'Hell's Kitchen': The dark lord of cooking reigns again!

You have to give it to Matt, a sous chef and Gordon Ramsay-wannabe who prepared "exotic tartare" during his first challenge in the new season of "Hell's Kitchen."

He said the dish, a combination of venison, caviar, scallops and -- wait for it -- white chocolate, would set him apart from the competition: "My signature dish is going to help me stand out, cause I'm a true culinarian."

He was right about that. It's the first dish in "Hell's Kitchen" to make Ramsay throw up. Really. As in bent over at the waist, retching into the nearby garbage bin.

Perhaps it was all for the cameras.

But as the beast that is "Hell's Kitchen" awakened from its slumber, the dark lord who reigns over it told the 15 contestants -- ranging from professional cooks to a stay-at-home dad -- that this season's prize is the best yet -- executive chefship at his new Los Angeles restaurant, called London Los Angeles. And he told the camera that he plans to push his underlings harder and farther than ever before.

If there was any doubt, what followed was an apparent montage of scenes to come in the show as the men and women mess up and cry as they are brought to the brink of a breakdown. Oh the tears to come!

There was another brilliant twist to the opening of the new season -- Ramsay wearing a prosthetic nose and a wig and pretending to be a contestant himself. He slipped in among the others for the drive over to the restaurant, and listened in as they all talked about Ramsay and their plans to win. Bobby's jaw slacked when he found out the stringy-haired dude with the glasses who was taking it all in was Ramsay himself. He had referred to himself as the "black Gordon Ramsay" and appointed himself Ramsay's four-star general.

The rest of the crew was eviscerated as well. Pity poor Craig. He showed up in a sky-high chef's hat -- he says he wears it everywhere. Seriously, sky-high. How did that guy even get that thing through the door? After insinuating that the chef's hat was designed to make up for a shortage, uh, elsewhere, Ramsay lacerated his dish. He told the fair-haired Corey, whose dish looked like a Caesar salad, that the dish was just like her: "Simple, plain, blond and boring."

There was another first this night: The worst service in "Hell's Kitchen" history. Absolutely no entrees served. "Shut it down," spat Ramsay again and again, his signature line for calling it quits for the night. The first to go home was stay-at-home dad Dominic, who was clearly out of his league and spent much of the night in the kitchen wearing a sleeve of scallops, waiting for someone to tell him what to do.

"This is nothing like cooking at home for the kids," he said at one point.

True words, indeed.

Perhaps it's too soon to call it, but Louross is looking like the only front-runner. What do you think?

-- Rene Lynch

(Photo courtesy Fox)

Comments

[Joseph M. Adams]

This is the most vile show I think I have ever seen, (perhaps, besides "Moment of Truth"). What has our society become? The vapid shooting of this show, no background detail on these cattle of losers that we are made to hate from the get-go because this monster yells obscenity after obscenity at them, this is the magic of Television/Hollywood? There is no merit to this show. Where once we scoffed at the curse words on "The Osbourne's," we don't even shrug when every other word is a curse word, and likely millions of children are tuned in at 8PM. I can't believe FOX gets away with this show, or any of the stuff beamed into living rooms for free. If you want a truly enjoyable food show, watch Iron Chef, where real talents battle for what is actually worth something: a better tasting meal. I didn't see one talent on "Hell's Kitchen," last night, only the absence of thought and the creation of yet another horrible, culturally destructive show. If we want to clean up this nation, heal our wounds, it won't be with shows like this that add more hate to our world.

[DocChuck]

An article on a major newspaper's (so-called) website that does not mention the fact that a contestant went outside, smoked a joint and fondled his bare feet, then sauntered back into the kitchen and handled the food?

You call that journalism, Rene?

Did you turn off the show after the first 15 minutes only to rejoin at the end, Rene?

One would certainly hope that you pay more attention to the shows you "blog" about in the future.

[Peggy House]

Enjoyable recap of the show. I admire Ramsey's passion for excellence. Looks like it will be another good season! Can't remember her name but the dark-haired receptionist from New York looks like she may do well too.

[Lisa]

OH for God Sake lighten the hell up, it's called Entertainment, and that is what is all over tv these days for reality shows. Incase you didn't know, there are a lot of Chef's out there who yell and go on like this to their Chef's, this is nothing new!!! I am currently going to culinary school and I'm going through a Rotation right now where all we hear is crap like this.......so " wakey wakey, big boy" as Ramsay would say and Open your eyes to reality, because if you think that it's all playing nice in the Kitchen Your dead wrong, and if you don't like the show, than FLIP THE STATION! If you think that by Taking Gordon Ramsay's show off tv will heal and clean up your nation , than your more of a tool than some of these contestants applyin for executive Chef!

[Alan Leizerman]

What is the purpose of this show anymore? The producers of this show are picking no-talent line cooks and humiliating them on television. Gordon Ramsey is getting a bit big for his own ego and everything seems forced and contrived. Is he really going to bring one of these "hacks" to greatness by boot camp psychology? A foul mouth and a good throwing arm do not a great chef make.

