593893 Fri Feb 06 04:21:15 -0800 2009 65 33 Food Media and News 0 4392334 Well last night's episode was certainly interesting! I think this is the first time I can recall both teams finishing service as early in the season as episode 2. Maybe they are a higher class of donkeys than previous years. That said.... the way Robert was treated on the reward challenge just seemed cruel to me. I've read that Chef Ramsey prizes physical fitness... it makes you wonder if the cruelty was intentional. The contestant leaving was sad. She was one of the few contestants I really expected to win the entire thing. Oh well, now another week of watching Colleen trying to make chef's head explode, at least that's good entertainment! Fri Feb 06 04:21:15 -0800 2009 165021 Firegoat 1 4392438 Robert needs to be on the Biggest Loser. I thought Robert was treated cruelly but it was also funny. Anyway, Ji's injury wasn't clearly explained. Just how bad was it that she quit because of it? Fri Feb 06 05:46:03 -0800 2009 4392334 180506 Ericandblueboy 2 4393018 I would be willing to bet, that Ji comes back at some point during the season. Fri Feb 06 08:48:19 -0800 2009 4392438 163807 baldwinwood 3 4393068 That's exactly what I was thinking: "Stay tuned next week for an unprecedented shocking never before seen event on HK as..." Fri Feb 06 09:01:34 -0800 2009 4393018 13853 Leonardo 1 4392475 I thought Robert was treated rather well by Ramsey. It's not his fault Robert weighs 400#+ . He still went on the challange and Gordo took the time to tell him he was a valuable part of the team. IIR Ramseys was a pudger as a kid so I think if any thing he probably has a bit of empathy for Robert but at the same time expects him to start to shape up and take control. Fri Feb 06 06:02:47 -0800 2009 4392334 253154 Fritter 1 4392494 I was surprised that this episode held my interest this time. Cooking caliber is definitely much higher, much earlier in the show. Thankful for small (viewing) favors. I agree with the treatment of Robert. For Ramsay to say "your weight prevents you from going on the helicopter, BUT you can come over to Catalina Island on the ferry" leads Robert to believe he was going to join the group. He gets there, and they are done with the day and turn right around and head back on the ferry. Definitely cruel on Ramsay's part...especially since they were all laughing at him as they reboarded the ferry. I wish Ji hadn't volunteered to go home - either Colleen or Lacey definitely needed to go. LA was right in saying an injured Ji was worth more than Colleen and Lacey combined. Lacey essentially let her entire team do the full day's prep...and THEN came down to "join the team and do whatever she could to help." Granted, she performed well during service, for the most part, while Colleen seemed incapable of doing anything. But she (Lacey) is not a team player...the team would have had every right to say they didn't want her on the line (but for the fact that Colleen was such a screw-up). I was rather impressed (and thankful) that both kitchens finished service. Definitely a better caliber of donkey....for now. I'm thinking Seth and Giovanni will both be in the lower end of the spectrum on the men's team, while Colleen and Lacey could both leave and the women's team would be better off. So - 2nd ep better than 1st. Let's see if it continues. Fri Feb 06 06:14:20 -0800 2009 4392334 10532 LindaWhit 2 4392596 Hey Linda, Glad to see you watched and enjoyed. I am torn about the thing with Robert. I was pudgy as a kid and definitely was the laughingstock at times, but - and this is a big BUT (no pun intended) - he has put himself on national TV, said outright I am fat, this is who I am - and well, now you must live with it. He was also carping about being put on the raw bar- that he wouldn't fit - well, too bad - you want to be treated like everyone else - then do it. I don't think it would have been that easy for them to change the reward - and this seemed like a reasonable compromise - but it was unfortunate that by the time he got there - it was time to go back. Lacey should have been gone tout de suite - when she took to her bed whining and eating (did you see the