Hell's Kitchen!!!!!! [Summer 2009]

[Covered_In_Bees!]

Be back later with more actual content, just wanted to get this out there first.

[Covered_In_Bees!]

Ramsay shoulda backed JP up a little more than he did.

And Joseph will get his ass completely destroyed if he is actually thinking of throwing down with Gordon. My brother surmises that Joseph is/was an actor hired specifically to act out like this. Because apparently loudmouth assholes are in short order. I blame the economy. That's still trendy right?

[MPB in Salt Lake]

Originally Posted by Covered_In_Bees!

Ramsay shoulda backed JP up a little more than he did.

And Joseph will get his ass completely destroyed if he is actually thinking of throwing down with Gordon. My brother surmises that Joseph is/was an actor hired specifically to act out like this. Because apparently loudmouth assholes are in short order. I blame the economy. That's still trendy right?

I would bet that Joseph was planning calling out Ramsay at first opportunity, for publicity or attention from buddies at home.

I cant imagine he was put up to it by the producers of the show.............

I will gladly bet a cold one to anyone that there is not a single punch thrown between Joseph and Gordon Ramsay (though I wouldnt mind hearing that those two vulgar, aggressive, combative personalities beat the shit out of each other---Ramsay's bully schtick is getting stale)

[Covered_In_Bees!]

Originally Posted by MPB in Salt Lake

I would bet that Joseph was planning calling out Ramsay at first opportunity, for publicity or attention from buddies at home.

I cant imagine he was put up to it by the producers of the show.............

I will gladly bet a cold one to anyone that there is not a single punch thrown between Joseph and Gordon Ramsay (though I wouldnt mind hearing that those two vulgar, aggressive, combative personalities beat the shit out of each other---Ramsay's bully schtick is getting stale)

No of course there won't be any actual violence.

Also, Robert's back. Any wagers as to just how far he makes it this time? I don't think he'll be going as far as his first time around. I'm just not seeing it.

[Tom Tildrum]

I hate to say it, but I worry that this is the beginning of the end for HK. It's rushed onto the air immediately after the last one, and that sort of over-exposure is what killed The Apprentice. Also, it seems to be populated with losers even more than usual. It reminds me a bit of Real World's shift from simply abrasive people into self-absorbed lunatics.

[StarvingButStrong]

Originally Posted by Covered_In_Bees!

Also, Robert's back. Any wagers as to just how far he makes it this time? I don't think he'll be going as far as his first time around. I'm just not seeing it.

I don't get the bringing back of Robert because he went for medical reasons. What about that Asian girl who turned her ankle in the first or second episode and yet carried on to finish the service? SHE deserves to come back much more than Robert.

I'm also amazed at the general tenor of this version's contestants. They *must* have been hired simply on their abrasive personalities.

And look at the 'credentials' some of them have: Runs a kitchen supply store, eh? A fish fry cook? Aw, c'mon.

Added: and where do they get these people who can't fry scallops for ghod's sake? No bones, damned uniform size. Two minutes in a medium hot pan, flip, another two minutes.

And even if they didn't know how long it takes, don't they know how to tell when flesh is cooked simply by patting it???

[Winston Bongo]

As much as I like this (dumb) show, I've gotta say I'm skeptical about this season already. Look everyone, Robert's back! I wonder if Ramsay will kick off one of the Obvious Cannon Fodder Contestants before the service is even over to make room for Robert to return to the competition? Oh look -- he did!

And the shrimp challenge came down to the very last person, and the very last shrimp? Just like, um, pretty much every other challenge in the history of the show? Yeah, that was totally spontaneous.

Then there's the whole Joseph Goes Bananas bit at the end. For being such an apparently out-of-control hothead, he held it together relatively well through both dinner services. He seemed to cooperate with his team (unlike some others), and only really acted like an asshole was when it was the most dramatic. In other words, I suspect he was at the very least "encouraged" to play the bad boy/lose his temper, and that Ramsay knew something was coming. I also agree that absolutely nothing will happen during their big "showdown" next week other than a few more cross words and junior-high-level macho posturing. And of course the fire trucks/medics will be the result of something completely unrelated.

