islandclaws

Of course it is. Who the hell watches this for the cooking? It's all about Gordon laying the smack down on some candied asses. If he wasn't such a totally demonic prick I'd have ZERO interest in the show as a concept.

Sweet Baby James

Perfectly put!

My Other Self

I sincerely hope you're joking. Did you watch Hell's Kitchen for the cooking expertise???

Does anyone even watch Hell's Kitchen for the contestants? I thought most people watched it for Gordon's shenanigans.

Mikael79

As a loyal viewer since the first season (and of the UK and US versions of Kitchen Nightmares), I can agree with 100% confidence. Ramsay is the show.

As a reminder - tomorrow's show is going to include someone losing the tip of their finger! Eat that, Top Chef!!

rfduncan

Since it supposedly lands in a pan of frying pancetta, it is entirely possible that someone COULD eat it.

sauce07

What are the chances that nobody chops off their finger tongiht? The Fox advertising team are masters at manipulating footage. I can't wait for all of this to be over chicken fingers or something.

Sweet Baby James

They probably use the same editor that did The Sopranos teasers.

big whoppa

I'm giving this season another try since I stopped after watching Season 1. I've only missed the first episode of the new season but it's all the same stuff. I don't know how any of these people can put up with the stress of Ramsey yelling and cursing at them, getting waked up after a few hours sleep, being punished doing humiliating work, and fighting not to get eliminated. It's boot camp x fancy cooking. I'm also surprised Ramsey hasn't had a heart attack yet. Working for Ramsey really would be like working for the Devil.

whoopdido

Tell me about it. Didn't the previews make it seem like the finger MAY have gone out to one of the critics? Big deal if it ends up in a pan of food that nobody other than Gordon might eat.

Also, I don't think there's ever been a tv "personality" that I hate more than Jen. She is obnoxious, condescending, rude, whiny, arrogant, irritating and a million other negative adjectives. Given her attitude I don't see how she could ever keep a job. How could she not get fired the first day from every job she might get by alienating her co-workers and boss? Who could work with that woman under any circumstance?

DarkestPhoenix

I love Gordon. I understand his leadership style. He doesn't berate to hate, he cuts them down to get them to LISTEN and CHANGE, two things people don't generally want to do.

He can do this however he wants, because I don't care who's on Top Chef, none of them are likely to be as successful and the master of their field like Ramsay. Kitchen Nightmares UK is a much better show, though, I think. Some of his finest work...Hell's Kitchen...eh, okay.

beesonosu

Matt is a living, breathing Jim Henson puppet.

Thrush

"Thats what you get bitches!!"

Norm de Plume

Christina: "It's coming in my hand right now"

Does anyone have an inside line into who wins this season? If it's that unbearable Corey, I think I'll skip the remainder.

Bill Needle

Chef Matt
Well, the eyebrows anyway.

Mikael79

So very true! If Henson made a Berkowitz Muppet, Matt would be the prototype.

My Other Self

Not surprised Rosann left, but hey I was right - with a little makeup she looked hot!

Still don't know why Matt is still there. Jen lucked out; if she was still on the girl's time last night I think she may have gotten the boot. Ramsay can pretty much see through her now.

Also, I'm not sure if anyone's aware.. but Hell's Kitchen isn't even a real restaurant. All of the patrons are people that are paid to dine there and get taped. The food critics weren't real, either.. just adds to the fun of the show.

rfduncan

I just assumed that they were there for free meals. Are you sure they pay them? I mean who would honestly wait 3+ hours for a free gourmet meal? So maybe you're right. If they are paid, how long to they have to stay before they walk out like the "patrons" did the during first night's service?

Merrill Schindler is a real critic (though they had MERRIL Schindler here) for Zagats. Sophie Gayot is also a pretty well known critic (Gayot.com - she is mentioned as being on HK on the site's main page). How are they not "real" to you? (Though admittedly their criticisms were pointless since Ramsay failed the Red team but shutting them down before the service was even completed.)

whoopdido

I assumed they just ate for free too...kinda like a soft opening. Anybody that goes to a soft opening has to understand that there will be kinks and things will go wrong, but who cares...it's free. If that's true I can never understand why people get so upset. I mean you're eating there for free so what do you have to bitch about? I've only seen this season and I bought the first season on dvd. In the first season some people ordered pizza because the food took so long to come out of the kitchen and when JP told them that they couldn't do that one moron actually pushed JP and screamed at him. I can totally understand if the whole thing is staged, whichs adds to the drama of the show but if that altercation was real what kind of person would flip out that bad if they're eating there totally for free and if he knew that he'd be eating at a place where amateur cooks would be preparing the food? It's like getting your haircut at a barber school for a couple bucks or free and then complaining that the barber student gave a bad haircut.

My Other Self

I wasn't aware of their names. Someone pointed out on another message board that they were paid actors as well.

Makes sense since all of the patrons are paid too.

Bill Needle

"I am a true culinarian."

rfduncan

Well then it MUST be true.

I rewatched it on Hulu.com again (they're near the 24 min mark if you want to check), and the woman billed as Sophie Gayot is definitely the critic that is on that website. I have no doubt they both were PAID for their critique - just as they get paid by their respective publication outlet for any review they do.

Bill Needle

I wouldn't find it unusual that the critics would be paid for performing their professional service for a national TV show. Even guests on the Tonight Show are paid for appearing to pimp their latest projects. I believe the diners are paid a stipend (as well as the possible free meal), but they are not actors, or more specifically they are not there to "act." They are recruited in the same ways they fill the audiences of other shows.

I found someone's blog about being a diner on the show:
http://sweepeabartender.blogspot.com...ce-part-1.html
http://sweepeabartender.blogspot.com...part-deux.html

beesonosu

Brilliant!!!!

My Other Self

I never stated that as fact. I was just repeating what I heard.

CPA-ESQ.

he even has the blue shirt.