big piece of bread by her pillow?) and not helping out with the raw bar preparations. You can't just miss a whole day and then say - hello, I'm here for the team - love me. Ummm, no. You helped them lose, you help them work. I am stunned that in episode 2 - they finished a service, and by the end, remembered all the ingredients in the spaghetti lobster ! LOL Fri Feb 06 06:50:30 -0800 2009 4392494 118582 maisonbistro 3 4392631 mb, yes - he's put himself on national TV and said he knows he's fat. However, that doesn't make it right that Ramsay *intentionally* humiliates him in front of that national audience as well as his fellow contestants. It is the deliberate humiliation that bothers me. It would have sucked for him to have stayed back in the suite while the rest of the guys were on the helicopter, but I'm thinking it would have been a damn sight better than the public humiliation. That was just cruel, IMO. As for complaining about being put on the raw bar service - on that I'll agree with you. You want to play in the game, you follow the rules. But it turns out he did very well at it, with the compliments given to Jean-Phillipe by one of the tables. I missed Lacey's bread by the bedside. I'm still stunned she remained up there for SIX hours and then came down. Her teammates definitely showed her a lot more latitude than I would have. Fri Feb 06 07:02:06 -0800 2009 4392596 10532 LindaWhit 4 4392650 Any one that expects to go on this show and not be intentionally humilated in one form or another is simply delusional. Fri Feb 06 07:06:36 -0800 2009 4392631 253154 Fritter 5 4393015 Humiliated because of their cooking skills (or lack thereof), I agree. Because they're grossly obese? No. I haven't liked it when Ramsay's called people a fat cow in the past; don't like it anymore now. Fri Feb 06 08:47:31 -0800 2009 4392650 10532 LindaWhit 5 4401892 Insulted for cooking skills; sure. Humilated for size: not fair. LindaWhit has it right, take your licks for your skills, not your size. Mon Feb 09 14:56:14 -0800 2009 4392650 100890 breakfastfan 3 4392642 Yeah, spaghetti lobster spells out exactly what goes into it. I might be remembering wrong (I only half pay attention because I watch about 5 shows at once) but didn't Colleen get hammered for trying to improve the risotto by putting mascarpone cheese last week, or so said the voice over, but this week Chef Ramsey yelled at the men for forgetting the cream and mascarpone cheese in it this week? I would hate to be Colleen. He has it out for her. I've decided the way to win reality shows is to be the completely obnoxious one, like Lacey, so they keep you on the show. When it gets closer to the end and you feel like you might be let go, you do a 180 and work your tail off and become a nice team player. Fri Feb 06 07:04:49 -0800 2009 4392596 39874 chowser 4 4392651 Colleen did get hammered last week for the "marscarpone" (as she pronounced it - I physically winced hearing it), but she put mascarpone cheese into the lobster spaghetti last week, not the risotto, IIRC. Fri Feb 06 07:07:20 -0800 2009 4392642 10532 LindaWhit 5 4392667 Yeah, she's teaching her students "marscapone." That would make sense with the lobster spaghetti rather than risotto. That's what I get for channel surfing. She seems very Sandra Lee and I have the feeling she's the type of person who IRL is told "You're the best cook, you're just like Martha Stewart!" by other moms. Fri Feb 06 07:14:37 -0800 2009 4392651 39874 chowser 3 4397867 robert also opened the door when he was asked to tend the raw bar. he cannot use it as an excuse and then turn around and criticize others. gotta be consistent Sun Feb 08 07:13:15 -0800 2009 4392596 11290 jfood 2 4392712 Giovanni is a bit of an enigma. He managed to shuck more scallops than anyone else by far yet he's shown as a bumbling idiot. Fri Feb 06 07:30:56 -0800 2009 4392494 180506 Ericandblueboy 3 4392725 Good point, I had forgotten about the scallop shucking. Will be interesting to see how/if he develops later. Fri Feb 06 07:36:05 -0800 2009 4392712 10532 LindaWhit 1 4392835 Ramsay ragging on Colleen is agism. In an interview (possibly linked on TWOP) she said he kept telling her as