The Prize of Winning 'Hell's Kitchen': Executive Chef by Title Only
This Tuesday is the season finale of Hell's Kitchen, pitting Louis Petrozza, catering director, against Christina Machamer, the culinary school student. Most people have doubted whether or not the contestants were actually qualified to function as executive chef at Gordon Ramsay's new Hollywood restaurant, Gordon Ramsay at The London, the reality show's grand prize. The New York Post runs the first in-print mention (that I've seen) that the prize is, unsurprisingly, fictitious and executive chef by title only:
Do you honestly think, my sweet pea, that I'm going to be that stupid and that vulnerable? That I would stick my ass to the window and give one of them a chance to run that restaurant, which is a multi-million [dollar] investment? One of them will be part of an amazing team, put in the deep end. But they will definitely not be running the room." For the record, the winner will be called an executive chef, but in fact will be one of 65 chefs responsible for all hotel meals, including breakfast, lunch, high tea and dinner...
Previously
In Videos: Don't Burn Gordon Ramsay
'Hell's Kitchen,' The Game: A Review
In Videos: 'Hell's Kitchen' Uncensored, Season 2 Episode 1
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6 Comments:
Makes sense. I would imagine contestants were probably advised of this prior to signing on for the show. Being on tv is good for drumming up business for the restaurant, as well as looking good on a resume for the contestant along with the employment contract for a high profile restaurant.
Cassaendra at 12:42PM on 07/07/08
Hmmmm. I'll have to listen closer. Does he say AN executive chef, or THE executive chef?
Seems to me the prize is really $250 grand, the title of executive chef, the opportunity to work for Ramsay for a year, and after that, it depends on your performance. If you do well, it might mean another year contract, or even a promotion. Or you go looking for another job after the year is up, with that job on the resume.
If you aren't doing well enough, you might be the only executive chef who is washing dishes and making $250 grand doing it for a year.
dbcurrie at 2:17PM on 07/07/08
Well, if by "in print" you mean actual print publications, but he sidestepped the issue in a conference call a few months ago and many print pubs picked it up, not to mention several blogs. The whole issue of the "exec chef" title---which is used over and over again on the show but it's well known it's in fact a sous chef position---has been covered many, many, many times on Eater LA.
lesleyb at 2:54PM on 07/07/08
Then the title of executive chef has truly lost all meaning in Ramsay's kitchens.
fascfoo at 4:30PM on 07/07/08
Just to add... I thought I heard during last week's episode (part one of the final) that the Executive Chef of London NYC was going to be THE Executive Chef at London LA and that the winner would be working under him. This was when Ramsay introduced the London NYC EC right before the EC tasted and cast his vote.
eschk at 7:03PM on 07/07/08
This seems to make sense. He doesn't seem like an idiot... there's no way any contestant they find will be seasoned enough to lead a kitchen of that caliber.
foodinmouth at 10:34AM on 07/08/08