| The Late Night Cafe (non-food/cooking discussion) A general forum to discuss all non-food/cooking related topics. |
 | | 
05-23-2008, 06:21 AM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: Other | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: in a shed down the back
Posts: 18
| |  Deadset serious question: Are the cooks in H.e.l.l.s. Kitchen really cooks?
I was watching an episode the other night while waiting for the football to come on and I found myself asking - are these contestants really cooks or are they paid actors?
I realise American shows have a vastly different format to those made in Australia/Britain and I'm no Escoffier but some of things being done were so farcical and stuff that you learn in your first year that I began to think I was being taken for a ride and the entire thing was one big stage.
__________________ Nobody likes being told what to do.
Until they get lost. |
05-23-2008, 04:13 PM
|  | ChefTalk Moderator Culinary Experience: Professional Pastry Chef | | Join Date: May 1999 Location: Outside Dallas, BABY!!!
Posts: 2,471
| |
The culinary student is at the CIA.
The rest, who knows? Call Central Casting! |
05-23-2008, 07:24 PM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: I Just Like Food | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Launceston, Tas, Australia
Posts: 1,514
| |
I've often wondered the same thing myself - some things that they fail to be able to do could be done by any half-way basic at home cook (I include myself in that list). It's almost embarassing to watch.
But then, its just entertainment 
Love the show hehe
__________________
Don't be too hard on yourself - others will do that for you |
05-23-2008, 08:47 PM
|  | ChefTalk Supporter Culinary Experience: Retired Chef | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Commonwealth of Virginia
Posts: 1,223
| |
Actually the question was discussed amongst friends here at the oldschool house hold the other day. To be honest We couldn't find any rational behind the the majority of the contestants chosen to appear on the show and their abilities. (Or lack there of.)
No we have no idea whether this is true or not but our collective opinion was that there were only 2-3 real contestants that had some current professional backgound. The rest were, as m brown eluded to being from "Central Casting", probably at one time or another hacked their way through a kitchen but not at the level you'd think or are led to believe. So it was decided that there are few to no "real" talented folks willing to give up their long sought and hard fought positions for a chance to..... 
It has been mentioned in other posts about Gordon Ramsay's other show's, etc. and we all agreed that we did enjoy him in those shows. Allbeit there is a flair for the dramatic in them, still once you get past that they really are watchable. we just believe this show has run it's course for being mildly realistic and is now just intent to be a spew fest of rants and raves by him. Pity. It could really be an enjoyable show to watch if only .................   |
05-24-2008, 11:15 AM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: At home cook | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilbert, Arizona
Posts: 229
| |
There's one thing I thoroughly enjoy about the show.
Each and every one of the contestants this year make me look reaaallly good driving the stove...
I particularly like how they stare at a flaming pan. Sort of like neanderthals, enraptured by the sight of fire... |
05-26-2008, 05:01 PM
|  | ChefTalk Moderator | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: SLC UT
Posts: 3,912
| |
They get lots of applicants. They pick the people most likely to fall apart on camera as that is what makes good TV.
If they picked competent people, it wouldn't attract much viewership. Sure, among the foodies, it would do well, but we're not a big enough market for primetime national TV. |
05-26-2008, 07:20 PM
| | | I personally don't care for the show...
I feel it does a dis-service to our field by perpetuating terrible stereotypes. I've been in many kitchens over 25 years and with very rare exception, I have run into very few of the attitudes, drama or circumstances often portrayed on the show as "typical".
Now, granted, kitchens can be atypical work-places and we often find oursleves working alongside of very strange animals- but if the crazzziness shown on this program were as prevelant as the producers seem to wish to convey, I'd have left the field long ago- or I'd be in a soft-room at the nuthouse by now!
That said, I also feel it's one of TV's best examples of "UN-Reality TV". I think it's a hoax/farse and I feel viewers are being led to believe that certain contestants have a high level of ability and certain others have a low level... and at times I sense that what we're being fed about specific centestants qualifications and histories might be the exact opposite of the true story. |
06-09-2008, 12:32 PM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: Culinary Student | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Northern, NJ
Posts: 306
| |
To anwser your question.....They are cooks because theres one girl on there (Cristene or how ever you spell it we just called her Cmac) She was an RA at my school (CIA).
So therefor she is a cook so everyone else must be too. But you and I as well as everyone else know that they are MANY MANY idiots in this feild that just need to give it up and go work somewhere on something else.
__________________
"Some of us Cook. Some of us Grow. All of us Eat." |
06-09-2008, 02:02 PM
| | | We play right into the producers hands when we're all so gullible!
Pul-leaze! Reality TV? Maybe this show can fool the novices and the McNugget-eaters, but no one who's cooked professionally can believe this farse-of-a-show! What is REAL about assembling a kitchen full of goofballs so lame that on day #1 they don't know chicken legs from froglegs, and then over the course of a TV Season watch them cry like babies, fall completely apart, then recover, get it together AND learn a lifetime of chef's tricks all in time to be awarded a top-notch restaurant to run a few short weeks later? Sorry folks- take CRAZY next door- I ain't buyin' any here! |
06-10-2008, 08:12 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Cook At Home | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: WI
Posts: 232
| |
Tonight's episode. Teaching in Ramsey's words, "domestic housewives" to cook. I'm surpised they didn't bring in "free range housewives". Let those cooks wrangle 'em. LOL.
Kevin |
06-10-2008, 08:48 PM
| | ChefTalk Supporter Culinary Experience: Retired Chef | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Commonwealth of Virginia
Posts: 1,223
| |
How about the Maître d' (Jean Phillip) running around the dining room telling the staff what to push. I thought the DW was gonna fall outta her chair when she saw that. I thought it was quite amusing too. 
They all have their moments but that Jen girl.......Dang! How????????What???????????? and Why??????????????????
I say Bobby and Jen on the block tonight. |
06-10-2008, 11:05 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: At home cook | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilbert, Arizona
Posts: 229
| |
Bingo, o' school...
Jen's been left for the drama...
Bobby "safed" himself right out of a job...
Petroza may be next, if her Jennnnness keeps her wits about her.
Ditch the fish, push the beef.
Wait a minnit, scratch the beef, move the chicken.
Screw it, tequila all around!!! |
06-11-2008, 12:46 AM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: Former Chef | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Lake Havasu City, AZ
Posts: 94
| |
The most amusing aspect of the show to me is that you can just stop service. I don't know how many nights I wish they would have just stopped service. |
06-11-2008, 04:53 AM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: At home cook | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kapolei, Hawaii
Posts: 322
| |
I am so behind on Hells Kitchen episodes I'm deliberately not watching anymore this season. All of the episodes seem to be on youtube though, I'll watch this season that way.
Yay, no more **!! |
06-15-2008, 12:09 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: I Just Like Food | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Launceston, Tas, Australia
Posts: 1,514
| |
Quote:
Originally Posted by DMT  I particularly like how they stare at a flaming pan. Sort of like neanderthals, enraptured by the sight of fire... | That's funny DMT
Maybe they can start banging the rocks together next.... most of them seem not very bright.
__________________
Don't be too hard on yourself - others will do that for you | | |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
| | |
|