Oh dear . . . after four years of watching this show, I fear I've become a Hell's Kitchen cynic. (At least it was kind of cool to see Heather again.)

[Covered_In_Bees!]

Tom: I believe this crazy schedule has something to do with the writer's strike from last Summer:

StarvingButStrong: Perhaps Andrea didn't want to come back? It's possible both were offered a chance to come back and only Robert was masochistic enough to come back? I don't really know, just throwing out the possibilities.

As for the contestant pool, I believe they are putting in a bunch of losers, with a few "rough diamonds" to shove their way to the top. Danny and Paula of last season, compared to all the rest, were good examples.

This has the added benefit of giving an underdog somewhat of a chance to get far. Like with Rock and what's-her-face. Rock being the seasoned vet and WHF being the noob, comparitively.

Thoughts?

[Dung Beetle]

Originally Posted by Winston Bongo

As much as I like this (dumb) show, I've gotta say I'm skeptical about this season already. Look everyone, Robert's back! I wonder if Ramsay will kick off one of the Obvious Cannon Fodder Contestants before the service is even over to make room for Robert to return to the competition? Oh look -- he did!

And the shrimp challenge came down to the very last person, and the very last shrimp? Just like, um, pretty much every other challenge in the history of the show? Yeah, that was totally spontaneous.

I know, this show must be scripted so why can’t I stop watching it? We were trying to identify the usual cast of characters: “Do you think he’s the One Who Sweats in the Food?” “Hey, they’ve got two Chauvinist Pigs with Horrible Accents!” (Ah, they just needed to ditch the spare to make room for Robert). “Oh I see…Lovely is Slacker Who Blames Everyone Else.” “There’s Girl Who Hits Unsuccessfully on Ramsay!” “This Flaming Gay Guy isn’t that good.”

Did Robert actually gain weight? I don’t remember him being that big.

I have a big ol’ crush on Jim right now. I doubt he’ll win, but please don’t send him home too soon…

[LVBoPeep]

I was surprised to see Robert- even heavier than he was before (at least we both thought so). I'm sure they had an army of lawyer's overseeing liability forms- he had a serious heart condition, he appears to be in more danger due to his weight, and you are going to let him into a high stress environment?

What ever happened to Julia- who was almost promised that she could come back and he sent her to culinary school?

I admit- I mostly watch this and Food Network Star just so I can watch the end "kicking off" of a contestant and alot of it becomes background noise (although I did catch and laugh at the "bison's penis" remark.)

[kittenblue]

I started watching the opening scenes, saw Robert in there and figured I had it wrong, thought the show was a repeat, so I only half-listened to it from the other room until the final moments...so I've missed everything. Have to catch it on Hulu tonight.

[Dung Beetle]

There were two shows back to back last night. Looks like the next one will be Tuesday at 8:00, the one after that the next Tuesday and so on.

[Eureka]

I watched more or less the first fifteen minutes (that's when I had my break last night at work). I'm glad to have it confirmed that this was the start of a new season.

Some of the people made really interesting choices for their signature dishes--I mean, I wouldn't have served Ramsay something as low on presentation as biscuits and gravy, or urged him to drink a shot of tequila before eating my french toast.

But then, I'm comfortable with my cooking skills, but wouldn't want to parade them in front of a bully like Ramsay anyway.

[Dolores Reborn]

Originally Posted by Smokinjbc

<snip>(although I did catch and laugh at the "bison's penis" remark.)

Must have missed this. Who said what?



It is the same old thing, isn't it? Ramsay screaming at all the losers. Why can't I stop watching it?

And who the hell can't clean a shrimp? "Whoopi" needs to lower her opinion of herself.

[StGermain]

The thing about this show is that every challange seems to come down to the wire. Down to the last shrimp cleaned, the last dish presented. Real life rarely works that way, and it just makes it seem obviously fixed. I'd much rather see a good team trounce a poor team then see fake suspense built.

