Gordon Ramsay

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Termy

Senior Cook
Joined
Jun 26, 2021
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303
Location
Parma, Ohio
I got back to 2017 and saw no mention. You know it was bound to happen.

That foul mouthed creature does good actually.

I see the structure of the show, Kitchen Nightmares.

First he goes in and tries their food, he never likes it.

Then he goes to the kitchen to see how bad of a mess it is, and he finds nasty things.

Watching a bunch of those I dunno if I want to go to a restaurant.

I also notice that not much in the way of cooking tips is aired.

What do you think ? For one I think he should do counseling or something. He is anyway. Comes in on these grown up children fighting amongst themselves ignoring their main goal. He raises them up.

And he changes the menu. THAT is where my interest lies.

Thoughts on this ?

T
 
Nowadays Ramsay is a television personality and brand name, his character very much amplified for the audience.
However when he was in his culinary heyday, his food was really rather good. Expensive, yes - fine dining usually is. He does really know how to cook at a very high quality.
He has always advocated for using the very best ingredients you can get and cooking them simply but very well.
His early television shows in the UK show him more like he really is - yes, shouty and sweary but ultimately trying to get the best out of people. Check out The F Word and his UK version of Kitchen Nightmares and his personality is far gentler and more supportive.
He is now more known for the extreme character he has developed for US audiences and his work in restaurants is more about being a businessman who puts his name to fast food style - he rarely cooks in his venues.
It’s a bit of a shame that he has moved on from actual creativity in the kitchen where he did some dazzling work. Check out his book *** Chef - some truly wonderful dishes!
I’m a fan.
 
I didn't know that. :D

Funny, no matter how much you think you know and even DO know, if you can't put it across the right way - yuh ain't gonna be too popular... with your co-workers.
 
I didn't know that. :D

Funny, no matter how much you think you know and even DO know, if you can't put it across the right way - yuh ain't gonna be too popular... with your co-workers.
Apparently, he didn't put in much work at all. Also, apparently he didn't realize just how foody Montreal is.
 
do you have any idea why he was there? Was he hired for some particular reason?
He was supposed to try to improve Laurier BBQ. He did some stuff. Then he wasn't around and didn't do the consulting that they had expected. He wanted to be a partner, but didn't want to kick in the cash for that. That was back in something like 2010 or 2012.
 
2010-2012? 'back in' LOL to me that was yesterday! LOL
so wanting to snatch up a few restaurants to add to his prestige, yeah, I can see that. I wonder what his version of the way things went is... LOL
 
As much as I love cooking shows, I cannot, will not watch any of Ramsey's shows. Cooking should be pleasant, even joyful, and his yelling and belittling the kitchen staff or contestants is not pleasant.
Can you imagine Jacques Pepin, a true chef, acting like that?
 
People want yellling, whatever topic and item.
That gives the adrenaline, what has been explained they probably will not remember.
 
People want yelling, whatever topic and item.
I beg to differ. I don't behave like that and certainly don't want to listen to anyone behaving so badly.
Adrenaline rushes are seriously overrated . . . .
 
People want yelling, whatever topic and item.
I beg to differ. I don't behave like that and certainly don't want to listen to anyone behaving so badly.
Adrenaline rushes are seriously overrated . . . .
I did not mean you :)
But less inspired people around me in real life tend to come up with reasons why he is good or not.
They never talk about what has been said and done really.
 
He is an enormously talented chef. His London restaurants are terrific. They resemble the chef that he is.

His US restaurants are terrible. They resemble the mockery chef he is on American TV
 
People want yelling, whatever topic and item.
I beg to differ. I don't behave like that and certainly don't want to listen to anyone behaving so badly.
Adrenaline rushes are seriously overrated . . . .
Actually, that's exactly what modern TV audiences like. You can watch the evolution of Food Network, Learning Channel, Discovery Channel, etc. Even the news channels spend more time screaming than reporting.

Besides Gordon Ramsay, look at that clown Guy Fieri, "Mr. Let's See How Much Food I can Shove Into My Mouth in One Big Sloppy Bite". He is rude and crude, but so popular that he is on TV as much as Emeril used to be a decade ago. Food Network hosts entire evening of His Royal Pigness every week. Alton Brown has devolved from the geeky science guy into a drunken, foul mouthed caricature of himself, while professing his religiousity.

You and I may not want that, but the majority of TV viewers do, or else the networks wouldn't air it. Those of us that bemoan the downfall of food television are in the minority.
 
At the end of the day, it’s for entertainment purposes. You can be assured that Ramsay is well aware that he is a polarising character, and that is the word - character.
The man can cook, no question. He has television series where his true self is on display (The F Word and his you tube series)
In these, he is genuine, knowledgeable and highly skilled. Worth a look if you’re interested in his actual cooking.
The rest of his media output is a hyper exaggeration, relying on his shouty, aggressive bullying for the sake of entertaining the audience. But it’s not his true nature, it’s him playing the character that he has cultivated, much the same as any actor.
Read his autobiographies and most of his cookbooks and you’ll see how different they are to his tv character, especially the US shows (Hell’s Kitchen being the most over the top version of him).
 
I am a fan. Of the man, not the TV character. I certainly couldn't and wouldn't work for someone who swore and shouted at me like he does on TV. (And I can imagine he is pretty demanding in the kitchen in the real world too because he has very high standards.) He is very supportive of new and upcoming chefs and has helped many now very well-regarded British chefs start their own restaurants after working under him in his. He also visited the offices where I used to work and was unfailingly charming and polite to everyone he met. He is fiercely protective and supportive of his family too - I was amazed to see him getting teary-eyed when his daughter was on Strictly Come Dancing (and no, she didnt win!) Nobody is perfect, and his TV personality leaves a great deal to be desired, but I think he has done the restaurant world a favour by trying to raise standards.
 
Before I retired I was a professional, just like the contestants on his first show, Hell's Kitchen. If he talked to me like he talked to them I would hit him over the head with a cast iron pan so hard he would have to unbutton his pants to taste my food!
 
Before I retired I was a professional, just like the contestants on his first show, Hell's Kitchen. If he talked to me like he talked to them I would hit him over the head with a cast iron pan so hard he would have to unbutton his pants to taste my food!
Exactly the reaction that show is looking for!
 
Well, not exactly Jade. They are not promoting physical violence. Just intimidation, bullying, rudeness, self indulgence, not to mention lack of control, etc. They want the chef's to run out, off stage, throwing their aprons over their faces and howling as they ran.

Too bad, the so-called judges and supposedly learn'ed teachers don't know how to judge nor teach instructively.

All the above things we are trying to teach our children NOT to be.
 
I agree, Hank. I too worked in high end kitchens all my life and saw some stuff, but nothing remotely close to the souped up drama that these shows portray. These days I watch them as though I am watching a soap opera about cooking, and enjoy it for what it is. Whether it’s a good advertisement for our industry is another question.
 

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