Hell's Kitchen, U.S. Season 1

[emmapeel]

PBS show with Ming Tsai, Michael Ruhlman, and Todd English seems more "on the level" and well done ...  actually, more real, and smarter ...

Yes, GG, I so agree.

Edited May 31, 2005 by emmapeel (log)

[robert40]

Wow!  Gordon Ramsay is a piece of work!

so, I ask the experienced and experts here, how does this show compare to life in a real kitchen in a good-quality restaurant?

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No one in their right mind would open a restaurant with cooks who had been there for only 2 hours.

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I agree. And from that point I lost all interest as it is so unrealistic that I doubt viewer's that have no restaurant experience will buy the drama.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Is there actually supposed to be any learning going on here? I think that, for me anyway, was the biggest disappointment ... being abusive for the cameras, which was probably part of his "abusive persona", really left me cold ...

Now this is reality in my book:

The gold standard in the food-restaurant genre is a show almost no one has heard of. It's "Jamie's Kitchen," a stellar British import ... star chef Jamie Oliver chose 15 would-be cooks with no experience and put them through cooking boot camp. At the end of the education process, the students who remained (and Oliver moved heaven and earth to help the more motivationally challenged students stay with the program) cooked for Oliver's latest London foodie mecca, Fifteen, which is still serving tasty fusion fare today.

Chicago Tribune review of the show

[johnder]

I just finished watching the show, and I found I needed to pause it on my tivo every now and then because watching it all in one fell swoop was too painful. While I like the hour long format, and wish the PBS show had it, I think they spend too much time insulting the poor saps, as opposed to showing the poor saps making mistakes.

Obviously they are looking for drama and I think they will deliver on that. I am not going to say I won't watch it anymore -- I will probably give it one or two more shows to see how it turns out, but I like the PBS show better at this point.

In regards to the people at the "restaurant", there is no way they are paying guests. They would have to sign a waiver to have their image publicized, and I a sure included in that waiver was language saying you may or may not be served a meal, and you may or may not suffer from one or more of the following:

Food Poisioning

Botulism

E. Collli

Salmonella

Trichinosis

Explosive Diarrhea

Personal insults by the Chef

Given all that, they had their meal comp'd in return for having their faces on national TV. This is LA after all.

[Mark Sommelier]

The show is like Kitchen Survivor. Surprised CBS didn't think of it first.

[rose_ayn]

The show is like Kitchen Survivor. Surprised CBS didn't think of it first.

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And that's the problem. Same problem with most reality programs. They hold so tightly to the Survivor model that it ruins them.

This program would be so much better if they just let Ramsay kick out who he thinks is doing the worst. This picking two teammates is going to create such unnecessary drama. Perhaps if they let the players bond in their misery they'd work better in the kitchen instead of back stabbing each other.

[sacre_bleu]

I had to turn it off, even though I'm interested in resto kitchens and Gordon Ramsey. Too much abuse, too little content. And those kids were set up to fail.

It would be more fun watching a Great White Hunter use a 10-gauge shotgun loaded with elephant slugs on tethered gazelles.

[Siren]

This is "The Apprentice" suffering from a good case of 'roid rage and even more desperate contestants than Fear Factor.

And yet, I couldn't look away from it.. even as it became more than apparent that the 'restaurant' was set on a studio lot. Even as I found myself biting my tongue so I wouldn't scream at the tv various commands.

But, will the novelty be warn down by the cheezy voice overs--ala 'big Brother' and the sheer annoynace of him being bleeped ever 1.2 seconds?

Edited May 31, 2005 by Siren (log)

[chopjwu12]

i think the funniest thing about the show is that he is really like that. I know alot and i mean alot of people who have worked for him in england. This is exactly how he is and much much worse. He screams, bullys, and even hits his employees. He sais things like that to guests. Im not saying the show isn't somewhat fake or made to be more dramatic. I think they are just playing of his history of abusiveness.

[peppyre]

The one thing that I found to be just over the top was the chef's jacket being slammed onto the meat hook after she was sent home. Talk about needless drama. I'm not sure how I feel about this show yet. I'm not a fan of reality tv, but this is a man I think i would want to work for....well, maybe only once.