And I hate posturing. "I'm the best that ever was!" "I'm the black Gordon Ramsey!" "My team needs me to take leadership, because I'm obviously the only one who knows how to break an egg!"

Boy I'm glad this show is back.

StG

[Serenata67]

Originally Posted by Dung Beetle

I know, this show must be scripted so why can’t I stop watching it? We were trying to identify the usual cast of characters: “Do you think he’s the One Who Sweats in the Food?” “Hey, they’ve got two Chauvinist Pigs with Horrible Accents!” (Ah, they just needed to ditch the spare to make room for Robert). “Oh I see…Lovely is Slacker Who Blames Everyone Else.” “There’s Girl Who Hits Unsuccessfully on Ramsay!” “This Flaming Gay Guy isn’t that good.”

Did Robert actually gain weight? I don’t remember him being that big.

I have a big ol’ crush on Jim right now. I doubt he’ll win, but please don’t send him home too soon…

I've watched the last few season, and the same personalities seem to return. The meek one, the arrogant one, the Italian from the eastern seaboard (usually Jersey), they gay, the ditz, the arrogant sister (Jen, Tenille, etc.), the novice, etc. It's the same show over and over again.

With that said, my fiancee declared we're watching it next week. (He used to work nights, so he's never seen more than a scattered episode here and there. He doesn't know what we seem to know...)

[StarvingButStrong]

One thing I thought was simply unfair was when he was chewing one woman out for wasting a ton of pasta. If you looked at the stuff he pulled out of the bin, it was stiff, 'wiry' mass, cooked barely long enough to start getting bendy.

Clearly it was due to that 'everything must be finished at the same minute' rule. Whoever was doing the other apps must have screwed up and had to start over, and each time the pasta cook would have to pull out the batch that had been in 3-4-5 minutes and toss it, and start over, to insure she wasn't going to be sending up overcooked mush when the new batch of scallops or whatever were done.

If the pasta in the bin had been OVERdone, then yes, it would have been because she was doing something wrong. Or... I suppose she could have pulled the partially cooked pasta from the water when a snag happened, then put it back to finish cooking at the appropriate time. But I bet Ramsey would have screamed about that, too. And pasta is pretty damn cheap. Unlike those lamb chops some guy filled their bin with.

[Dogzilla]

I'm hoping anyone with restaurant kitchen experience can help me out. I have never worked in a kitchen (aside from my own) in my life. I have no idea what the reality is like.

But I have led corporate teams before. In my experience, calling people juvenile names teaches nobody anything, demoralizes your team, and makes everyone hate you. Who can listen to and learn from someone who calls them an idiot in anger?

I brought this up with my sister and BIL, that I didn't think that the best way to teach and motivate a team was to personally attack the team members. Their response was "Oh, well, you wouldn't last five minutes in a restaurant kitchen?"

So to you, my Doper friends, I ask this: Really? Is it necessary to belittle and dehumanize your kitchen crew in order to get their performance up to your standards? Now, I can see losing your patience and having to yell at someone you've already told 15 times, "Scallops get cooked only ONE minute on each side! Two minutes makes a rubber hockey puck! Cook it right or leave!" But I can't see the motivational aspect of adding, "You fucking idiot" at the end. How is that productive or effective leadership?

Can anyone address this?

I've also noticed on Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares (on BBC America), he tends to treat the staff with much more personal respect until they bite him first. Even then, he doesn't back down, but he does try to not escalate conflicts. So, clearly, belittling and humiliating people on a personal level is, for some sick reason, part of the appeal of Hell's Kitchen. (We Americans can be a nasty lot sometimes, don't ya think?) I just want to know if that's really what goes on in IRL kitchens, and if those tend to be successful chefs. Or is it Waffle House cooks who treat their people that way? Does anyone?

What's the straight dope on that?

[Ferret Herder]

Originally Posted by Smokinjbc

I was surprised to see Robert- even heavier than he was before (at least we both thought so). I'm sure they had an army of lawyer's overseeing liability forms- he had a serious heart condition, he appears to be in more danger due to his weight, and you are going to let him into a high stress environment?

