THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN UPDATED (JULY 21, 2014). >> http://foodiegossip.blogspot.com/2014/07/hells-kitchen-winners-where-are-they-now.html
With the end of the 9th season of Hell’s Kitchen, it seems appropriate to follow the previous winners of Hell’s Kitchen and catch up with their successes… or lack thereof. How many chefs actually received the prizes they were promised? How many of them went on to become successful chefs in the culinary world? Do any of the winners still have a chip on their shoulder from their experiences at Fox TV's Hell's Kitchen?
With no further ado, the winners of the first 8 seasons of Hell’s Kitchen!
The winner of Hell’s KitchenSeason 1 was Michael Wray. Chef Gordon Ramsay offered Wray the choice of opening a restaurant, or going to London and to learn under Chef Ramsay. Michael chose to learn under Chef Ramsay. Michael later changed his mind before going on the trip because he thought the experience would be too stressful for his family. Now he works as the Executive Head Chef at The Standard in Los Angeles, California. He also owns his own custom chef's knives company called, appropriately, Skull and Cleavers.
Heather West was the winner of Hell's Kitchen Season 2. For the prize, she was to become Executive Chef at an Italian restaurant called Terra Rossa at Red Rock Resort Spa and Casino in Las Vegas. However, Heather only became Senior Chef. She now works as head chef in a restaurant called Monterey Restaurant in Long Beach, New York.
Rahman "Rock" Harper won Hell's Kitchen Season 3. His prize was to become the Head Chef at Terra Verde at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson. He fulfilled his contract as Head Chef for one year. Rahman later worked in restaurants throughout Washington, DC. Rahman joined the staff of a DC restaurant called Next Door in 2008. He supported and helped in the March of Dimes Signature Chef’s Auction in Louisville, Kentucky on November 11th, 2010.
Christina Machamer won Hell's Kitchen Season 4, and the prize to become Executive Chef at the Gordon Ramsay at the London West Hollywood Hotel. Instead, she was given the position of Senior Chef under Executive Chef Andy Cook. She then took some time off to study wine and viticulture at The Culinary Institute at Greystone in Napa Valley. Currently, she is a member of the opening team at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro in Beverly Hills.
Danny Veltri won Season 5 of Hell's Kitchen. He became Sous Chef under Stephen Kalt at Fornelletto at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Originally, he was supposed to be the Head Chef at another restaurant built at the Casino. When he didn’t become Head Chef, Danny quit and began consulting. He then created a catering company called Back From Hell Catering, poking at his experience in "Hell's Kitchen.” He then joined with a group of investors that wanted to create a surf bar with food. He is now Chef of the Gnarly Surf Bar & Grill near the Intracoastal Waterway in Central Florida.
Dave Levey won Hell's Kitchen Season 6, and the prize of Head Chef at Araxi Restaurant and Bar in Whistler, British Columbia. However, as we mentioned earlier, he was treated like a line-cook. He worked at Araxi Restaurant until the end of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Currently, he is in Nashville helping his sister with her music career.
Holli Ugalde won Hell's Kitchen Season 7, which was supposed to follow with the position as Executive Chef at The Savoy in London. However, she could not get a visa to work in the UK. Ugalde called that explanation an excuse, saying, "I don't know if they even applied for my visa." Ugalde accepted an undisclosed amount of cash instead. She now has a job as the Signature Chef of a new restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Florida called B Ocean.
Nona Sivley won Hell's Kitchen Season 8, along with the prize position as Head Chef at LA Market at JW Marriott Hotel in Los Angeles as well as the opportunity to be a spokesperson for Rosemount Estate Wines. She is now working as Chef de Cuisine at LA Market with Celebrity chef Kerry Simon.
It seems there is a serious trend that either HK winners do not get their prize, get the title of the prize, but not the responsibility, or they leave their position as soon as their contract is fulfilled. It almost seems pointless to go through all the pain and suffering that we witness season after season. However, every winner seems to say the same thing about the show… it is the BEST experience of their lives!
With the end of the 9th season of Hell’s Kitchen, it seems appropriate to follow the previous winners of Hell’s Kitchen and catch up with their successes… or lack thereof. How many chefs actually received the prizes they were promised? How many of them went on to become successful chefs in the culinary world? Do any of the winners still have a chip on their shoulder from their experiences at Fox TV's Hell's Kitchen?
