Topic: Hell's Kitchen Season 4

[marigold]

HELL'S KITCHEN SEASON 4 PREMIER APRIL 1, 2008



Hell's Kitchen: Gordon Ramsay's Wife Talks about His Outbursts

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/hells-kitchen/hells-kitchen-gordon-ramsays-w-16963.aspx

One would guess that the kind of heavy-handed, invective-laden style Gordon Ramsay brings to Hell's Kitchen is something he knows well enough to leave at work at the end of the day. It might make a kitchen run smoothly, but it's not exactly a particularly promising way to bring about a well-running, harmonious household.

Surely he must sometimes feel frustrated or aggravated at home – after all, he has four young children, including a set of twins. But it turns out that while his temper might mainly make an appearance on the television or in the professional kitchen, his wife's not exactly thrilled with it in those contexts either.

The Hell's Kitchen star and his wife Cayetana Elizabeth Ramsay – known as Tana – have been married since 1996. Her husband's business is doubly important to her as her father is actually responsible for the business operations for the chef's restaurant holdings.

While his tv exposure has likely helped increase the business of those restaurants, Tana admits that she doesn't exactly love watching him on TV. In fact, she admits that watching him lose his temper makes her “cringe.”

She says that it's the social fall out from her husband's outbursts on shows like Hell's Kitchen or Kitchen Nightmares that really get to her.

"Gordon doesn't care what people think, which is fine for him," she said, "but I have to do the school run the next day."

She knows that her status as a spouse of a famous – and famously volatile – chef garners a bit of attention, but it would appear it's attention she would prefer to do without. "I feel people looking at me,” she said, “and I want to say 'if you've got something to say, then say it'".

The new season of Hell's Kitchen starts in April, so unfortunately for Tana, we can expect a lot more stateside swearing from Gordon soon.

[RudyRules]

you watch this ca bb? 

[puddin]

Thanks ca bb I had no idea it was starting so soon  I love me some Gordon!

[marigold]

Thanks ca bb I had no idea it was starting so soon  I love me some Gordon!

  What woman doesn't, he is one of the sexiest foul mouthed #@!* man ever 

  Yes I love this show RudyRules

[marigold]

.... it's not fully updated yet but anyways at least we have some dates

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch.aspx?id=hells_kitchen&view=listings



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[apskip]

Even I watch the late rounds of Hell's Kitchen. It's very different from TopChef in drawing on a bit lower cut of the talent pool, but the personalities of the chefs are fascinating and Ramsay himself is worth watching how he has sets things up and maneuvers. His tirades are seldom found in the late episodes, so it's really all for show.

[marigold]

Even I watch the late rounds of Hell's Kitchen. It's very different from TopChef in drawing on a bit lower cut of the talent pool, but the personalities of the chefs are fascinating and Ramsay himself is worth watching how he has sets things up and maneuvers. His tirades are seldom found in the late episodes, so it's really all for show.

I sooo agree apskip.

Hell’s Kitchen can find contestants from small towns such as oh let’s say Lake Wobegon and gives them an opportunity to show their talent of cooking and a chance of becoming “America’s next culinary star”. What a great opportunity for these young inspiring chefs.

I often wonder do these contestants ever watch the show as they seem frightened by Ramsay’s outbursts.

Nonetheless I love everything about this show.

[TexasLady]

 

I LOVE this show!! (Love Top Chef too but they are very different.)

[RudyRules]

Hmmm...maybe I'll give it a try.  Have never watched it, not even once!   

[marigold]

Hmmm...maybe I'll give it a try.  Have never watched it, not even once!   

  your kidding, oh you have to watch it give it a try.

Aside from Ramsay's outbursts, which just makes me laugh.

It really is interesting to watch these chefs compete and hopfully complete a full dinner service.

I won't give to much away, but great your willing to watch it.

[TexasLady]

Hmmm...maybe I'll give it a try.  Have never watched it, not even once!   

Ca is right, it is interesting! What is more amazing, as they lose chefs, they have to work harder and harder to get the full course dinner out and they usually manage to do it. Somehow!