Yeah, I thought he looked heavier too, and I'm worried about him being able to compete.

Dolores: Ramsay yelled that about the salmon that ended up getting stuck in the freezer rather than the fridge (I saw that happen on another cooking competition show - these freezers must not feel very cold or something) by what's-her-face.

Starving: The pasta gal still deserved a boot, I think, for not being able to say a thing with Ramsay yelling at her. Maybe not as much as the others, but you have to be able to communicate. Though I think that the "disposable" male candidate definitely deserved the out for screwing up the lamb chops so badly.

Dogzilla: Check out Anthony Bourdain's book Kitchen Confidential - his service method is similar to Ramsay's, but he also talks favorably about a relatively quiet and respectful kitchen of another excellent chef (don't recall who), and marvels about how it all works out. So it sounds like there's a variety of styles, but be prepared to take some heat.

[gotpasswords]

Originally Posted by Dolores Reborn

(re: bison's penis) Must have missed this. Who said what?

Believe that was Ramsay in response to the "salmon Wellington" (no idea what it really was called, but it was salmon in pastry) having been put into the freezer so it could not be cooked properly.

In their defense though - some world-class chef made the same mistake of confusing a freezer for a fridge on Top Chef Masters a couple of weeks ago.

[Ferret Herder]

Originally Posted by Ferret Herder

Dogzilla: Check out Anthony Bourdain's book Kitchen Confidential - his service method is similar to Ramsay's, but he also talks favorably about a relatively quiet and respectful kitchen of another excellent chef (don't recall who), and marvels about how it all works out. So it sounds like there's a variety of styles, but be prepared to take some heat.

Missed the edit: I meant similar to Ramsay's in the "milder" incarnation of him. Supposedly (though I can't find anything about it right now) Ramsay used to be much worse in his kitchen and went through some anger management or something of that nature.

[Dogzilla]

Oh, I can take some heat -- if I make a stupid mistake, I expect to be called out for it. Especially where timing and quality are so crucial. I have no problem with "You fucked that up, what were you thinking?"

I just don't see how the personal namecalling is effective, so I'd be interested to hear any anecdotes from people who have worked in kitchens, been called a stupid dolt 20 times a night, and can still wax poetic about what a terrific chef/leader/manager the bully is.

If you spoke to your crew like that in any other environment, corporate, skilled trade, whatever... I think you'd have no crew and subsequently, no business.

Another thing I wonder: How much training do these people get -- especially those with no line cook experience whatsoever -- in the terminology and location of stuff in the kitchen? If I sold kitchen equipment for a living and cooked only for my family, I might not have any idea what "mise en place" means, or the difference between a soux chef and an executive chef. If you told me to braise something, and then "finish it in the oven" and I'm little more than a pot-and-pan salesman... is there really no mercy, compassion or understanding for people on that show with zero kitchen experience? I think that's what bothers me about the namecalling. You're not an idiot if you didn't go to chef school and you don't live on a coast and have never cleaned a fresh shrimp in your life. Just uninformed.

[Dung Beetle]

I think that, and then I remind myself not to ever go on a reality show where the prize is running a restaurant kitchen.

[Jeep's Phoenix]

Aww, I felt sorry for JP there...though I did enjoy his muttered comment as they were exiting the storage area.

I actually liked the repeated re-use of the eliminated girl's reaction shots in the kitchen...her facial expressions were very fitting with what we got to see of her personality.

Yes, Robert looks heavier. I don't remember the exact name of his heart condition, but I wasn't under the impression that it would just go away with medication and/or time.

[gotpasswords]

Originally Posted by Dogzilla

Another thing I wonder: How much training do these people get -- especially those with no line cook experience whatsoever -- in the terminology and location of stuff in the kitchen?

If someone walks into that kitchen not knowing what a meez* is, look out! To ask for a rag rather than a side towel (and not knowing that you'd have better luck getting side towels from the porter instead of Chef), they deserve a thrashing.

Speaking of porters, I really feel sorry for their night porters. These "chefs" are creating some world-class messes and some poor sot has to clean it up.

