Kitchen Nightmares

Infobox Television
show_name = Kitchen Nightmares


caption =
genre = Reality television
creator =
director =
developer =
presenter = Gordon Ramsay
starring =
country = United States
language = English
executive_producer = Arthur Smith
Patricia Llewellyn
Kent Weed
Gerry McKean
Curt Northrup
director = Brad Kreisberg
composer = David Vanacore
narrated = J.V. Martin
network = FOX
first_aired = September 19, 2007
last_aired = present
num_seasons = 2
num_episodes = 24
related = "Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares"
website = http://www.fox.com/kitchennightmares/
imdb_id = 0983514
tv_com_id = 68715

"Kitchen Nightmares" is an American reality television series on the Fox Broadcasting network, in which chef Gordon Ramsay helps failing restaurants. It is based on the Channel 4 show "Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares", produced in the United Kingdom. The US show premiered Wednesday September 19, 2007.

In September 2007, a case was filed by a restaurant employee against Ramsay for allegedly staging some dramatic elements in the second episode. The case was dismissed and sent instead to arbitration. [cite web
url = http://www.nypost.com/seven/08102007/news/regionalnews/tv_chef_out_of_frying_pan_regionalnews_kati_cornell.htm
date = 2007-08-10
accessdate = 2008-08-12
title = "TV Chef Out of Frying Pan"
publisher = New York Post]

The first season, which focused on restaurants in the Southern California and New York City area, ended in December 2007. Fox promos for season 2, which began airing Summer 2008, mentioned other domestic and overseas stops, including Mexico and Italy.

The second season premiered on September 4 2008. ["TV Guide" September 1-7: "Hightlights", p. 54]

On September 11, 2008, FOX announced that "Kitchen Nightmares" would return for a third season, along with Ramsay's series, "Hell's Kitchen", and a new series. [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117992083.html?categoryid=14&cs=1]

Episodes

eason 1: 2007

eason 2: 2008

¹ First episode of two broadcast on September 25, 2008, airing one hour earlier than usual

Reception

Ginia Bellafante of the "New York Times" found Ramsay's teaching methods and high standards "undeniably hypnotic" and commented that "the thrill of watching Mr. Ramsay is in witnessing someone so at peace with his own arrogance."cite web
url = http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/arts/television/19kitc.html?ref=arts
date = 2007-09-19
accessdate = 2007-09-19
title = "To Perk Up a Restaurant, Add Luster Where Lacking"
publisher = New York Times] Doug Elfman of the "Chicago Sun-Times" said the show is "a very entertaining public service" that "will make you laugh, make you sick and make you think".cite web
url = http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/elfman/563173,CST-FTR-elf19.article
date = 2007-09-19
accessdate = 2007-09-19
title = "Something's rotten in our restaurants"
publisher = Chicago Sun-Times] Randy Cordova of the "Arizona Republic" found Ramsay "just as blustery and foul-mouthed here as he is on "Hell's Kitchen". But he is also oddly endearing, mainly because he genuinely seems invested in the fate of each restaurant".cite web
url = http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/0919countdown0919online.html
date = 2007-09-19
accessdate = 2007-09-19
title = "Fox cooks up delicious 'Nightmares'"
publisher = Arizona Republic]

Some critics found Fox's adaptation of "Kitchen Nightmares" strayed from the strengths of the original Channel 4 series. Maureen Ryan of the "Chicago Tribune" said, "Leave it to Fox to take something the Brits did pretty well and muck it up". She added, "Never mind the cooking; this edition of the show appears to be more interested in playing up the family dramas at the restaurants Ramsay visits".cite web
url = http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2007/09/another-helping.html
date = 2007-09-17
accessdate = 2007-09-19
title = "Another helping of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay"
publisher = Chicago Tribune] Robert Lloyd of the "Los Angeles Times" commented, "Whereas the British "Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares" is fundamentally a food show — it has interesting things to show you about how a restaurant runs and a kitchen works, the wonders of local markets and what you can make from them if you're Gordon Ramsay or willing to follow his instructions — the Fox edition emphasizes mishap, argument and emotional breakdown almost to the exclusion of cuisine".cite web
url = http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-kitchen19sep19,1,6452711.story?coll=la-entnews-tv&ctrack=2&cset=true
date = 2007-09-19
accessdate = 2007-09-19
title = "'Kitchen Nightmares': Mishaps and emotion are main courses"
publisher = Los Angeles Times]

In addition, one review revealed that at least one restaurant featured in the first season did not actually apply to be featured on the show, but was invited due to the personality of the chef who had previously applied for "Hell's Kitchen." According to the review, the business at the restaurant went up 37% after Ramsay's visit.cite web|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/11122007/tv/canned_heat_483479.htm?page=0 |title= "Kitchen Nightmare" in Westhampton: What Happens to a Restaurant after Chef Ramsay Leaves |date= 2007-11-12 |accessdate = 2007-11-30 |publisher = New York Post]

Footnotes

External links

*" [http://www.fox.com/kitchennightmares/ Kitchen Nightmares] " official site