an aside "You're too old" to which she replied "I'm your age." Was it just the editing, or was Lacey's day off never mentioned to Ramsay? Ramsay's choice to omit one of the competant women from the Pecten massacre showed someone knew how to level the playing field. I do have to thank this show for giving Mr Shallots a visual on what a scallop is. A picture is worth at least several hundred words. Fri Feb 06 08:03:53 -0800 2009 4392334 79896 shallots 2 4392999 However, I have to agree with Ramsay that Colleen appears to be fraud. She's ripping people off with her cooking school. Fri Feb 06 08:43:19 -0800 2009 4392835 56054 dave_c 2 4393468 In the beginning she said she taught cooking at a rec center and last night she said she owned her own business that taught cooking. Teaching at a rec center requires no qualifications other than writing up a class description. I'm sure she didn't endear herself when she told him, pointedly, that she also teaches manners. Huh, in what universe is a ding like that acceptable? And she teaches manner AND cooking? Who would make a comment like that to someone who decides your fate? I wonder if she also teaches a class in getting ahead with your boss... Fri Feb 06 10:50:19 -0800 2009 4392835 39874 chowser 3 4393553 Her bio says "Chef/Owner/Instructor, The Classy Gourmet" and "Cooking demo for Cox " - so perhaps she does both. And here's her cooking school link: http://www.theclassygourmet.com/ However, gives no indication as to her background. I'd be very interested to know if she was the one to develop all of these recipes: http://www.theclassygourmet.com/recipes/default.asp Fri Feb 06 11:15:10 -0800 2009 4393468 10532 LindaWhit 4 4393916 Did you look at the recipes? For grilled fish and soy orange glaze, it says to grill the fish to desired taste, then simmer orange juice, soy sauce and orange zest and brush over fish. For chicken pot pie, she starts w/ cooked chicken, sautees vegetables, adds stock to soften potatoes and then adds the slurry, tops w/ phyllo. I haven't seen one recipe that looks good. I think this must be the type of "cooking" she does at her school, the type of food you'd pick up from those premade dinner places. She has a food assembing school, not a cooking school. Fri Feb 06 12:52:02 -0800 2009 4393553 39874 chowser 5 4393945 I didn't have time after I posted the link, but I just checked them, and yes - it's definitely looking like more of a dinner assemblage company. She's a goner on this show. :-) ETA: I've also noticed that several of her recipes have instructions that are reversed. Cook the fish/meat first, and then make the topping/sauce (even though it has "chopped" noted after various ingredients). Someone who doesn't know anything about cooking is going to grill the fish, and then start chopping tomatoes, mincing garlic. Meanwhile, the fish gets cold. Fri Feb 06 12:59:08 -0800 2009 4393916 10532 LindaWhit 6 4393995 Exactly, start the sauce, cook the fish, then assemble. Did you see her specialty recipe that Ramsey spit out? I think it's funny that she'd use her footage to promote her business when she's done so poorly. In that video on her site (I've apparently spent far too much time on this), she said it's important to soak the tortilla first but didn't say how or in what but it looked really soggy. http://www.kptm.com/Global/story.asp?S=9772252 Fri Feb 06 13:12:07 -0800 2009 4393945 39874 chowser 7 4394777 Colleen is a total fraud as a chef. I couldn't believe that video on her web site of her local Omaha TV appearance where she demonstrates her Hell's Kitchen "signature dish". Some stuff rolled up in a tortilla that has been dipped in her special sauce, (the end result, the stuffed tortilla did not look soggy to me, the sauce seemed too thick for much of it to be absorbed by the tortilla) thrown in the oven and heated until it all dries out and looks like a burnt turd? And her patter with the TV host, implying that just to prepare her special sauce normally takes two hours, not to mention cooking the other food, assembling it and finishing in the oven, but on Hell's Kitchen they were only given 40 minutes but she "was OK with that as it gave her an opportunity to show