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.
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dcorvino24 May 2011
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magellan33321 November 2007Hell's Kitchen introduced me to Gordon Ramsay. The commercials for that show portray him as a harsh tyrant in a chef's jacket. This is not the case on Hell's Kitchen or on Kitchen Nightmares. Kitchen Nightmares is an enjoyable show that allows the viewer to better understand what goes on behind the scenes of the restaurant business. Part of the the show's entertainment though lies in the incompetence and arrogance of those working in the restaurants Gordon Ramsay sets out to rescue. Without Gordon Ramsay, this show would find itself on The Food Network or TLC. He truly makes the show great as he is hard but fair. He seeks to raise the bar to improve skills, decor and ultimately business. As he does this, it makes for a fairly entertaining reality show.
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Every episode of Kitchen Nightmares is the same. There's a failing restaurant, and we get an overview of the restaurant and why it's failing. The problems vary from a stubborn chef, a spineless owner, a clueless staff, or some mix of the above, but one thing is common: the food is terrible, but the owners don't seem to believe that. Gordon comes in, sees the restaurant, tries the food (big shock, he doesn't like the food) and he tells the owners that the food is not good, and the owners disagree and insist that their food is good, which leaves Chef Ramsay speechless. Later that night, he observes a terrible dinner service and then later inspects a more than filthy kitchen and Ramsay is furious. After getting the owners on board with change (which takes some time), they relaunch the menu (and most of the time, the decor), and the relaunch is a success, with the exception of a minor hiccup. That is your average Kitchen Nightmares episode........and I love it! There's something hypnotic about watching stubborn people so deep in denial getting yelled at by a decorated chef over how terrible their service and food are. My only concern with this show is how dramatized it is. They seem to focus more on drama between family and coworkers than they do on how a restaurant operates. In addition, some of the exercises Gordon Ramsay does with the owners seemed pointless. There was one episode that took place in a courtroom halfway through and two episodes had the owners boxing their feelings out. Those felt bizarre, like it was purely for theatrics. Other than that, I enjoyed this show. It had a capable formula and even featured some colorful personalities, and it actually made me want start cooking more.
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VetteRanger18 June 2009Gordon 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. -
Zaniac127312 October 2007After 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)? -
byerly050313 August 2011This show holds up to the usual lack of any redeeming values you'd expect in a show on FOX. All of the time on camera is spent watching family members yell at each other, dimwitted employees, Ramsay complaining, and patrons sending food back. Anything related to running a kitchen, the business of a restaurant, or cooking food is omitted. Don't bother to watch more than one episode since they are exactly the same.
Unless.
You want to make a drinking game out of it. (Please note, that technically this entire game is a spoiler since it describes, in detail, how EVERY SINGLE EPISODE runs.)
Been in family for many years: Shot
Wife complains about how Husband runs the business: Shot
The Chef claims his food is great: Chug
One shot for every dish Ramsay orders over 3.
Ramsay asks Chef to taste 2nd dish: Chug
Ramsay asks Chef to taste 3rd dish: Shot
One Shot for every type of meat Ramsay finds in the kitchen stock that is bad.
Someone cries (each time): Shot
Dining room closed during first dinner service: Chug
Dining room remodeled overnight: Chug
Chef is replaced / fired / quits: Shot
During credits the restaurant is announced to be closed or sold: Chug -
elfuegotortuga9 October 2023I 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!" -
Meven_Stoffat28 September 2011In all honesty, I have a gigantic man crush on Gordon Ramsay. There's just no one else like him. He tells it like it is, and There's just nothing he cannot do. Or so it seems. I'll admit I'd hate to be some runt on the show, but that's a good thing. And Kitchen Nightmares is proof that sometimes, one voice IS enough to stop a restaurant from serving crap.
This is an American version of his original British program, which is just as much a guilty pleasure as the Yankee version. Essentially the rundown is this: A restaurant, somewhere in America, is struggling. It could be due to shitty food or shitty management/service... or maybe even both. After tasting their cheapjack food, Ramsay observes what goes on in the kitchen, and then does what it takes to get the restaurant back on it's feet, for once and for all.