[SiseFromm]

From the comments in this thread, it seems like this is many people's first exposure to Gordon Ramsay? Did anybody catch Boiling Points, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, or Beyond Boiling Points? Gordon's kitchen exploits are well documented in all three. From what I can tell (from television and his books), this is how he really is. I do not believe there is an act going on here, so these poor saps are going to get eaten alive. Real chefs that work for him take a regular verbal (and sometimes physical) beating, so imagine what a bunch of home cooks and relative amateurs are going to be hit with. Good luck suckers.

[marlena spieler]

It just hit me...

Gordon Ramsey is going to become the Simon Cowell (American Idol) of cuisine

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in fact, i read this exact same thing in print (ie that was their aim) when they went after gordon for the show.

(and i wish i could say that the examples of mean spiritedness are for the camera only.......)

m

[TrishCT]

Caught the show last night. Didn't like the hoky factor--- i.e. the Survivor/Apprentice like quirks that are supposed to build drama and tension.

But did enjoy my first exposure to Gordon Ramsay. He's a hoot and a holler.

[Siren]

i'm sorry, but he's only being compared to Cowell because he's british and insults people without remorse. It's basically the only other person that the US press can compare him to---kind of like, if you're a female singer/songwriter, no matter what--Joni Mitchell will be your comparison. We have a general lack of reference outside of mainstream media.

[fchrisgrimm]

Had to watch the show if, for no other reason, I had what was unquestionably the finest meal of my life at GR's eponymous restaurant. While I sort of think the show is beneath his talents, I find it hard to begrudge his opportunity to cash out with this thing.

Dreadful show (though I'll keep watching)! While GR is entertainingly profane, he isn't especially charismatic, is he? By the end of the evening, I wasn't sure who was going to keep watching, except for e-gulleters!

Clearly the "opening night" gimmick to the debut episode was staged - which made it even less watchable.

Using (many) untrained chefs left me torn between thinking "this is pointless" and "how did I miss the auditions?"

The abusiveness didn't bother me as much as the "staginess" of the abusiveness - like he had an inventory of insults that he wanted to remember to use.

As for the episode... Carolann was a lox - good to get rid of her. They sure are positioning Elsie to be the sympathetic contestant. I suspect Michael will be in this for the long haul. Easier to spot the losers than the potential winners.

[C_Ruark]

From the comments in this thread, it seems like this is many people's first exposure to Gordon Ramsay?  Did anybody catch Boiling Points, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, or Beyond Boiling Points?  Gordon's kitchen exploits are well documented in all three.  From what I can tell (from television and his books), this is how he really is... Good luck suckers.

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Sise, you're right.

HK was not too far off the mark for classic Ramsay. I am big fan of GR, his cooking, and his UK shows (I think they're hysterical). This after have been introduced while he was in tenure at Aubergine.

Last night, he gave a set of simple tasks - listen to the calls, do your job, cook & send a table's order quickly and correctly - or at least close enough that people might actually eat. That's not too demanding IMHO... so, of course there weren't any "Geez, I didn't see THAT coming" moments, except maybe one... producing top-shelf risotto is definitely not a task for the novice, yet I have NEVER seen it completely stick to the plate.

In spite of the shoddy Survivor/Apprentice/Iron Chef/Contender/<every other reality show's quirks> TV production, I just might keep watching to see what Ramsay throws at the group.

Regards to all,

- CSR

PS - Someone please tell me where "Executive Chef" Chris is currently working so I know where not to eat. Can't trust someone, and EC no less, who won't name their restaurant and can't decently sear tuna (at least, that's what it attempted to look like).

edited some typos; skipped my morning coffee, sorry guys.

Edited May 31, 2005 by C_Ruark (log)

[bilrus]

Anyone want to wager a guess as to what Rocco's reaction would have been to the enhanced women coming up to the pass-through? I'm guessing he would have run out of the kitchen, gone to their tables and rubbed their shoulders.

Ramsey told them to F*ck Off.

A nice change of pace.

[johnder]

[

PS - Someone please tell me where "Executive Chef" Chris is currently working so I know where not to eat. Can't trust someone, and EC no less, who won't name their restaurant and can't decently sear tuna (at least, that's what it attempted to look like).

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Well it seems the complete bios are not up on the fox site yet, but the partial bio for Chris updates his profession to "Freelance Executive Chef"

Which I guess you can take to mean I am unemployed and made up that title myself to be cool.

edit: fixed typo.