her cooking chops to Chef Ramsay" (my paraphrase)? It seems from her local TV appearance that she may be regarded as Omaha's "Martha Stewart", but in reality she is not even qualified to be the understudy to Sandra Lee's food prep assistant. Somehow I don't think Warren Buffet will ever be asking her to cook his dinner, and if Rick Bayless ever came across her, he might want to pulverizer her in his molcajete, but she will be turned in to sausage in the Hell's Kitchen meat grinder soon enough. She does have one thing in abundance, fearless gall, but is lacking in the guile department. Fri Feb 06 17:37:15 -0800 2009 4393995 10059 ChinoWayne 4 4394147 I was speaking to some one on another forum before the series started to air that suggested she employs chefs from the Omaha area to teach her classes. He said he had taken a course there and that she had no training as a cook and never teaches. Go figure. Fri Feb 06 13:55:27 -0800 2009 4393553 253154 Fritter 5 4395513 How the hell she doesn't figure she'll be found out, I don't know. Looks like Ramsay has her number already. Well, it'll be interesting to see how she fares in upcoming episodes. Sat Feb 07 05:23:51 -0800 2009 4394147 10532 LindaWhit 3 4395251 She also admitted to Ramsay that she charged $300 for a 4 hour session. Fri Feb 06 22:20:47 -0800 2009 4393468 56054 dave_c 4 4397806 I asked the fellow that had taken a course from one of the chef's she employes and he was dumbfounded by that statement and said he paid far less. I would venture a guess that she had expected to go on the show and get free advertising for her business and then jack her rates. Just goes to prove that every tool box has at least one dull knife. I did get a kick out of watching her fall into the scallop water.....(Evil Grin). Sun Feb 08 06:44:21 -0800 2009 4395251 253154 Fritter 2 4397874 Agism. huh? Did you see that salmon? did you see her dish on the first show? and it's agism? Nah. She also teaches manners. Guess you have to learn to say you are sorry after presenting a dish like that. And for the record jfood is 50+. Sun Feb 08 07:15:49 -0800 2009 4392835 11290 jfood 1 4393073 "I didn't even realize scallops came in shells" need I say more. almost as good as the Lacey last week: "I'm more than just a preetty face that can't cook" Carol is the favorite right now. Fri Feb 06 09:03:18 -0800 2009 4392334 101707 yankeefan 2 4393092 LOL! I forgot who said that - but it was an incredible "WTH?" moment. Fri Feb 06 09:07:41 -0800 2009 4393073 10532 LindaWhit 1 4393144 Not sure it has ever been on a thread here, but it seems like the show is sponsored by a tobacco company with all of the smoking. I know it tends to be above avg in the restaurant business due to stress and lifestyle habits, but it almost seems overboard or they are trying to focus on it for some reason. I just hope they wash their hands before touching the food! Fri Feb 06 09:21:07 -0800 2009 4392334 251260 vinhotinto75 2 4393469 They've always seemed to be big smokers. How can they taste the nuances of food when they chain smoke? Fri Feb 06 10:51:01 -0800 2009 4393144 39874 chowser 3 4393823 Makes me wonder how someone who had no idea what a scallop or where they come from can make it that far in their career? Colleen and Lacey need to go, if I had a team member walk out and sleep for 6 hours while the rest of the team busted their backside to prep, she’d be GONE Ji not able to work at 100% would be better than having Colleen and Lacey around! Hey Linda…she has no back ground, which is why they cannot give an indication of her background. I feel for Robert! It was cruel to do that to him. Fri Feb 06 12:23:49 -0800 2009 4393469 237148 bermudagourmetgoddess 4 4393840 bgg - I guess my query about "background" is - is she self-taught, or does she have *any* schooling in culinary arts? She's running and teaching at a "culinary arts center" - I would hope she's studied at an accredited school. Fri Feb 06 12:28:43 -0800 2009 4393823 10532 LindaWhit 5 4393898 "is she self-taught, or does she have *any* schooling in culinary arts?" Apparently neither. Fri Feb 06 12:45:15 -0800 2009 4393840 39874 chowser 2 4397031 These reality shows thrive on giving