Hell's Kitchen...WTF??
I haven't watched this show since its first season where the heavily tattooed guy won. I didn't have an issue about the outcome of the show, I too thought he was the most gifted cook. The verbal abuse doled out to the contestants by Ramsay in this first season was pretty bad. Though I loved his BBC offerings, I wrote off Hell's Kitchen as another Hollywood-ruined series and moved on with my life.
Fast forward to last night. BF surfed to Hell's Kitchen and we were kind of "listening" to it as background noise. I happened to look up just in time to see Ramsay spitting into a gravy boat containing some type of sauce, and I immediately became nauseous. Critiquing someone's food to the point of humiliation is one thing - but no self-respecting chef, no matter how much the blow hard, would disrespect the food in this manner.
I would become so blind with rage upon such an action, I'd immediately launch myself at the perpetrator's throat without a nanosecond's thought. It would be an involuntary response. This might seem extreme but defacing food is one of those things that just flips a switch for me. I see red.
Is anyone still actually entertained by this show?
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31 Comments:
i guess assholes know no boundaries......
pooch at 9:40AM on 04/03/09
I am entertained by Ramsey's persona, sure.
I don't watch the show to learn anything about cooking. I don't watch to see how a kitchen is really run. I don't watch to see a great chef respect the food.
I watch because it's flat-out funny and over-the-top. That, to me, is the point.
lawofmurphy at 9:41AM on 04/03/09
I think it should also be pointed out that this isn't a problem exclusive to cooking shows. American Idol is a bastardization of music. Most political shows are a bastardization of political dialogue. ESPN is a terrible place to go for real insight into sports, etc. etc.
Frankly, most things that are made to appeal to the masses will be, to those passionate about the subject, severely lacking.
lawofmurphy at 9:47AM on 04/03/09
This season of this show has been a total joke. Not one of the "chefs" could make it at a McDonalds. I really liked Gordon Ramsay on BBC, but I gotta say I am quickly losing any respect for a man who portrays himself so poorly, as an act or not. I am appalled at the way he has really picked on the big guy Robert this season (last night making him ride a great big bike and on a previous show making him take a ferry to an island, where as soon as he got there they were leaving, so he missed the whole prize). Lately he has taken to calling the women silly fat cows. I dunno...is it all an act? Is this what Fox thinks Americans want to see? I, for one, don't but in all honesty I will probably watch again next week...what a sucker...
sammie at 10:37AM on 04/03/09
I think it's safe to say that everything on tv, @sammie, is an act. I don't begrudge the writers for striking a while back, but it only created a bigger push for reality tv and that makes me sad.
I do watch Hell's Kitchen, and Kitchen Nightmares. But. That is because I choose not to have a tv and to get all my programming from Netflix and the internet. Those two shows are the most available, and when I've already watched my other favorites and am waiting for new episodes, I do turn to his shows. As @lawofmurphy notes, it is flat out funny and over the top. Plus, I'd rather watch reality tv that involves food than other reality shows. He may be a raging d-bag, but at least it revolves around food.
joyyy at 11:33AM on 04/03/09
This is why I do not watch that show. He is over the top rude to people and I don't like that. It's one thing to criticize constructively but to yell just to hear your own voice and play to the cameras just turns me off. I know it's a popular show but I just refuse to watch him. He's a jerk.
arm1970 at 11:39AM on 04/03/09
@chiff - "hells" yeah I watch it!
I watch it for shock-value mostly (and because I heart gordon);
I would never take any of it seriously. Therefore I am fully entertained (and will continue to be) by hells kitchen.
"but no self-respecting chef, no matter how much the blow hard, would disrespect the food in this manner. "--totally true. I doubt Ramsay would treat a real resturaunt situation in this way.