[edward paradise]

Give Ramsey a break!, If it was your money on the line in a restaurant that you were chef, You would be damn sure every dish went out perfect. Recently sold my restaurant due to high blood pressere

[Stephan]

Ramsays Kitchen Nightmares is a better show, especially the one on BBCA. You get a mix of his "talent" for inventing new dishes and the business aspect of running a successfull restaraunt.

[bassprojoe]

Did anyone pay attention to Louross or is it "Larrouse", you culinarians know what I'm talking about. Is that a made up name for the show or what?

[ESB]

I like Gordon Ramsay but much prefer his Kitchen Nightmares show. GR is becoming a caricature of himself on Hell's Kitchen and this season's crop of contestants is pathetic. If one of these untalented cooks is taking over the kitchen at the new London West Hollywood, I'll make sure NOT to make a reservation.

[Alister Dabreo Jr.]

Unlike the previous seasons, it certainly appears as if there is little to no talent in this years pool of chefs. However, its only the first episode. Hell's Kitchen is a great show, and if you do not like it do not watch it. For those of you who believe that this show is somehow related to the downfall of society, try taking a look at the Real World/Road Rules Challenge some time, then maybe you can gain some perspective. This is entertainment, and we must treat it as such. Should we not, we are only adding to the problem. In short, try not to take these things too seriously, we have more serious issues to tackle than complaining about a competitive cooking show on Fox.

[Harry Grace]

Ramsey is a compelling personality, but I think "Hell's Kitchen" turns his trademark short fuse into a cartoon character. KItchen Nightmare on BBC shows him actually using that temper and doing something with it. Watch that show and you actually see that there's a method to his madness, and that he's not a one trick pony, but quite a good chef, and a sharp businessman. Yeah. Hell's Kitchen is train wreck fun, but it really doesn't show Ramsey at his best.

[Jim]

After watching last night’s episode of Hell’s Kitchen, I too felt that television, under the banner of entertainment, had sunk to a new low. The unrelenting desecration of human dignity made this low brow vehicle for Chef Ramsay an embarrassment to its sponsors and to the Fox network as a whole. As a former French service waiter, I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly of the hospitality industry. However, this type of berating was simply over the top. It is a shame Ramsay indulges the producers of this show by giving almost nonstop abuse to contestants who are clearly under qualified. How sad it is that they have been put in a position where they might be able to achieve a dream if they are willing to be treated like dogs and be humiliated on national television. I have enjoyed his Kitchen Nightmares series as I have seen the positive effect that he can have on those that he helped. Hell’s Kitchen does not share this positive spin as by the end of the show it was I that felt like throwing up in a garbage can. Before any contestant had even finished uttering their name, they were already being belittled, judged and scorned. This would have been called racism had they been an identifiable minority. However, they were part of one group that will always be discriminated from… that of human beings that are not Chef Ramsay. What an absolute embarrassment to an individual who should be respected for his talents and not his mouth. What a shame for an audience that cheers for the cruel and turns away from the weak.

[Astrid]

This goes against my nature, but I LOVE this show - Ramsey seems such a troubled man with deep creases in his face making him look 20 years older than he really is. Previous posters are right - professional kitchens can be very stressful and humiliating. He's just exaggerating reality.
I usually hate shows about humiliation, but I don't what it is about this show -

[steve lee]

I find it amusing that people get emotional or enthralled by these so called "Reality Shows", when it is common knowledge they are completely staged. Many times the participants are out of work actors, although on this show perhaps some are also cooks or many are really cooks as well, coached by the producers on queue.
I love this show because despite its vulgar approach, it shows some of the real challenges to running a kitchen and some real talent and some wanabees.

However, given the patent phony design: Come on people, Wake Up!

[John Roberts]

Why do Americans put up with moronic British divas coming over here to judge our singing, our dancing and our cooking all the while hurling invective and insult? I can't imagine the situation going down well in reverse. I guess we must thirst for cutting sarcasm and nasty put downs. I just can't believe someone has sucker punched Ramsay yet. What sort of low self-esteem yahoo stands there and allows themselves to be ridiculed by this no-talent from the land of beans on toast, spotted dick and blood pudding?

[mike]

How do you get reservations for the restaurant in Los Angeles? Anyone know?

[Dr Richard]

It's interesting to see how this show winds Gordon up to the point of screaming at his cooks and throwing rubber chickens at them. I've read most of his books (not just the cooking ones) and seen many of his shows on the BBC and it's clear that the real Gordon Ramsay is a guy who is passionate about creating the best food possible for his customers. He's also dedicated to helping out other restaurant owners - you see a real caring side to him on Kitchen Nightmare. It all comes back to one thing though - a great product (his food)

[Gabby Hayes]

Please get this to Ramsey.

In Hell's Kitchen place a thin metal sheet at each station, with a handle, to slide over any cooking equiptment that catches on fire. e.g. Skillet, pan

[ALICIA]

i AM SO HAPPY THAT CHRISTINA WON THE RESTAURANT LAST NIGHT SHE REALLY DESERVED IT BECAUSE SHE WORKED REALLY HARD AND PUT HER HART IN IT.