Ramsay is brutal as frack. A seasoned tongue, it's just so fun to watch him suffer dealing with morons and bad food, one couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy! His brilliance just doesn't end. I'll admit one of the reasons I love this show is I'm. A world traveler, and one of the things I keep an active interest in is cuisine. Having been to France recently, I always look forward to the French restaurant episodes!
In short, if you like crackdown justice shows like me, you will regardlessly love this show! -
samtheautistickid21 August 2019It'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.
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DKosty12326 September 2007The title to this show says it all. Every week Gordon is going to visit a restaurant with problems, show us all the problems, & then suggest & help the folks running the place to fix them up. Will he ever run out of bad places he can find?
Gordon has the right personality to come across very well on TV & this show relies upon that. Ramsey often shows his sense of community service in re-launching these restaurants & promoting them by helping their locale.
FOX has had to tone down the US version from the BBC version. Americans have trouble taking Simon on American Idol & can't take the BBC version of this. I think the FOX version should crank it up to match the British one. I like Ramsey and wish him continued success with this as it is an intelligently done show that gets it viewers interested in good food.
There can never be enough good food in this world. That should be job security enough for this format. -
jboothmillard8 February 2008I can't miss the British series, so I thought I might as well try the American version. National Television Award nominated Gordon Ramsay every week basically travels to America, visits some of the failing restaurant, bar or café businesses with customers, food quality and ideas, takings, attitude, financial difficulties (e.g. debts) and the business itself, and it is Ramsay's job to help as much as he can to make it a more profitable and improved business for the workers and customers together. Ramsay's use of swearing, particularly "the f word" is still prominent and gets some of the great laughs, and also how stupid or ridiculous some of the business bosses, employees or main staff members behave in the work environment that is meant to be cooperating. It is very good to see just how bad these eating places are working, but it is also nice in the end to see most of the businesses saved. Gordon Ramsay was number 84 on The 100 Greatest Sex Symbols, and he was number 82 on The 100 Worst Britons (for his arrogance I guess). Very good!
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josephmayes21 January 2022What can I say that hasn't been said about this legendary, controversial Reality TV show? While I prefer the British version of the show for its more relaxed approach and little-to-no reliance on special effects and melodrama, I cannot deny that the American version is JUST as great in its own way. And all of that has to do with the S-tier legend himself, Gordon Ramsey.
He alone catapults Kitchen Nightmares from a potentially mediocre show to a phenomenal one. Endlessly hotheaded, yet empathetic and passionate, Ramsey enters each restaurant with his greatest weapon, himself. Even if the success rate is notoriously low, every episode is gold-standard as he deals with a wild gallery of restaurant owners, ranging from lost souls that deserves a second chance to the absurd, pretentious, and downright delusional or abusive. From the melancholic, yet wholesome redemption of Mama Maria's, to the disturbingly toxic hell of Amy's Baking Company, I can safely say that Kitchen Nightmares is one thing that is reality shows can rarely be: Midas-touched. -
mmoon-2376330 June 2019Not as good as the U.K. version. I could be wrong, but it seems like there is a lot more staged scenes in this than in the U.K. version. For example, there are a lot of "fights" and cooks/owners/Ramsay himself "walking out", but then coming back. Also, how can every single dish in every single restaurant be disgusting, overcooked or under cooked? I mean I can understand a lot of them being bad or even most of them, but all of them seems unlikely. Of course, on the other hand, his palate is probably super amazing and sensitive. On a related note, most of the owners think that he will love their food. I guess they haven't watched any of his shows!
It's also kind of amusing to see the waiters/waitresses start running from his table after they have delivered the 3rd or 4th dish. Even though, he does try and joke with the waitresses to make them more comfortable.
In later seasons, it also seems to be a lot more dealing with dysfunctional families, and Gordon Ramsay becomes a marriage/family counselor or something. I am more interested in watching Chef Ramsay, rather than Dr. Ramsay.
