Recently, I was on vacation and wondering what I could watch to pass the time. That’s when I came across Hell's Kitchen, a competitive cooking show featuring Gordon Ramsay. I thought, this has to be good, so I searched Hell's Kitchen on YouTube and found out that this is the very program that made Gordon Ramsay’s famous “rage” moments so well-known.
To pitch it quickly: it’s two teams of six people (mixed in the first season and then separated men vs. women in later seasons) who have to cook a menu for 120 guests. Each morning, they face a challenge with a reward for the winners and a punishment for the losers. Each night—or every two nights—they have to cook dinner service for those 120 guests. The team that performs the worst must eliminate one of its members, chosen by the best cook on the team according to Gordon Ramsay.
What makes this program so entertaining to watch?
Stress: The contestants are under constant pressure, and the editing team does an amazing job of making you feel the same stress they do.
Gordon Ramsay: He is, by himself, a reason to watch the show—one of the funniest and most intense people on TV, in my opinion.
Real prize = Real challenge: The winner always receives a huge reward, usually a head chef position starting at $250K per year, along with restaurant profits and other perks.
JP: Jean-Philippe, the maître d'hôtel, is also very entertaining, even though he appears a little less often.
Cooking: I love food, so it’s interesting to learn a bit more—although the show doesn’t focus too much on detailed cooking techniques.
The editing of the show is excellent and really makes you feel the same tension as the contestants. You’ll start hating some of them, loving others, and feeling the pressure when Gordon Ramsay looks at your favorite contestant and says their steak is undercooked.
Another interesting point is the rules: Gordon reserves the right to change them whenever he wants to add more pressure and intensity to the program. My suggestion would be that you go and watch a few episodes and tell me if you enjoyed or not.
Posted Using INLEO