Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares

[Robert Lauriston]

Makeover show with Gordon Ramsay of Hell's Kitchen and Ramsay's Boiling Point. I like it because unlike most contrived "reality" shows it starts with some real reality: a failing restaurant.

Third season's currently halfway through on BBC America.

http://www.bbcamerica.com/genre/home_...

[The Blissful Glutton]

Did anyone see that article on him in Saveur?

[Bostonbob3]

My fav show on TV. The best one last year was when the "chef" that Ramsey was trying to help collapsed from his alcoholic ways.

Good times.

[Atahualpa]

No, no, the best show was the one about "D Place" were the french chef (formerly of a Hollywood Restaurants locale) lied to Ramsay about deep-frying the potatoes -- as if Ramsay couldn't tell.

I love this show too, but, there have really been only two that I've seen where I wanted the restaurant to succeed in the end: Mama Cherri's Soul Food Shack and the Walnut in Abergavenny (http://www.thewalnuttreeinn.com/).

[The Blissful Glutton]

I love, love, love this show. I also have the first season which was great. It shows a much cooler side of Gordon's character versus the arrogant ass of Boiling point.

[Bearnaise]

I always love it when Gordon introduces the chefs to oxtail.

[Scrapironchef]

This show is like "The Dog Whisperer" for resto owners. None of what he teaches is rocket surgery, mostly it's just getting over your own ego.

How do you not notice your restaraunt is empty?

[Robert Lauriston]

They notice, but they just can't figure out what to do about it.

[Scrapironchef]

Sometimes so, but many times they assume it is the customers problem, not theirs.

The French guy was making "they are not educated enough to appreciate my food" noises.

[faijay]

Exactly what kind of surgery do you perform on rockets? Just wondering....

[Scrapironchef]

I'm a huge fan of mixed metaphors...

[Dave Feldman]

This is definitely the best season of Nightmares. The variety of restaurants, chefs,and owners have been greater, and best of all, the problems plaguing the restaurants vary. It's especially interesting to see restaurants struggling when food quality isn't the issue.

I'd recommend this show to anyone interested in management of any kind.

[sivyaleah]

The warmer, gentler Ramsay. I love this show. Was this the one where the chef was trying for the Michelin stars? He seemed very talented but too strong willed to let Ramsay, who knows more than a thing or two about succeeding and failing, help him out.

[Robert Lauriston]

Strongwilled, and indulged by the restaurant's millionaire owner.

From the Web site, it looks like he's still following Ramsay's "keep it simple" advice at lunch, but making overcomplicated plates at dinner.

[jayseeca]

Looove this show... in Canada we have a bad copy called "Restaurant Makeover" where a designer and chef team up, ask the resto owners for money (usually $15,000- 20,000), they double it, and just renovate the place, and menu.
Thought it was great until I saw Ramsay's show, where he works with the people to show them how to really manage a business, not just pretty it up. I've heard that a few of the restos on Restaurant Makeover and since gone kaputz.

[Xericx]

love the show...never know when its on...i'll put it on a tivo season pass.....

[Robert Lauriston]

The menus on the Web site certainly suggest he's still suffering from a severe case of Wolfgang Puck-itis: "roasted hand-dived scallops, braised pork and endive compote, orange sauce"; "fillet of Aberdeen Angus beef, shin croquette and cherry chutney, rocket and sesame salad."

http://www.abstractrestaurant.com

[MMRuth]

I really enjoyed last week's show - working with a clearly talented chef who needed to "find himself" so to speak. Quite fascinating - though at the end, I had the sense that the chef still didn't quite get it.