Scots Taffer on 11/1/2008 at 04:54
Not a fan of reality shows usually, but since I've been on a culinary bent for at least the last year, I stumbled across Gordon Ramsay's show called
Kitchen Nightmares. The premise of the show? A struggling/failing restaurant asks for his help in revitalising/troubleshooting their ailing business.
Now Ramsay is legendary, the guy is a triple Michelin star holder and an utterly non-negotiable foul mouthed cunt. He has passion, he has experience and he has "bollocks", as well as a bunch of well-worn expressions of concern: "shambolic" and "fuck me" come to mind.
I haven't seen this show on TV in Australia, but then, I don't watch Australian TV (fuck 3 ad breaks per half hour) and don't own cable so it's possible I missed it. I caught
The F Word in the UK when I was back and thought it was an interesting show, and Ramsay a compelling, if somewhat repugnant, host.
So, I've been resorting to youtube, more specifically this guy: (
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Hobox72) who has a subscription service available whereby the first part of each episode is linked and each subsequent part is linked from the first. Given that work's been dead for me over Christmas and New Year, I've had some time to catch some episodes. Compulsive viewing, I must say. It's really amazing seeing a) how many people have no clue how to run a business, b) people that think running a business of any kind is equivalent to running a restaurant, c) what so-called chefs do behind the curtain, d) how hilarious the situations cropping up can be.
If you haven't seen it and have an interest in cooking, watch it. If you haven't seen it and find yourself with a spare minute, catch a youtube'd episode and see what you think. If, like me, you like it, then enjoy it! :D
Oceanstorm on 11/1/2008 at 06:53
I'm pretty sure I saw a few eps of this show over here in NZ. You're right. The guys a legend and incredibly entertaining to watch.
If you liked that one Scotts, you'd probably enjoy another show he did called Hells Kitchen.
It's a reality show where all the hopefuls get kicked out one by one until only the winner is left.
The catch is, It's Ramseys kitchen and they have to work to his standards.
Bloody good watching. Here's some highlights on youtube.
(
http://youtube.com/watch?v=am5Y5Pvrb4M) http://youtube.com/watch?v=am5Y5Pvrb4M
mol on 11/1/2008 at 07:21
Yeah, think of what you may of Gordon Ramsay, in Kitchen Nightmares he really does seem to care about getting the restaurants back on track, clueless, arrogant, hapless or just a bit lost as the proprietors may be. Of course, you never know about these 'reality shows' - what's actually real, and what's scripted, and how many takes there have been to 'get it right', but giving all that the benefit of the doubt, Ramsay seems to know what he's doing.
He doesn't start out by chewing everyone to bits and forcing the restaurant to conform to practises he has in his own restaurants, or force them to change the menu into Michelin style of food - he works like a top consultant; he observs, interviews, analyses, tries to understand the people, the location, the business landscape, the current situation, and where the owners would like to see them and their business in the future. Only then does he introduce an action plan that is based on reality; something that's realistic and achievable, and has a chance of succeeding also in the long term. From a consultant's perspective, it's quite interesting to watch.
Of course, you still get the trademark foul language and batshit insane manic antics - it wouldn't be a Ramsay show if he wouldn't say fuck every other sentence and give a few right bollockings to the hapless staff - but he does seem to care about getting the businesses back on track, and his action plans always make perfect sense. He knows what he's doing.
A great show. I also recommend reading his autobiography "Humble Pie" - gives a very candid look into the private life of Ramsay, and helps explain or at least understand why he is the way he is. He's had a pretty fucking rough life.
Scots Taffer on 11/1/2008 at 07:23
That's the thing, I like Kitchen Nightmares because it's Gordon's passion and experience but without it being his restaurant that's on the line, it affords him a bit of leeway and he drops a certan amount of fieriness that won him a "worst employer of Britain" exposé on a TV show. For that reason Hell's Kitchen doesn't appeal for a pleasant viewing experience, plus it's the same mold as 99% of reality TV shows, the old "let's take pleasure in people fucking up and getting humiliated before eventually being unceremoniously ejected" which isn't exactly my cup of tea.
TBE on 11/1/2008 at 10:13
I first thought this guy was a raging asshole, but then realized he really cares about serving good great food and having it be sanitary and healthy.
I spent a day watching a couple back to back episodes. I loved the one where they did the seafood restaurant. The head chef couldn't cook his way out of a wet bag of ramen noodles. The meat in the freezer was disgusting. The kitchen was in shambles, and their customers long gone. The owner and her son were just letting the chef pretty much do whatever he wanted, and Ramsay had them fire him. You could really see Ramsay's demand for the quality of the food people eat. It didn't have to be extravagant, but it had to be tasty and not contaminated with salmonella or e.coli bacteria. I kinda have the same requirements. :eek:
gunsmoke on 11/1/2008 at 13:20
My fiance and I love Kitchen Nightmares. We watched through 2 seasons of Hell's Kitchen, and the cable box recommended KN. I had never even heard about it. Needless to say, it was even better than HK. It was Gordon in raw form w/o all the trappings of the reality show contest environment.
My favorite episode to date:the family-owned Italian joint in Jersey. The owner fist-fighting a bill collector on the front walk was priceless.
I was a Sous chef for 10 years, and that is what initially attracted me to Gordon's shows. I could somewhat relate to the high-pressure situations the contestants were in, and it was fun seeing familiar situations happen to someone else. :wink:
I have a life goal: before I die, I want to taste his cooking just once.
Scots Taffer on 11/1/2008 at 13:30
Quote Posted by gunsmoke
I was a Sous chef for 10 years, and that is what initially attracted me to Gordon's shows. I could somewhat relate to the high-pressure situations the contestants were in, and it was fun seeing familiar situations happen to someone else. :wink:
I have a life goal: before I die, I want to taste his cooking just once.
Interesting. I take it you are no longer a sous chef, what did you think of the role as a career? I ask because I'm pondering doing a "stage" at a local restaurant through a contact.
Also, I agree, he knows his
fucking food. I'd imagine it's bloody good.
Haven't seen the fist-fighting one yet, but the welsh one with the guy who reviewed his own restaurant and said it was better than Ramsay's and Stein's was pretty laffo. The good ones are where things explode, like the country manor place that was an ex-club turned wanky eatery, and also where things are pretty great from the get-go, like the Indian curry house. Very uplifting show overall.
Mazian on 11/1/2008 at 15:50
The one thing about KN that consistently amazes me is Ramsay's uncanny ability to know when to tear down and when to build up the knuckle heads he's helping. Most episodes he's faced with a pig-headed owner or chef and he berates them like a drill sergeant until they're completely broken down. Then he builds them back up and encourages them until they're cooking and running things the proper way.
Then there will be times where you're expecting him to rip into some poor sap only to see Gordon get all tactful and understanding and you realize that Gordon knows that said sap would shatter like a cheap vase if he gave him/her his customary harangue. I'm sure that with all his restaurant experience he's learned to read people and their personalities rather well (and there's no telling how much creative editing plays a role in this), but I'm still amazed every time I see him do it.
I also find it hilarious (and occasionally stomach-churning) how he can't help but run his hands and fingers through the disgusting, rotting shit he finds in the refrigerators. It's not enough to point out a rotten tomato, oh no he has to dig his index finger in and push the blackened moldy stuff up from the bottom so everyone is properly disgusted.
Scots Taffer on 11/1/2008 at 16:10
I bet Ramsay would be a bloody good poker player actually, now that you mention his ability to read people.
LesserFollies on 11/1/2008 at 17:28
He's a sexy beast. And I always look forward to the moment--in almost EVERY episode--when he changes his clothes ON CAMERA. :D
