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Archive through November 09, 2007

The TVClubHouse: Other Reality Shows ARCHIVES: Archives for 2007 - 2: Kitchen Nightmares: ARCHIVES: Archive through November 09, 2007 users admin

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Eeyoreslament
Member

07-20-2003

Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 3:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Eeyoreslament a private message Print Post    
I hated the guy on last night's show. What a small-penis syndrome!! His ego couldn't handle that Ramsay knows his shit, and isn't afraid to say it.

I felt so sorry for the staff, who would have to deal with that guy's wrath and mood swings once Ramsay left.

I don't think the ending was the way it was portrayed. It was like one minute, the guy is telling the cameras to get out, Ramsay to get out, and that it's over, and the next minute he has some epiphany? Umm no...the producers of the show said, "Hey you signed this contract, and you will give us our clips we need for the rest of the night, and we will part ways at the end of the show, if you want to keep the stuff we've given to you."

I don't watch this show all the time, but don't they usually do TWO evenings of service, where they try the new menu, then make a few tweaks and improvements. There was no second night, no further improvements. The guy came back after the producers muscled him into it. Gave the final footage they needed, and then Ramsay was gone.

I feel bad for the guy's wife and kid, who will see the results of losing the house and car while this guy pursues his pipe dream. I hope those staff move on too.

I wish we knew a production assistant or some inside scoop on what REALLY happened in this episode.

Lurknomore
Member

07-07-2001

Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 4:05 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lurknomore a private message Print Post    
I kept wanting Gordon Ramsey to either hit him and/or walk away--or vice versa lolol. But the problems w/last nite got me to reflect what is starting to annoy me with this otherwise pretty good show. (Long post alert...be prepared to get coffee or ignore me lolol---ok I've done my TVCH duty you are warned lol).

It seems to me the show is locked in a set premise each week, with little room for variation. We have a stubborn chef or manager that doesn't want change, but deep down wants to succeed so somehow about 3/4 of the way in to the show the person has a major epiphany, build a statue of Ramsey as Savior, and all is resurrected to life as it should be (sorry mean no religious offense at all to anyone, but it's just how it is set up IMHO). Then we have a few "heart of gold, long sufferring staff," happy for a change who up their performance now that they have something to do. There is almost always a sweet, loving wife begging Ramsey for help. We typically have some totally innept fool, usually the manager who is in some way related or tied to the ownder who often take sthe heat for the owner, and eventually sees the light too.

Then we have the usual screamfest w/Ramsey, where he eventually wins, the owner realizes he was wrong, apologies with gratitude to Ramsey, and all is well for a rosy and successful future. What I think annoys me the most is the cookie cutter success formula. Totally throw out the existing formula, have Ramsey decide what restaurant the area needs, redo and focus on a FRESH new lite menu always in a stark posh style. I often feel that format fit's Ramsey's city restaurants, but not so sure about some of the other ones. First night is a disaster followed by a hugfest and endless success.

Name one show that didn't fit this formula almost exactly??? Can't they mix it up just a bit?? Can't Ramsey every hear another Chef's vision and dream and work w/him to make it work.

Which brings us to last nite's mess. Ok the owner was a mega-jerk, no insult intended to jerks lol. But as messed up as it was, he had a vision. Props to him for that. Now I personally love wood burning pizza's, but when Ramsey read the menu there wasn't one I would have ordered. Couldn't he have compromised with the jerk, kept some of his dream, and at least had a mix/match pizza section, with all fresh ingredients? I think that would have worked MUCH better for both the customers and the owner feeling it was still his dream, just executed correctly.

BTW Bombay, my feeling is he wanted Ramsey's help, but likely saw it more as I suggested. I think he truly believed he had a unique, marketable idea, and probably felt Ramsey would see it too and just figure out how to turn it to reality, not just throw it all away. And that, combines w/the publicity would create a huge success. Remember it was a new show, they had nothing to watch to see Ramsey's set forumla for turning these places around.

I do wonder how much the producers encourage some of these blow-ups, but not sure they needed much work last nite. Was kinda nice seeing someone standing up to Ramsey--pity he was unable to make his points better. And the way they didn't do the usual trial run, grand re-opening makes me think he really did toss Ramsey out, but they show made him honor a contract and finish a bare minimum.

Overall fun show, but if they don't start mixing up the formula each week, I can't see it having legs. Every restaurant has different issues. Can't they focus on those, and not just do the exact format/solution week in week out?

LOL would love to see Sebastion's current menu. I'm betting it's back to the original. Just curious if they kept any of the changes at all???

Lurknomore
Member

07-07-2001

Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 4:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lurknomore a private message Print Post    
lol Eeyore GMTA, least on some things. Ironic how we were making some of the same points at the same time. I just hope that guy got some of the the good ideas Ramsey had (ie using the wood ovens, tossing the nuked food BLECH, etc). Doubt it but you never know. What city was that in? Wonder if they have a menu up (assuming it's still there lolol).

