Cashing in on Hell's Kitchen Win

[Busboy]

Interesting piece on Rock Harper's transformation from tradesman to celebrity. It will be curious to see if he can a) establish himself as a competent head chef in what I assume is a much larger spot than his last job at B Smith's, b) remain enough of a celebrity to sell chef's jackets and vinaigrettes and c) get the non-profit thing going.

Interesting subtext: racism, classism and Rock's current statues as America's most famous (not best, Marcus) black chef.

If he's going to cash in on his fame, the winner of "Hell's Kitchen" knows, he needs to move fast. Chef Rock is already a brand name and a charitable foundation, in the rough draft of his dream. "I'm going to have a few cookbooks, hopefully. Definitely a product line. And my own culinary apparel: Food industry apparel will never be the same. There are definitely sauces and vinaigrettes I'd like to bottle. Knives, maybe. All chefs like their knives," he says....

Virginia has an emotional claim on the other part of the Chef Rock franchise, too, the part he calls "paying it forward," where his own success might inspire and motivate kids lured by the street life and where his training in culinary arts might translate into franchises that teach low-income single mothers how to shop for and prepare healthful meals....

Earning respect rather than recognition is a task he might be underestimating...When Harper began dicing shallots for the TV crew on opening night, a worried cook had scurried out to tell the boss: Rock is in the kitchen using a knife! Should we get the metal glove? The cook reportedly was surprised to learn that Harper was, in fact, a classically trained chef who would not be needing the protective gear reserved for beginners. Harper has picked up on the wary vibe, making mental note of a waitress's rude demeanor, a sommelier's cool greeting. ("Sommeliers are almost always snooty," he rationalizes.)

[Prawncrackers]

Doh, Hells Kitchen USA has just started here yesterday. I've done well avoiding the other threads on it so far but your sub-title kinda gave the game away