the contestants very little down time. I'm sure when they finally have some, the first thing the smokers want is a cigarette. And that breaktime is where the 'candid' stuff comes from. So there is no choice but to show smoking if they want to show the outside of 'work' conversations. Sat Feb 07 17:55:03 -0800 2009 4393144 139219 Sooeygun 1 4394561 Ramsey has a chip on his shoulder for people who are over weight and is too ignorant to understand the issues with obesity. I'm shocked at the insensitivity by some hounds here. I mean would you have thought the same thing if he would have shut down some guy in a wheelchair??? And for some overweight people, their weight cannot be helped, just like a person who is crippled. While I will admit for most it is just a case of laziness and overeating, we can't go around judging people like they deserve to be treated like garbage because they are overweight. It's time to stop bashing heavy people as it is proven that this only makes things worse. I have seen Ramsay go on tv and bash chefs that are overweight. I seen him actually make fun of a host of a show that he was invited to, he wasnt even that big, and the host fired back with how old r u??? O really......... that young, you look like your in your fifty's asshole. I would love to see Marco come to hell's kitchen and make him cry once again. Ramsey is a total A HOLE who has no respect. Even if Robert were the most talented chef of the bunch he would surely not hire him. Fri Feb 06 16:18:47 -0800 2009 4392334 113687 mlukan 2 4394874 Sounds like you have a chip. Robert started off the season stating that he is overweight, knows he is overweight. Very few people are overweight because of a medical problem - overeating, bad eating habits, poverty all those things can and do contribute to obesity - but I haven't heard Robert make any excuses about being fat - he's fat and he likes being fat. That being said - don't go on a reality show if you can't take it - whether you're fat, can't cook or don't like to work. Especially don't put yourself in Ramsay's line of fire because he will chew you up and spit you out. It's his show, and if you go on it, you're asking for it. And by the way, he did throw out someone in a wheelchair. WHy should Ramsay respect Robert so far? Because he's fat? When he shows his cooking chops, Ramsay will respect him. Fri Feb 06 18:18:31 -0800 2009 4394561 118582 maisonbistro 3 4396312 Maybe I do have a chip on my shoulder because I don't like to see people humiliated and yelled at by their boss, shame on me. I don't care about Roberts feelings personally. I agree, he put himself on reality tv and anyone who does that leaves themselves open extreme scrutiny especially with a show with Ramsay on it. I'm saying Ramsay is a mean spirited person. He doesnt just do this to people on his show, he does it to everyone. I mean think about all the publicity Christian Bale is getting right now for what he did, and how public opinion has changed about the loser. He is nothing compared to Ramsay. I just don't feel personal attacks and humiliation is a great way to treat employees to make them work better. Ramsay just proves time and time again that he is not just a jerk on the show but in everyday life, have you seen his show THE F WORD, on their he has a campaign for getting women back in the kitchen, I mean what an arrogant worm. I didnt say Ramsay should respect him because he is fat. I said regardless of if he was the best chef of all of them or not, he would not show him respect because he is overweight. And by the way, she wasnt in a wheelchair for her life, she hurt herself on the show and offered herself up to be sent home. Geeze if your going to debate me on this, at least put up a good argument. Sat Feb 07 12:41:18 -0800 2009 4394874 113687 mlukan 4 4396615 Geeze, if YOU're going to debate me on this, do your research. Staff in Ramsays kitchen have one of the lowest turnover rates because it would seem he is very fair and good to work for. And none of that has anything to do with Hell's kitchen. Sat Feb 07 14:54:11 -0800 2009 4396312 118582 maisonbistro 5 4396719 No one should forget, "Hell's Kitchen" is not real life, it