Also, kind of annoying to me, the several "previews" and "coming ups" which often are the same exact scenes shown 3 or 4 times in one show. Maybe this is a common thing to do in "reality" shows, I'm not sure because I don't usually watch this type of show. This, and the UK version of kitchen nightmares, are the only "reality" type show I have watched more than 2 or 3 episodes of. This show is worth watching though, Gordon Ramsay is awesome.
I enjoyed the show, which is the main reason for a person to watch a show; and would recommend it for a watch. -
keirster2 April 2010I was first hooked on "Hell's Kitchen" and now this show is a must as well. Do they do certain things to create tension? Absolutely, this is television! All in all, it is refreshing to see a renowned chef come into a location and turn it around with his expertise as well as improve the decor. I would guess they pick locations where the owners are sure to clash with Gordon, but he can handle himself just fine. Some of the owners and chef's at these restaurants need a good kick in the pants to show them that just because you can own a restaurant or that you can cook, doesn't mean that you should. It is all about passion for what you do. I love the British TV version as well. The only down side is that I get REALLY hungry when I watch all the good dishes that Gordon prepares.
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ralphjones-8800215 September 2020I love the show, I love the short commercials and everything about the program. Please keep it going.
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musette-geo2 March 2012Self-involved chef wreaks havoc in restaurants! Gordon Ramsay proclaims "It's a disaster" in far too many episodes of this television series. Why on earth would people put themselves through the browbeating and bullying they must endure in order to be on this show? Let's see: a newly remodeled restaurant, much media, free publicity, a re-launch of your business with Papa Ramsay's food, compelling reasons to be humiliated.
I wonder if the participants get extra money if they cry? After watching the "Burger Kitchen" double-header I was moved to write my first review. Gordon, go back to England and take the weirdo fedora twins from BK with you!
P.S. Hopefully some viewers will have been to England and appreciate the stunning mediocrity of English fare. Perhaps a chef who hails from a country that is known for its cuisine would be more appropriate. This current host is "a disaster"! -
sundarfromlasvegas16 February 2013Gordon Ramsay, uses four letter words as a pretense, pas tense, as a verb, proverb,noun, pronoun and adjunctive. In fact,he will do very well if he opens a school for higher learning on the use of this particular line of linguistic studies not far from other famous Englishman who lived in Statford-on-Avon. He is also an equal opportunity user of the word. The series is amazing and riveting,in the sense of his astute and quick observation, as to what is wrong with the business (he can probably consult on any business not just food,) and how to fix it, at his cost and all costs. Initially there is resentment and he is rebuffed by everyone starting with the hired chef but not much as the owner-chef. When the restaurant turns around a profit (best example was the American Soul food cafe in Bristol and the Jackson's in Blackpool.) Few of them (mostly the poor owners, seems to be more appreciative and think he is the Messiah. The very rich go back to their old habits, since they have the money to burn or in the business of laundering money? After watching this series and "Top Chef" on DVD, you tend to look at the industry differently. The dirty kitchen, the chefs tasting the food and putting the spoon right back into the dish (disguisting and unhygienic) Ramsay,is brilliant and a master at all tasks. By by the end of each episode, his language that seemed so revolting to the viewers, seems so appropriate for the few of the owners and chefs working with no clue as to sanitation, cooking skills or business acumen. Ramsay is the 'Kojak" of restaurant business (No impala with siren or lollipop) After seeing the behind the scenes of the kitchen..wonder anyone venture to eat in any restaurant, unless it is prepared in front of you or even better..home cooking.
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eightyxreads27 July 2022I recently discovered this show on a random Samsung TV channel while searching for something for my TV to default to when my Playstation inevitable turns off at night. I found myself hooked even when all I was doing was reading the subtitles with no sound, and I ended up going out of my way to watch all of the episodes on Hulu.