Eeyoreslament
Member

07-20-2003

Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 4:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Eeyoreslament a private message Print Post    
It was right in LA. I think the posh atmosphere and interior, as well as the westcoast pizza toppings were definitely suitable for the LA clientele. I definitely don't think Ramsay ONLY makes restaurants that cater to his metrolpolitan style. He does look around the area to see what would fit. Like that "OLD MILL" restaurant where they changed it to a steakhouse, because there was no steak house in town, and there would be a market for it.

Gosh, the thought of all that nuked food was GROSS!!!

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 4:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Here ya go.

And this. Read the comments. Sebastian posted.

Seattlemom
Member

05-10-2005

Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 4:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seattlemom a private message Print Post    
Last night show was Funny. When Ramsey and the owner got into it Oh my gosh. And when he changed back to the old menu I thought Ramsey would explode LOL. I do think since they didnt give us an update was because the place probably didn't keep Ramseys menu. I did agree the old menu was way to much, Id give up half way thru trying to order. I have worked a lot of resteraunts and never seen a place use so much frozen pre made stuff in my life LOL. No wonder they wern't getting many customers. If I want frozen I'll eat at home LOL. And even I don't have much frozen stuff, except for the meats I freeze! I love fresh food.

Lurknomore
Member

07-07-2001

Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 4:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lurknomore a private message Print Post    
GOD I love the internet. How did we live before it (and before ATMs etc etc lol but I digress). I decided to look to see if our guesses were right and BOY were they, to the point of being amusing.

Check out http://www.yelp.com/biz/K6KYi_4dU_yLqYmkrvVHAg. I could have written he current 1st post--they saw the show, wanted to know if they took the changes, all I posted about above. Gives all the answers, PLUS if you scroll down there is a post from that charmer Sebastion himself. Talk about not getting it.

How sad when someone gets such great help in life and doesn't even choose to take any of it. Wish someone would give me some solid advice and help. I might not take it all, but I definately would try to work in what fit for me.

And here is the restaurant's url. I didn't really check it out, cause after all I read on Yelp, I really knew all I wanted to. Ironic it's in a different city than they said (unless Taluca Lake is part of Burbank? What do I know I'm a New Englander lol). Here ya go, but I suggest the first link for all answers. http://sebastiansrestaurant.com/

Lurknomore
Member

07-07-2001

Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 4:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lurknomore a private message Print Post    
Color, best I can tell the 2nd link you went back and edited in your earlier post just referrences a quote from the full Yelp forum I previously posted. (even though the time stamp is later lolol). I'd suggest folks just go read the legit Yelp site they took that quote from....I found it amusing/enlightening/sad and lots of other things to boot! I'm going back to read more now. How sad that guy is from Boston....glad we don't have him anymore at least lololol

Bombaycat
Member

07-21-2007

Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 4:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bombaycat a private message Print Post    
Lurk - Wow are you right on point! Same show each week, different players. I thought/hoped this week was going to be a little different because this place seemed to be relatively clean compared to past restaurants where the focus was filth. I agree it would have been nice if Ramsey had allowed the guy to keep some of his signature dishes on the menu. I think big problem is the guy insisted on using frozen products instead of incorporating some fresh ingredients.

Lexie_girl
Member

07-30-2004

Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 5:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lexie_girl a private message Print Post    
Sebastian's will be closed in less than three months. How many people, after watching last night's show, are going to a restaurant that serves frozen food? I also agree with Chef Ramsay about never eating at a restaurant with pictures on the menu.


Bonzacat
Member

07-08-2003

Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 5:23 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bonzacat a private message Print Post    
Toluca Lake is about 3-4 miles from Burbank.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 7:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
If you look at Sebastian's menu, it looks like he's actually taken SOME of Ramsey's advice... He's kept the woodfired chicken, the salmon, and he now serves a lot of woodfired pizzas. And it looks like he's cut his "unique 20 gourmet flavors" down to eight.

That said... I would never eat at a restaurant that simply reheated premade foods and served them without telling me that's what it is. Yuck!

And, I have a personal thing against people who don't know the difference between "which" and "witch" or "you're" and "your" (the former was in Sebastian's post linked by Color; the latter was on the restaurant's web site).

Sebastian was seriously confused. He thought "unique" meant "good." Yet he was losing money. He thought it was cheaper to buy all frozen items, rather than making fresh (really, pizza dough is too expensive to make? hello???).

As for Sebastian's "signature" dishes... yeah, sure. TWENTY DISHES?? That's not a signature dish. That's the sign of a restaurant trying to be all things to all people. Ramsey is right... pick one thing and do it well (rather than picking twenty and doing them all badly). Yuck yuck yuck.