I don't hold hells kitchen to comparison with top chef though, entirely different form of entertainment.
hungrychristel at 12:07PM on 04/03/09
Frankly, I have class on those nights, but I catch the reruns on television on Saturdays in the evenings on the Fox Reailty Channel when I am home and bored. I enjoy watching it, because I like seeing the food, although I would really like to see him have them all cook something *other* than a John Dorey (however that is spelled). Really. There are other protein sources in the sea.
I don't like his attitude most of the time, and frankly, the level of the cheftestants (if you can call them that) is pretty low, but it's still more entertaining than my homework on most nights.
Traveller at 12:15PM on 04/03/09
@Traveller - There's a Fox Reality Channel? OMG what is this world coming to...LOL
hungrychristel at 12:26PM on 04/03/09
I have to agree with Christel here - it's in no way a real restaurant situation, which is why it shouldn't be viewed as such. Trust me, it's not very easy for me to accept - any disrespect for food makes me cringe (and I still remember what's-her-name from the NFNS who treated a whole fish as if it was nuclear waste and ended up throwing most of it into trash), and the scene in question still made me nauseated. However, I do realise that this is an act, and it's what's expected from him. It's not real, it's just reality TV.
brooke29 at 12:28PM on 04/03/09
We watch it at my house. Honestly, I don't know why. I am so bored by it. Same rewards/punishments each season. I just remarked to my husband last night that I'm done with it after this season. I know it would make more sense to just stop now, but I'm weird. I'm now invested - however limited that investment may be in light of my boredome - enough to see it through to the end and wait for the eventual 'winner.'
@lawofmurphy - I really enjoyed reading your points about TV in general and, upon thinking about them, I understand what you're saying and am in agreement.
mollykate678 at 12:36PM on 04/03/09
@hungrychristel: Amazingly, I know. My television has far too many channels, and that's one of them. But on the plus side, I also get channels that play films like Mostly Martha and Ratatoullie. :)
Traveller at 1:54PM on 04/03/09
@traveller - lucky lucky! I'll have to look into this as a self-acclaimed tv addict :)
hungrychristel at 2:50PM on 04/03/09
Funny about the mention of "that's not how real restaurants are run" because I said that very thing to BF. "No one would throw away that much product" were my exact words as Ramsey dumped the tray of potatoes into the garbage.
As far as American Idol goes, yes, it's a fast track to a music career for someone and the price paid is to watch everyone else be put through a verbal meat grinder. I don't watch AI either but absofreakinlutely LOVE David Cook. However he got his break, I'm glad he did.
The whole spitting thing really got to me. I won't watch HK again.
therealchiffonade at 3:04PM on 04/03/09
@chiffy - so agree with you on David Cook!
brooke29 at 3:45PM on 04/03/09
Last nights episode was pretty funny, the stuff he was spitting out was crab bisque that was too salty. The so called chefs on that show are a joke, I don't think anyone of them will last a day at his new restaurant. Its too bad there is a monetary prize. I know someone that was on that show last year and isn't doing much now. I like watching it before I go to the restaurant where I work because I work my butt off and know everything I cook is great!!
WSLunch at 6:32PM on 04/03/09
Does anyone else remember how, the first season, Ramsay gave the winner the option of the head chef job, or cooking in Ramsay's restaurants in Europe for a year? I was impressed that he chose the latter (the opportunity to learn from the best) over the "ego" prize; it's hard to imagine any of the contestants since doing the same.
Haven't watched it at all this season. The contestants have been so increasingly incompetent and--as far as they appear on tv--stupid that it's painful.
renzata at 9:40PM on 04/03/09
I watch HK. I actually enjoy it most of the time. That's not to say I don't think it's a totally ridiculous piece of bullshit, but at least it's about food/restaurants, kind of. (me=no cable, no internet besides on my phone, sick of most of the PBS cooking shows. Lydia et al, you're great but really, really boring.)
sailordave at 10:31PM on 04/03/09
To the original poster, cry me a river. As many pointed out, this is not a real restaurant situation, it's all show for entertainment. They purposely cast incompetent cooks so there is no way they can perform well and give Gordon fuel for the fire. The show doesn't pretend to be anything different. It is a staged reality show (winner doesn't actually become a true executive chef btw)... catching feelings over him spitting is like posting to say you got grossed out because someone had to eat a dung beetle on Fear Factor. There is nothing offensive about it and you chose to watch it.