is "reality TV" which always has fictional elements. It is not intended to depict reality and truth, it's sole purpose is to bring in advertising revenue. Ramsay's treatment of the big guy was cruel, but likely it was all scripted. Viewing the BBC version of "Kitchen Nightmares" which is not all tarted up as the Fox version is, does seem to indicate that Chef Ramsay does have a big heart, and is very supportive of staff who are honestly motivated. Ramsay, as a character is bigger than life, and it seems to me much of his success is predicated on that image. So "Hell's Kitchen" is just another way of exploiting the "Gordon Ramsay" brand. For me and the family, it is nothing more, but nothing less, than fun entertainment, no different when you get down to basics than any other fictional drama or comedy on television. What has me in the dark, is how is the quality of Ramsay's menus and food? Everything that they seem to turn out of Hell's Kitchen seems fairly middle of the road to me. Some of it may be tasty and satisfying, but is any of it original or superb? It does not seem so. The other unanswered question is from a proletarian Chowhounder's perspective (i.e. simply seeking deliciousness), how do the Ramsay restaurants stack up? Sat Feb 07 15:33:05 -0800 2009 4396615 10059 ChinoWayne 6 4397447 Ramsay has the second most Michelin stars of any chef (after Robuchon), right? Regardless, mlukan's arguments are as weak as the strawmen he is arguing against. On "The F Word," Ramsay isn't trying to "GET WOMEN INTO THE KITCHEN!" as in, "Women only belong in the kitchen!" he is trying to get women who don't cook to try cooking, and, well, if you've seen more than one season, he is trying to get EVERYONE back into the kitchen to cook meals rather than order take-out and be lazy. Perhaps rather than insulting and taking the piss out of someone without knowing all the facts, mlukan, you could learn the facts and then state your opinion. Did you ever consider that the ferry actually couldn't take morbidly obese people for insurance or whatnot reasons? Sat Feb 07 23:00:19 -0800 2009 4396719 202405 tjr 7 4397493 O chill out, I never said Ramsay wasnt an amazing chef. I have eaten is his restaurant in NYC and it was great. I have seen all the F word seasons and he specifically said several times "get women back into the kitchen", I understand he helps men as well but he never mentions men in his statement, which he is clearly stating that women have some how let us down as they are no longer cooking like they used to and relying on convenience food, and he is the one who can change this to get WOMEN "which he clearly says a lot" back into the kitchen. The statement itself is clearly arrogant. How about getting people back into the kitchen. Coming from a guy who calls women bitches and cows, I'm not too surprised. This does not mean he is not a good chef, but it doesnt excuse the way he treats people BEYOND HIS TV SHOWS. O TJR, WTH are you talking about? don't you mean the the helicopter. It would have been easy for him and the producers to take the blue team on a boat rather than giving Robert a low blow. Like taking a blind guy to an art gallery, just a bit insensitive. Sat Feb 07 23:39:05 -0800 2009 4397447 113687 mlukan 8 4398220 I am "chilled out;" I think you're projecting your own emotion into text on the internet. Ramsay's campaign to get women back into the kitchen was just that, to get women who don't cook to cook. If he had said men and women, it wouldn't be as controversial and wouldn't generate the response (a discussion). Maybe you didn't watch the shows, but he even noted the controversy caused by his statements (and obviously meant to do so), and showed why he wasn't being sexist or misogynistic. I'm sorry, but helping a select group of people who want to cook isn't forcing them to cook; all the women on the show wanted help, and he helped them. Sounds like a pretty nice thing to do? In other seasons, he helps other people. It has nothing to do with being arrogant. Yes, he calls women bitches and cows, but as Leonardo notes below, he calls everyone out on what they are. It's a television show, and that is how they get their ratings