Kitchen Nightmares (US) - General Discussion

[Kromm]

Returns to our TVs April 11, 2014.  

See Gordo berate, embarrass, and pretend to care about a whole new pack of shitty restaurants and their (at least for the show's benefit) dysfunctional owners.  Speculate on who's faking and who's not, who's genuinely delusional or playing it coy.  How much Gordon will overact and pretend a piece of food with too little salt or slightly goopy sauce is "inedible rubbish" or a "dog's dinner" and if he's actually throw it like he does on Hell's Kitchen. And then admit it could be worse.  It could be Robert Irvine.

Watch the power of a paid-for-makeover, free publicity,and the ability to post Gordon Ramsey's photo for the remaining lifetime of your restaurant in the lobby and what people will do for all of that.  And post about it here!

[BogoGog24]

Isn't the first episode scheduled to be a return to Amy's Baking Company? I really can't wait to see THAT.

[Kromm]

Isn't the first episode scheduled to be a return to Amy's Baking Company? I really can't wait to see THAT.

Is it?  Holy $%&!

The one place we know for sure where the person wasn't faking how delusional they are.  I mean sure, ultimately it was the same grab for free publicity and a makeover they all are, but in this case we got someone who was genuinely mentally ill and/or galactically stupid, with no faux amping it up for the cameras. Because real life illustrated she was, if anything, even worse.

Holy crap on crackers.  Amy is even more wacked out than last time--at least this video clip suggests it:

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/dining/2014/03/26/kitchen-nightmares-amy-baking-company/6931179/

[Crucial]

I can't wait to see what crazy Amy brings in the opener.  Although a part of me doesn't want these people getting anymore attention because of their awfulness.  But that train wreck part of me has to see what they are going to bring, lol.  Glad it's not that far away. Less than 2 weeks away.

[BogoGog24]

Dear God those people are delusional. A war? Really? Also, if they have such disdain for Ramsay, then why did they ask him to help them with their failing restaurant? For publicity? I'm surprised Ramsay even agreed to go back there. 

[Rapunzel]

I'm surprised Ramsay even agreed to go back there.

He would never pass up the chance to get such high ratings. People are already anticipating and eagerly awaiting the episode - myself included. The husband and wife at Amy's are just so unbelievably legitimately delusional (and real life convicted criminals) rather than just "plants" or exaggerating circumstances purely to manufacturer drama that its fascinating to watch them and listen to how much in denial they are.

[BogoGog24]

Well yeah of course he knows it will bring in the ratings but is it worth the emotional stress of dealing with nut cases like these? I am interested to see how he will handle these people.

[Lillybee]

Compared to Robert Irving's Restaurant Impossible, Ramsey is a pussycat.

[BogoGog24]

They re-aired the Amy's Baking Company episode tonight. It reminded me of just how awful these people truly are. I remembered them being highly delusional but I forgot how bad it really was. I'm amazed they are still open. Can't wait to see the revisit episode.

[Padma]

I was excited about revisiting the craziness (hoping it wasn't some kind of "oh, they're really good people after all" because..uh...no.) But the preview didn't show Ramsey at all. It just showed some interviews with Amy and Samy, some footage of their place, a follow-up from a reporter on the frenzy they triggered on social media, and made me think it's some kind of legal effort to give them their chance to speak for themselves.

I -hope- that Ramsey says something not only about, but to them, and I -wish- he would go back to actually revisit them, but from the preview, it just didn't seem like that was how it would be.

[WhoAmIWorkingFor]

I watched the last 10 minutes just to see the preview for next week, and it didn't take more than about a minute to reacquaint myself with the original craziness of the place.  I've watched a number of episodes of the original UK Kitchen Nightmares in the last few months, and the hard-case owners from that series look like saints by comparison.

I'm keeping in mind the "FOX previews always lie" factor, but when the preview seems to be promising us unaired footage from the first visit along with recaps of the Internet/local news sh*tstorm that followed the airing of the first episode, that definitely suggests that Gordon himself did not return to Amy and Samy's strange little world.  Even a couple of seconds of reaction shots from that would be priceless in the preview.

