Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares – Public Service and The Market

reply to post by thedoctorswife


At least JO is trying to do something good, challenging the authority that wants to keep making kids eat unhealthy food at schools and like you say with his "Fifteen" Restaurants, helping young people in a carrier in the Restaurant industry.

I watched Ramsey's nightmare last night, the US version. He basically went into a Restaurant that the family had run into the ground. Ramsey came in gave the place a new interior and exterior. A month later the restaurant had closed. It's not the restaurants that are the problem it's the people with absolutely no passion for the industry that run them. I think last nights episode proved my points pretty well. Was a huge waste of time and money on a business destined for failure.

reply to post by mnemeth1


as a chef myself, i love gordon.

this is the way it is, in this biz.

chef's are teachers but there is no room to screw up.

there is a point when cutting them slack is over.

time for tough love.

it's jethro gibbs on steroids.


you have 1 shot to get it right and on time.

i tell my employees to watch him, hell's kitchen too.

that is me before he was him and generations before us.

one poster was thinking about "restaurant makeover"

diff animal.

he is commercialized to the max but so true to what goes on in the good kitchens of the world.

notice bourdain is rarely in a kitchen except at the start of the show?


"what are you doing?" "make the desserts" lololol!!

the cooking shows are cooking shows, iron chef, julia child, graham kerr, do not show the reality.

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
reply to post by thedoctorswife

 

huge waste of time and money

Was it?

How much do you think Ramsay made on TV advertising for that show in comparison to how much he lost rebuilding the restaurant?

I'll bet Ramsay came out ahead.

Originally posted by mnemeth1

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
reply to post by mnemeth1

 

I just dont like seeing bad business being rewarded.

The point of the show is that the market does not reward bad businesses.

So if my business is failing and someone else comes in and saves it for me, that is not rewarding my failure? I would think if my business if failing it should be left to fail. Having someone come save me and turn it all around for me sure sounds rewarding.

Originally posted by mnemeth1

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
reply to post by thedoctorswife

 

huge waste of time and money

Was it?

How much do you think Ramsay made on TV advertising for that show in comparison to how much he lost rebuilding the restaurant?

I'll bet Ramsay came out ahead.

Which completely kills the point of your OP, doesn't it?
Ramsey comes in, rewards a failing business and Ramsey profits while all you know is the restaurant that should have failed was BAILED OUT for at least a month. Not exactly the point your OP tries to make.
If the market does not reward failure and this show highlights that then I am confused how when what Ramsey does is reward failure basically to secure his own success.

Originally posted by mnemeth1

Originally posted by Paschar0
I'm a fan of his shows too, but he digs in on people a little too much sometimes for my taste, but hey, it's theatre so I get it. I think everyone could use a real dose of honesty once in a while.

That said, I just don't understand how people can be ALL for government oversight or ALL for private sector, isn't it obvious that either extreme results in disaster. SOME regulation is good, yes some government is good. I believe in responsible social programs and also in hard work and not being lazy.

But what I'm NOT for is giving away all our money to the god damned banks and then turning your sights on the little guy to pay up now that the money is gone. Know what else, how about if you're wealthy, fair or not, you pay A LITTLE more for a while, you know, like the "temporary tax cuts" were supposed to be about in the first place.

The truth is our whole system is beyond repair, both politically and financially, it's only a matter of time now because we're NEVER paying back all those trillions.

Either we go belly up on our own, a comet hits us, aliens land in golden cigar shaped spaceships piloted by reptilian Scientologists or whatever else but one thing I know for sure, life as we know it is headed for one hell of big change, I'm almost rooting for the comet :-)

The reason why I am against all government regulation (which are preventative laws, not real laws like laws against fraud for example) is because regulations create artificial barriers to market entry.

Consider:

A business has to get a permit before they can sell anything, this costs money.

A business has to get permission from the zoning board before they can sell anything, this costs money and might prevent them from opening entirely.

A business has to comply with all the accounting regulations, this costs money and creates additional overhead that a business might not need in order to operate successfully. These laws do nothing to prevent fraud, which is illegal anyways without any need for additional regulations on business operations.

A business has to comply with all the various tax laws, which again creates additional overhead.

A business has to comply with all the signage laws, which may prevent the business from marketing its services properly.

etc.. etc.. etc..

Regulations are always lobbied for by the existing industry itself (hence all the lobbyists) in order to create large barriers to market entry.

I hear you, and as a business owner myself I with you on a lot of this, but for all the "bad" rules, there are some good ones. We've all seen what businesses will do when given complete freedom, they'll forsake absolutely everything for even the slightest profit increase. To me the answer isn't throwing the baby out with the bath water or "trusting" business to do the right thing, but just fixing the system we have. Corrupt politicians and Mega corporations are the real problem IMO.

PS: Watched Hell's Kitchen last night and I used to really enjoy it, but now it seems to be going full on "Springer" with the "cast". Just seems there going for drama over talent, can't imagine paying any of them $250,000 a year frankly.

Originally posted by thedoctorswife

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
reply to post by mnemeth1

 

But at the end of each show, all I think is what a waste, waste all that time and effort on people who dont really deserve the help. I'd have much more respect if Ramsey was helping new ventures get off the ground, not propping up failing business's. Thats what the US Governments for.

Yeah like Jamie Oliver and his FIfteen restaurants, and the work hes done in American schools. As ive said before and i will continue to say it again and again, Jamie Oliver deserves to be a Knight.

My kid works in the entertainment industry. Many entertainers do things behind the scenes no one will publicly know about.

Ramsay doesn't have to show the public what he's done and those he has helped off camera.

As far as "why doesn't he help good restaurants" - - - who can say he hasn't? Seeing and correctly what is wrong is what is interesting and teaches others. If it isn't entertaining - - it won't hold an audience.

If I owned a restaurant - - I would be sure to watch every single episode of ALL of Ramsay's shows.

Actually - I think any business could learn from watching his shows.

Originally posted by Paschar0
PS: Watched Hell's Kitchen last night and I used to really enjoy it, but now it seems to be going full on "Springer" with the "cast". Just seems there going for drama over talent, can't imagine paying any of them $250,000 a year frankly.

Yeah! But that's probably what the majority of watchers tune in for. Kind of like Simon on American Idol. Simon never picked a single talent - it was Randy and Paula that recognized the real talents. There was a reason Simon put Paula next to him - - she made him look good. He was not amused on her coherent nights - - when she was a serious judge.

Also - - I've watched Hell's Kitchen from the beginning. This far into the show Ramsay gets really annoyed when no one stands out as a consistent leader. I prefer Master Chef.

They are not just cooking shows. They are entertainment shows that have to hold an audience. Commercial television is pathetic - - in that it has to draw in a certain "buying" demographic. Not mature people with expendable money - - because that demographic is set in their ways. But - the age bracket that can be enticed to try new products or change the ones they are using.

Its how the "game" is played. Kind of like politics has become more of a personality contest - - then anything to do with real issues.