Edited May 31, 2005 by johnder (log)

[C_Ruark]

Anyone want to wager a guess as to what Rocco's reaction would have been to the enhanced women coming up to the pass-through?  I'm guessing he would have run out of the kitchen, gone to their tables and rubbed their shoulders. 

Ramsey told them to F*ck Off.

A nice change of pace.

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And he was right in doing it!... at least in theory, though I probably wouldn't yell at an actual paying guest like that . Maitre d's are there for a reason.

- CSR

Edited May 31, 2005 by C_Ruark (log)

[MelissaH]

I watched about the first half-hour of the show last night, and then had to leave to finish washing the dishes because I couldn't take any more. (I did come back for the voting-out, though.)

I wholeheartedly agree with previous comments that some of the gimmicks are stolen from other reality shows solely for the sake of adding extra drama---which wouldn't be needed if the rest of the show had decent content. In particular, if the show really is "all about the team" as Gordon Ramsay claimed, then why are the producers having one team member choose two others to be on the chopping block, thereby hijacking any teamwork that may exist?

My husband also commented that there was a lot of ego in that restaurant, even before Mr. Ramsay set foot inside. I think the big differences between this and Jamie's Kitchen are that the egos are definitely getting in the contestants' way here, and that Jamie's teens realized that they didn't know anything AND were willing to learn. Most of these contestants already know everything, and don't need anyone telling them anything, especially about life in a kitchen. And I think it was this attitude that bothered me most of all.

MelissaH

[zilla369]

Well...I absolutely loved it. I guess that makes me a lowest common denominator.

Yippee!

[C_Ruark]

"Freelance Executive Chef"... Which I guess you can take to mean I am unemployed and made up that title myself to be cool.

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My point made ... We don't like that lot. On the other hand, I might try playing around with the turkey tacos. Anyone got a fave recipe?

- CSR

[Lisa1349]

Professional chefs have enough problems getting food out to the dining room. How could what happened have been a surprise? I was morbidly curious and couldn't take my eyes off. When it was over, I mourned my wasted hour. GIVE ME A REAL PRIMETIME BROADCAST NETWORK SHOW ABOUT FOOD!!!

[Jason Perlow]

From the comments in this thread, it seems like this is many people's first exposure to Gordon Ramsay?  Did anybody catch Boiling Points, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, or Beyond Boiling Points?  Gordon's kitchen exploits are well documented in all three.  From what I can tell (from television and his books), this is how he really is.  I do not believe there is an act going on here, so these poor saps are going to get eaten alive.  Real chefs that work for him take a regular verbal (and sometimes physical) beating, so imagine what a bunch of home cooks and relative amateurs are going to be hit with.  Good luck suckers.

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I didn't watch Hell's Kitchen last night (It's on the Tivo) but I can certainly say that I would not be suprised at all to see Ramsay intimidate and bully staff and patrons in the American version -- both the Nightmares and Boiling Point shows show him at his thuggish finest. I have no doubt American viewers are seeing the real deal here.

[ronnie_suburban]

I enjoyed last night's bow but was struck by how unnecessary Ramsay's tirades were. I mean, honestly, the joke's on him if they put that kind of group together and he expected results that differed significantly from what they got. It seemed like more than half the group had ZERO restaurant experience. His behavior, which I know is somewhat true to who is really is (I watched Cooking School Stories, etc.), seemed more made-for-tv than the show itself. If I were working in that kitchen, I think I would have had a hard time keeping myself from laughing in his face when he went off like that. The context was so incredibly artificial.

Ramsay seemed very concerned about putting out lousy food and thereby damaging his vaunted reputation but he cursed at customers (yes, it was amusing), opened the restaurant before his crews were even close to ready, made customers wait hours and then closed the kitchen before most of them got their food. How do those things not damage his reputation as much (or more) than serving imperfect food? At the end of the day, you're a chef who's working with FOX to create a reality tv show. Um . . . chef, your reputation is already on fire . . . and it's pretty much your own doing.

I'd also really like to know what the customers were expecting at HK. Did they think it was a new restaurant that was absolutely ready to go? Did they not know that it was the "hook" in a reality tv series? I feel like a lot of the drama was forced because the answers to these obvious questions (hell, even the questions themselves) were avoided to the point of them being conspicuous.

All that said, I'm hooked; can't wait until next week.

Any early favorites to win this thing?

=R=