The Plonker Club

With the casting call for the next season of Kitchen Nightmares well underway (see ‘Does Your Restaurant want to be Ramsied’), I was reviewing the application forms (exciting afternoon here!), the one tendered for business owners, and the one for employees.

There certainly are some strange questions that they ask!

Not quite sure why they need to know the applicants height, weight, eye and hair colour as well as ethnic origin? Show me a cynical person who says, it is so they only pick the glamorous people and I’ll show you a person who hasn’t seen the first two seasons!!!

I also wonder what chance a person would have by ‘messing up’ these questions – especially by answering Ready, Steady Twat (nee Cook) or Marcus Wearing?

Q. Do you own cookbooks? If so, do you use them?
Q. Do you have a favorite Chef? If so, list whom and why?
Q. Describe your feelings about Chef Gordon Ramsay

I’m sure that some of the people that we have already seen on Kitchen Nightmares, answered ‘Yes’ to the second part of this question, and if I ever meet the producers, I will ask ‘Is it actually a pre-requisite?’

Q. Have you ever been treated for any serious physical or mental illness within the last 5 years?

The most entertaining read of all though, is reading the form one would submit to dob in their employer.
The employee form (all eleven pages) has some great questions, including those that would surely end their career if it warranted Gordon visiting the restaurant;

Q. Describe your employer and what would you do differently if you ran the restaurant?
Q. Describe what pressure means to you?
Q. Describe your style of work and how you perform on a deadline?
Q. When was the last time you received a promotion? Why or why not?
Q. When was the last time you received a raise?
Q. How do you react to criticism?

And best of all

Q. Are you a “yes” man/woman?

In the section I’ve dubbed ‘Legal bits’, it is a little surprising to learn exactly what the commitment is for an employee if their restaurant is selected, and I quote;

“If I am selected to participate in the program, I will need to be exclusively available to Producers for approximately 6 weeks for taping of the Program and if necessary any follow-up at Producers’ discretion”

Six weeks, for a alleged five day show, compressed into about 30 minutes of footage when you remove the spoilers at the start and before each ad break not to mention the recaps after returning from the ‘words from sponsors’! Wow, those editors must really work overtime. Much more than I first thought, considering the stuff I was already aware of; like those contrived endings and piecing together fights where Gordon is constantly changing clothes throughout!

Either way, I reluctantly wait for Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares (UK) bastard little brother (US version) to hit the air, still hoping another season gets done in the UK or the American producers wake up to themselves!

David Driscoll
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com

Apparently ‘New Magazine’ (looks like the same OLD crap to me) is telling the world via an un-named source, that Tana and Gordon Ramsay will renew their wedding vows in the new year – as reported by the Sun newspaper (couldn’t find anything about it on their website).

They also report (oxymoron?) that Tana is cutting back her work television work in order to accompany Gordon to the USA for the next filming of Kitchen Nightmares, in order to spend quality time together.

Apparently that all this rag says on the matter, so don’t contribute to this second rate news cycle – no need to buy the mag and give them anymore money, you’ve got the “top secret” gossip already.

This story comes hot on the heels of another press release from www.shopperbonus.com.au that 37% of the 640 polled think less of Gordon Ramsay since the affair allegations. This report from another Australian source – newsmaker.com.au says that 4% like him a lot more! Should we even listen to a poll about 640 people who are members of a website dedicated to competitions and offers? They probably aren’t the target market for Gordon Ramsay Restaurants after all (the cookbook empire maybe – if they can get then cheap!!)

One source with slightly more pull (yes, pun intended), the Daily Star in the UK states that Gordon Ramsay is ranked second as a celebrity that Brits love to hate, a title which they accredit to claims of infidelity.

Hopefully that satisfies your appetite for the rest of the year for worthless unsubstantiated Gordon Ramsay Gossip??!!

David Driscoll
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com

It seems the call has gone out in the US for a new batch of culinary catastrophes to put there hand up and be put through the mill by the great Gordon Ramsay.

According to the Fox website – the casting call has gone out in the following areas – Los Angeles, Miami / FT. Lauderdale, Boston, Philadelphia, AND the New York Tri-State Area. Restaurant owners and even employees can nominate their establishments (on different submission forms!).

This is directly from their site;

Does your restaurant need HELP?
Are you trying to make some green, but still running red?
Do you and your chef have different ideas about the menu?
Or maybe you have a great location, but it doesn’t seem to entice many customers?

Email or Call for Information:
KitchenNightmares@theconlincompany.com
Go to www.theconlincompany.com to submit your video

If you want to apply to have Chef Gordon Ramsay come into your establishment for one week to troubleshoot your problems and try to get you back on the road to success… Contact us NOW!!!

KitchenNightmares@theconlincompany.com

**NOTE** Make sure to include:
Your name and contact info (including a phone number), name of your restaurant and your specialty, how many seats you have, and most importantly, why you need our help.

*Restaurants must be open at least 1 year and have at least 35 seats.

David Driscoll
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com

2009 may see Gordon Ramsay giving free cooking lessons in the USA and Australia and everyone is invited!

I was going back through some old emails and I can’t believe I missed this one. A few different sources, including Variety Magazine – spoke about a Live Cooking show coming up on Fox in 2009.

Apparently it will be modelled on Cookalong Live – a pet project of Gordon Ramsay that is at the core of his effort to get people back into the kitchen and cooking. This is also a resounding theme of his other popular show – The F-Word, Season 3 of which will be showing in the US on BBC America, Wednesday January 14 at 3pm.

While Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares is one of my favourite shows, Cookalong Live is a close second. If you don’t know anything about Cookalong Live – check out some of my previous blogs

Get A Healthy Dose of Gordon Ramsay which contains a great ad that Channel 4 in the UK used to promote the show.

Free Cooking Course from Gordon Ramsay has the intro to all seven episodes that just finished playing in the UK. Check it out and discover how you can learn to cook seven three course dishes in under an hour and have a bunch of fun at the same time. The scenes of Gordon going undercover to road test other top chef’s cooking classes is gold, as is himg oing into different kitchen to learn new skills – like making noodles, lamb kebabs and naan bread.

It’s a great show and I can’t wait until it comes down under!

David Driscoll
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com

Throughout November and December, it was only our friends form the UK that could take up this amazing offer of seven one hour cooking lessons with Gordon Ramsay – courtesy of Channel 4 in the UK. Now, many others are taking up the call to get back into the Kitchen via the Channel 4 Website (and the odd proxy server) or by other means.

Although the rest of use don’t have to feel the pace and pressure of live television, the cooking lessons (and preliminary lessons in preparation) really are excellent. This series is something I would be happy to pay good money for and I only hope my local foodie channel pick up this series. I really don’t think anything is lost by not having this screening live – so here is a teaser – to show you exactly what was offered each week – seven three course dinners, twenty one dishes plus lots of Gordon Ramsay intensity, passion and entertainment!

Enjoy

David Driscoll
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com