Hell's Kitchen Season 6

One day Gordon Ramsay will cuss the wrong person, and they'll knock him down and beat him senseless. He needs it.............
I like cooking shows, but this guy is a pig. I just don't understand why he's so popular.

Well to be fair, he has earned a fair share (16) of Michelin Stars, and is considered by his peers to be an terrific chef.  He is also heavily involved with a number of charities, to which he appears (at least to me) to be genuinely devoted to, and not merely helping for publicity.  Is he an ego maniac who puts on a show for the cameras?  Most certainly.  However, it is enjoyable, and Ramsay is an entertaining guy.

With regards to the show proper, I must admit that I am a fan.  I also disagree somewhat with Hanson in that there *is* a modicum of real cooking on the show--you just have to dig really deep to reach it.  While there is no doubt that the contestants are chosen more for their entertainment factor than their cooking skills, the winner at least has a real job waiting for them after they win (unlike, say, the completely terrible "Top Chef," or "The Next Food Network TV Star").  Of course, the position rarely ends up being as advertised.  For example, the executive chef jobs usually end up being junior chef positions under one of Ramsay's existing chefs, or something similar.

Be that as it may, some of the places the winners go are pretty "up there,"  as far as restaraunts go--like the place in Whistler (just a short drive away from where I live) is pretty great considering the Olympics are there next year, and the entire region has been buzzing since they won the Olympic bid.

Hanson is right that the show is about working in a high-pressure environment, under a tyrannical boss, and most of the "drama" is manufactured by the powers that be for maximum effect.  Either way, it's fun, and it at least sort of approximates the pressure and drama of the high-stakes food industry (albeit highly stylized).

Regarding the potential for violence, I know that in Kitchen Nightmares, the people on the show have to sign a document saying they won't "punch out" Ramsay or any of his crew, so I assume something similar happens on Hell's Kitchen.

It's all quite hilarious :)

Yeah, I saw the commercial where the guy invites him outside, but he should have just walked up and decked him. I just don't find it entertaining. Cussing them, downgrading them as a person, and bringing people to tears, just isn't what I call entertainment or hilarious. If you enjoy the show......................enjoy.

The guy that gets in Ramseys face is a just a total @sshole, the guy from the beginning is trying to be some tough guy and he just looks like a fool.  When the guys were celebrating with Ramsey, and Ahole is acting like a total kill joy, just comes out of nowhere.  IMO Ramsey acts like a d!ck, but seems to be an all around nice guy outside of the Kitchen.

At the end, Ramsey asks the guy a question on who should go and why, the guy blurts out some totally stupid sht.

I thought last season had some unlikable contestants, this year seems to be even worse.  Maybe it's just that jerkoff and that @sshole blond guy that wanted to get into it with the Frenchman were the main standouts.

I agree, people made WAY too big of a deal about the shrimp.

I totally agree that the last thing that this show is about it cooking.  Everything is orchestrated in terms of menus and process so it's really, as someone else pointed out, "boot camp in a kitchen."  Ramsey uses his bad boy persona to his advantage and going over the top is part of his schtick.  It's great to some and grating to others.

BTW, While I enjoy Hell's Kitchen for what it is, I also watch shows like Top Chef and The Next Food Network Star to see what appear to me more qualified chefs in action (especially Top Chef.)  And there are many other shows that are far more about cooking than about confrontation.  I find it rare that I ever ask myself on Top Chef, "How did that guy/gal qualify as a chef?"  On Hell's Kitchen that frequently comes to mind. But then I remember that this is a FOX show so it puts things into perspective.

Speaking of the "shrimp" issue - I eat a lot of Sushi  (favoring Sashimi for my lo-carb lifestyle) myself at some great restaurants here in the NY area but usually the Shrimp is either cooked or marinated (or at least I thought so.)  Am I misinterpreting this and is truly raw shrimp a staple?  Other fish, yes (love that tuna!)  Just curious. Thanks.

Sweet shrimp is delicious.

Thanks.  I'll have to try it. 

As to Uni - I never developed a taste for it.  I don't know why since I'm usually game for anything on the menu.  I have to say that it's probably the only thing on a typical sushi menu that I purposely avoid.  Go figure.

Different strokes for different folks, Hanson. 

I've sometimes wondered why someone has not decked Ramsay by now, and maybe it has indeed happened. However, I don't think what goes on in that kitchen is all that unusual. I used to work as a waiter in my college days, and I have seen stuff like that, completely berating staff, chefs walking out in the middle of services, chefs coming close to fistfights etc.

I don't even blame Ramsay for the way he operates (as far as we know) the restaurant business is notoriously unstable and nearly impossible to survive, so it's not even all that dramatic the way he portrays it. You are truly fighting for your life constantly in that business.