[apskip]

Hmmm...maybe I'll give it a try.  Have never watched it, not even once!   

Ca is right, it is interesting! What is more amazing, as they lose chefs, they have to work harder and harder to get the full course dinner out and they usually manage to do it. Somehow!

I see this as a fairly simple process. As the less competent chefs get eliminated, the ones left are the most talented and usually (but not always) the quickest with their knives (on the vegetables and meat of course, not on their fellow competitors). With few weak links, the teamwork also improves. That's how they manage to get a multi-course meal done with fewer bodies.

[marigold]

Hmmm...maybe I'll give it a try.  Have never watched it, not even once!   

Ca is right, it is interesting! What is more amazing, as they lose chefs, they have to work harder and harder to get the full course dinner out and they usually manage to do it. Somehow!

I see this as a fairly simple process. As the less competent chefs get eliminated, the ones left are the most talented and usually (but not always) the quickest with their knives (on the vegetables and meat of course, not on their fellow competitors). With few weak links, the teamwork also improves. That's how they manage to get a multi-course meal done with fewer bodies.

  oh that's funny.

Thanks for the explanation and leaving no room for confusion.

[TexasLady]

Hmmm...maybe I'll give it a try.  Have never watched it, not even once!   

Ca is right, it is interesting! What is more amazing, as they lose chefs, they have to work harder and harder to get the full course dinner out and they usually manage to do it. Somehow!

I see this as a fairly simple process. As the less competent chefs get eliminated, the ones left are the most talented and usually (but not always) the quickest with their knives (on the vegetables and meat of course, not on their fellow competitors). With few weak links, the teamwork also improves. That's how they manage to get a multi-course meal done with fewer bodies.

That's true, they don't have to worry about someone screwing up the risotto or burning something but I think Ramsey's sous chefs also help out although we really don't see them other other than from a long shot.

[marigold]

FIFTEEN ASPIRING CHEFS ENTER THE FIRE ON THE SEASON PREMIERE OF "HELL'S KITCHEN" TUESDAY, APRIL 1, ON FOX

Winner Receives Title of "Executive Chef" at Gordon Ramsay's New Restaurant, "The London West Hollywood"

A new crop of 15 wanna-be chefs find out if they can take the heat when renowned chef Gordon Ramsay serves up the fourth course of his sizzling unscripted series HELL'S KITCHEN, premiering Tuesday, April 1 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

The "steaks" are higher than everthe winner of the competition will earn the coveted position of "Executive Chef" at Ramsay's new restaurant, "The London West Hollywood," which is scheduled to open in summer 2008.

The kitchen gets hotter each week as Ramsay puts on the pressure, demanding absolute perfection. Frazzled chefs try to slice and dice their way to the top, as they vie for Chef Ramsay's approval. The competition is more intense than ever. With more contestants and more dinner services, Gordon's sharp-tongue and flared-temper is sure to cause some major meltdowns in the kitchen.

The 15 HELL'S KITCHEN contestants are:

Ben, 29, an electrician and former chef from Charlotte, NC

Bobby, 37, an executive chef from Niagara Falls, NY

Christina, 25, a culinary student from St. Louis, MO

Corey, 25, a private chef from Brooklyn, NY

Craig, 30, a sous chef from Coram, NY

Dominic, 43, a stay-at-home dad from Catawba, SC

Jason, 29, a sous chef from Las Vegas, NV

Jen, 24, a line cook from Chicago, IL

Louross, 24, a hotel cook from Las Vegas, NV

Matt, 35, a sous chef from Pinehill, NJ

Petrozza, 47, a catering director from Charlotte, NC

Rosann, 33, a receptionist and former cook from Staten Island, NY

Sharon, 31, a room-service chef from Las Vegas, NV

Shayna, 28, a catering-company owner from Buffalo, NY

Vanessa, 31, a line cook from Bozeman, MT

Source: http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20080312fox01

[marigold]

SEASON PREMIERE HELL'S KITCHEN TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2008



FIFTEEN NEW CONTESTANTS FIGHT TO IMPRESS;

ONE MAKES GORDON SICK ON THE SEASON PREMIERE OF "HELL'S KITCHEN" TUESDAY, APRIL 1, ON FOX

HELL'S KITCHEN is back open for business!