So casual viewers should be able to get all caught up by watching whatever appears next week (considering how padded out the show can get and how much things spiralled after the initial airing, it easily could just be recaps of what we already know), but I do wonder what juicy bones, if any, could be tossed out for the Internet pitchfork brigade that, well, helped get them all this notoriety in the first place.

Edited April 5, 2014 by WhoAmIWorkingFor

[BogoGog24]

Yeah unfortunately the preview makes it look like the owners are just being interviewed about what's happened, but Ramsay is nowhere to be found. Can't really say I blame him. The waitress who was fired in the episode, Katy, spoke out on Reddit shortly after the episode originally aired, revealing details we didn't see. She said that Amy had sent the food to the wrong table like 3 or 4 times so when she asked her to send a table she said "Are you sure?" because Amy had screwed up numerous times before that, but we didn't see it. Apparently Amy also called her poisonous venom or something to that effect. 

Now apparently Amy is also accusing Ramsay of sexually harassing her during filming. If you ask me, I think, as crazy as Sammy is, Amy is the real problem here. Her husband openly acknowledged she cannot take criticism and he simply avoids telling her anything she needs to hear because he knows the way she is. He also owned up to at least ONE thing, which was that they had gone through 100 employees in the last year. I think he is scared of his wife and that's why he never says anything to her but compliments and "You're doing great, people are stupid!" Amy is a psychopath, for real. The way she reacts to things is not normal at all and she should be evaluated for mental illness. Even what she said about her cats was just bizarre. 

[Padma]

Amy is the real problem here. Her husband openly acknowledged she cannot take criticism and he simply avoids telling her anything she needs to hear because he knows the way she is. He also owned up to at least ONE thing, which was that they had gone through 100 employees in the last year.

 

ITA in a way. I felt Samy was shady and very bad-tempered with staff and customers, but... he kind of seemed like "garden-variety bad boss on Kitchen Nightmares" to me. I thought he seemed willing to listen and probably would be one of the owners who wound up changing for the better (however briefly) after Gordon's week with him.

But Amy? She's too far gone, for whatever reason (maybe a chemical one). I'm afraid that the next week will just give them free publicity without really telling us the truth about the restaurant post-KN. But maybe I'll be surprised. (I'm definitely watching anyway!)

Now apparently Amy is also accusing Ramsay of sexually harassing her during filming.

 

I doubt it's true (she waited way too long to say it if it was), but she's foolish to try to retaliate like that. They have a second chance at getting good publicity and anything that makes you still look crazy isn't helping.

[Happytobehere]

They re-aired the Amy's Baking Company episode tonight.

 

Wish I had known, I would have watched.  That was am episode I deleted in utter shocked dismay and as time passed, I wished I was able to revisit the episode that made me respect Ramsey as a chef and critic again.

[MrsEVH]

I set up my DVR and it shows it's going to be  2 HOURS!  That's going to be  a lot of drama.

[Kromm]

Now apparently Amy is also accusing Ramsay of sexually harassing her during filming. If you ask me, I think, as crazy as Sammy is, Amy is the real problem here. 

This gets a bit hairy, I think, because it certainly wouldn't be the first indication that Ramsay can be (or at least come off as) condescending or sexist to women. Amy is massively delusional and vindictive, but there's certainly at least the possibility that Gordon may have reacted to her nuttiness with a lot of "darlings" and/or other forms of address that press those buttons.

[BogoGog24]

I set up my DVR and it shows it's going to be  2 HOURS!  That's going to be  a lot of drama.

The Amy's episode is only 1 hour. Then there's another episode on that takes place in a completely different restaurant. They are just 2 episodes aired back to back.

[Rhondinella]

Since there was a lot of talk about this upcoming episode in specific in the Season 6 thread, I went ahead and started the individual episode thread so you can discuss it before it airs as well as after.  I've moved some of the posts from that thread to here.

No WAY I'm not watching this!

Airs 4/11.  Set your DVRs accordingly.

[coloradoqt]

 

The Amy's episode is only 1 hour.

I'm guessing from the post tonite was a rerun?, Man that chick is insane of all of the people in Scottsdale, why is everyone out to get them? The poor little girl she fired, even after telling her she was fired, she yelled don't walk away (something similar and just as crazy) when I'm talking to you.I bet her "children" run  screeching to hide  when she comes home,, hubby is afraid of her, but has no problem being belligerent to customers. This is one I think Ramsay will lose,there is no redeeming them.

