MovieChat Forums > Kitchen Nightmares (2007) Discussion > The show and Chef's approach is so diffe...

The show and Chef's approach is so different from Great Britian and

posted 10 years ago by spencerthetracy
4 replies | jump to latest

America. He is so much softer and quieter in GB. And much louder and more pushy? in the States.

Why do you think his approach is so different?

[–] dmrmlr-1 10 years ago

My theory is that my fellow Americans love their drama. Personally, I love both shows and so do many others in the US. I enjoy that while they have the same premise, the shows are different. It did really grate on my nerves how, in the last couple of US seasons, the shows became all about fixing the owners and barely anything about service or food. I preferred the crazy owners like Sebastian, who Ramsay just told off, rather than the feuding families in later seasons that he spent 45 minutes of the episode playing psychologist to.

[–] jmerrilee-138-891989 10 years ago

I agree it is much different. He treats the UK ones like it's a documentary and the US ones like it's a reality show (which is kind of is). Sometimes he'll get angry but he's much more civil to them. I also noticed he doesn't use nearly the amount of foul language on the UK ones as he does in the US. Is this for drama because I'm sure he's aware we have guidelines and he's getting 'beep' all the time in the show, after awhile it gets tiring to watch.

I'm also getting tired of trying to fix these families all the time. In the old episodes it was more about the food, promotion, redesign and all that.

[–] falconefans 10 years ago

I disagree. He does as much name calling in the UK version as in the US version. And i was watching a rerun yesterday of a UK episode where he takes his lunch that he ordered and dumps it into a flower pot near his table. I just saw an episode that took place in Spain where there was dog poop on the restaurant floor and he yelled at them over that.

The only real difference i've noticed between the two shows is that Gordon narrates the UK version and his voice over is very soft spoken. The US show has an american narrator whose voice is loud in comparison.

I think that because Gordon's narrative is softspoken, it gives the appearance that he's that way throughout the entire episode and he really isn't.

I also think that his reactions and temperament in both versions of the show matches the person/people he's talking to. If he's got an owner/chef who really wants to change or improve, he takes a more nurturing/mentor approach. But if he's got someone who is lazy or clueless, he lets them have it.

Remember that one owner in a UK episode who ended up dressing like a chicken. Gordon yelled at him for most of the episode. There was also that woman in Italy whose father was financing her vegetarian restaurant. She was so uninvolved and lazy and he let her have it... and she deserved it.

edited to add:
Dovecote Bistro

Fraaaank. FRANK! Get my jean bin. Susie wants my jeans.
No she doesnt.

[–] Timberwolf0530 10 years ago

He's pretty good at reading people. His first day is always observation. He figures out how he needs to approach them, and what will motivate them. Most of the time, he figures it out right. Some people react to the soft approach, some to yelling, and some in between. But, even when he does use an aggressive approach, once he breaks them down and they succumb, he knows just when to calm down and build them back up. He has such an intense passion for food, that I think it really does disgust him to see someone disrespecting the industry. I'm surprised he doesn't use his credentials more. I've only heard him one time say, "I've forgotten more than you know about cooking." - Park's Edge I think it was. Anyway, no matter what the detractors say, he does know people, and his shows are always extremely enjoyable to watch.