The pressure is on, as this season's prize is bigger and better than ever before.

Chef Ramsay will pick one lucky contestant to become the Executive Chef for his new restaurant, The London West Hollywood.

Gordon wastes no time as he immediately sends the contestants to the kitchen to prepare their signature dish.

In the most shocking taste-test ever, Gordon gets physically sick from a contestant's concoction leaving everyone speechless.

During the first dinner service, emotions run high and one contestant goes missing. Will Gordon be forced to shut down the

kitchen? Find out on the season premiere of HELL'S KITCHEN airing Tuesday, April 1 (9:00 -10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

[marigold]

'Hell's Kitchen' Conference Call with Gordon Ramsay

Aside from being an acclaimed chef with an array of popular restaurants to his name, Gordon Ramsay is best known for his confrontational style in the kitchen.  The master cook definitely isn't afraid of raising his voice in order to whip aspiring chefs into shape.  It's this explosive temperament that has helped make Ramsay a television star in both the U.S. and his native U.K.  His most popular American series, Hell's Kitchen, returns to FOX for its fourth season on Tuesday, April 1 at 9pm.  To get fans pumped for the return of the high stakes cooking competition, Ramsay participated in a conference call with the press to dish about the new season.

Previous seasons of Hell's Kitchen offered winners the chance to run their own restaurant, but this year's prize is bigger and better.  This time the winner of the competition will get the chance to work at Gordon Ramsay's new restaurant, The London West Hollywood, where they'll work as an executive chef.  Ramsay pointed out that this gives him a personal stake in the contest, as the person he chooses will make him look bad if they're incompetent.

"I put my money where my mouth is," the chef stated.  "I put my neck on the line."

Over 22,000 people applied to be part of the fourth season of the FOX series, with only 15 making it through to the finals.  Ramsay mentioned that he's more excited about this season than any previous year, mainly due to the level of professionalism among the chefs.  He added that the women are more talented than ever in season 4, which he found refreshing since the restaurant industry is often dominated by chauvinistic males.

Aside from the tense kitchen standoffs that fans of the show have come to expect, the new year of Hell's Kitchen will have some unexpected twists.  One thing that should provide lots of laughs is the fact that Ramsay himself got in on the competition.  The chef was decked out in extensive makeup, including long hair and a ponytail, and went in undercover as "Terrance from Texas."  The disguise allowed him to spy on his fellow chefs and see how they worked when "Gordon" wasn't around.

Perhaps the best thing about the series is the variety found amongst the competitors.  The finalists for season 4 include a few people with little experience in a restaurant, including a stay-at-home dad and a receptionist.  Ramsay stated that, "It's much more exciting to me when you can pluck somebody out of obscurity."  He mentioned that the people who don't start out as professionals often have a greater level of passion in the kitchen.

Chef Ramsay dropped other interesting tidbits about the season, such as the fact that all the previous winners will be back to help with the judging.  This should also provide an opportunity to see how successful the winners from the first three seasons have been.

As for the future of the series, fans who can't get enough Hell's Kitchen will be happy to hear that season 5 has already completed filming.  According to Ramsay, FOX decided to film two seasons back to back for economical reasons, to help utilize the expensive kitchen sets.  Season 5 will likely air on FOX over the summer.

One thing we can bet on is that, come April 1, there will be a lot of real-life drama in those sweltering, high pressure kitchens.  "We do have good days, we do have bad days, we do have meltdowns, and we do have tears," Ramsay admitted.  "For me, it's real.  I've done nothing but keep it real."

Source: http://www.buddytv.com/articles/hells-kitchen/hells-kitchen-conference-call-17696.aspx

[apskip]

You're doing some terrific work carrying the ball on Hell's Kitchen 4, ca bb fan. Keep up this up.  16 weeks to the Finale.