I definitely understand now how Gordon Ramsay has gained so much popularity over the years. He is harming, yet firm and direct. He does not sugar-coat, yet gives credit where it's due. I will say he's a bit eccentric with the way he is fascinated by digging his fingers in rotten food and smelling it.
I love looking up to see if a restaurant failed or ended up succeeding after the show, but unfortunately it looks like they have about a 95% fail rate. That of course, is not due to the show, but often they had a very slim chance of survival before even contacting the show due to poor management of finance, business, and product.
The only reason I didn't give this show a ten was because it did seem a bit repetitive at times and sometimes the designers did an awful job at styling the restaurants. Otherwise, this show was great and totally not a waste of 100 hours of my life. :) -
mattedj30 December 2007There's some fun here and some interesting stories about the 'behind-the- scenes' of the restaurant bidness....but there's only so many variations that can be addressed in the industry. There's only a few different thing that formulate the demise of a restaurant....after about 5 shows, you've got the point about what goes to crap in a restaurant. I could get into the details of some of the phoniness that Gordon puts on to exemplify the grossness of some of the foods he eats. But it more looks like a desperate attempt to make something interesting out of an idea he knows has a short life span. The show will get canceled in a short bit, you'll see.
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careerfahadiqbal20 June 2022He is one of the best when it comes to grilling some bbq or even restaurant owners but he is also awesome when he appreciates some of the better restaurants for their recipes .
I starting watching his series while searching to watch it online and i find it on a website called the cook book and i fell in love with this show. An asolutely thrill to watch him go nuts on some of the people in the series. -
Gordon Ramsay's "Kitchen Nightmares" is a reality TV show that follows the famous chef as he tries to turn around struggling restaurants. While some episodes may seem staged and fake, the show does a great job of capturing the drama and tension of the restaurant industry.
Some episodes are truly cringy, with restaurant owners who are in denial about the state of their business or who have no business being in the industry at all. However, the show also features some truly inspiring moments, as Ramsay and his team help struggling restaurants get back on their feet.
What sets "Kitchen Nightmares" apart from other cooking shows is its focus on the business side of the restaurant industry. Ramsay doesn't just focus on the food and the kitchen, but also on the management, marketing, and finances of the restaurants he visits.
Overall, "Kitchen Nightmares" is an entertaining and educational series that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and rewards of running a restaurant. Despite its flaws, the show is a must-watch for anyone interested in the food industry or just looking for some good reality TV. -
simmayorimdb20 December 2020In Kitchen Nightmares, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay performs restaurant makeovers.
Ramsay visits restaurants that are losing money and about to close. He investigates problems, cleans up kitchens, updates menus, redecorates dining rooms.
This TV show isn't educational. It's mainly just entertainment. It isn't really about food; it's about people. Although it might be described as reality TV, much of what's presented isn't entirely true.
The recurring theme is that restaurants are failing, and they're failing because the owners or managers are delusional. Their food's perfect. It's the best. Customers aren't returning and the restaurants are losing money. No idea why, but it can't be the food. The food's terrible. No, it's the best. No, it's disgusting. No, people love it.
Of course, the food is always the problem, or at least that's the way Ramsay tells it.
Many restaurants have complained, after the their episodes aired, that they were misrepresented. Some have even sued. So who's right and who's wrong?
Kitchen Nightmares is not a documentary. It's about entertainment. The events shouldn't be taken as literally true, because in many cases, they aren't. Statements are taken out of context. Snippets of video are pieced together to create fights that never happened. Crucial details are intentionally suppressed.
One episode shows a cook dropping a piece of chicken on the floor, picking it up, and placing it back in a fryer. What they left off the show: the cook wasn't an employee at the restaurant. He was hired by the producers of Kitchen Nightmares to work there temporarily, while they were filming.
That the events are sensationalized is self-evident. In nearly every episode preview, the narrator proclaims that the next restaurant to be helped is 'the worst restaurant ever' on the show, or 'the most disgusting kitchen', or the episode is 'the most explosive'.
