SOMEBODY should rename this season of “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Gordon Ramsay and the Chamber of Horrors.”
At least that’s the way it starts on tomorrow night’s insanely entertaining fourth season premiere.
And it looks like this season’s going to be the worst – which means, of course, it’ll be the best.
A whole new slew of “chefs” – most of whom seem to have been chosen for their inability to cook – will face Ramsay tomorrow night before facing off against each other.
This season, there’s a stay-at-home dad, a couple of sous chefs, an executive chef, a hotel chef, a personal chef, a law-office receptionist, a catering director, an electrician, a line cook or two – and one person who makes Chef Ramsay literally throw up in the slop bucket.
Now, right off, if that happened to me, I would have packed it in and run like my behind was on fire. But they’re all in it to win it and humiliation is part of the job description.
These chefs include the usual array of cocky, scared shiftless, lazy, nutty, the unorganized and untalented.
In fact, it doesn’t yet appear that any of them are ready, save one.
Are any of them good enough to win? Of course – or there’d be no show.
But are any of them worthy enough for the prize which this year is a gig worth $250,000 at a new Ramsay restaurant, London LA?
The show begins with a surprise as the contestants board a bus – along with a hidden contestant. I don’t want to give it away, but trust me, it’s hilarious.
The nervy contestants, who seem to be living in an alternate universe, honestly believe they can stand up to Ramsay in some cases – or talk behind his back in others.
After he trashes the signature dish of one contestant (and trust me, he trashes them all), the flabbergasted contestant replies: “Chef Ramsay has absolutely no idea what he’s talking about and absolutely no idea who he’s talking to.” Huh?
Keep an eye out for Matt, a guy who calls himself a “true culinarian.” (Yes, there is such a word.) Unfortunately, the true culinarian’s dish is a tartare composed of raw venison, scallops, caviar, capers and the ingredient that is always necessary with raw meat and fish, white chocolate.
Our fave so far is hometown girl Rosann, the law-firm receptionist, who has the heaviest New York accent ever to make it onto network TV. She also seems to have raw talent – which thank God doesn’t include raw venison.
It’s a helluva good show.
“Hell’s Kitchen”
Tuesday night at 9 on Fox