[TexasLady]

 

I think in a lot of ways I like Hell's Kitchen better than Top Chef. As apskip said, you are doing a terrific job here, keep it up for sure!

16 weeks!! That seems so short doesn't it!

[marigold]

You're doing some terrific work carrying the ball on Hell's Kitchen 4, ca bb fan. Keep up this up.  16 weeks to the Finale.

I don't want to carry the ball  I could never fill your shoes  apskip, you know you rock 

[marigold]

I think in a lot of ways I like Hell's Kitchen better than Top Chef. As apskip said, you are doing a terrific job here, keep it up for sure!

16 weeks!! That seems so short doesn't it!

Thanks TexasLady, your so kind.

It does seem short but I'm thrilled to hear that Season 5 has already been filmed and just waiting to go 

[marigold]

Perhaps the best thing about the series is the variety found amongst the competitors.  The finalists for season 4 include a few people with little experience in a restaurant, including a stay-at-home dad and a receptionist.  Ramsay stated that, "It's much more exciting to me when you can pluck somebody out of obscurity."  He mentioned that the people who don't start out as professionals often have a greater level of passion in the kitchen.

This is my favorite line in the paragraph where Ramsay and I feel the same way

about Hell's Kitchen, the contestants and in life in general there is some amazing hidden talent out there

and some of the best kept secrets, somebody just needed to give them an opportunity to show their talent.

[marigold]

'Hell's Kitchen' Gordon Ramsay putting his 'money where my mouth is'



Gordon Ramsay said he's putting his money where his mouth is by giving Hell Kitchen's fourth-season winner an executive chef position at The London West Hollywood, a new Los Angeles restaurant he's opening this summer.

"I get very frustrated when things go wrong, clearly, and putting my neck on the line and looking for a chef for my own restaurant was almost an investment -- from my point of view -- to put back into the longevity, really, to make sure that we continue searching for talent and propelling it," Ramsay told reporters during a Monday conference call. 

"I want to put my money where my mouth is and prove to the industry that any winner of Hell's Kitchen is more than qualified and capable of standing alone in my kitchen, that's for sure."

Ramsay said the idea of having Hell's Kitchen's winner work at one of his restaurants was born out of a desire to show that he's not passing the buck when it comes to culinary up-and-comers who succeed on the Fox reality series.

"I cringe sometimes when everyone talks about a reality show with no integrity, so I thought about this idea of me looking for a chef," he said. 

Ramsay added the decision was not part of some "promotional" ploy.

"I've never been any form of marketing tool in order to promote my restaurant.  No matter how good the marketing is, if you can't deliver on the plate, you could have the best marketing, but the best marketing tool could be the worst effect for any restaurant," he said.  "Sometimes I get a lot of criticism from the industry because it's not the real deal.  Well, it is in the premier league.  If you want to go to the top, then of course you have to weather the storm.  It's not all plain sailing and it's not all about creating little pitchers out of watermelons."

In addition, Ramsay addressed criticism that some fourth-season cast members -- including a stay-at-home dad and electrician -- might not be qualified to work as an executive chef.

"That's, honestly, on the back of the experience of graduating through Hell's Kitchen and obviously the winner," he explained.  "Having an amazing team of chefs to draw upon, and like I said, this year more than any other year the stakes are raised higher because of what I'm looking for.  The position is not going to be the executive chef in terms of running it lock, stock and barrel.  That can't happen.  You can't put that kind of pressure on a previous winner.  The winner will be an executive chef within the setup of my restaurant and will be responsible for the day-to-day running."

Despite opening eateries across Europe, Ramsay himself said he was the recipient of "tough love" when he made his U.S. restaurant debut with the November 2006 opening of Gordon Ramsay at The London in The London NYC Hotel. 

"I have to say, opening up in New York taught me a lot about that level of attention to detail," he said.  "London's a tough market, Paris is a tough market, but New York, well, that's extraordinary."

However Ramsay said he's going to take what he learned from the experience and apply it to The London West Hollywood.