The contestants had to have been given some advance info on the kitchen layout and pantry items. Otherwise, there's not much chance someone could go into an unfamiliar kitchen and be able to turn out a signature dish in 45 minutes - they'd waste most of the time just rummaging through the pantry and looking for pans and bowls.

* mise en place, literally translated as "put in place" or your setup of basic ingredients. Professional chefs all have their own preferences of where stuff is at their station, and the idea is that they can reach out without looking and grab what they need. I'm not sure what the worse kitchen crime is - messing with a chef's personal knives or with their meez.

[Ferret Herder]

The competition is to be the head chef in one of Ramsay's restaurants. Even home cooks have no excuse for not knowing what a "meez" (thank you gotpasswords! ) is or what it's for, much less various cooking techniques. You go into that show knowing what it's going to be like. Anyone who wants to try out for Hell's Kitchen should review previous season's challenges and especially Ramsay's common dishes (off the top of my head, Beef or something else Wellington, John Dory, risotto, scallops...) to get an idea of what they'll be expected to deal with. Reading any 'life of a chef'-type books (either Bourdain or Michael Ruhlman are good sources) will give you a good idea of terminology basics.

Hijack: Speaking as a vegetarian, I don't ever want to hear another vegetarian go on one of these cooking competition shows and then whine about how you don't know how to cook some kind of meat because you're a vegetarian. It's a competition. They're not going to set things up differently for you; get some good experience in on various animal products so that you don't fail utterly.

[YogSosoth]

Originally Posted by Dogzilla

So to you, my Doper friends, I ask this: Really? Is it necessary to belittle and dehumanize your kitchen crew in order to get their performance up to your standards? Now, I can see losing your patience and having to yell at someone you've already told 15 times, "Scallops get cooked only ONE minute on each side! Two minutes makes a rubber hockey puck! Cook it right or leave!" But I can't see the motivational aspect of adding, "You fucking idiot" at the end. How is that productive or effective leadership?

No, its not necessary, and I worked in a very very busy fast food kitchen. Ramsey's probably just playing it up for the cameras, as his temper and demanding nature is the point of the show. There are plenty of cooking shows where the chefs are nice, but Hell's Kitchen's supposed to be different.

I was thinking last night that how could supposedly world class chefs screw up so badly on simple things. I've decided its probably due to the unfamiliarity of the kitchen and the fact that cameras are in their faces all the time. Most restaurants arent staffed by 20 new people who have never worked more than an hour in that kitchen, they are staffed with old hands who may bring in a couple of new personnel who are trained slowly until they master it. Nobody hires a new chef and says "Make the restaurant's house special" without any practice

Makes for good TV though

[Dung Beetle]

Originally Posted by YogSosoth

Makes for good TV though

I tell you whut. Our whole fam-damly was in the living room, laughing and making comments on this show. We never do that.

[Dogzilla]

I'm so interested in cooking that I actually went on eBay and bought one of the Culinary Institute of America's textbooks (a hefty 1500-pager that also doubles as a weapon). I taught myself how to make seafood bisque from that book! It turns out, I'd been practicing the concept of mise en place for years without ever knowing the actual term for it. When I opened the book to that page, I was proud of myself for having used proper techniques because it seemed logical and obvious.

I'd still like one good class on my knifing skills. I own good quality chef's knives, but my skills are not, shall we say, professional-level quality. The local franchise cooking school doesn't let you just take a single class. You have to sign up for the entire two-year program and I am not interested in starting a new career at this point in my life. I just wanted to be a better cook at home.

But at least I know enough not to call myself a chef.

Oh and Ferret Herder: as a fellow vegetarian, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I wasn't a veg my entire life and my brain has not forgotten how to cook chicken or beef perfectly. What stunned me was all of those chefs carrying around meat thermometers on their sleeves and nobody once ever whipped one out and used it. Hello? I do that when I'm cooking meats for someone else in my veggie house. What kind of moron throws raw chicken back in a sauté pan and thinks "one more minute" will be sufficient to cook it to temp? :: shakes head ::

[FlightlessBird]

I get the feeling it's like basic training (for the army), He's there to break you down before he can build you back up in his image. The end result is that when he shouts something you don't sit and think, "hmm, if I do this then that, something else will happen", rather: "Step 1..go!"