With no further ado, the winners of the first 8 seasons of Hell’s Kitchen!
It seems there is a serious trend that either HK winners do not get their prize, get the title of the prize, but not the responsibility, or they leave their position as soon as their contract is fulfilled. It almost seems pointless to go through all the pain and suffering that we witness season after season. However, every winner seems to say the same thing about the show… it is the BEST experience of their lives!
Heather West is currently (as of Feb.14, 2012) working at Ciao Baby! in Massapequa, Long Island, N.Y.
ReplyDeleteHeather is now at (or also at) the Commack, Long Island, NY location. I was there last night 02/14/13 for dinner. EXCELLENT FOOD!!!! She came by our table to check on things several times!
DeleteYay! Thanks for posting that! I haven't checked on her in a long time but just came across the article about the winners...
DeleteI happened to be in LV when she was still at Terra Rosa, so our group made the LOOOONG taxi ride out to Red Rock Resort and had my birthday dinner there! It was a great experience and she even brought out my slice of cheese cake with a candle on it, sang happy birthday with everyone, and gave me a cute autograph!
She's hot.
She's sweet!
She was one of my favs from HK.
I'm glad to hear she's doing well but bummed she's on the other coast!
She's awesome and thanks for posting that update about her.
When you read this, it seems pretty fake...
ReplyDeleteStill love the show though :P
Madaaam? Madaaaam? come here !!! You , you, you, you, and you... GET OUT !!!!! - Love Gordon
Deleteshows good but now I won't watch it the reason is I don't like fake shows and lies its sad they don't get the prize and the possession
DeleteDanny V. has joined with the Sinatra Family and opened a authentic Italian restaurant call "Sinatra's" It's in a little town called Cassadaga, in central Florida. I haven't been but my friends have a few times and I guess its amazing. They said he came to the table and looked great and was very personable. We'll check it out and I'll report back.
DeleteDanny Veltri is no longer @ Gnarley Surf Bar & Grill in New Smyrna Beach, FL. My family & I had lunch there last Friday.. He is back @ Flip Flops, and I have been referred to him about catering my wedding from another caterer that is booked for my day. :-)
ReplyDeletegood to know I had a planned dinner stop on my way from St Augustine to Melbourne
DeleteHe's shopping for work now. He opened a spaghetti place that tanked in Clearwater and now applying for exec at a very low end country club in pinellas county
DeleteDid he end up married?
DeleteWell even though they didn't get the job, they still have something AWESOME to put on their resume, who wouldn't hire them after working for almost a year with Gordon Ramsay!
ReplyDeleteI agree! What an awesome experience, except...they don't work with him for that year as I understand it. They work with the staff at the restaurant they go to.
DeleteEither way, what a great highlight for a resume and they have to learn a lot about cooking and themselves! :)
Beginning with season 8 the show got incredibly fake and cartoonish. You can tell a lot of these people are hired actors or improv comedians. I really enjoyed the first 7 seasons (other than season 4) but if it doesn't get better with season 9 (I'm catching up) I'm done with the show. Fox is a joke lately and many cable company's no longer carry the channel.
ReplyDeleteI agree - the characters they put on the show are ridiculous. They are scraping the bottom of the barrel with the type of cooks they use. They are so unpolished. Master Chef at least has real talent in their contestants. Then another step above that are the contestants of Top Chef. But no matter....I watch them all!
DeleteI've been watching since night one. I still enjoy it. I'm not sure why the cooks are so crappy the last couple of seasons, but I do know they live on very little sleep and their brains are fogged! I don't know why the skill level seems so shabby now compared to previous years...
DeleteMaster Chef is great! I love all of Gordon Ramsay's shows...not sure if the F Word is still taping, though. :(
I think most of these winners would have a pretty good case for breach of contract if the price as advertised is not being honored.
ReplyDeleteThe price "as advertised" is being honored (except for Holli, but I think that just before that season finished filming, the UK changed its laws to make it very hard for a foreigner to get a work visa for a position in which somebody from the UK could be hired). It's not Gordon's fault if you infer that "head chef" means "you run the kitchen". In fact, this year, they made it quite clear that the winner, although called a "head chef," would still be working under the restaurant's Executive Chef.
DeleteSeems HIGHLY unlikely that a smart businessman like Gordon Ramsay is going to turn over a Las Vegas operation with his name on it to a contest winner. It's 'Reality TV,' folks, you don't expect, uh, reality, do you?