"Everything I learned and didn't do in New York I would put into place here in The London West Hollywood," he said.  "This is not a consultancy; this is my restaurant where the level of scrutiny is 10-times greater... It's my restaurant.  That's why I'm convinced that working with the winner of Hell's Kitchen will enable me to make sure that person is catapulted and articulate and talented and -- more importantly -- establishes that level of longevity.  That's the important part, making sure that this is a marathon we're running, it's not a 100-meter sprint, and New York has taught me that."

Dealing with the foul-mouthed British chef while competing on Hell's Kitchen isn't the only training the fourth-season winner will receive, according to Ramsay, who is also currently preparing to launch a restaurant in Paris.

"The chef's been trained for 10 years with me.  He's young, he's Italian, he's a phenomenal cook at 29 years of age.  The winner of Hell's Kitchen this year at The London West Hollywood will go under that tutorage as well," he explained. 

"Of course they're not going to be running it.  They can't in the short time that I've been connected to that person, but the guidance, the infrastructure, and that's why it gets really tedious sometimes when everyone judges me.  It's not me.  The team and I have been together since October 1993 -- whether it's Angela Hartnett or Marcus Wareing or Mark Sergeant -- they are phenomenal chefs.  They're partners that will be together in making sure the London West Hollywood is a united front."

With all of his American experience, Ramsay is promising "fireworks" at The London West Hollywood -- "from the canapes right through to the desserts."

"More importantly, I've been here for three years now.  I've been in New York for 15 months.  Winning two stars in the Zagat, No. 1 Best Newcomer within 10 months of opening in New York has taught me a big lesson," he said.  "Come out of the trap strong, explode from day one and more importantly, the ingredients there are phenomenal.  It's not going to be sedated, heavy, rich French cuisine; it's going to be a light and American, California-style with a bit of a Japanese influence.  Everything is healthy, fresh, but more importantly, if you think customers are impatient in New York, wait to you see how impatient they are here in L.A."

Since he's "invested heavily" in The London West Hollywood with a 10-year lease, Ramsay vowed to not "get sucked up in is the trend formation of restaurants."

"The style, the feel and the decor of the dining room is vibrant.  It's very L.A., very cool fabrics, lots of silver, lots of nickel, brushed stainless steel and lots of cream fabric," he said.  "It's going to be fast, it's going to be furious and more importantly, we have that level of intimacy, that level of fun without being long-winded.  That's really important."

http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/hell-kitchen-gordon-ramsay-putting-his-money-where-my-mouth-is-6756.php

[marigold]

.... another article I thought I would share

'Hell's Kitchen' star Gordon Ramsay dishes about the fourth season

Consider Gordon Ramsay among those fired up about Hell's Kitchen's fourth installment -- the first edition to premiere before the show's usual summer programming season.

"I'm very excited about Season 4, more so than any other year before.  When you look at the setup in terms of the level of professionalism, this year we've raised the bar," Ramsay told reporters during a Monday conference call.

Unlike earlier editions, Hell's Kitchen's fourth-season cast will be competing for an executive chef position in one of Ramsay's own restaurants -- The London West Hollywood.

"Looking for a chef personally is something I've stood by, got very nervous about and more importantly, I'd like to think that we have the most amazing -- I hate that word 'cast' -- I call them chefs.  Fox wanted to run a show and I run the restaurant, so it's a great team of chefs, more so than any other year."

The foul-mouthed British chef also immediately heaped praise on the "talented" fourth-season female contestants, describing them as "amazing."

"I've never seen anything quite like it," he said.  "It's quite refreshing, really on the back of a male dominant, chauvinistic stance that kitchens have today, so I was really pleased."

Hell's Kitchen's fourth season will premiere Tuesday, April 1 at 9PM ET/PT and its 15 culinary contestants comprise the show's largest cast ever.  However according to Ramsay, the cast originally featured 16 contestants.  Sort of.