[AmyFarrahFowler]

Is it?  Holy $%&!

The one place we know for sure where the person wasn't faking how delusional they are.  I mean sure, ultimately it was the same grab for free publicity and a makeover they all are, but in this case we got someone who was genuinely mentally ill and/or galactically stupid, with no faux amping it up for the cameras. Because real life illustrated she was, if anything, even worse.

Holy crap on crackers.  Amy is even more wacked out than last time--at least this video clip suggests it:

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/dining/2014/03/26/kitchen-nightmares-amy-baking-company/6931179/

Amy was so worked up that she broke into a sweat! 

I think she really thought GR was going to fight the Yelpers. According to Amy, that was ABC's only problem.

[Happytobehere]

If you missed the replay of the ABC disaster, you can watch it here to prepare yourself for the debacle that is to come.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7uPOGxUtZvk

[Lisin]

Chef Ramsay heads to Denver, CO, where he meets a restaurant owner who is truly stuck in the past. Pete claims his family owned-and-run restaurant makes the "Best Pizza in Denver" based off a review from the 1980s. But when Ramsay holds a local taste test and a store-bought pizza is preferred over Pete's, it is clear the Denver community disagrees with that claim.

Original Air Date 2014-04-11

[6 MeowMeowBeenz]

I hope they call out her comment that she baked all the desserts herself, and juxtapose it with the later admission she buys them from some other company. That's gold, Jerry, gold!

[BogoGog24]

Ah yes I totally forgot about the fact that it was revealed she does not even bake her own desserts (at a freakin' restaurant called Amy's Baking Company) Isn't that basically fraud?

[Rhondinella]

Ah yes I totally forgot about the fact that it was revealed she does not even bake her own desserts (at a freakin' restaurant called Amy's Baking Company) Isn't that basically fraud?

Probably.  But "Amy's Buying Company" didn't have the same ring.

[Mystery]

From the text from that azcentral clip: "They have underestimated my husband and I....." So Amy's grammar is as good as her baking skills. 

[BusyOctober]

In case anyone wants a little amuse bouche before Friday's KN episode, Amy & Samy will be on Dr. Phil today.  I set my DVR so I can rewatch the cray-cray over & over.

[Gosling]

Well, to be fair, the outdated review isn't by itself that heinous a crime. It's the same thing that causes Campbell's Soup to still to this day display a medallion on the label they got for winning a taste test at the Paris Exposition in 1900. It's just a matter of continuing to live up to that review and not letting it go to your head... which is likely to be the real problem here.

[Stardancer Supreme]

Insane doesn't begin to cover these 2!  I thought Gordon was going to be sick once he found out that they were stealing the server's tips.  How do they even have servers?  No way would I work for any tyrants who keep my tips!

[Viqutorious]

I felt like I needed a nap after that episode!

[BogoGog24]

Despite everything they said in this episode about all this supposed "proof" they have of people bringing in fake bugs and what not, I still don't believe a word of anything they say. I sincerely believe Amy needs to go in for psychological testing. Or maybe the two of them need anger management. 

[Kromm]

Have we seen what I like to call "Asshole meets Assholes" (Dr. Phil Meets Amy & Sammy):

I think he seems to validate them--even with his "advice" and "criticism".  Sure he tries to call them out on a few aspects, but at the same time he seems to take their "bullies" angle seriously.

Here's the bits the show has posted (the entire episode is probably up there somewhere else but these bits are actually on the official channel).

Dr. Phil Gives Amy and Sammy Advice for Dealing with Critics

Dr. Phil Asks Amy and Sammy About Their Behavior on "Kitchen Nightmares"

Edited April 12, 2014 by Kromm

[EAG46]

And indeed that WAS the problem.  But Pete eventually saw that he needed to change his recipes and so far buisness improved.  Whether it will stay that way is another question, of course. 

[EAG46]

I don't even know what to say about these two lunatics.   I feel sorry for their cats.  Can the local Humane Society or SPCA check on them?   On a more serious note, they should not be in a business that deals with the public. 

