Before I started watching the British Kitchen Nightmares on BBC America, someone told me that this is a kinder, gentler Gordon Ramsay. One that doesn't swear as much as he does on FOX's Hell's Kitchen. And they were right, he doesn't swear that much. He swears a lot more.
But you do sense that he cares about getting these restaurants going again. The premise is this: Ramsay travels around the U.S. and helps to fix screwed up restaurants. I worked in many kitchens over the course of around 11 years and they were all screwed up in some way or another, so I'm sure he'll have an endless supply of places to fix.
Of course, it looks like Ramsay and FOX are looking for the most screwed up places, because that makes for better "reality" television. The two episodes I've seen stay pretty damn close to the Hell's Kitchen formula. The same editing, the same music, the same voiceover, the same "close the kitchen down!" lines, the same bad food, the same confrontation. I'm not saying that the show twists the truth, but I do think they look for certain things for the show, and the bad parts are probably amped up a bit (the show was sued by one restaurant manager, but the judge said that the show can continue filming while the case is in arbitration). He finds the restaurants in terrible condition (whether its cleanliness or incompetent staff), then has them open for lunch or dinner and everything goes to hell and he swears and tries to change things. Of course, he probably has to see the staff in action during a lunch or dinner service, but it's predictable what's going to happen.
I wonder what the contract for this show says. Ramsay seems to come into these restaurants (in the episodes I saw, Peter's and Seascape) and immediately takes control. He yells at people, shits on the food, threatens to fire people, finds something leaking, etc. Do these restaurants sign over all control to him for the duration of the filming? Does Ramsay have any limitations to what he can do?
I also wonder what happens to these restaurants 3, 6, 12 months later. Do they stay in the same great shape Ramsay left them in? One of the BBC America shows I saw had Ramsay come back a few months later to see if things stayed the same. These episodes didn't have that, and that's a big change.
But the show is entertaining, if you don't mind the same formula repeated episode after episode. I just wish they changed the tone and concept completely away from the Hell's Kitchen approach. I mean really made the show different. As it stands now, it's more of a sequel to Hell's Kitchen and not a new concept.
Kitchen Nightmares debuts this Wednesday at 9 on FOX.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-18-2007 @ 11:19AM
Dave said...
How similar is it to the British version? I love that show on BBCA and I find incredibly insightful to cooking, running a restaurant, designing a menu and Ramsay himself, much more so than you get on Hell's Kitchen. I always love the way Ramsay emphasizes all aspects of being a chef and the British version makes that much more clear. I hope the American version holds to that standard.
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9-18-2007 @ 12:27PM
MJBF said...
Most importantly, does it contain the standard "Gordon topless/putting on his cook's whites?" that we see in every episode of the BBC version? Man likes to show off his pecs! Seriously, watch for it in every episode.
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9-18-2007 @ 1:07PM
Kenban said...
My understanding is that when you see Gordon go back several months later and see if anything has changed that those are actually reruns of previous seasons. Then they add a few extra minutes at the end to show whats happened since the original airing. Its possible if there is a second season we could see similar episodes air in the US.
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9-18-2007 @ 1:08PM
Joey Geraci said...
He "shits" on the food??? What? I don't think that came out the way you meant. I hope not.
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9-18-2007 @ 2:47PM
Bash said...
"I just wish they changed the tone and concept completely away from the Hell's Kitchen approach. I mean really made the show different."
Is it just me or does the second sentence not make any sense at all? Maybe throw an "if" in there like "I mean IF they really made the show different"? Or maybe a "it would (make)"?
Just asking...
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9-18-2007 @ 11:41PM
Phish said...
All this going on while his brother rots in an indonesian prison for 10 months due to heroin possesion.
maybe he'll do a special on prison food, and send some over to the poor bastard.
well, i cant say i feel sorry for him, heroin is extremely addictive and destructive!
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9-19-2007 @ 10:18PM
foolish501 said...
enjoyed the show, didn't think it was as good as the uk version, the us version is more like a soap opera. missed gordon changin into his whites, and not going back to the restaurant after a few months to see how it's doing.
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9-19-2007 @ 10:30PM
Sorceressss said...
I did not like this one as much as the UK version. The Brits are just more low key that Americans. I lalso like how Gordon narrates more on the UK version as well. It's a bit unsettling that the networks think we are all morons who will only pay attention to a reality show if there's shouting and drama.
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9-19-2007 @ 11:59PM
Sorceressss said...
Oh and just a note to Phish, Gordon has bailed his brother out of many jams and has tried to help him with his addictions, he has not ignored him. So maybe do some research before throwing stones?
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9-20-2007 @ 10:51AM
Mikkel said...
I really enjoyed watching the UK version of Kitchen Nightmares, but the US version is just a mess, it took about five minutes of hyping the show I'm ALREADY watching for Gordon to appear. What's more annoying? The obnoxius music, which made me reconsider watching the show at the 10 minute mark. Overall, this version is just way to flashy compared to the UK version and focused way to much on the "drama" compared to the food, which is the soul of the show.
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9-20-2007 @ 12:58PM
MJBF said...
hmmm, American version not so great. What was up with him buying them all new kitchen equipment? I guess that would be compensation for the filming, etc. but I don't remember him every doing anything like on the BBC version. Bigger budget, maybe? Hopefully it gets better, they need to focus more on the food aspect and not so much on the crazy people. Did we even see any indication of the chef's talent? When GR came in they fed him boxed crab cakes and mushy lobster ravioli that came from Restaurant Depot, so is the only reason that guy was doing that because the ovens were broken or did they just keep doing that on better equipment? I will probably keep TiVo-ing just to see if it gets better but otherwise, meh!
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9-20-2007 @ 11:51PM
Phish said...
note to sorceresss: where in my post did i mention he abandoned him? or that he has never helped him in the past, or that he is a n assh*le ?
i'm not implying anything except for the facts.
maybe you should check yourself before u wreck yourself, my dear.
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