"I actually get put into this prosthetic mask -- my name is Terrance from Texas -- and I'm actually made up as one of the contestants, so nobody spots it," he explained.  "It's quite a fascinating behavior to see them on the bus and that's without my presence, unknown to them, of course.  It's a really different way of setting it up.  Of course, the pressure is on this year more than any other before because of the sequence of events with my restaurant.  I'm taking it more seriously than ever before and the stakes are a lot higher."

In addition, Ramsay said Hell's Kitchen first-season winner Michael Wray, second-season champ Heather West, and third-season winner Rock Harper all had a role in the show's fourth edition.

"I had all the previous winners this year on Season 4 back judging, which was just so nice to see them grow in stature and maturity," said Ramsay.  "Given that level of responsibility with your 25-year old or 35-year-old chef, it's just quite nice to see how they handled that exposure.  Not every chef deals with it properly; they get slightly excited, a little bit overconfident and then they miss out on the most important part."

Since Hell's Kitchen fourth-season winner will be working as an executive chef at one of Ramsay's own restaurants, he said being a chef is "not just about the cooking" -- something the culinary up-and-comers need to understand. 

In addition, Ramsay said it's the customers' opinion that counts, not reviews from the contestants' potential contemporaries.

"It's quite weird knocking that out of them and telling them to forget cooking for chefs; forget what chefs say about your food.  The level of jealousy and insecurity in this industry is far greater than ever before," explained Ramsay.  "Focus on your customers and make that restaurant synonymous to where you are in terms of area.  Regionalize it from the ingredients to locally sourced, local purveyors and make sure you stay in touch with what's keeping in the area; not what's going on in Barcelona, not what's happening in the middle of Paris.  Stay with what's happening locally.  It's really important."

Despite bestowing the winner with the title of executive chef at The London West Hollywood, Ramsay said important positions are not what Hell's Kitchen is about.

"When chefs enter this industry and they graduate from culinary school they chase silly titles, which means nothing," he said.  "What is an executive chef?  It's a chef that operates a computer that hits a P&L account and goes through a budgeting format with a food and beverage manager.  If you're going to be a chef, then cook.  There's no greater joy."

While the fourth-season contestants no doubt have joy in cooking, they might be singing a different tune under Ramsay's tutelage in the Hell's Kitchen kitchen.  However he said there's no difference whether their work in the kitchen is being filmed or not.

"We do have good days and we do have bad days.  We do have meltdowns and we do have tears.  That goes on in any top-flight kitchen," he explained.  "Now, if I was running a mediocre, run-of-the-mill, Caesar salad, flip-a-burger, of course there's no heat.  When you decide to cook at that level and you want it to be perfect, it's harmony when it hits perfection.  For me, it's real.  I've done nothing but keep it real.  I think that proves in the level of contestants that want to become good chefs that apply to get on there."

Ramsay said he has actually come to enjoy discovering chefs -- such as former third-season contestant and Waffle House cook Julia Williams -- via the Fox reality series.

"Watching domestic, talented individuals, determined chefs that have the desire and want that chance to succeed, it's far more exciting for me when you can pick out somebody from obscurity and bring them through and propel the talent and run that against an executive chef any day," he said.  "That's far more rewarding from my point of view -- at the age of 41, having cooked for 21 years -- because it is a natural level of ability that they really do get excited.  It's a natural turn-on as opposed to a natural excitement chasing a title.  There's a big difference."

Still, Ramsay said he's all about eateries and not television, which is why Hell's Kitchen's infamous dinner services are so intense.

"There's nothing played for any form of camera.  You see 44 or 42 minutes of the edited version and I run service from 6:00 until 10:00 -- four hours -- and cook for 120 guests.  Of course it's going to look like it's combustive, tenacious and full of drama, and it is, but there's no script," he said.  "That's why I fight every week that that restaurant opens -- to make sure I run the restaurant and not a show."

http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/hell-kitchen-star-gordon-ramsay-dishes-about-fourth-season-6757.php

[rosesrred]

 Thank you so much cabbfan I can't wait for April 1st after reading your update from that Sexy chef!