[Kromm]

I don't even know what to say about these two lunatics.   I feel sorry for their cats.  Can the local Humane Society or SPCA check on them?   On a more serious note, they should not be in a business that deals with the public. 

Part of it seems like an act, and part doesn't.

The part that's clearly not an act on ANY level are two things.  

First, the way Amy's voice goes up into a screetch is something nobody can really fake--at least for very long.  That's someone losing their shit.  When she goes on about Yelpers and such you can clearly see even the illusion of sanity leave her eyes, as well as her voice.

Second is Sammy's kneejerk "My Wife Can Cook!". Not that he really thinks it, but it's a clear sign of someone who's been "trained" over time, by circumstance I mean, to react a certain way.  In other words, he's not doing it for a specifc set of camera appearances--he's doing it because he's done it thousands of times before.

The part that clearly is an act are any illusions they are trying to spin about what they believe is good food or bad food, what they expected to happen when the show visited.  Amy is psychotic, but in a way not totally delusional.  She may talk about a "Yelper conspiracy" that doesn't exist, but she did key onto one legitimate thing--that people eventually DID come to the restaurant (even before the show aired--or more particularly when it was taping) specifically WANTING to see a trainwreck and then to be able to go back and write about it online. What she's messed up is the cause and effect here.  This happened as an EFFECT of her insanity, it wasn't the CAUSE of her business problems.  Her shitty attitude and her food was still the ultimate cause (and a change in those would have eventually led to a turnaround).  And it wasn't any kind of organized conspiracy.  It was people being people.  

Getting back to what Amy expected to happen when the show visited?  I think this is the part she's lying about. Not that she expected Gordon to back out or anything like that, but what she expected, I'd bet, was a free makeover, free publicity and yes (and this is the key thing), even to be yelled at by Ramsay.  It didn't pan out that way because the unplanned part--the truth--was her inability to squash her abnormal reactions when confronted by criticism.  Remember, I think she knows full well her food sucks.  I think Sammy knows full well even moreso.  They just thought they could squash that down long enough to get their free makeover and publicity and totally failed, because as I said, she's a psycho.  I don't know if she's a diagnosable one, but you all know what I mean!

Edited April 12, 2014 by Kromm

[BogoGog24]

Actually Amy stated she thought Gordon Ramsay was gonna come in there and rave about how delicious her food is to prove all the "haters" wrong. I'm sure they also would have wanted the free makeover and publicity, but the main reason, which she herself stated, was that she thought Ramsay would say how delicious her food is. She was looking for validation and for someone influential to prove the reviews wrong.

[Kromm]

Actually Amy stated she thought Gordon Ramsay was gonna come in there and rave about how delicious her food is to prove all the "haters" wrong. I'm sure they also would have wanted the free makeover and publicity, but the main reason, which she herself stated, was that she thought Ramsay would say how delicious her food is. She was looking for validation and for someone influential to prove the reviews wrong.

Her SAYING it doesn't mean she actually thought that.  That's the part where it's you know... lying.

[Dishin]

I visited Amy's on a trip to Arizona a few months ago...I was the only patron in the place, and asked them a question about Ramsay, and both of them ranted hysterically ( just like on the episode) for a good 20 minutes. It was a very interesting afternoon!

[Viqutorious]

Have we seen what I like to call "Asshole meets Assholes" (Dr. Phil Meets Amy & Sammy):

I think he seems to validate them--even with his "advice" and "criticism". Sure he tries to call them out on a few aspects, but at the same time he seems to take their "bullies" angle seriously.

Here's the bits the show has posted (the entire episode is probably up there somewhere else but these bits are actually on the official channel).

Kromm I tried to quote you but my iPad had other ideas.

Your 4:50 post is spot on.

I agree the Dr. Phil interview validated how out of touch both Amy & Sammy are.

I normally feel squirmy and sympathetic or empathetic when unstable people are on reality tv. I do not with her, she seems so narcisstic and delusional any empathy for her seems impossible.

Edited April 13, 2014 by CheeseBurgh

[Intuition]

Have we seen what I like to call "Asshole meets Assholes" (Dr. Phil Meets Amy & Sammy):

I think he seems to validate them--even with his "advice" and "criticism".  Sure he tries to call them out on a few aspects, but at the same time he seems to take their "bullies" angle seriously.

