyone concerned, from the celebs right through to Angus Deayton.

Apart from Gary, I think you guys are missing the point...........

"If MPW wants to act like a drunken has-been I guess thats his role, but the sous chefs were disgusting too"

Please explain your comment offcentre?

Define disgusting?

(for the record, I was employed by Mr White 94-95)

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My thoughts as well Brighton Chef, what were people expecting? This is a programme on ITV with eight minutes of actual kitchen footage per 20 minutes of screen time to allow the lowest common denominator amongst the viewing population the chance to understand the “plot”

What exactly was disgusting about the sous chefs?

Sadly the focus for this programme is not really about the food. So called celebrities “entertaining” the aforementioned population with their jocular antics and manic mood swings whilst suffering at the hands of the devil in white is what will ensure the ratings.

Luckily for me I was able to feign complete disinterest in front of my 22 year old niece!

I managed to watch with just one eye as the other was trained (though closed) on her law and criminology degree material.

[jayrayner]

I'm with the positives. It was thrilling to see Marco out there, as I've just said here

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/food/2007/09/m..._mark.html#more

[Gary Marshall]

What is the point of this program - embarrass the celebs and abuse the diners.  Is this entertainment?

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works for me

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Us too! Our favourite quote of the night was "Well you've got two choices, apologise or leave" The cheer in our front room could be heard up the high st!!!!!

He is much more mellow than before, but aparantly the sous chef Mathew doesn't seem to of!

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this was also great in context of the idiot trying to introduce himself , which marco completely ignored and came back with the above response, the bloke finally realising he wasn't going to & win flounced off to another perfectly timed 'that will be the longest walk of your life sir'.

i would hardly say he was abusing guests, i saw a good quote on a website yesterday (the sportsman at seasalter) along the lines of 'it's a service industry not a servile industry many seem to forget this.' Quite right, the guy was in the wrong and no apology was required from the kitchen.

[ravelda]

Jay - not sure if I read your blog wrong - but can it really be true that White Heat is being re-published!!!

Do you know if it will be the full technicolour "complete-with-photos-that-make-you-dribble-like-your-first-copy-of-playboy" vesrion by any chance?!!

[Matthew Grant]

Oooh!

30 Black and white 35 full colour photos - is that the same as the original release? Shame it's not in hardback.

[ravelda]

Outstanding - right, that is birthday present number one that I am buying for myself - perfectly timed release a mere 10 days before the day itself! Has anyone seen the MPW Hells Kitchen cookbook at all - I'm wondering if it is worth a purchase?

fingers crossed they will re-publish wild food fron the land and sea as well - the non-photo version is just not the same!

Edited to say that White Heat is £8.99 on Amazon - publised 15th September

Edited September 4, 2007 by ravelda (log)

[Gary Marshall]

that looks like the original, a great book, we had it on the bar at the pub.

we used to read it on sunday before service as andy used to say 'it's sunday so let's read the bible'

[Gary Marshall]

Outstanding - right, that is birthday present number one that I am buying for myself - perfectly timed release a mere 10 days before the day itself!  Has anyone seen the MPW Hells Kitchen cookbook at all - I'm wondering if it is worth a purchase?

fingers crossed they will re-publish wild food fron the land and sea as well - the non-photo version is just not the same!

Edited to say that White Heat is £8.99 on Amazon - publised 15th September

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seen the hells kitchen book it is not outstanding to be honest, they had a copy of the hard back wild food at the shop at the star at harome a while ago, every chance it is still there though if you are after a copy.

[Gary Marshall]

Luckily for me I was able to feign complete disinterest in front of my 22 year old niece!

I managed to watch with just one eye as the other was trained (though closed) on her law and criminology degree material.

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Just to reassure readers, if you do see David out 'with his neice' it really is his neice.

[ravelda]

Gary - could I possibly ask you a huge favour - could you pm me contact details for said shop if you have it?

Thanks!

[erica graham]

that looks like the original,  a great book, we had it on the bar at the pub.

we used to read it on sunday before service as andy used to say 'it's sunday so let's read the bible'

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I know that this is turning into the alter at which to worship MPW, BUT there is a quote from White Heat which we photocopied and for a while had stuck up (in our family kitchen)

"If I came to your house for dinner an hour late, then criticized all your furniture and your wife's haircut and said all your opinions were stupid, how would you feel? People still come here and expect a three course meal in an hour. What do they think I do- pull rabbits out of a f****ing hat? I'm not a magician"

[bakerestates]

Our favourite quote of the night was "Well you've got two choices, apologise or leave"

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'As my dear old grandfather used to say, you can dress a pig up in a suit but you can't stop him grunting'

This brought my laughing to such a crescendo that it woke our 10 month old up who then didn't sleep properly for the rest of the night so my wife is now giving me her version of white heat!

As someone who was not around in his era, to hear those dishes was awe inspiring as Ramsey's food never comes accross that way to me. I also thought the way he cajoled the teams before and after service was markedly different to Ramsey in the way he was saying do your best for yourself.

Sure it is cringworthy in places and sure it would be great to see more on the food but it is the first show and it will definitely have me going back for seconds.

Edited September 4, 2007 by bakerestates (log)

[Matthew Grant]

That was a great response to the person that criticised the pigs trotter "Pigs trotter chicken and egg - that's just wierd". No sir, that is a classic dish, one which I'm pretty certain Marco used to credit Koffman with on his menu.

Incidentally, I notice that somebody sold a copy of a menu from the oak room on ebay recently for £12.50.

You can see that clip (as well as the whole show) here

[RDB]

I have been excited about this for weeks, its like never having seen George Best play or The Beatles perform and then getting the chance to watch them in full glory (albeit in a somewhat artifical setting). I was not dissapointed, absolutely classic TV.

It was amazing the way he managed to inspire and frighten at the same time. It was during the times he said nothing, but just gave that semi psychotic stare that was much more menacing than all the swear words in the world.

In comparison with GR (obvious I know), he let them think about what he was saying, so they could learn and develop, as opposed to working on the assumption, you are thick, I am going to swear at you and you will do what I say. He actually genuinely seemed to want to develop his pupils.

The only gripe I had was when he threw out those guests (God there are some twats eating out in London), I would have preferred if the Maitre 'd did not say anything and with the waiters stripped the table and left them sitting there, humiliated.

I went to bed with my copy of White heat and dreamed of Oysters, Tagliatelle.............

[Scott]

He disappointed me. I was cringeing throughout this embarrassment of a program.  No entertainment value at all in the show for me.  I felt sorry for everyone concerned, from the celebs right through to Angus Deayton.

If MPW wants to act like a drunken has-been I guess thats his role, but the sous chefs were disgusting too.

What is the point of this program - embarrass the celebs and abuse the diners.  Is this entertainment?

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um... you are aware of the point of the show?

given that this is hardly the first series, I wonder why you're so offended?