DeleteYup, UK immigration specifically changed the law to make it illegal for a person to take a job overseas as part of a prize on a TV show, so there was really nothing Ramsay could do about that)
DeleteYou know, I don't blame him for not using the winners because frankly they suck. Ramsay's restaurants have Michelin stars, some of them are here in America. Do you know how hard it is to have an American restaurant with Michelin stars? Almost impossible. Frankly, I have yet to really see a chef on the show I'm okay with being a head chef at a Michelin star restaurant. Furthermore, even if they don't get the prize they are promised being taught by Ramsay and his number 2 chef is a huge deal. In fact that in it's self is a prize. Michael Wray having the option to learn under Ramsay is such a fantastic option.
ReplyDeleteI don't blame Gordon for not giving them a head chef job because he give them this experience they would never get otherwise, and it opens so many options for them.
I'm with you. Exactly...These guys are not chefs and watching them season after season, I would not give them a restaurant to run.jut because they win doesn't mean they get to ruin someone's reputation. A few weeks does not make a master chef. What they do walk away with is the knowledge and experience that Ramsey gives them that is worth more than money can buy...they should be grateful , they have a great résumé now....
Deleteyou guys have not done your homework. and im way to tired to explain why you are wrong. you don't like the show it seems. however. i do. but they know by saying "head chef", "your own restaraunt", that most of us don't know that they are not getting anything except money. and they are only with gordon for a few months. not almost a year. They should just call it what it is. that for me would be good enough. but what they did to hollie? that was such a shame. all of them. i think it's really horrible....i don't care what doors you think it opens. it doesn't. not as many as you think. and only the last two or three can take advantage of it. the others are just sheep. Gordon says he hates liers. its his show. he is the lier. and it's getting harder to watch him. i think as a person he sucks now.
DeleteThat's what you get for running a businss like a game of survivor. A bad way to get the best people.
DeleteDoesn't seem worth the stress and being treated like trash by Gordon to me.
DeleteI am not surprised that none of them got to be the Executive Chef as this job carries a lot of responsibilities and requires years of experience, not just by winning on a TV show.
ReplyDeleteStill love what Gordon,. "I mean Chef Ramsey",. Brings to the table., now watch him 3 nights a week!,. Hellz Kitchen,. Masterchef,. An now,. Hotel Hell!,. Keep em' coming FoX!,. Never enough of Gordon!
ReplyDeleteKeep up this great blog and keep great information coming for new people like me.
ReplyDeletenuvali laguna
how was the winner of hell's kitchen? and master chef?
ReplyDeleteDoesn't the first season (the only one I've watched) start by stating that "...the winner will WIN their very own restaurant?" So now how do I force
ReplyDeletemyself to watch any more of this mockery of a show knowing that no one WINS a restaurant, instead becoming an ordinary kitchen worker (regardless of title)?
I knew it from the start that there was something fishy about the show when it first came out. Quite a few of my friends have watched it while I stubbornly
stayed in the dark all these years and now I know why. I see no reason now after all these years to continue watching it. I would like to point out I was
starting to enjoy "Kitchen Nightmares" but it became really repetitive really quickly. Ramsay comes into a restaurant with people that argue and don't get
along in some fashion. They serve him food and, surprise-surprise, he doesn't like it. Then he goes back to the kitchen, comments on the ineffiency and mess,
barks out orders, then changes the menu to suit his idea of what should be served. I have to admit that I have only watched a few shows and may have
missed this but does he ever just get them to cook their own recipes better? Is all he there for is to get his own recipes cooked instead? I remember one show
where someone was being criticized for taste-testing the food with his fingers and then just a few moments later I see Ramsay taste-test with a spoon and go
back to stirring with the same spoon. I've been through Serv-Safe as a requirement of working in kitchens at a world-renowned language camp (Concordia
Language Villages). A couple of the items we were taught about keeping food safe was utilizing hair-nets and gloves. Now I know that I was working at a
camp and not a sit-down restaurant so I'm not sure if hair only falls out in a camp setting or if it happens in restaurants too. I'm not sure about the
physics differences between types of kitchens when it comes to keeping hair on the head, not in the food. I'm not sure if germs on the hands only migrate from
the hands to the food and utensils being handled while working in a camp kitchen or if they know that they are in a sit-down restaurant and somehow know to stay
on the hands only. I wonder why Ramsay didn't get those kitchens he "saved" (Kitchen Nightmares) or the contestants (Hell's Kitchen) to do that?
