Gordon Ramsay (Merged)

[In the Kitchen]

What I don't care for, is his criticizing someone for their weight or the style of their hair. That doesn't have anything to do with how they can prepare a meal. I only fault him as to how much of perfectionist he is; makes him say things that are uppermost in his mind. Granted he doesn't have weight problem and he expects others to try as well. This must be part of agreement to be on the show. All I know is I would never ever want to be part of the group. Could never be considered. His expectations are too high.

I always do look forward to the show. I don't learn about cooking. Only Ramsay's way of finding the best person who can hold up under such treatment. I feel he, himself, wants to show how he got where he did! You think any other cook on tv could outdo him in his way of service?

 

[GrillingFool]

Season one winner turned down the job, and the rest (aside from last year's) are all working elsewhere now, according to Wikipedia.

In my humble opinion, I think the show doesn't really pick the best chef...
It picks the chef who can best fly under Ramsay's radar and get him to like them.

Don't get me wrong; I like watching the show, I just think it is all about the "watchability" aspects, not finding him good new chefs.

 

[In the Kitchen]

Grilling Fool: I do like to hear all the different opinions on his show. Seems everyone does not feel the same. And you say, most of the winners are not working for him? After all this treatment you would think they would feel surely deserving of a good job! Thanks for information.

 

[Barbara L]

I had never seen Hell's Kitchen before this season, and I had serious doubts whether I would want to. James and I watched the first show of the season, and we were hooked. I hate the language Gordon Ramsay uses, I would not be able to work with someone yelling at me like that, and I definitely hate the personal attacks about weight, etc. However, every participant in the show (maybe not the first season, but certainly this season) knew exactly what to expect with him, so it must be something they are willing to work with. Most of them get "bleeped" for language as much as Ramsay does. I have seen Ramsay's soft side show through a few times. If it didn't show through now and then, I wouldn't enjoy the show. I have enjoyed the other shows I have seen him on as well.

Barbara

 

[In the Kitchen]

Barbara L: Thanks for your comments. I have been so connected to this man in more ways than one. First, his insults are similar to the ones I experienced w/my ex. I feel Chef Ramsay does it for the sole purpose of getting them prepared for what would be in their future. As I have said before, I am most certain that his life has not been easy. Had to put up w/much more than he is giving out and as you said he definitely has 'soft side' which makes me like him. My ex on other hand was 'self' centered not trying to help me.

the second reason I do like him are his standards are so very high. (Bet we could eat off his floor!) The way he rips the people when they are lax in their daily habits. I sure would not like to have him see my kitchen. I cannot keep the kitchen spotless as to how much cooking I have to do alone w/o dishwasher.

He sure respects his 'mum' and I think that is awesome. He shows his love when he can. I like the way he is so focused. I just wonder if he doesn't have to take medication for his blood pressure. (Fact, I worry about him)
Well, I have really opened my feelings. Like Ramsay, I say what I feel but maybe I try to limit my language.

Thanks again for sharing and know you will always want more.

 

[x-termin8or]

The fact is whether you like Gordon Ramsay or not, he is a great chef with a VERY good business sense. He owns loads of successful restaurants and I've seen him transform the most horrible restaurants into something truly unbelievable.

I love watching Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares because firstly i can't believe how some people run their restaurants/businesses... many of them are terribly dirty, they get rude to the customers, and so on. And secondly, i love how Ramsey has always managed to completely turn the business around and make it extremely successful. Thirdly, i like it (and find it quite funny/amusing) when a lot of the times the owners of the restaurants are too proud to admit that they are in the wrong and that they need to change.

It's a very good show, and apart from the bad language, it's very good entertainment.

 

[In the Kitchen]

The fact is whether you like Gordon Ramsay or not, he is a great chef with a VERY good business sense. He owns loads of successful restaurants and I've seen him transform the most horrible restaurants into something truly unbelievable.

I love watching Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares because firstly i can't believe how some people run their restaurants/businesses... many of them are terribly dirty, they get rude to the customers, and so on. And secondly, i love how Ramsey has always managed to completely turn the business around and make it extremely successful. Thirdly, i like it (and find it quite funny/amusing) when a lot of the times the owners of the restaurants are too proud to admit that they are in the wrong and that they need to change.

It's a very good show, and apart from the bad language, it's very good entertainment.

ditto! did you watch Hell's Kitchen? This has me on edge till the end. And then he comes up with some kind of mind change. Like eliminating someone who isn't even nominated to leave! It's his kitchen, can do what he wants. I truly feel beyond his 'ROUGH' exterior he is definitely a sincere well meaning individual. (Have to look real hard to find it) I am just happy you like the show. Times you do learn something from the way he tells them what to do.

 

[LPBeier]

I didn't get to see all of last season of Hell's kitchen, and my TV only seems to work on the food channel these days , so I caught up on it this time around (our FN shows the previous years battle). I haven't been watching the new one, but it was good to see who one in the previous group. I was actually sorry Petrozza didn't win until I learned some things about it.

I had always wondered why Gordon Ramsey would basically raffle off a $250,000 Exectutive Chef job at a brand new restaurant. When, in the first half of the final they did the signature dish challenge and the last judge was introduced as the "future boss of one of you", I had my suspicions. So once the winner was declared I googled and found out that Christina was offered a payout of $250,000 or the chance to work in the restaurant. She chose the restaurant and is now working 14 hour days with the title of Executive Chef but the job of a senior chef, supervising several stations, not just for the restaurant but the entire hotel.