and audience. If you watch the British shows, you'll note how much more toned down this is. Gordon Ramsay, especially on the American HK and KN, is a character, not a biographical representation of himself. Is it impossible for you to separate television from reality? Sure, he could have taken the whole team on a boat, but: 1 - it's television, 2 - I'm sure these things are kind of booked ahead of time; he could have just said, "Hey Robert, you can't go because they helicopter company won't let you fly." He seemed generally apologetic about the situation on the show anyways, it wasn't like he was a jerk to him or anything. Sun Feb 08 10:11:56 -0800 2009 4397493 202405 tjr 9 4398503 Gordon..... is that you? Sun Feb 08 12:27:29 -0800 2009 4398220 113687 mlukan 10 4399400 Clever. Sun Feb 08 18:38:16 -0800 2009 4398503 202405 tjr 8 4398231 I believe he does call women cows and bitches, but he also calls the guys names like donkey and "Forrest" (AKA Forrest Gump - slow guy from a movie) and many more - so I don't think he only has it in for the women - he is an equal opportunity name caller. Sun Feb 08 10:17:57 -0800 2009 4397493 118582 maisonbistro 9 4398352 Think of the verbal abuse as just boot camp for cooks. Speaking as someone who has experienced boot camp and gone on to a fulfilling life for many years, it usually is appreciated in the end by those who made it through. In terms of the Catalina reward, just wondering about the timing, they couldn't have put Robert on an earlier ferry, or booked the helicopter to depart the mainland later, so that Robert could have joined his team and Ramsay for at least part of the time? But then Robert might have also had difficulty on the glass bottom boat excursion too. Would have been nice if they could have had lunch and a few beers together in Avalon before the return. But of course this is a Fox reality show, so Gordon might have received some "prompting" from the show's producers to play it the way he did. The point here, is that it is a television entertainment show, we should never assume any of it is not scripted or actually represents real life. Just sit back and enjoy the show, then come here and snark the "contestants" thus generating more buzz for the gratification of the show's producers and advertisers. Sun Feb 08 11:23:01 -0800 2009 4398231 10059 ChinoWayne 7 4398046 tjr, Robert couldn't go on the helicopter for safety reasons, and such a move is well-founded. He took the ferry. I'm sure they planned the challenge reward long before they knew the dimensions of the cast, or at least realized his transport would have problems. There wasn't time for the cast to all take the ferry. And while he calls women gender specific names, he also does the same to men, some of them being bleeped out. He's an equal opportunity name-caller. But I guess insulting men is ok. Sun Feb 08 08:43:23 -0800 2009 4397447 13853 Leonardo 8 4398198 Yeah, helicopter, that's what I meant. Thanks for the correction :-) Sun Feb 08 10:00:31 -0800 2009 4398046 202405 tjr 2 4397891 jfood has done a complete 180 on GR. When he first watched the show in its first season he said he would never eat in a GR resto. He did and it wasn;t that good, but that's another thread. But do you remember him hugging the FF cook and sending her to culinary school? Not exactly an a-hole move. And the sous chefs on the show are still the same. And his people love him in real life. It's a reality show. Sun Feb 08 07:22:00 -0800 2009 4394561 11290 jfood 3 4397930 The current female sous chef arrived last season. Sun Feb 08 07:42:59 -0800 2009 4397891 23758 Withnail42 4 4397938 okeedokee Sun Feb 08 07:47:01 -0800 2009 4397930 11290 jfood 5 4398080 Forgot to add that it is true his staff are extremely loyal. In fact last year he brought on one of his head chefs. There is a video on Youtube made several years earlier of GR tearing the same guy a new one several different ways. I don’t know where these TV sous chefs come from. His other show he uses staff from his restaurants. Sun Feb 08 09:00:10 -0800 2009 4397938 23758 Withnail42 6 4399705 "... his staff are extrememly loyal." I thought that was called, Stockholm syndrome? :) Seriously, if