Any fans of this show on here? I'm not normally one for reality shows, but i've really gotten into this show (and both versions of Kitchen Nightmares), mianly because trying to do the usual stuff you see on reality shows(forming aliances, backstabbing teammates, trying to get strong opponents eliminated) dosen't get you very far in the eyes of Gordon Ramsay, he expects people to function as a team from start to finish. So it's refreshing to see a show where the the person most deserving is usually the one to win, plus it's just plain awesome watching Ramsay chew out people who royally screw up and try to blame it on everyone but themselves.

I haven't seen much Hell's Kitchen (the whole first season and a scattering of other episodes), but I like Kitchen Nightmares. I'm not interested in the reality aspects, so much as the cooking stuff--how different chefs bring different personalities to their food, what goes into creating a good kitchen, and so on.

I'm not a big fan of Gordon Ramsay's shouting, swearing taskmaster persona, either, but I also recognize it for what it is. He hams it up for the sake of the show.

Yeah, in real life Ramsay's generally a pretty nice guy, he's a lot more calm and collected on the U.K. version of Kitchen Nightmares and The F Word, the U.S. producers like to have him act more like a drill sergeant. Though I personally love his explosive temper, far too many TV chefs are relentlessly cheerful to the point of annoyance, so it's refreshing to see somebody who has no tolerance for bullshit.

This is why I really enjoy most of the Food Network shows, especially ones like Iron Chef and Chopped. I love how the contestants are forced to come up with different dishes, often utilizing a variety of ingredients that one wouldn't think would work together (this is especially what I love about Chopped). Meanwhile, most of the bullshit that often comes with reality shows - the petty bickering amongst participants, the needless mugging for the camera, etc. - is largely absent, leaving the focus on the chefs and their talents. Sweet Genius is another one that I like for the same reasons; it's actually almost identical in its structure to Chopped except that it focuses exclusively on desserts.

I wouldn't like Ramsay's style *if* I wasn't convinced that he firmly believes in what he's doing. One of his first TV appearances was in a documentary made about him in the UK called Boiling Point- he is like that because the industry he is in is extremely competitive and demanding. Ramsay strikes me as one of those people who cannot stand those who come into a business he loves with an attitude that suggests that they're not committed to doing well in it.

Exactly, usually the first contestants to get eliminated are the ones who clearly have no real passion or ambition for a cooking career.

Tonight's episode was interesting, i'm surprised they're waiting until tomorrow to reveal who got eliminated, has that ever happened in the show before? I didn't start watching until recently, so I don't know. It could be Patrick since the promo says that Royce is trying to take over as leader of the blue team and Patrick was they're leader, then again Danielle tried serving raw food, which is Ramsay's biggest pet peeve of all, plus she seems pretty clueless in general, so she has a pretty good chance of getting sent home as well. It's probably not going to be Guy though, as he seemed like the only one who was actually comitted to doing better.

Oh shit.....I'm on Hell's Kitchen? I don't Ramsay would approve of me going to an Anime con instead of cooking for him!!!!

OH NOOEEESSSSS!!!!!

I just watched the first episode of this season and I already want to punch Royce in the face. His face is so fantastically punchable. He's like Pete Campbell.