Robert Irvine versus Gordon Ramsay - Page 2

Kitchen Nightmares is both American and British. The American version began somewhat after and is based upon the British version. (Ramsay, right?)

Dinner Impossible is and American show. (Irvine?)

H3 Kitchen is an American show. (Ramsay)

I've dug Ramsay ever since he advocated eating horse meat. The guy's brutally honest, a **** good chef, and I'm embarrassed to admit I enjoy the machismo.

Irvine I know next to nothing about, but I'm learning more thanks to this thread. :)

Robert Irvine Is Just Hot!!!!!!!!
So He Wins Everything!

Eh, I dunno, Irvine's too bulky up top... he looks like a WWF "wrestler" who took too many steroids.

I think that what's been forgotten is that chefs are artists, and every artist has a different way of expressing themselves. Perhaps Irvine's quiet, no PR style of "real" cooking is how he's most comfotable. To compare him to Gordon Ramsay's balls-to-the-wall, flashy style is like comparing apples and oranges. Can you compare Picasso to van Gogh? Of course, but you would never come to a consensus because their art was individually fantastic. Ramsay has strength enough to run several restaurants worldwide, produce and star in television shows, and clearly stays fit and mentally sane. He's an amazing Chef, clearly. Michelin stars aren't given out like candy to anyone who's popular (Ahem, Bobby Flay), just like Academy Awards are never given out for popular films like Mission: Impossible. Irvine has come up in a very unique way and, judging from his show, is equally able to motivate and lead by different means.

I also am not familiar w/ Irvine... but I have to admit, I'd love to have the opportunity to cook w/ Ramsey. Perhaps I'm a bit warped, but I love the challenge.... LOL the first time I ever saw H#ll's Kitchen, I said "I'd like to be in his kitchen- I bet I could learn alot!" I have heard from people that have said he does have a foul mouth and he is arrogant (who of us isn't at times?), but much of what you see on the tv show is theatrics. Did you catch the Bon Appetite mag issue about 3 months ago that did an "at home w/ Ramsey"? photos and interviews with his 4 young children (they have sheep in their backyard) and his beautiful wife..... he has obviously has got a talent that goes beyond the kitchen (4 tv shows now???), whether you like him or not, you have to respect his business sense.

Better get your own style going tho, or you'll just be another "whoizzat"

Jayme - a couple of years ago, Ramsay raised small pigs in his back garden, and named them after Trinny and Susannah, two 'style' gurus. He sent them to market with great relish!

Previously he'd kept turkeys - and named them after prominent UK chefs... ditto the relish!

That made me laugh out loud when I read about it. :D But in truth I'm quite impressed--few if any of the most dedicated foodies raise their own meat, and I'd imagine Ramsay is quite keenly connected to his food.

He is.... just try eating at his restaurants (but whisper that in here, there are those that haven't eaten at any of his places, but are contemptuous about the man and his skills!)

It is made for TV. Now, Irvine, anyone that makes Mac&Cheese in a wheel barrow has to get some votes :D Ramsey I do like him, but if I worked for him, he would be on his A**. He does seem like a decent guy though. I'm just a I don't care who you are your NOT screaming at me type of person.:smiles:

Mike

I've not eaten food personally prepared by Gordon Ramsay nor Robert Irvine. I have eaten in a Gordon Ramsay owned restaurant and spoken at length with Ramsay. He is an extraordinary individual. Ramsay was cordial and very open. I cannot believe the criticism he's taken in this thread from people who have never met the man and have formed impressions based soley on what they've seen on an edited TV program.

Edited tv or not... it just says there may be two sides to the man, a nice and a nasty. I prefer people with just a nice side. There have been enough Ramsay insults and there has been enough footage of him screaming to make quite a few episodes of edited tv that show just his nasty side.

True, he has a nasty side, but isn't that how professional kitchens work? Experienced chefs I've talked with have said the head chef must at times be a monster in order to keep things running properly. You don't create a restaurant empire by coddling your staff. I think it's telling that he has so many loyal workers.

Not in the professional kitchen where I worked. Humiliating one's staff is not good leadership. If you have to be a monster to your employees, you're doing something dreadfully wrong. Does Ramsay have so many loyal workers? Or are they like the quintessential abused wife, with such low self-esteem that they fear nobody else would want them?

