Gordon Ramsay L.A. reservation line is open!

Ladies and gentlemen, find your cellphones: The reservation line for Gordon Ramsay's new L.A. restaurant, Gordon Ramsay at the London West Hollywood, is open -- even if the doors aren't.  Ramsay's first West Coast restaurant, which is in the former Bel Age location, officially opens for dinner on May 27 (lunch to start the following day).  This follows the opening, in 2006, of the Gordon Ramsay at the London New York, Ramsay's American debut.

A menu just faxed over lists dishes such as California spiny lobster with white port sauce, rack of Sonoma lamb with olive-crusted fingerling potatoes and West Coast halibut with Kumamoto oysters and Champagne velouté.  (Notice all the nice regional tags.)  What we can also expect is some stunt staffing, as the winner of this year's "Hell's Kitchen" (Ramsay's American reality show, the finale of which is set to air July 8) will be installed as "senior sous chef," according to Ramsay's publicist. Ramsay may like publicity, but he's unlikely to want a surprise "Kitchen Nightmares" (Ramsay's other American reality show) episode either. Therefore, said senior sous chef will be under the watchful eyes of executive chef Josh Emmett (who will oversee from Ramsay's New York restaurant) and chef de cuisine Andy Cook.  And, one hopes, Ramsay himself, in all his high-volume, obscenity-laced glory.  Maybe, if we're lucky, he'll cook too. 

Gordon Ramsay at the London West Hollywood, 1020 N. San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood.  Reservation line: (310) 358-7788.

-- Amy Scattergood

Photo courtesy of Susan Magrino Agency

Comments

[Brian H]

Kent makes the great point. When you watch his BBC Kitchen Nightmares on youtube, you'll see that Gordon is very passionate about getting people to give their best. He'll tear away at someone to get them to see the truth about the situation, then build them up. He really cares about who he is working with.

[Gregory Byrne]

Reservation lines are open? Hot Damn! Time for ring ring hijinxs. I'll be at the farmers market if you want to complain about that. Hollywood, on Sundays.

[OakMonster]

Echocing Kent's sentiment here. If you've seen any of his other shows on BBC America, you'll see the difference. That's why I only watch him on BBCA and never on Fox.

My husband enjoys watching Gordon whip people and restaurants in to shape. He says it reminds him of the Marine Corp. Perhaps he's right.

Gordon is like a drill sergeant of food. He cares so much about the cuisine, the use of fresh local ingredients, simple dishes, and, above all, clean kitchen, that he'll go any length to get people to do it right.

[Kent]

Gordon is not despicable, watch his shows on BBC America. Its the Fox-ification in the US that makes him look like a maniac. I would love it if people in LA had half the passion for their jobs that Gordon has for cooking.

Any word on if there's a chef's table ? I'm there!

[Michael Saltzman]

California Spiny Lobster season ended March 19th-

[Rhonda Stanton]

Why would anyone want to contribute to the financial success of such a despicable human being? It's not like there's a restaurant shortage.