Anyways, long rant short: "This show is bullocks!"
Were you trying for iambic pentameter there, Craig Myran, or is your computer formatted for poetry?
DeleteIt is harder to read with all the carriage returns...
DeleteFYI If you want people to read your posts then shorten them. Get to the point and finish. I don't even get (or read) greeting cards that look like this. If I want to read on and on I'll read a book.
DeleteI read it.. Lazy ass... -.- And i agree I have worked at 2 restaurants throughout my time and have always wondered about the TV chefs hygiene rules .... It is as if it only applies to everybody except TV chefs...
DeleteOnly the first season advertised winning "their own restaurant", the rest advertise winning "a $250,000 salary as head chef at [insert name of restaurant/location here]" The first guy was offered to instead train under Chef Ramsay directly, which he accepted on the show, but later turned down. It seems the rest (save Holli) got their prize, but the title "head chef" didn't end up meaning "run the kitchen". I assume they still received a $250,000 salary...or else we'd be hearing about it in the news. As far as hygiene...I don't know too many restaurants that insist on hair nets and gloves. I don't know why, but apparently it doesn't violate any health codes...only times I've seen them used are in more manufacturing settings, such as factories or demo carts in a store. I don't make health and safety rules, so I don't know why there's a difference.
DeleteCurrently watching season 10, and though some of them might be good after a few years of training, none of them deserves to be a head chef.
ReplyDeleteTechnically they weren't lied to. Gordon states that they have the opportunity to become the head chef, and a quarter of a million dollar salary. He never says they actually 'get' to run the their own restaurant right away. It's kind of like when something says 'up to and including'. It means it's possible, but not a full on guarantee. More than likely it's worded that way because they'll get the time to work under the executive chef and learn how to actually run it. Like a rookie sitting the bench and learning from the veteran.
ReplyDeleteThis is right. He never says that they will be the chef but get to have the opportunity to become the chef but of course most of them do not meet that standard of quality so end up leaving with some going on to other ownerships or other types of work even but they do get the money no matter which they choose to do
DeleteThe idea that someone with very limited skill and experience would actually be placed in charge of a million dollar kitchen is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that the prize restaurants intend to make a profit.
They all get some money, and tons of exposure, and that's the real prize. Most of these guys would be career line cooks if not for this show.
Danny V is where he deserves to be. Slopping burgers and grouper sandwiches.
ReplyDeleteHis arrogance shows when he decided to quit. I can see him now still proclaiming he's the best.
Danny V is busted or DUI and they fired him I think
Deleteread it somewhere else...
hope someone can throw a light on this,,
Clearly that's what I refer to a lovely blog article! Do you utilize this website for your private goals exclusively or you basically use it to get profit with its help?
ReplyDeleteI saw all kitchen nightmares and I mean all. watched every season of hells kitchen, seen both seasons of master chef and watch hotel hell, I do want gordons cookbooks. He is obviously a great chef, just read a article, that his step father ripped off his restaurant,that his empire started to fall in 2011. but i cant believe reading this here that the winners of hells kitchen dont actually get their positions. But yes going into any restaurant saying you were under gordon's wing will get you alot of jobs, but damn does he make you look like shit. he is my favorite chef love to meet him and get treated like shit,but kitchen nightmares read up on it. alot of the restaurants dont make it. in the UK someone said 8 out of 22 only made it, that because people cant change in a week or two he goes into restaurants that are shitty with a lazy or stubborn owner that will make a great show. he gets paid 250 thousand a episode. checked his net worth seems 50 to 118 million cant seem to get the right answer. anyway im up at 3 am right now and watching the first season i started watchin it at the 4th season. and thats when I really liked his mean dictator ass (not homo way) but I want his recipes still didnt get his cook books. but honestly i worked in alot of restaurants , to make it in a restaurant as a owner nowadays IS NEXT to impossible that is why i wont go to culinary school if i do for that it will be a back up just to know. but anyway wow cant believe alot of chefs dont get their promised position.but I always like to look alot of info up like this blog i just finding by googling something about the show, Like first season so flipino girl is his sous chef then I remember andi a cute blond sous chef. also that belgum whatever ya spell it. GERMAN maitre de Pierre left all i kept reading was he left to run ramsays restaurant and some other gaylord french guy named james took his spot. anyway i just like to hear if sous chefs said F you ramsay and left him or sous chef. next week starts season 11 and i read just a minute ago that pierre guy is coming back what happened to james that french guy i was just talking about. anyway BIG diffirent from the very first season to 11th just a way about it.any questions email me at gtf1083@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteHe also has another show... http://www.bbcamerica.com/gordon-ramsays-ultimate-cookery-course/ It's absolutely fantastic!