I like his philosophy, hey if you don't screw up you won't get bitched out right? He's not yelling at them to be mean or because he doesn't like them, it to provide a good experience for the customer and so the restaurant makes money.

Freerider - just look at the chefs who CHOOSE to run Ramsay kitchens here in the UK, including Marcus Wareing (ace, by the way!) at Petrus. He also promotes women... Always a plus in my book ;) - eg Angela Hartnett at the Connaught Gordon Ramsay's kitchen queen: Meet Angela Hartnett | Food monthly | The Observer

You can tell a lot about a person by doing some reading. Both Chef Ramsay and Chef Irvine have published books about themselves and their cooking.

The OP mentioned Chef Irvine in Kitchen Nightmares. Chef Irvine is not in any episode of that show. In that episode, Chef Ramsay was at an Italian restaurant in Long Island, NY named "Peter's". The big, beefy guy who was yelling and cursing was the manager and brother of the owner of "Peter's". His name is Peter Pelligrino, and I suppose he might look a bit like Chef Irvine on quick glance.

I am a fan of each of the chefs. Each has a cooking and leadership style that are at the same time delightful and insightful.

Chef Irvine is a master event planner and cook. Anyone who can cook gourmet foods at the incredible level of precision that Irvine does, all while cooking in conditions that are truly less than ideal, is a master. His "kitchen" conditions, per the show's theme, is what makes Chef Irvine shine. He has had a tremendous success in his career cooking for the royal family, US presidents, special events, etc. D:I is an excellent display of his prowess to "make it work". He and Chef Ramsay are totally different. I don't believe Chef Ramsay cooks for massive crowds, served all at once, buffet style using huge commercial pots and pans. Chef Irvine's cooking is "large scale" while Chef Ramsay is individual servings made to order.


Chef Ramsay has numerous Michelin stars spread across his restaurants. I believe his only failure was the Glasgow, Scotland restaurant that didn't meet the tastes of the clientèle location. His staff are loyal - his restaurants are run by chefs who have worked for Chef Ramsay for years. His trust is in them for one reason alone - they consistently meet his high standards. Call him a callous prig if you must, but don't believe for a second that he does not know his food, restaurants, and staff. Yes, he yells a lot on HK but those cooks don't meet his standards and that is the demand of them in that show. (Plus the drama!)

I'd work for either chef at any moment's notice and learn absolutely everything I could.

(Side note: HK is a British show. Chef Ramsay was the man at the pass during season one. I believe Chef Marco Pierre White is at the helm now. The US version is a cousin to the UK version. As is Kitchen Nightmares.)

I ate at Ramsay's Glasgow restaurant. It wasn't a good meal.... probably the only one I've eaten at a Ramsay place that wasn't.

You should have called him to your table and told him, lol.

I would work for Chef Ramsay in a heartbeat..as someone said on this thread, the knowledge to be gleaned would be amazing.

There are those who kiss *** and there are those who find their own way. Who is brilliant? An imitator? Find your own way to excel or you are just a would-have-been :D

Perhaps we should go to all the great chefs and home cooks and ask which one of them learned to cook well without watching someone else (i.e. their mothers) cook... I think you'll be surprised at the replies ;).

I really want to get into it here, but I don't have time yet . So I'll save it for later. but I will say this pms(Private Messages ) are suppose to be (private) when you reveal them. It makes your age seem younger. like 5 or 6 years old,talk to you later. ta ta for now.

Kiss ***? Never have, never will...have been in this business for 29 years, learned the basics from a really good chef and have added my own spin..I am what I want to be. I happen to like Gordon Ramsay, just MY opinion.

Errrm, I did not repeat what was said in the PMs. I merely reported that there was a difference of opinion between me and the person I was addressing about how good or not a certain chef was....

I seem younger? 5-6 years old? No, that would be you, judging by this post.

So, I'll go and stand in the naughty corner until you get back to take me to task then....

These are two successful chefs who happen to be on TV. How boring and ho-hum their quickly cancelled programs would be without putting some personnality and dramatics into it. Personally, I enjoy both programs, could do without some of the beeped out cussing, and would really like to taste their cooking. And as purely a sexist aside, wouldn't mind cooking with either of them. :crazy:

Interesting topic. Anthony Bourdain in his book "A Cooks Tour" talks about Ramsay very highly. IIRC he said Ramsay's attention to detail and the loyalty from his staff was amazing.
George