It's in the contestants' contracts that they will not touch Gordon Ramsay.  I'm sure it could certainly happen in the heat of the moment, but it certainly wouldn't be worth it.

I love Gordon Ramsay.  After all these seasons, the contestants know what they're getting into.

I'm finding this Season very entertaining so far.
I knew that that pompous ass Louie was going to get axed right away.

I'm wondering if Joseph is putting on some sort of an act.
In the interview process and such, he seemed like a real talent and nice guy.
But then when chosen he played the asshole tough guy.
Which was his whole motive from the get go.
He just wanted to get on the show to show up Ramsey.

Either way, it's entertaining.

But he didn't show up Ramsey, he just looked like a complete at total @sshole.  Just a complete clown.

Hanson,

Yoo da man! - even in the "off season" when American Idol is in hiatus.  Keep 'em coming!

That Joesph guy was a total tool, and a complete embarrassment.  "I ain't no bitch."  He was just asked a simple question?  WTF?  If this guy thinks he can cut it in a professional kitchen, he's kidding himself.  Not with an attitude like that.

Is Ramsay a jerk?  Sure.  However, he's one of the highest rated chefs on the PLANET.  How many friggin' Michelin stars has he gotten?  I've worked (briefly) in a high-end kitchen.  Strong willed, egotistical head chefs seem to be the norm... at least from what little experience I have.  He may treat people like crap under pressure, but I've never seen him act poorly outside of that environment. 

Ah well.. it's a fun show.  Still can't get over that Joesph guy though... he was military?!?!?  Where was the discipline?

 I wonder if Joseph was planted by the producers. He was going in that episode one way or another, so that the guy from last season could replace him. Since Louie got the boot so quickly, Joseph had to get himself thrown out at the end of the show.

It also makes you wonder why Ramsey chose Joseph to ask who the two nominations were and why.
It almost seems like this was a setup.
Either this was staged or Ramsey knew of his high temper and tried playing off that to get a situation going?

Interesting article about the goings-on behind the scenes on a few popular shows, including Hell's Kitchen.  Nothing too too suprising, and not *that* many juicy tidbits, but still an interesting read.

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_12975375

Dave on this show IS the man.  Whether he wins or not, his effort this season is one of those things that makes you say: you DESERVE to win.

Totally agree! When I hear Dave in the interviews, it never sounds to me like he's head chef material, BUT, he has definitely proved himself several times over this show.

One thing that has occurred to me over the weeks... I can't see how these people could continue to think they could influence the eliminations. No matter who has been chosen, Ramsay has always called them out and singled out exactly who should be considered each week.

It just floors me how all of the chief's smoke on their break....no wonder they don't do well in the blind taste test...

Ha ha, very good point. I didn't even think about their taste buds being affected. I had noticed that they smoke a heckuva lot though.

 

So, final 3...who takes it? My money's on Dave right now. Kevin seems the favourite but I see a fall from grace fairly soon.

Great finish.

I think Dave had the smart plan.  He knew his "chefs" would be people he had cooked with before.  So, he built a menu around something that would be hard to f- up and wouldn't derail their kitchen.  His orders went smooth from beginning to end with very few hiccups.  Compared to the chaos on Kevin's side, it was actually a pretty easy decision.  

 

Sometimes you have to know your people and design around what helps.

I did notice this season must have seriously cut budget.  I say this because in all previous seasons, the chefs have "designed" their restaurant. This year, they didn't do that.

Well last season the winner was going to be Head Chef at a brand new restaurant, so they were able to design it.  This year, the winner became Head Chef at an already established restaurant that has been open for at least a decade, so he probably wouldn't be designing the restaurant.

I honestly can't remember any seasons from before the last one, so I don't recall if they did that in previous ones.

They've done the "design-a-side" thing every season (of the US version) but this one.  Traditionally the finale (that is, the final two chefs) has been 2-hours long, whereas this time it was only a single hour teamed with the "final 3" episode.

Kevin probably should have won, much better menu filled with the type of food expected from a high end restaurant, but he didn't have the staff behind him to support him. Not so much that they were out to see him lose, it was just a much tougher menu.

Dave went simpler, staying within the skill level of the people he knew he had to work with, so it worked out better and he won.

What doomed Kevin was Amanda or whoever it was with the scallops. One of the easiest and quickest dishes to cook, yet she constantly screwed it up, which just flowed on down the line, messing up the timing of everything else. The rest of the group may have been able to pull it off, but the timing was off and it all started with her.

How come Tennille wasn't back as part of the finalist's teams?  Also, the teams were chosen from six of the last finalists instead of eight.