Heres an article:
Now comes the Borgata's turn on 'Hell's Kitchen'
By JULIET FLETCHER Staff Writer, 609-272-7251
Published: Wednesday, April 15, 2009
On ‘Hell’s Kitchen,’ chef Gordon Ramsay watches over Andrea in Thursday’s episode,’ part of which was filmed at the Borgata in Atlantic City.
For the five remaining chefs angling to win the job of a lifetime, this week sees them trying to prove themselves - and on local turf.
On Thursday's episode of the reality-show "Hell's Kitchen" the contestants stop by the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. The winner of this season's competition earns a spot working at the casino.
The visit to the area was preceded by typical "Hell's Kitchen" drama.
Show star, chef Gordon Ramsay, ended last week's mishap-prone episode with a particularly disgusted declaration.
"Now I'm going to do something I've never, ever done before," he said."I'm shutting down Hell's Kitchen."
Turns out, he was coming to Atlantic City.
On the upcoming episode, the contestants arrive in the resort city - ready to take a close look at where one of them will someday work.
The contestants, who normally room together above the TV show's kitchen space, spent two days filming the episode in late 2007. But for the resort, Thursday's airdate has been in the works for more than a year. In October 2007, Coskey said the resort management received a call, asking if they would consider taking part in the show.
"To be honest, we did think it was a great opportunity from the beginning," Coskey said Tuesday.
Arthur Smith, one of the show's executive producers, said the stakes for this season's winner had been set high - even compared with last year's season, when the winner, Christina Machamer, joined Ramsay at his own restaurant at The London in West Hollywood.
"The Borgata is our first East Coast venue for the show," he said Monday. "So for younger, ambitious chefs, the resort here is a great place to work in an environment filled with big-name chefs. They can certainly learn something."
Among Borgata's roster of cooking talent at five fine-dining restaurants stand Bobby Flay - at his eponymous Bobby Flay Steak - and Michael Mina - who heads Seablue.
Smith acknowledged he hadn't known about the resort until his first visit.
"I had high expectations, and I have to say they exceeded them," he said, describing the episode as "a great showcase" for Borgata. "And I think many people, especially in the middle of the country, will be surprised by what they see of Atlantic City."
The trip was a chance for the aspiring chefs to get inspired, he said.
"We wanted them to come to Atlantic City, get some inspiration, and come up with a signature dish that could fit at the Borgata," he said. The winning result, he said "really nailed it."
Thursday's episode isn't Borgata's only shot in the "Hell's Kitchen" spotlight.
For an upcoming episode, the casino had to turn a back kitchen area into a studio kitchen.Ramsay, at least, fit in fine at Borgata during his several visits there, said Smith, who accompanied him.
"After shooting part of the finale there, I remember we had a chance to catch a big fight in Atlantic City," Smith said. "We hit a couple of clubs, had a great time."
After seeing Borgata up close, Ramsay publicly praised the venue. "It's not 'flash,' that resort," he said in an interview on "Good Day New York" at the start of the season. " The nice thing about it is it's packed with real people. You have fun there. And more importantly, the pressurized restaurant environment. The restaurants are good."
But did Borgata's staff have any qualms about letting Ramsay - known for his reputation as a hothead - make a hire for them?
"Gordon Ramsay is, really, an absolutely, incredibly nice person," Coskey said. Despite the chef's reputation - built on bleeped-out descriptions of his underlings' dishes - Coskey expressed confidence the show could secure the resort with a great addition to its kitchens.
"Of course, we'll need to work out where (the winner) will fit best," he said. The show's promotional materials said the position would be as a head chef, but Coskey declined to say yet where the position would be.
Who of the final five gets that slot - whether it's petite Andrea Heinly from Reading, Pa., or laidback Danny Veltri, from Edgewater, Fla. - remains to be seen during the finale, scheduled to air 9 p.m. May 14 on WTXF-TV 29.
"We're under strict rules not to have any contact until the finale has aired," Coskey said. "So we'll be watching, just like you, to see how it turns out."
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