It's a harsh process, but the results have been pretty amazing. Didn't one of the French trained Masters on Top Chef Masters say that french training is the worst at this. Maybe it was a particular French Chef.

Why oh why isn't abandoning the line considered a capital crime in this kitchen? Last season the woman bailed on the line (well in prep and during service) more than once, and continued to skate past people who made mistakes. Putting the salmon in the freezer is far less of an offense than leaving for 45 minutes. (Only on the account of, she won't make that mistake again - I kind of wish she had made that argument)

[BrandonR]

I've read Ramsay's book about his experiences in several kitchens across the UK, and they all seem pretty consistent with what he dishes out. Some of the places he speaks about in the book are even harsher than what he is during the show.

The best chefs are undoubtedly perfectionists and they expect a certain standard to be produced.

[Tom Tildrum]

I get a kick out of Robert. It's like watching a live-action Family Guy.

The wastage of food on this show kills me. Ruining and having to throw away sea bass? Criminal.

[Dogzilla]

Originally Posted by BrandonR

I've read Ramsay's book about his experiences in several kitchens across the UK, and they all seem pretty consistent with what he dishes out. Some of the places he speaks about in the book are even harsher than what he is during the show.

The best chefs are undoubtedly perfectionists and they expect a certain standard to be produced.

Fine. Then hold me to the standard. Ride me like a wrung-out hooker. But don't call me nasty names while you're doing it. Attack my work, not me.

I suppose what you're telling me is, that in some kitchens, Ramsey's personal-attack style is de rigeur and even some of the best, most successful chefs in the world treat their people like complete crap because that's evidently, the best way to get crackerjack performance out of your line cooks.

Okay then.

:: scratches 'Hell's Kitchen audition' off bucket list ::

[jtgain]

Originally Posted by FlightlessBird

Putting the salmon in the freezer is far less of an offense than leaving for 45 minutes. (Only on the account of, she won't make that mistake again - I kind of wish she had made that argument)

Agreed. Ramsay sent the other guy home for messing up the lamb. It would seem that he should have told her that if she was tired, she could have the rest of her life to relax: "Pack your bags".

But, that girl is like Lacey from last year. She seems like enough of a dolt to have entertainment value, so you want to keep her around.

ETA: And my guess is the guy that got sent home didn't have entertainment value so they wanted him gone. Did you notice how Ramsay gave him the hardest station and then refused to let the other guy take over for him? Also last year Ramsay kept giving Lacey the easy garnish station until it was time for her to go...

[DWMarch]

Originally Posted by YogSosoth

Ramsey's probably just playing it up for the cameras, as his temper and demanding nature is the point of the show. There are plenty of cooking shows where the chefs are nice, but Hell's Kitchen's supposed to be different.

I'd change that probably to definitely. I've seen Gordon Ramsay's other works (Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares especially) and while he does have a hair-trigger temper at times, he's not cruel just for the sake of being cruel.

Remember also that the chefs were given some very basic advice before they even got into the kitchen: make sure your stove is on, check your food before you send it out and don't crack under the pressure. And this crop of contestants managed to make every single mistake that they were warned in advance not to make! I'd be calling them donkeys too.

I think GR might have a bit of a complex from all the abuse he took as an up and coming chef in France. According to his book, the "abuse" he dishes out is nothing compared to what he had to deal with in those Parisian kitchens. So he probably thinks that if he can take it, the contestants should be able to as well.

I was blown away by the girl who made him the alcohol soaked French toast with tequila on the side. Does she know nothing about Gordon Ramsay? He hates any chef that drinks on the job and there she is trying to get him drunk! As he would say, sorry sweetheart, that's not good enough.

[Patch]

Originally Posted by DWMarch

I'd change that probably to definitely. I've seen Gordon Ramsay's other works (Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares especially) and while he does have a hair-trigger temper at times, he's not cruel just for the sake of being cruel.

