I watched 6 episodes of Kitchen Nightmares UK back-to-back. Ask me anything.

[KurtNYC]

Had to dig out the infamous Napoleon's episode. It is amazing that any restaurant would sign up for the show after that but they are desperate. Killed Napoleons for good but the owner had no business running a restaurant.

Back in the say, I worked as lead cook in 3 open (thank god) kitchens so no one talked or acted the way they do in Ramsay's closed kitchens. I know it is a TV show and thing s get exaggerated but I think it makes a big difference whether you cook in front of the guests or in the basement or some windowless backroom.

Also trained many cooks and I never called anyone a 'donkey' or a 'little french f***er'.

[graywarrior]

1. I love Chef Ramsay

[RebelOne]

2. Me, too, despite his liberal use of 4-letter words. n/t

[graywarrior]

4. I love him because of his spicey language

and when he sez "Wot?" Cracks me up every time.

[KurtNYC]

3. he reminds me of my instructors

At 17 I went through a complete training program with four instructors working with 7 of us new hires. I had already worked in the 2nd busiest drive through restaurant in OC. Our location was doing a $1 mil a year back when tacos were 39 cents each -- muchos tacos -- so I think I had more experience than the other hires, especially under pressure. The taco chain in part was that busy bc we were 1/2 mile from a Marine base.

I came into the line cook training with speed and some experience under pressure but they are just ON you. Every little thing, exactly how you hold the knife, the order that you are setting up garnish on plates while cooking the entrees that will go on them -- somewhat subjective, I thought, stuff like that. We went from sort of classroom/demo and written tests (day one was learn 150 names of pro kitchen items -- ramekin vs monkey dish vs cruet -- stuff like that. Then learn the 95 item menu backwards and forwards, what can be substituted, what can't. Safe food handling and then a test by the county and certification. Knife handling, slicers, Taylor machines.

Then we moved into the kitchen which was open to the dining room but not cut as low as today's open kitchens. We were visible to customers from the chest up so dressed in whites, the hat, the whole bit. And not only did they criticize everything we did while cooking, they also went through what you can and can't do in front of customers. The nice thing was FOH people got similar training -- nobody yells, no drama... God bless whoever created the resurgence of open kitchens. They are healthier environments and produce meals that don't have a bad vibe on them when they go to the table from some screaming, steamy basement kitchen.

It was a 4 station kitchen and with instructors there would be 7 of us in there for a dinner service -- tight space, elbows, knives, fire, non-stop observation and correction. I couldn't wait for the training to end and them to leave but I learned a lot and those 5 weeks.

[graywarrior]

5. I worked at the Kushi Kitchen in Becket MA

The chefs in charge were brutal. All Japanese bosses and I heard "No no no no no, what you do?" every shift.

[npk]

6. When does the next season of Hell's Kitchen start

Or the new season of Master Chef?

I love both of those shows.

[RebelOne]

7. Check out hulu.com.

You can watch episodes of Hells Kitchen and Master Chef.

[KurtNYC]

8. May 29th will be the start of season 10

and they will be airing 2 episodes per week. Season 11 has already been ordered.

[npk]

9. Marking those dates on my calendar. Thanks. n/t