chef/cook

I, like many others, have worked for the Ramsay types.
While not fun to be yelled at, the trade off is the knowledge you can gain.
Even a bad experience is a learning experience.
If you can work for his kind, you can work for anyone.
Well, almost.
I'll take a Gordon Ramsay any day over a Chef who can't make up their mind, isn't consistent in what they tell you, or tries to make you look bad just so they look good to the owners.

And to define Ramsay solely as a screaming, foul-mouthed bully is doing him a dis-service.
Even in his shows you can see other sides to him.
He is a perfectionist, and obviously won't tolerate mediocrity.

I would jump at the chance to learn from him.
I'm sure at times he'd have me shaking in anger so much that my saute' pan would move on it's own accord.

We have all worked with Chef's who think their crap comes out in plastic bags..initially when I first saw one of the ****'s Kitchen shows I thought..whoa...but I have since read about Gordon Ramsay and I will agree with Jim..I too would jump at the chance to work with him.

I would work in a Ramsay kitchen any day of the week. If u cant take the heat... well, you know the rest of the saying.

GR, as is most any Michelen starred chef, is in a different league.

After a few years I learned that unless the chef is one of those chefs who's work and pedegree is on that high level, it is NEVER, I repeat NEVER worth it to sit back and take abuse.

Now I am going to qualify that by saying that if you have less than a couple of years under your belt, you are likley to take some slagging under most circumstances. That's ok and to be expected. It trains you to focus your mind.

And you can often tell what is really going on by this simple test. Ask yourself:

Is chef the same guy at the end of the day? His he still an A-hole after the day is done? Or does he suddenly revert to his non-chef self, who is something of a better person? Is each day a new day, with the prior days mistakes and problems set aside? A blank sheet to draw a prettier picture? Or does chef keep a permanent scorecard by which he compiles a list of unforgivable defects he sees in you, one you can never earn your way past?

Ask yourself those questions to reveal your chef's motives. Is he mentoring you? Or simply treating you as a thrall?

Outside those circumstances? If you really feel like you didn't earn abuse, tell chef to *F* himself, drop your apron and run. Because he's not the only one who knows things. He's not ever going to be the only way for you to learn, and he's probably never going to deliver on his rhetoric, his commitments, or his promises to you, if any. You are being used. GET OUT.