Oh, I'd disagree with that. Last year I found and downloaded a BBC show that followed Ramsay trying to get a Michelin star at one of his restaurants (no idea what it's called anymore). He most definitely treated his kitchen staff with the same abusive disrespect he treats the Hell's Kitchen contestants.

[DWMarch]

I think you're referring to Boiling Point, perhaps? I haven't seen that one but I'll take your word for it. But was he mean to his staff just to be a bastard in general or was he going off on them for mistakes they were making? Was he criticizing the cooks or the cooking? In any case, I think he deliberately plays up his angry side for this show in particular. In fact, I bet Fox pays him extra for it.

[Death of Rats]

My question is this far into Hell's Kitchen's run who the hell would go on without learning Gordon's staples first? You know you are going to have to cook Wellingtons, Risotto and pasta every damn day. Why would you not get these things down pat so that you can get it right without having to think about it? That way you only have to worry about the new shit he will throw at you.

and a side note to Joseph: If you have to tell people that you 'ain't no bitch', guess what Jarhead, you are a little bitch.

[Covered_In_Bees!]

The voice-over announcer guy said that Ramsay has made some changes to this season's menu. I don't remember hearing anything about Risotto this time around. The chefs should thank their lucky stars too, because everyone screws that up somehow.

[BrandonR]

Originally Posted by DWMarch

I think you're referring to Boiling Point, perhaps? I haven't seen that one but I'll take your word for it. But was he mean to his staff just to be a bastard in general or was he going off on them for mistakes they were making? Was he criticizing the cooks or the cooking? In any case, I think he deliberately plays up his angry side for this show in particular. In fact, I bet Fox pays him extra for it.

I've seen the show (you can watch the entire thing on Youtube in parts) and while he was typical Ramsay, you're right in that it's not like he just went off on people for no reason. There was always a reason (and the reason was the staff screwing up). This is a man who has a 5-year-wait to be an unpaid apprentice at his restaurants. If you can't take the heat, then, well, you know...

And beyond that, I believe Ramsay has somewhere of a 80+% retention rate for his employees, which is pretty astonishing in the restaurant world. The reason is that he's fair, even if he is hot-tempered if you bring that side of him out.

[MPB in Salt Lake]

Originally Posted by Death of Rats

My question is this far into Hell's Kitchen's run who the hell would go on without learning Gordon's staples first? You know you are going to have to cook Wellingtons, Risotto and pasta every damn day. Why would you not get these things down pat so that you can get it right without having to think about it? That way you only have to worry about the new shit he will throw at you.

and a side note to Joseph: If you have to tell people that you 'ain't no bitch', guess what Jarhead, you are a little bitch.

If any of you had to guess, do you think that Joseph had planned all along to confront/challange Ramsay (either for bragging rights or 15 min. of fame) or was it a spontanious reaction?

I ask because it seemed like Joseph was looking for an excuse to try and start a fight, and he leaped at the first chance----of course, maybe it was just my perception, but it seemed thought out on his part, not a "heat of the moment" flameout..............

[Patch]

Originally Posted by BrandonR

I've seen the show (you can watch the entire thing on Youtube in parts) and while he was typical Ramsay, you're right in that it's not like he just went off on people for no reason. There was always a reason (and the reason was the staff screwing up). This is a man who has a 5-year-wait to be an unpaid apprentice at his restaurants. If you can't take the heat, then, well, you know...

There's always a reason, but the reason never justifies the abuse he hands out.

And beyond that, I believe Ramsay has somewhere of a 80+% retention rate for his employees, which is pretty astonishing in the restaurant world. The reason is that he's fair, even if he is hot-tempered if you bring that side of him out.

Didn't they say he was firing an employee a week at that first restaurant of his?