As for the menus and decor Ramsey comes up with? They are not all the same. Yeah, the decor comes in with much cleaner lines, but honestly, I think that allows the food to be the star. The menus are not the same everywhere. He does go out and look and see what's around in the neighborhood. A woodburning pizza place... in California, that would be a most excellent choice if done well. I mean, Puck started here, and CPK started here.

As far as the same premise each week, well, yeah. There are only so many reasons why a restaurant would fail. And of course, the producers are gonna pick those restaurants who have the most egotistical owners/managers, as they will provide the best TV. But these people applied to be on the show, remember. While most of 'em have had people who are resistant to change (not that hard to find), they've all had varying things wrong with them. The unsanitary conditions and rotten food at that Indian place. Large and confusing menus (including the TWO menus at that Indian place). Not enough business/lack of customers.

Anyways, no way am I gonna ever eat at any restaurant that's been featured on KN!! :-)

Eeyoreslament
Member

07-20-2003

Friday, November 09, 2007 - 3:44 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Eeyoreslament a private message Print Post    
Costa - I could kiss you right now. I know very few people who dislike people misspelling similar sounding words as much as I do. Adding to the list:

their/they're/there
to/two/too
whether/weather
than/then
lose/loose <-- this really bugs me
"would of" vs. would have


Those mistakes make me want to SCREAM!!!

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Friday, November 09, 2007 - 3:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
You can add me to the list of people that lose it over bad spelling. Another one that bugs me is: are/our

I'm really amazed at the number of people that don't know when to use too instead of to. What are they teaching in schools these days??

Chiliwilli
Member

09-04-2006

Friday, November 09, 2007 - 4:04 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chiliwilli a private message Print Post    
I feel the same way about word pronunciations; such as it's realtor NOT relator and it's jewelry NOT jewlery for crying out loud!

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Friday, November 09, 2007 - 4:24 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
And its nuclear NOT nucular!

Chiliwilli
Member

09-04-2006

Friday, November 09, 2007 - 4:29 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chiliwilli a private message Print Post    
You got it!

Hukdonreality
Member

09-29-2003

Friday, November 09, 2007 - 6:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Hukdonreality a private message Print Post    
<<And its nuclear NOT nucular!>

What do you mean? Homer Simpson says it's nucular, and who am I to argue with him?

<runs off to the libary to check this out>

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Friday, November 09, 2007 - 7:11 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
I'm really amazed at the number of people that don't know when to use too instead of to.

I have my grammar and spelling problems, but to and too is not one of them. It's easy to describe when to use one or the other. Use too when you could substitute the word also. And use too when you're saying more than enough as in too much. The rest of the time, it's to.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Friday, November 09, 2007 - 7:30 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Kisses back, Eeyore. And add to your list assure/insure/ensure. You'd be surprised how many writers in my industry can't figure out the difference between the three.

Back on topic... so the question du jour. Would ANY of you EVER eat at a restaurant that has been "fixed" on Kitchen Nightmares?

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Friday, November 09, 2007 - 8:02 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
No way. Like the Indian restaurant that was so full of bugs...they let it get like that in the first place so you know it'll be just like that again. Sabastian was already going back to his old menu of frozen stuff before Gordon even left so you know he's right back at it.

Eeyoreslament
Member

07-20-2003

Friday, November 09, 2007 - 10:24 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Eeyoreslament a private message Print Post    
I'd eat at the Old Mill steakhouse.

Bonzacat
Member

07-08-2003

Friday, November 09, 2007 - 11:02 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bonzacat a private message Print Post    
My DH has to go to Burbank today; we have not watched this episode yet. Would it be mean of me to tell him to have lunch at Sebastian's and then crank up the episode over the weekend? LOL, I can't do it.

The Old Mill is such a beautiful place - I'll join you there, Eeyore. :-)

Reader234
Member

08-13-2000

Friday, November 09, 2007 - 11:09 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Reader234 a private message Print Post    
doesnt anyone wonder how his wife felt? Didnt anyone get the impression that Sebastian was a "Rocco Dispirito" wannabe? You know "franchise" and not have to actually "work" for a living? His wife gave him $300,000 for this place - it obviously could be a moneymaker, but the restaurant business is tough!

other than that - I agree with what others posted - kuddos Lurk!!

Eeyoreslament
Member

07-20-2003

Friday, November 09, 2007 - 11:24 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Eeyoreslament a private message Print Post    
Awwwww.....Rocco.....he was WAY better than Sebastian. I believe that he let his celebrity go to his head a bit, and he forgot what was important. But he still had WAY more skillz than Sebastian, and I think his restaurants and books show he's got everything Sebastian doesn't have, PLUS he had a way better personality, if not a bit lazy and uninvolved.

I miss "The Restaurant". That was just an awesome show. I would have loved for it to be an ongoing reality show.