Hell's Kitchen Season 4

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

He spouted something, all right -- chewed-up food! His reactions to some of those dishes were a hoot.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

The "Black Gordon Ramsay," thing had me laughing every time it came up.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

While this show is still intriguing to watch (probably related to why people find serious traffic accidents fascinating) I have a couple of problems with the show. First of all, what's with all the chefs who are smokers? I really don't understand how people with such a chosen profession would choose to smoke. Lots of them look to be chain smokers based on previous seasons. Besides not being very appetizing to me as a customer in a restaurant I would think that smoking probably makes one's palate a bit less functional. Maybe the way that Ramsay treats these contestants makes them require various ways to unwind?

Also, what I found "quaint" in the first season or so (Ramsay's totally obnoxious - and often uncalled for - attitude and language toward the contestants) has become downright irritating. To me, he has now gone from celebrity to bully status. In the real world (without money and a possible position on the line) he would have been flattened long before now by at least one of the contestants that he verbally abused.

And what's with the diners? I know that it's L.A. but there must be a higher proportion of masochists in that city because they keep filling the restaurant up on a regular basis. Surely they know what to expect - so some of their indignant posturing is a bit contrived to me. Most of them probably want their fifteen minutes of fame (after all, it is Tinseltown ) but they look like lemmings each time the restaurant "opens" and shuts down. Does anyone out there who lives in the L.A. area have any idea what the big deal is? I assume that the "diners" don't have to pay for any meals that might actually be served. What's the story here?

Of course, the fact that this is a FOX show speaks volumes. Never known for good taste, there's some irony in the whole thing. C'mon, Ramsay - shut the **BLEEP** up! After all you come from Britain - that bastion of culinary excellence. (And before you get on my case, I'm half British.)



This show has gone from a "must watch" status for me to the "DVR and Zip-Zip" category.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

Being a chef is a stressful job to begin with. Most high-stress jobs -- chefs, journalists, lawyers, even doctors and nurses -- have much higher smoking rates than the general population.
I've never watched this show before, because it looked like trash. It pretty much was, but riveting trash. That Ramsey guy has an absolute talent for the obscene.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

"A bit"? That's an understatement.

I watch the show religiously, but man -- this is the second most contrived reality show on the air (Kitchen Nightmares appears to be mostly fabricated, storywise)

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

Found it kind of convenient that Ramsey had that garbage can to puke into right there, right then.

Had no idea this was on, just caught it flipping channels... and I've watched all the previous seasons before. This one was pretty outrageous. Looks like Louross wanted Bobby (the black Gordon Ramsey) out, but Ramsey foiled the plans by bouncing Dominik instead...

Jay

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

Even those that are executive chefs are completely clueless. Clearly, this season is the absolute worst, and TPTB at FOX, are loving every minute of it. And this time, there are 15 instead of the usual 12 chefs.

I'm glad to see this show back, although I would have preferred they held off until summer.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

Not getting on your case - just pointing out that in the S Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants 2007 List that France has 12, USA has 8 and UK has 7. The list for 2008 comes out on April 21st.

World's 50 Best Restaurants

BTW Number 24 is Restaurant Gordon Ramsay

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

Actually, Ramsay is Scottish. Being half-British, I'm sure he would want you to know that

With regards to the smoking - as it has been stated, being a chef is a very high-stress job, and a very large segment of those in the industry smoke (and some move on to other vices such as drinking and coke).

I know in the past, the show has used actors to fill the dining-room on the early nights.

Oh, and Ramsay always has a garbage can near him when he is "sampling" another chef's "food,"

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

"Ramsay now holds 12 prized Michelin stars for his restaurants around the world, putting him level with French chef Alain Ducasse." (as of October 2007)

UK Restaurants Michelin Star List (2007): 3 have 3 stars - 11 have 2 stars - 61 have 1 star

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

Scottish people are British!

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

Actually, the "British" half is actually Welsh. And a lot of my relatives would surely get on my case for calling myself "British", even fractionally!



Good point on the stress of being a chef causing a higher than average number of smokers. I just find it a bit ironic that a profession where a good palate should be something that provides an advantage, that so many decide to smoke. Maybe it's mostly limited to the "grunts." Does anyone know if Ramsay smokes regularly? He's always touting his ability to make out subtle tastes. Just curious. [soapbox]I've been around smokers most of my life and many of them comment that their ability to full enjoy a quality meal has been compromised to some extent by their habit. Not being a smoker myself, I can only take their word for this. And, now in my mid-60's, I find it a little disturbing how many of these people have started having major health issues, or who have departed. But then I think back to the time when I was young. In your 20's or 30's you think that your are invincible. [/soapbox]

And yes, I see that the Ramsay Culinary Empire has a lot of high ratings so he knows food (or has behind the scene staff that does.) The fact that he chooses to go over the top in so many areas tells me he's a showman and a businessman. However, the act is getting a bit old by now so he has achieved "DVR-maybe" status in my household. The Bad Boy act is a hard one to pull off for the long haul. One can get away with it for a couple of seasons at best (see: "Trump").

