We’ve been watching Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares on BBC-America for a couple of years now. It is one of my favorite TV shows.
Gordon Ramsey spends a week in an ailing restaurant and attempts to turn them around from empty dining rooms, terrible (usually overly complex) food, colossal financial disasters (most people on the show are between $250k-$500k in debt) to successful establishments.
I had extreme mixed feelings when I found out that it was coming to FOX. I watched the pilot episode last night and my fears were justified, but I’m still hopeful the show will work. I’m sure they picked an extreme example to be the pilot to grab some attention and it shows. Most of the show was centered around the restaurant’s namesake half-owner who threw these maniac/roid-rage temper tantrums and not Gordon’s advice. I’m going to keep watching, hopefully they don’t ruin it. I was equally worried when they took the Office to NBC, but that worked out okay.
Random notes:
- They felt the need for Gordon to buy them an entirely new kitchen a’la Extreme Makeover: Home. He never bought anybody anything in Britain, he made one guy sell his M3 to buy new equipment once even.
- I hated Hell’s Kitchen, the other Ramsey-in-America show.
- Moral of the story: If a restaurant is empty, don’t eat there. Your worst fears about the quality of preparation are probably true.
- I’ve learned more management skills from Ramsey on this show than in any college class or book.
I actually like the BBC version better especially the follow up. What gets me in both the BBC and American version are the people. They are crazy!!! I mean they asked Mr. Ramsey for help but they are so against his ideals and changes; and have these ridiculous tantrums. It kills me; {Why ask for help if you don’t want to change?) thats why your business is doing so well? I wish he would ask them this when they start to flash on him. I wish he would asked why did you call me for help then?