I am not slamming Ramsey on this. As I said, I was suspicious of the job in the first place. From what I have read, Michael in the first year ended up taking the payout and is doing well. Heather worked for a year in the restaurant Ramsey gave her and now has her own, Brock is still in his winning job. So, it all depends on what you want. But I think I would take the money and run. $250,000 goes a fair ways for setting up your own business.

Oh, and Petrozza, he is doing pretty good for himself, coming in second. Sort of like Clay Aiken and Rueben....who?

My point is, Ramsey might be a showman (or show-off?) on TV, but the bottom line is he is a shrewd business man and restaurant and I really admire him for that. I like all his shows.

 

[freefallin1309]

My wife and I watched the show religiously for the first 4 seasons, the last being the one that turned us off. I don't mind, nor would I mind his language or yelling style ... I was in the USMC and his language and yelling are calm in comparison. I can see however how most people would take offense, I would not like being insulted on my looks, it has nothing to do with how I cook. But I think he uses the insults to get under their skin and produce the desired anger ... he is looking for someone who could put up with his crap after all .

We stopped watching the show because it became the same thing every season, the only thing that ever changed were the contestants. I personally use the F word at least twice a sentence IRL, depending on present company of course, so the word does not offend me. Nor does his abusive attitude, because from personal experience, as well as my wife's ... it truly does cause the cream to rise to the top leaving the weak behind, much as Darwin's theory of evolution states in The Evolution of Man. But in my more simple words ... when the going gets tough ... the tough get going. Ramsay's pushing forces you to either get tough and prosper, or leave and seek your fortune elsewhere.

IRL, he is a nice guy, his wife and kids love him and he does actually have friends . His credentials don't stack up with most of the high end chefs of the world, he has no formal education to speak of. But he has worked for the best and has learned from the best. He is also one of the very few chefs to have received a Michelin Star and at such a young age, and only one of 3 chefs ever to hold 3 at one time. He has also owned several very lucrative restaurants and has done quite well for himself for a poor Scottish lad that came from practically nothing. Me being of Scottish ancestry with a Scottish family, and having known several Scots in my life, they're a tough breed and expect it from those around them as well. Caveat Emptor to anyone who marries a Scot

 

[bigdaddy3k]

I like the f word. I like the fact that he is trying to revive a lot of forgotten ingredients (see tripe). I also love the fact that his children eat what he cooks. (same episode, lamb brains and sweetbreads)

If I had the money and time he does, my children's cullinary education would be stellar. As for dropping the f bomb, the f word is the equivelent of the word bloody to us and vice versa. You will only hear him drop the b word with great rarity as it is the UK's f word.

 

[bigdaddy3k]

I just got finished watching a Tivo'd "f Word".

They had a segment where they were interviewing a man who refers to himself as a "Freegan". He only eats food that he gets for free. It seems he regularly "shops" behind finer restaurants and such... in their dumpsters.

The interviewer actually sat in the park with him eating dumpster sushi, salad with balsamic, and tuna salad.

 

[Chef Munky]

FOX announced that HK,and Kitchen Nightmares will be back again for a new season.They don't have days/times available yet.
I'm on the fence with HK..It's been the same menu season after season,just a new cast of misfits. Though Lacey was a blast


Munky.

 

[chefkathleen]

That's the way we were with it too Munky. We gave up the ghost and just quit watching it.

 

[bigdaddy3k]

Yeah, I stopped watching HK as well. I'm not big a degredation in the name of game shows.

 

[chefkathleen]

I agree Bigdaddy. I can't wait for a lot of these "reality" shows to get old and pulled off the air.

 

[Elo]

I like Hells Kitchen but this season was very weak. It was plainly obvious from the first episodes who the last two were going to be.

You're right though, they really need to change the formula. I don't know if I can face another season of people getting shouted at for burning scallops and not seasoning risotto... :yawn:

 

[Treklady]

And because of his excessive use of 'colorful' language, is thee exact reason I refuse to watch him. I mean come on, how many times in a 3 minute period does someone need to say the 'F' word. It's a cooking show, not a swearing show.

 

[Radula1976]

I don't think I've ever seen Gordon Ramsay cook.

I mean I've head him swear a lot and go on about cooking but I've never seen him cook.

If he was really all that passionate about cooking then I'd expect him to take more opportunity to actually do it.

And he spends too much time running down other famous chefs - seems a bit insecure.

 

[freefallin1309]

You should try to put everything in one post instead of breaking each sentence up into a different post, it makes you look like a spammer and can get you booted quickly ... especially since all you've done since joining is complain and not done anyone any good.

But as far as Ramsay goes, he has cooked many times on his shows and others, he actually worked his way up from the bottom working for two top notch French chefs ... so cooking is something he has, and still does do (you can look it up on youtube if you want to see him cook). Something that happens too, when you get to the top of your line of work, is you end up doing less of what made you the top of your line. I for instance, have been in my business for 16 years and the last 5 have been at the top of my line as a manager .. and I'm more of a bean counter than anything now. I work in the office and tell people what to do, meet with clients and other people in my business, and make sure we make money ... I don't actually go out in the field and do it anymore. It happens in most industries actually. Most chef's that end up owning their own restaurants will do their own cooking, at least until they start opening up more than one (as Ramsay has done) ... then someone has to manage them and not cook anymore.

 

[powerplantop]

If he was really all that passionate about cooking then I'd expect him to take more opportunity to actually do it.

When watching F word last night he was doing something over a stove that sure looked a lot like cooking to me.