Last night did have my favorite moment of the season so far. That one twat of a customer wanted center stage so she went back to the kitchen to approach Gordon and he told her to fuck off and went off on her. I actually think that part wasn't really staged, I think that woman wanted the spotlight for a minute and it backfired.
Big B at 11:26PM on 04/03/09
Like most other shows on TV. When I realize what I'm watching I say to myself why is that even on TV? Then I ask myself why am I even watching it? Then I turn it off.
Ribster at 5:53AM on 04/04/09
It's an awful show. Ramsay hosts it without an ounce of taste or class. The chefs have a total lack of basic culinary knowledge. The contestants seem to have below average intelligence, and I would imagine so does the targeted viewer.
Sharkky9 at 1:01PM on 04/04/09
Oh Big B, I've seen a few of those moments, and I love him for it.
renzata at 1:24PM on 04/04/09
I stopped watching that show a long time ago. It's so staged!!
caramel at 1:38PM on 04/04/09
I haven't watched it this season either. I just couldn't deal w/all the negative energy anymore.
mepolo at 2:32PM on 04/04/09
I think he's pathetic, the whole swearing and raging at everyone was funny for about 3 episodes, now it's just pathetic.
He's completely sold out and it's plain boring
jerms at 5:26AM on 04/05/09
i like the contests at the beginning. and i keep hoping the rest of the show (and ramsey's attitude) will improve. i honestly cant explain it any other way.
blizcheetah at 9:51PM on 04/05/09
@ Big B - "That one twat of a customer wanted center stage so she went back to the kitchen to approach Gordon and he told her to fuck off and went off on her."
LMAO! That was priceless! She looked like such a tool. Go ramsay go go go ramsay!
hungrychristel at 10:24AM on 04/06/09
@ Big B - no reason whatsoever to cry anyone a river, dude. I owned and operated my own restaurant and continue to do many food events presently. I merely pointed out the horrendous disrespect Ramsey has for food, while purporting to love the culinary arts.
@jerms - my sentiments exactly. I don't watch this show at all and the eggregious actions by Ramsey certainly won't lure me to it. I don't fault anyone for liking the show - some people are entertained by this type of thing. I don't happen to be one of them.
therealchiffonade at 3:11PM on 04/06/09
It's like rasslin' or Rush Limbaugh. Everything is an act and done to rile people up.
I watch it for kicks. It's so predictable how Gordon dogs on all of them (This tastes like $#%@!) until the final rounds (just starting) and then starts to say how great they are doing.
Otherwise, the sham that one of these idiots could really be an exec chef at a decent restaurant is blown.
I'd love to know what the winners really do at the restaurants where they go to work (if they really do work there).
Remander at 1:12AM on 04/11/09
I laugh every time I see the grand prize: head-chef at the Borgota in Atlantic City?
What kind of person wants to be the head chef there?
What kind of Hotel wants one of these knuckle-heads as its head chef?
Oh, and, yeah, they get to be "head chef," but for how long? A year? An hour?
Suffice to say, I won't be rushing to dine there.
Thomas_Traveler at 1:24PM on 04/12/09
@therealchiffonade - no, I am not entertained by it...and I like you, quit watching after the first season.
There's nothing there to be learned, or appreciated. Its just another night-time drama opera...so since its not even remotely entertaining or usefull I went back to watching Diners, Drive-ins, & DIves...
THAT at least is comedy that sometimes makes me hungery - thats more the Hell's Kitchen ever did for me!
tyronebcookin at 3:04AM on 04/13/09