Topic: Hell's Kitchen Season 3

[indie boi]

The third season of Hell's Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay's culinary reality show, started airing this week. This looks like it's going to be more fun than the first two seasons because the contestants are as volatile and are equally interesting personalities as Ramsay himself. I saw the first episode yesterday and I had so much fun. Ramsay's as ruthless and as clever as ever. The most interesting contestant right now is Aaron, the 48 year old retirement home chef. The guy came wearing a cowboy outfit. and then couldn't stop crying even before their first service began.

[Mr. Hankey]

I watched the pilot of this show on 2nd Avenue (or was it ETC?). This is one reality show I simply didn't get. Unless the customers in his restaurant were in on the joke, they really have no sense of self-worth. I don't care how good a chef you are - if I'm a paying customer, you cannot speak to me that way. You're a glorified kusinero and I'm giving you business, you prissy little dick.

And what sort of loser wannabe-chef would allow himself/herself to be insulted like that? No job would be worth it! Those are clearly people with unbelievably low self esteem. I suppose that was a prime consideration when they did the casting.

But hell, the show's on its third season. I guess that's its appeal.

[indie boi]

I asked a friend of mine who's trying to break into th culinary industry in NY. I told him that I was shocked by the way Ramsay treats contestants. He surprised me even more when he said that most chefs do act that way. Apparently, it's the culture inside the kitchen. The prevailing belief is that you need to have your ego broken first before you begin to really learn about the art of cooking.

Hankey, try to find episodes of Boiling Point in torrents. It's a BBC docu on Ramsay. You'll see how he treats his staff. The most unbelievable thing about the guy is that despite his mouth and attitude he inspires fierce loyalty. When he left The Aubergine restaurant in the late 90's because of a dispute with the owners, his whole staff resigned. My wife and I constantly talk about him and the psychology behind the whole culinary world.

[hashpipe]

HK3's premiere is one of the best premiere ever! Aaron is a TV gem! 

I agree that Ramsay is a prick for the cussing and the insults. It might be the prevailing "culture" in the culinary world, but that doesn't mean that it's needed, or even, right. I don't believe in delivering brought about by that kind of pressure, no. Sorry.

[aikigrappler]

I think he's is just acting it up for the cameras.If Ramsay wasn't like that, it won't be that interesting.I just wonder why would anyone bother eating there and waiting for more than an hour for their appetizer, half cooked meals, over cooked meals, etc.Wouldn't these things drive this resto to the ground?
What's with the elimination last week? I was pretty sure that girl who got the pasta from the trash would have surely been eliminated.That was a mistake not even a normal person would have done. :-)

[indie boi]

Ramsay really acts like that. He actually got into trouble in the UK when a hidden camera was brought into his kitchen and the footage was broadcast in a show that was called "The World's Worst Bosses" (I'm guessing here because I can't remember the exact title). He was also trained in that very same culture. His mentor Marco Pierre White also did it to him (in fact, in his cookbook White put in a picture of him shouting at an obviously frightened young Ramsay). The Boiling Point mini series is highly recommended if you really want to see what makes Ramsay tick. Sorry, big fan here. Been one for almost seven years now.

It was a momentary lapse of judgement for the pasta girl. But the person eliminated really deserved it. She was really performing sub par everytime there's a dinner service. Sad to see Aaron go though. The guy's fainting spells crack me up.

[Mr. Hankey]

He's actually in legal trouble right now - he's being sued for his allegedly rigging his new show: http://www.themoneytimes.com/news/20070622/chef_ramsay_sued_for_faking_reality_show-id-105192.html

And apparently, his a-holeness isn't really a necessary part of chef culture, indie. Just ask Top Chef's Tom Collichio:

"I watched five minutes of [Hell's Kitchen] once and turned it off because I can't deal with people screaming at chefs," said Colicchio in the June 25 issue of TV Guide.  "I try to treat the [Top Chef] contestants the way I would treat the cooks in my kitchen - you have to be firm, you have to criticize them, but you do it in a way to build them up, not rip them apart."

(Full article).

[aikigrappler]

I missed the first episode where Aaron was breaking down when Ramsay was shouting at him, just saw the commercial.It would have been an interesting season if he was still there.:-) What was that about not being able to wake up and have your team mates dress you up? That was really pathetic until he fainted because of medical problems, though they didnt specify. Can't wait for the next episode tomorrow.

I haven't heard of boiling point indie, I will definitely try find a boxed set if it's out already. I'm also beginning to be a big fan of Ramsay although I don't really cook, he is a very unique character.hehe. Can't wait for fisticuffs in the kitchen. :-)

[indie boi]

He's actually in legal trouble right now - he's being sued for his allegedly rigging his new show: http://www.themoneytimes.com/news/20070622/chef_ramsay_sued_for_faking_reality_show-id-105192.html

And apparently, his a-holeness isn't really a necessary part of chef culture, indie. Just ask Top Chef's Tom Collichio:

"I watched five minutes of [Hell's Kitchen] once and turned it off because I can't deal with people screaming at chefs," said Colicchio in the June 25 issue of TV Guide.  "I try to treat the [Top Chef] contestants the way I would treat the cooks in my kitchen - you have to be firm, you have to criticize them, but you do it in a way to build them up, not rip them apart."

(Full article).

It was the same charge thrown at him during the original version of Kitchen Nightmares. I think he won in that particular case. Actually Hell's Kitchen has a shoddy reputation because they never really give the prize that they advertise for that season. I don't know how they get away with it.

You're right Hankey. not all kitchens operate in the kind of environment that Ramsay propagates. I don't know the actual percentage but most of the bios of the chefs that I admire talk about the same kind of volatile environment -- that would be Pierre-White, Ramsay, Bourdain (who's like the American Ramsay in terms of his potty mouth), Robuchon, and Adria. Even our very own Gene Gonzales told me that he would explode from time to time to ensure that excellence is maintained.  I think these men believe that fear is what drives consistency in excellence in the kitchen.  I myself will admit that I will not thrive in that kind of environment. I admire those that can actually withstand that kind pressure and verbal abuse.

[indie boi]

Elf, I think the BBC already came out with Boiling Point on DVD along with the second series. The first one was just around 3 or 4 episodes, I think.