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

Just don't call them English.

FREEDOM!!!

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

I wouldn't go around saying that in certain pubs...

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

I would go into the most Scottish pub, find the biggest Scot and say: "Face facts Jimmy - you're British!"

I was born in England, so I'm English and British. My ancesters were English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish and French!

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

You sound like a fun drinking partner!

I've gotten some cross looks just wearing my Liverpool jersey in Dundrennan

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

I know the announcer said 15, but aren't there actually 14? (Was he counting Ramsay in disguise?) In the kitchen sequence, there were 7 on each side, right?; oddly, when they were picking the Captains, there were only 6 of them.

BTW, his name is Ramsay.

Just finished his autobiography, "Roasting in Hell's Kitchen: Temper Tantrums, F Words, and the Pursuit of Perfection" a few weeks ago. I just find him really interesting.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

1.Christina (cooking school)
2.Rosann (recptionist/former cook)
3.Vanessa (line cook)
4.Ben (another former cook)
5.Dominic (once again a full-time Dad)
6.Matt (sous chef)
7.Corey (private chef)
8.Jen (line cook)
9.Sharon (hotel chef)
10.Shayna (caterer)
11.Bobby (the black Gorden/executive chef with no leadership skills)
12.Craig (sous chef)
13.Jason (sous chef)
14.Louross (hotel chef)
15.Petrozza (caterer)

Eight guys (now seven) and seven girls—as usual the guys were all testostrone, proclaiming that they would not be outdone by women; and as usual, they were in fact, outclassed.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

I don’t think that I’d presume to give anyone north of Hadrian’s Wall an history lesson, but Scotland has been a part of Great Britain since the 1707 Act of Union (Wales joined with England a couple of hundred years earlier—I think that the exact date that everything was formalized spans another two or three hundred years).

Therefore, even though Scotland may be a separate country, they are a part of Great Britain and British. As are the Welsh, but not those from Northern Ireland.

But then what do I know? I have always thought that Robert was a Kiwi. Ramsay himself would fit into the discussion as he was born in Scotland, making him both Scottish and British, but most certainly not English (I’ve not read his bio Elizabeth, so thanks for the reminder).

While I am sure that his tirades are a part of the show, no one gets a three rosette Michelin rating by being a pussycat. It takes exacting standards from every member of the staff every night. Plus he trained under Marco Pierre White, who was legendary for his tirades both to staff and customers and such other luminaries as Albert Roux and Joël Robuchon, neither a shrinking violet. White once famously reduced Ramsay (a former football player with a certain Premier League future) to tears.

Allowing for Fox TV puffery, I’d say Ramsay is remarkably gentle with the contestants and their results. Of course the producers clearly (and unlike Top Chef) select some contestants who are doomed to fail.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

What was with that one guy (Jason?) who in the middle of the chaos...goes for a cigarette. I hope someone lets the others know..What an ass.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

I think a few are completely mis-interpreting my comment. Of course Ramsay is British in the technical sense, in that he was born in Scotland, which is indeed part of Great Britain. However, there are quite a few Scots (and even a few Welsh I know), that see themselves first as Scots, and then as British. I even know a few that flatly ignore the second part. Is it wrong? Of course, but is it real? It most definately is. Next time you talk to Sean Connery, ask him if he is a Brit

I just personally pegged Ramsay as one of those Scots who would see himself as a Scot first, and British, distantly second.

Heck, it's even a very real issue right now (at least to some people):
Scottish or British – a question of allegiance - Scotsman.com News
Scottish identity and the crowded bed - Scotsman.com Heritage & Culture

One of those links is even from a few weeks ago. It's just a matter of fact, some people from Scotland don't think they are British. Sorry.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

Thanks for the rundown on all the contestants, Lew!

The moment which really sticks with me is from Season 1 when Gordon had to finally cut Elsie -- he was SOOOOO sweet with her and you could tell she had really won his admiration.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

BTW, it was a good thing he didn't eat Black Ramsay's "Hawaiian Butterfish":

Escolar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I had read about this a couple of months ago, and my wife and I were agog that someone was trying to give the chef anal leakage.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

No doubt there are those who believe that a Stuart should be on the throne.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

If Gordon Ramsay is so Scottish why does he talk with an English accent? Is he ashamed of his roots?

In one of the UK Kitchen Nightmares episodes he was getting ready to overhaul a "fish and chips" restaurant. He wanted to order take out fish and chips so he slipped into his Glaswegian accent to disguise himself.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

You know. . . I wonder if that wasn't intentional on Black Ramsay's part, to try and show up Original Ramsay.

Re: Hell's Kitchen Season 4 4/1/08

Aaron, if you read about the suggested prep for Hawaiian Butterfish, they recommend grilling or any other cooking method that takes out as much of the undigestable oils as possible. And yet, Black Ramsay deep fried it.

It would only be worse if he deep fried it in Olestra. It would have be launching out of his ass before he finished chewing.