[kaylasdad99]

Originally Posted by Ferret Herder

The competition is to be the head chef in one of Ramsay's restaurants. Even home cooks have no excuse for not knowing what a "meez" (thank you gotpasswords! ) is or what it's for, much less various cooking techniques. You go into that show knowing what it's going to be like. Anyone who wants to try out for Hell's Kitchen should review previous season's challenges and especially Ramsay's common dishes (off the top of my head, Beef or something else Wellington, John Dory, risotto, scallops...) to get an idea of what they'll be expected to deal with. Reading any 'life of a chef'-type books (either Bourdain or Michael Ruhlman are good sources) will give you a good idea of terminology basics.

Really? Scallops?

I'll admit that I don't watch the show often, but on the few clips I have seen, I got the impression that the only reason he ever asks anyone to cook scallops is so he can make a big deal about throwing up on their shoes...

I even saw him do it once on the British version of Kitchen Nightmares, or whatever it was called.

[Ferret Herder]

Going from memory, it's not uncommon. Pretty sure they had scallops on this first episode, even; one of the women was sucking ass at cooking them properly (burnt on one side, raw on the other).

[joebuck20]

I just saw these episodes online (I had a class Tuesday night). I do suspect, as some people have on this thread, that Joseph is a plant. Military personnel tend to be pretty deferential to authority and I can't imagine someone with his attitude lasting long in the USMC (again, though, for all we know, he could have been kicked for slugging for an officer).
I highly doubt any blows are going to be exchanged, and even if Joseph were dumb enough to so much as lay a finger on Ramsay, production crew and any security on hand would be on his ass in seconds.
Also, isn't Ramsay a black belt of some sort.
What will probably happen is both of them will break out in fits of laughter, point to the other contestants, say something like "you've been punked" and reveal that Joseph is an actor. Then they'll all breathe a sigh relief as they realize that nobody's going home. Of course at that point Ramsay will tell them they still did an awful job and need to get their fucking act together.

[Ferret Herder]

Originally Posted by joebuck20

What will probably happen is both of them will break out in fits of laughter, point to the other contestants, say something like "you've been punked" and reveal that Joseph is an actor. Then they'll all breathe a sigh relief as they realize that nobody's going home. Of course at that point Ramsay will tell them they still did an awful job and need to get their fucking act together.

I'd pay good money to see that.

[Covered_In_Bees!]

joebuck's thoughts have merit, so you better get some money ready.

[corkboard]

Way late to the party here (but I brought Cheez Doodles!)

Robert: he's definitely heavier than last season. I'd really rather see him on The Biggest Loser.

I also agree that Joseph is probably a plant, but Tex or whatever his name is is the real loose cannon. I seriously thought he was going to knock JP's block off, although I also believe JP likes the cut of his jib.

Lovely is this season's Lacey. Whoopi is trying to be this season's Jen but doesn't have nearly the skill. And dude- did you seriously serve sausage gravy over biscuits to Gordon Ramsey as your signature dish, and expect him to be impressed?

The quality of cooking on this show is abysmal. It's almost as if they plucked 20 people off of the street and made them contestants, and had them make up backstories for themselves. I'm a casual home-kitchen cook at best, but I know how to cook a scallop so it's neither raw nor burnt, al dente pasta, the difference between salt and sugar, how to determine if the lamb chops are done, etc. These people are supposedly professionals with at least some culinary connection or training- it's comical.

[Covered_In_Bees!]

The quality of cooking on this show is abysmal. It's almost as if they plucked 20 people off of the street and made them contestants, and had them make up backstories for themselves. I'm a casual home-kitchen cook at best, but I know how to cook a scallop so it's neither raw nor burnt, al dente pasta, the difference between salt and sugar, how to determine if the lamb chops are done, etc. These people are supposedly professionals with at least some culinary connection or training- it's comical.

I'm telling you guys, I swear they are only choosing three, four max, actual good (or potentially good) chefs then a bunch of mopes who just wanted to be TV.

Way late to the party here (but I brought Cheez Doodles!)

Just in time, to me. Just timely enough to bump the thread before the next show airs later today. Good work.

And I'll take those Cheez Doodles for you and put them into a serving bowl, this is a high class establishment dontcha know. No eating chips and such from the bag, we put them into overly espensive decorative-ish bowls.

[Covered_In_Bees!]

Double post, sorry.