DeleteAs for Kitchen Nightmares, did you see the where are they 1 yr later episodes? You would know that some or most, made it. Always do a follow up.
As for his staff on HK...Scott does his own thing in addition to HK. If you read his bio it states he's even went to London and worked at one of Gordon's restaurants.
He also consults with Gordon on Kitchen Nightmares. So, he wasn't ran off.
Andi is very involved with Gordon's empire. Here is an excerpt from her bio on Fox: " has worked with Chef Gordon Ramsay as Sous Chef for the past six seasons on HELL'S KITCHEN and the last three seasons of KITCHEN NIGHTMARES. She has helped open Chef Ramsay’s restaurants in Montreal, Canada and Gordon Ramsay Steak in Las Vegas. As Sous Chef, she keeps the teams and restaurants on task and performing up to Gordon Ramsay's unrelenting standards. Additionally, she is currently working on MASTERCHEF as a Culinary Producer and is set to go on the road again with Chef Ramsay to film HOTEL HELL later this Spring.."
I think if we don't see someone, it's probably because they're doing they're own engagements or something else for Gordon.
You sounds like you might have a blast on Top Chef! If you ever do something like that, I hope you post so we can cheer you on!
one more thing, I think the treatment on HK is rather a boot camp for them...if they can handle enormous stress and Gordon's chew, they can handle ANYTHING. He's not an ass but he can surely be an ass. It's not about his ego...it's about quality and the customers. :)
exactly!
ReplyDeleteWhy are the contestants so crude? Does anyone want to hire someone who is belligerent and clearly can't play nice with others? Why does the show pick these kind of people?
ReplyDeleteIt's television, duh. They choose people who will make great drama. I've never gone through the process of becoming a contestant on a reality show before, but I bet the people on Hell's Kitchen are picked by their personality as much as their cooking skill--if not moreso!
DeleteLooking at all these comments to see if anyone else was scammed like myself as I replied to an ad to be a contestant on Master Chef. The guy interviewed me on the phone , at the end asking for me to pay a fee claiming to be a talent agent for all of these reality shows. I'm wondering please enlighten me , do these Hells Kitchen contestants have to pay a fee as well?
DeleteDavid Levy, winner of season 6, is Executive Chef of The Public House in Chester, NJ
ReplyDeleteI agree that most of them don't deserve to be executive (or even head) chefs. However, the show should make the prize appropriate and fulfill their promises.
ReplyDeleteI do believe the show is real in the most part as in the cooking, weekly challenges and dislike against other competitors. What I know is fake and its normal practice is the fighting that goes on between the competitors. A lot of that are the producers trying to make small things make something bigger to make it more entertaining to watch. Plus the time when they are alone on camera talking about what happen are pick out that made not have something to do what happen that day to make it seem like someone is stupid or miss up. Anything to keep the story interesting.
ReplyDeletePrizes are misleading to the viewers more then the contestants. They sign legal contract that states the prize can be swope out for something else aka money if they feel they can't do the job to the fullest. That keeps the winner happy and they will not sue or less likely not to.
My final thought about Ramsey is entertaining and a good chef but I do think he general don't care about anything but fame and getting himself on TV. He already had 3 shows on FOX and was trying to get a 4th one going and FOX reject the idea of having 4 shows about Ramsey.
He like to use his homeless brother to make people sorry for him and that he deals with problems too. Funny how he can help his get clean by getting him to a real nice rehab place. I remember he said that he hate piers but when why did he cheated on his wife with 4 kids with an other woman?
Well that's my thoughts on the subject.
Gordon is not new to tv. He's been on the BBC channel forever. Kitchen Nightmares didn't start here. He also has a cookery class on the BBC channel, as well. did you happen to see the one where he goes to the prison (UK) and teach the inmates to cook?
DeleteHe's a business man. He always has been. He does whatever anyone who creates success, does. He didn't get those Michelin stars by tv fame, ya know. He is a chef and food is his calling.