Interesting, I didn't see it that way.  I watched those two clips and I think he was taking the typical therapist's non-confrontational angle by framing everything in terms of how they feel while not standing in judgment of it.  He said stuff like "Well, if you feel like you're being bullied, then is your "fight" response really the best way of dealing with them?"  Or telling them to disconnect their phone if they don't want to get harassing  callers.  Also, he did call them out on some stuff, such as telling them that the diners in the fight footage were "no actors" as Amy and Samy kept alleging.  They kept saying they were paid actors by the show or not "real" customers but "Bullies" who came from Yelp.  I thought Dr. Phil was holding back his real opinion in that episode to avoid a fight and because he hoped to possibly get through to them.  When they're told they're wrong directly and start fighting it, they're not listening to anyone and game over.  I think he knows he's never going to get them to realize everything about themselves, but at least if he can help them learn that they're defeating even their own purposes by their behavior, it might improve things for them (and quite possibly the world too!).

[fishcakes]

I had to stop watching this show a few years ago because otherwise, I'd never go to a restaurant again, but because I'd heard about Amy and Samy I did watch the rerun of the original episode and the current episode. I think the return was exploitative, really. Amy (and maybe Samy to a lesser extent) are clearly not right in the head and, if anything, all the notoriety has made Amy worse. In the first show, she seemed to be more of an asshole than truly mentally ill, but the ranting in the return episode was sad to watch. That bit of nuttery where she imitated people who walk in, look in the bakery case, then walk out without buying anything, and cited it as proof that they're being harassed by haters and trolls was a monument to paranoia. If checking out the food and not buying it is trolling, then I've trolled every Giorgio's and Cajun Grill in every food court I've ever been in.

[Bella]

I may drop in at lunch in the next few weeks to see how it's going and what I think of the food.

That would be great! Top Chef has a "visited their restaurants" thread, and it would be totally appropriate here, too.

[fivestone]

I visited Amy's on a trip to Arizona a few months ago...I was the only patron in the place, and asked them a question about Ramsay, and both of them ranted hysterically ( just like on the episode) for a good 20 minutes. It was a very interesting afternoon!

And how was the food?

[Bella]

I keep wondering how they stay in business. There must be enough curiosity-seekers and t-shirt buyers to keep them out of bankruptcy. She really is bat-shit crazy, and he's no better.

Ramsey's set reminded me of the one used for Hell's Kitchen, btw, which would make sense - swap out some parts of the set, change the colorwash from red to blue, and have him come across as the most reasonable person around, which is funny in and of itself.

[Taylorh2]

Dh & I are going to try and have lunch there when we go downtown for the 420 rally.

[Taylorh2]

Thank you.

[pagooey]

I think she really thought GR was going to fight the Yelpers.

 

I can't stop singing this, Public-Enemy style. Fight the Yelpers THAT BE!

[Rhondinella]

What she's messed up is the cause and effect here.  This happened as an EFFECT of her insanity, it wasn't the CAUSE of her business problems.

I completely agree with this analysis.

[Kromm]

... when Ramsay attacks their food during the sampling segment?

It always pushes me towards thinking they're just lying to help make a story.  Because it makes no sense.  Ramsay dogs the food of ANY place his advance team actually clears for an episode to be shot.  Anyone who's even seen the show knows that EVERY Ramsay tasting winds up with him slamming every dish.  And yet like clockwork we get on-camera reactions of ALL of them, after this many years of seeing the show, acting shocked about this.  So why?  Is it fake, and if it's not, how can we possibly explain this?

[BogoGog24]

Honestly the owners never seem to be aware of how bad the state of their kitchens/refrigerators are. So they don't make the connection that that's why their food is bad. I also think they just want the free dramatic makeover because they can't afford it themselves, but know they could probably use new decor and new equipment. 

I don't see a thread for last night's episodes but the only thing I can really say is- say what you want about Amy's Baking Company. They had batshit crazy owners but their kitchens were spotless and they didn't have freaky mannequins in the entryway. Both episodes last night were enough to make me want to vomit. I felt so sorry for poor Chef Ramsay, having to even set foot in those places. *shudder*