Kitchen Nightmares

After my wife got me addicted to Hell's Kitchen (US) during its first season, we've jumped at the opportunity to watch every show or series we could with Gordon in it.

We had previously watched several episodes of his show "The F Word" before eventually getting bored with it. This show, however, seems to be much more entertaining and worth watching. If you enjoy documentaries and/or reality shows, this series might be worth watching. To me, this series is to the restaurant industry as The Biggest Loser is to the obese. Although Kitchen Nightmares is not in any way a competitive series, its ultimate goal is very similar to that of The Biggest Loser. Where TBL takes several fat people (some of whom are heart attacks waiting to happen) and "saves" them by whipping them into shape and making them skinny again, Kitchen Nightmares each week showcases a single restaurant on the verge of shutting down due to any number of reasons (food quality, service, management, organization, etc) and attempts to transform the business into one that is popular and profitable.

Overall, I'm impressed with the quality of Gordon's "consultant" skills. He does bring out some of his brutally honest mannerisms in this series, but he doesn't take it to extremes like he's some drill sergeant constantly yelling at recruits. Although he does occasionally get in face-to-face jawing matches with some of the people involved, he does often show a more human side, being very professional and down to earth with the owner(s) of each restaurant and telling them what he thinks needs to change. He helps them by giving their dining area a makeover and occasionally replaces old, run down kitchen equipment with new and fancy ones. He's also good about complementing the restaurants and individuals on any positive changes he observes.

While one of the other posters wrote about the US version lacking some features present in the UK version of the show (which I don't see as a problem because Americans and Britons often have different tastes anyway), I will agree that the series could be improved by including a segment on how each showcased restaurant is doing several months after Gordon's visit. Such an inclusion would certainly be nice to see, but it might have been deliberately left out for a good reason - why cut out other dramatic details that are definitely worth leaving in the show when they can always throw in 1-2 episodes dedicated specifically to the "how are they now" questions later in the season (or even 1 at the mid-point and another at the end of the season)?

I like reboot because of the more low key Ramsey. It reminds me of the original EU episodes. I don't know if this was by design or that the fact he is older. I do know that when the show was originally filmed they thought it would be more appealing to Americans if Gordon would be more aggressive towards the staff. I guess that worked, it went 7 seasons.

Post covid I feel like many people started to understand the plight of the restaurant worker. Don't worry we still get some of that Ramsey angst as anyone working in the industry would expect out of 80% of chefs. The reboot gives us a little rest from.all that.

I am going to keep watching, like a rubber necking a car accident, so that I can say to my boss " Well at least I'm not that bad!"

Although I am a fan of the series, the American version of Kitchen Nightmares is not as good as the British version. The American version seems much more dramatic. It is loaded with arguments, family problems, and near fisticuffs. The British version concentrates on the restaurant's problems and how to solve them. It is excellent. I don't want to see a bunch of staged drama (Similar to the fake drama in Cake Boss). I want reality, something that is missing from reality TV! I want to watch Gordon identify the problems, and fix the problems. Along the way, show me how the food is made and improved upon. And by the way, does Gordon really hate every single first meal he has at these restaurants? The chefs can't be that bad, at least not some of them anyway.

Gordon Ramsay, a rich and famous chef, years ago hit the reality TV circuit by acting as a consultant to failing restaurants.

Two things strike me about this series.

First, these restaurant owners and employees, despite having so many problems when they agree to be one of these shows that they are on the verge of bankruptcy, have the gall to actually argue with his suggestions for becoming successful.

Second, I often wonder why, after seeing one of these shows, I ever go to eat at a restaurant again! LOL Interesting in the manner that makes people slow down to view the details of a car wreck, Nightmares often provides an uplifting story of a group of people getting it together to run their business properly for the very first time. Sadly, there are those that are so stubborn, and/or so inept, that they fail despite Gordon's intervention.

There is a lot of bad language and bad food, so this is not for small children. If you run a business of ANY type, you can learn real lessons for success from these shows.

It's a 7 but only because Chef Ramsay is absolutely hilarious (in my opinion). I may be weird but I reckon he is really funny. He turns restaurants around because they're underperforming, management issues or whatever the real problem is. I recommend that Gordon Ramsay fans watch this show, you won't regret it.