people were ruining expensive products I'd be peeved off too. Sun Feb 08 21:09:36 -0800 2009 4398080 56054 dave_c 7 4400212 The wasteage it something that reall bothers me on this show as well as the F-word. It is a shame to see plate after plate go into the 'bin'. Mon Feb 09 07:14:06 -0800 2009 4399705 23758 Withnail42 8 4401061 Should they bring over some starving African children (imy mom always said I should finish my food because there are starving children in Africa)? Mon Feb 09 11:29:12 -0800 2009 4400212 180506 Ericandblueboy 1 4397089 i finally watched my DVR recording today, and i was so pissed - Ji was my pick to take it all! i really hope she comes back. in the meantime, Coi's my new pick. there's something about her... i was perplexed by the way Ramsay was so Jekyll & Hyde about the Robert situation. when he addressed it in the beginning he was compassionate and kind. but when Robert finally arrived and the rest of them had finished their day and were getting ready to leave, he seemed really mean-spirited when he was laughing about it. Lacey's pathetic, and i can't believe no one pushed the issue of her "sick day." she should have been booted for that alone. Colleen's a tool, but at least it's entertaining to see how much she pisses off Ramsay...i get a kick out of the fact that she clearly doesn't "get it." i do feel bad for all the people she's been ripping off in Omaha. Sean & Giovanni both seem pretty clueless to me. it'll be interesting to see if either of them steps it up. i'm on the fence about Carol. i initially thought she would be a contender, but she bungled the fish station this time around, so who knows...nerves, maybe? and i'm thinking Andrea might prove to be a fighter too. she's got a lot of confidence, i'd like to see if she has the skills to justify it. Sat Feb 07 18:26:53 -0800 2009 4392334 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 4397627 It was really saddening to watch Ji leave. She's definitely my favorite in the show and I really admire the noble thing that she did. I hope that they would bring her back to the show since she wasn't ousted because of lack of skills or Chef Ramsay's decision but because of an unfortunate accident. I found that she has a web site, http://www.chefji.com with photos and you can email and even vote as to whether to have her back to the show. Sun Feb 08 03:38:49 -0800 2009 4392334 264412 Janice09 2 4397815 SOrry to burst your bubble, but it would seem that this season was filmed nearly a year ago - so the outcome has long been decided. Sun Feb 08 06:47:29 -0800 2009 4397627 118582 maisonbistro 3 4398020 Based upon a comment she made in her post kick interview, as well as the fact she left with her jacket, I think she probably does reappear that season. http://www.realitywanted.com/newsitem/1657-interview-with-ji-from-foxs-hells-kitchen-season-5 Sun Feb 08 08:32:21 -0800 2009 4397815 165021 Firegoat 2 4398427 Ji has a very slick blog. The voting of course will have no bearing on "Hell's Kitchen", but she obviously has a talented marketing professional helping her. The debut off her blog is precisely timed to coincide with the current "Hell's Kitchen" season. Another clue to us that "reality TV" is just part of the coldly calculating corporate marketing complex driving a large part of our economy. Sun Feb 08 11:58:14 -0800 2009 4397627 10059 ChinoWayne 1 4397714 Lacey described herself as a pretty girl who could cook. I think the next time the men lose a challenge she should have to participate in the punishment while her team enjoys the reward. As for Robert it was a little mean to drag him all the way out there, tell him what a great time they all had without him then make him leave. But given his size I can’t imagine him working behind the line in a busy kitchen. It is a little creepy that that one guy knows so much about Ramsay, right down to the cars he drives. However I burst out laughing when Coleen slipped head first and got submerged into the scallop water. Sun Feb 08 05:38:59 -0800 2009 4392334 23758 Withnail42 2 4398312 Remember always that this is a "reality tv" show, not reality itself. Sun Feb 08 11:04:00 -0800 2009 4397714 13853 Leonardo