As far as the cheating goes....I haven't found anything yet to prove it but I'll keep looking. Afterall, it was a handful of years ago that the skank Sarah, came out with it. Lots of ground to cover to see how it unfolded since then. So far I'm seeing that she wanted some fame doing her own show..which leads me to believe she's twisting things like a snake in the grass...
Gordon never cheated on his wife, that was nothing but a salacious rumor that no one could provide any real evidence for having actually happened, Sarah was just looking for attention.
DeleteI believe that Heathers problem in getting into England would come over their Visa laws on criminal history.
ReplyDeleteI hate the sweating on the food and it's is always some idiot without enough talent! I thought I'd want to attempt a shot at getting in to eat there but after seeing how food is treated, forget about it.
ReplyDeleteI love mindless TV!!! I don't have to think ON PURPOSE! :)
Rock and Heather were the only 2 that were worthy of the Title....
ReplyDeleteWorthy? They cooked for a month on a Television reality show that can edit anything and everything. People out of culinary school aren't handed the keys to a top level hotel restaurant in Vegas, LA, London, etc. Worthy...What a joke.
DeleteRock seemed to be good on Television, but isn't an "Executive" anywhere. He works for some DC food company who cater to homeless, but somehow...is worthy of the title, HA!
This show has gone to Hell, literally. There's only one legit cooking competition show left on TV, and it's no doubt, Top Chef. At least Top Chef has top level talent nominated for James Beard's, have been granted or nominated for Michelin star status, or are already head or executive chefs, ie Voltagio brothers. Hell's Kitchen has contestants fresh out of culinary school, are prep or line cooks, work out of a food truck, a lunch line, or your corner shit box. Who cares who wins, they are all par at best, except who I think has the best Post HK job, and that's Nona.
DeleteI'm a Chef Ramsey fan. Been in the restaurant business a long time, started as a dishwasher just out of high school. Worked my way up the old fashioned way, turned down 2 offers for "head chef" over the years and never been to culinary school.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, there's a couple things I really have a strange impulse to comment on. First, anyone (contestant or viewer) who actually believes the winner of HK will be handed a real "head chef" position is utterly delusional. Also, almost none of the winners hint that they were "lied to" and most are still fans / supporters of Ramsey's, this would indicate that the advertised position is for the fans benefit and the contestants are given something much closer to reality. Ergo Ramsey is neither a fraud nor a liar, bottom line if you want a successful reality / game show in the US, you need big drama and big prizes.
Second, I've worked in several restaurants over the years, and only one even came close to following the "Serv-Safe" rules, and they inevitably ran themselves out of business. Although I've never seen anything near as bad as some episodes of Kitchen Nightmares either. Most restaurants run as safe as possible while still making money. I've only seen a couple restaurants that require actual hair-nets, but ALL require hair to be tied back and covered with at-least a hat. I was rather shocked that HK "chefs" often have no covers at all, but note that most cooks in Kitchen Nightmares do. As for the tasting aspect, it's a catch 22, as a chef you need to taste what your cooking, every dish, even if it's something you personally don't like. Doing so in an accepted "safe" manner is virtually impossible, but you do try.
Obviously Chef Ramsey exaggerates how bad the food is on the first tasting in Kitchen Nightmares, on the other hand, if the food was "really good" they wouldn't be in the situation they are in either. It's surprisingly easy for cooks / chefs who are passionate about food to fall into a comfortable, easy routine of taking shortcuts until food quality goes from really good to just edible. Especially when the cash flow is such that you cannot afford "extra" hands for basic prep and your salary chef is pretty much stuck doing all of it. Easy shortcuts become a sad necessity, and food quality drops fast, often without even noticing. Those aspects are not as "unrealistic" as some of you seem to be saying.
Hells Kitchen picks under talented line cooks instead of aspiring, young, up and coming chefs to create a Fox dog and pony show. I have been to a couple of ex soccer player Ramseys restaurants and the food was quite ordinary and very overpriced.
ReplyDeleteI would award that donkey a Firestone retread as opposed to the Michelin star he probably bought.
I would challenge Gordon "the donkey" Ramsey to apprear on Iron Chef and compete against a talented chef. Gordon would have the snot beat out of him.