While Kitchen Nightmares is not literally accurate, it does effectively convey what Ramsay feels. Restaurant owners don't want to face reality, don't listen to feedback, and won't change. The steak's undercooked. No, it's good. The onions are burnt. No, they're correct. The customers are unhappy. Well, they're wrong. Customers aren't coming back. My food's the best. We have to fix these problems. No, we don't need to change anything. So Ramsay resorts to yelling, swearing, drama, and over-the-top theatrics. Explaining calmly didn't work, so maybe something else will.
Having been to hundreds of restaurants myself, I'm fairly sure Ramsay is right about this point. Whether they are ultimately good or not, the vast majority of restaurants refuse to listen to criticism and can't fix mistakes.
And this is where Kitchen Nightmares is brilliant. It takes a fairly complex industry and makes it accessible. We see what Ramsay sees. We face challenges as he faces them. We experience his vocation.
Kitchen Nightmares glorifies Gordon Ramsay. Nearly all episodes end on a happy note. Ramsay has turned things around. He's their savior. They can be proud of their food again. Does Ramsay deserve such high praise?
The real numbers are grim. About two-thirds of restaurants on Kitchen Nightmares closed within a few years. 80 percent have now closed. Maybe Ramsay's method of screaming at people doesn't teach them anything. Maybe most people simply aren't capable of learning. Maybe the TV show was just about money. Maybe people aren't willing to change.
It's unclear how much Ramsay has helped these restaurants. Different viewers will come to different conclusions. What isn't controversial is this: it was a fast-paced, eventful, provocative attempt. -
This ramsey show was often copied in different countries, but never in the same quality, even though the show itself isn't the topping of the cake called television entertainment either.
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buchan196523 August 2009It's sad to see what has happened to this show in its American incarnation.
Typical of American television, and of Fox in particular, the wonderful BBC original "Kitchen Nightmares" has been Jerry Springer-ized for the U.S. market.
Let's review each show, shall we? There's the:
1. short intro of troubled restaurant
2. Gordon arrives, eats, makes catty remarks about the food
3. confronts chef/owner, initiates shouting match
4. more shouting in the kitchen ("it's rotten!" ."the kitchen is closed!" .."you're going to kill people!")
5 Totally phony "drama" as Gordon morphs into Dr. Phil and holds a family therapy session for the beleaguered owners. Lots of phony tears, lots of phony "concern" from Gordon.
6. chef/owner resists Gordon's changes, more shouting
7. Gordon's people remodel restaurant, Gordon introduces new menu
(repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 here, then cue the...)
8. happy ending, chef/owner admits how right Gordon was and they were wrong
The change in tone from the British version is jarring -- in the BBC incarnation, Gordon's critiques of the food are exactly what you'd expect from a professional chef who genuinely wants to help get a troubled eating establishment back on its feet.
In the American version, his comments are rude, crass, and boorish -- obviously meant to elicit the kind of hooting and howling reaction that you see from an audience on the Jerry Springer Show. Would any true professional, when tasting a not-so-great meal, call it "a big pile of pubic hair"? But at least it gets the mouth-breathers who watch Fox hooting, right on cue. Add to that, it now seems every restaurant is now family owned, which gives the dullards at Fox the chance to give us fake, phony, staged family therapy sessions. Anyone who really thinks they're seeing anything "real" on this show needs to have their head examined.
And EVERY show has him saying "this is the worst meal I've ever had in my entire life!" Yeah, right. Phony.
There seems to be a conscious effort to get people screaming at each other as quickly as possible (this way, the idiot narrator can say "next week's show is Gordon's biggest...challenge...YET!"). His favorite method is to call the chef/manager/owner "a fake", and that usually does the trick (which is kind or ironic, since that's exactly what this show is), then when the person gets angry and argues back (or storms off), Gordon acts shocked (shocked! that there's gambling in Casablanca ).
The British version was informative and entertaining.
This American version is absolute garbage. Which is just par for the course on Fox.
Or, rather, IT'S ROTTEN!!!!!
barf