ReplyDeleteMost reality/games shows on TV do not exactly deliver the "grand prize" as advertised. America's got talent's million dollars is paid over more than 35 yrs..The big contracts with companies and agencies are usually only valid for about a year or two and if the contestants don't magically flourish and capture the loves of adoring fans, food and critics they disappear very quickly because if they were really that great they would have been discovered eventually..Which then results in the lawsuits and complaining. Never mind Uncle Sam coming in and taking his chunk. Reality shows are for entertainment.They go for the wow factor. So all the finger pointing and animosity, hate and calling people liars says to me that maybe you should probably sign up up for one of these shows. Because apparently common sense and the ability to read is lacking as is evidenced by those contestants who try to sue or bring out a "tell all" claiming they were duped.
ReplyDeletenice info
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know where Heather west is now?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know where Heather west is now?
ReplyDeleteWe actually did an updated post on the winners in October and it cover's Heather's latest happenings =)
Deletehttp://foodiegossip.blogspot.com/2013/07/hells-kitchen-winners-where-are-they-now.html
I've always felt the contestants are chosen more for their extreme personality traits. often being exhibited in the form of obnoxiousness, amazing stupidity, or ineptitude. The same mix of characters is always there with a few on them possessing enough ability and intelligence to actually be credible head chefs. Let's face it, this is TV entertainment, and ratings placement is no. 1 -- anything to do with cooking isn't of much concern to the producers. So I just watch it for what it is and find it more of a comedy than a serious culinary competition. Gordon's humor is certainly...RAW...RAW...RAW!
ReplyDeleteHell's Kitchen is a blatant fraud and Gordon Ramsay should be sued blind for perpetrating it. In 12 seasons, HK has yet to produce a notable chef, even by accident. Burning scallops, quick-cooking rissotto and frozen Beef Wellington every week grew mold years ago.
ReplyDeleteIf Season 11 winner Ja'Nel Witt is the wasted cokehead Caesar's Palace drug tests claim she is, there's no way Ramsay failed to notice that during a month of show filming. He never had any
intention of giving her the $250K Las Vegas job, despite her significant education and professional qualifications. He knew from the start that she'd fail the drug tests, giving him a legal exit.
Ramsay is a bottom-feeder. I've never wanted to dine at any of his restaurants.
You are truly delusional if you actually believe that nonsense, the show is not a "fraud" and if anyone's a "bottom feeder" it's you.
Deletesome people only use drugs every once in a while(the people on Deadliest Catch for example had to use meth and coke to be able to stay awake for 40 hours on end, but they didn't have crippling addictions or anything like that) and there's no way Janell used on the show, she would've been caught very fast, and you can't always tell when someone is on drugs just by looking at them, some people are very good at hiding their habits, so i'm sure Ramsay was every bit as shocked as everyone else.
That said I still think Mary should've won instead.
Maybe winning the prize is never the best after all, you cant take away the great exposure it gives to the winners. They are better off as it opened more opportunities. Most investors would fancy opening something with them after this...All the best to them...
ReplyDeleteGordon Ramsay is my role model.
ReplyDeleteIt would seem that not only do the chefs who win HK don't actually get the job that they're promised, but with Scott winning season 12, there is also a definite and noticeable trend that men of size are not allowed to be winners, either. A couple of plump women have won, which is a good thing, but the men apparently must be prettyboys in addition to having the talent. Maybe that explains why Chef Graham Elliot Boweles had to slim down to almost nothing for 'Masterchef'. Anorexic-sized pretty boys must be the new black. Good thing I'm not into fashion!
ReplyDeleteNo, it's because his opponent (Jason was it??) was a loud-mouthed D-bag with misogynistic qualities. Scott got along well with the women from the getgo- you not only have to be a fantastic cook, but at least a decent team-player as well to win in HK.
DeleteThe fat men all had too many problems to be able to win, both Robert and Clemenza had bad attitudes that made them unfit for any kind of position at one of Ramsay's joints.
DeleteThink this article can use another update on where dave levey is now
ReplyDeleteHolli didn't get her job as promised because the U.K. immigration laws were changed to be much more strict while her season was right in the middle of filming( the new laws specifically prohibit people from taking a job overseas as a prize from a game show, so there was no way the producers could give Holli the job, even if she applied for a visa herself it most likely would not have been accepted), and by the time the producers found out it was far too late for them to do anything about it, it was just an unfortunate situation all around, but Holli is still doing pretty well today as she has her own organic ranch.
ReplyDeleteLmao. Chef Rsmsey makes me laugh though.
ReplyDelete