This
essay started out with a foundation building upon Gordon Ramsay.
No…
really… Gordon Ramsay.
More
to the point… Ramsay, and his shows Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares
and Kitchen Nightmares.
I’ve
been working around the house a lot lately, often inside, and
like to have something on in the background. Usually I’m hoping
to find something that… even though it might be something I haven’t
seen before… I don’t have to focus on, can catch up to the story
quickly if I lose track, and won’t mind too much if I miss chunks
of it.
Thank
you BBC America and repeat episodes of two of Ramsay’s shows for
offering something a bit outside of my normal routines. Overall
they are fairly well made, have a decent flow to them, and follow
along a consistent… if not blatantly predictable, right down to
the moment Ramsay takes off his shirt… pace.
Funny
thing about the shows though. You begin to get curious about the
restaurants Ramsay visits. How did the owners and employees make
out? Is the restaurant still open? And that in turn becomes where
some of the real excitement is.
Depending
on a few things -- such as, how you word a search phrase… if you
look for a specific single restaurant… and so on… -- you’re search
results will vary. Even so, inevitably you will find some of the
following…
-
People
stunned that considering his so-called professional expert
status, well over half… actually, according to most places
that are trying to keep track, more than 60%... of the restaurants
Ramsay has assisted have closed.
-
People
stunned that… considering several studies seem to show that
more than half of all restaurants that open end up failing
in less than a year, and Ramsay’s shows feature establishments
having significant troubles in several areas… only about 60%
of the restaurants Ramsay has assisted have closed.
-
People
complaining about editing.
…and
so much more. People critical of Gordon Ramsay… people praising
Gordon Ramsay… people complaining about the show and the producers…
and the list goes on and on.
I
had originally approached this as a possible essay about Gordon
Ramsay and those crazy people on that whacky internet. It was
going to be about perception. After all, many people writing their
theories and opinions seem… in my observations… to be missing
some of the most fundamental elements of the show. In fact, this
even goes for the participants.
First
up as a for instance… OF COURSE the show is going to
be edited in a way that favors Gordon. What the heck do some of
these owners and staff think? That they’re so amazingly special
that the producers are going to decide to make Ramsey look like
an ass while showcasing them in a bright, special spotlight?
Several
decades ago I was dating a girl that, for lack of a better description,
we’ll simply refer to as high maintenance. (Ok… fine… VERY
high maintenance.) One night we were watching television with
her mother, she started talking something that is no longer important
(to me or this story), got up, and walked into another room.
What
I do recall today is it was something that left no doubt I was
going to need to do something stupid. Her mother and I exchanged
glances, and this next part I absolutely remember to this day.
Heck, it made such an impression on me that I can almost still
feel like I am sitting in that room. Her mother’s eyes caught
mine, and within her gaze it was said: “Yes, my daughter is off
her rocker and being an idiot.”
I’d
like to add that the look also added something -- “…and good luck
with her…” or such -- but I can’t. As much as I would like to
believe it was there, it wasn’t. Instead, the look unmistakably
said: “Yes, my daughter is off her rocker and being an idiot.”
Now…
can you find the two most important words in that sentence?
I
can give you a few seconds. (All set? Cool...)
Congrats
to those of you that decided -- my daughter.
Her
mother wasn’t going to do anything long lasting in support of
me. I was dating her daughter. And I wasn’t even remotely close
to being a member of the family. Our relationship didn’t last…
and I wish her the best with however her life has gone over the
years and is going today... hopefully we both found better things
for our needs. (I know I did.)
More
to our considerations here though, the young lady was her daughter…
and in the same way, Ramsay is the star of the show. Short of
a track record of mistakes and confrontations for which he has
no defense, there isn’t much of a chance that those invested in
the success of the show won’t do everything they can to assist
the star in looking good. The participants are extras… interchangeable
extras that will no longer be on set next week. The crew wants
to work equals Ramsay being the most important for them.
Second…
the track record of success is honestly quite stunning.
I
mean… let’s think about it… my understanding of the process involved
in applying to be on the show goes something like this: you have
a restaurant that is in deep trouble, you heard the show takes
applocants, and... well... that’s enough. You have problems and
found out how to get the show's attention.
It
could be bad food, financial concerns that are well beyond significant,
personality problems, or a number of other concepts (and often
combinations of more than one)… but the most simplistic concept
seems to be that a restaurant is in trouble. (Chaos and ignorance
being a bonus.)
Now…
the reality is we’re quite likely being handed or finding bad
numbers about restaurant closings. More than half fail in less
than a year? There are studies that show the number may be closer
to 25%. And, there are also studies that show if you wait three
years, the number of places taking down the name and closing their
doors could be as high as 80%. Manipulate the conditions and parameters
and you can pretty much move to any level in between zero going
out of business and absolutely all of them.
A
reality that becomes not even a side note… if you have forever
to wait, eventually pretty much every business closes. Very few
amusement parks can match Dyrehavsbakken in Denmark (opened in
1583) and Lake Compounce in Connecticut (opened in 1846). The
more time that passes, the more restaurants Ramsay assisted will
close. People sell the business… retire… and so on. His success
rate will not improve... and, frankly, can not improve.
But
one thing is consistent… Ramsay is visiting establishments that
opened their doors and, at some point, took a giant step backwards.
So
I moved along… adding a pinch of this and a dash of that to my
notes… developing this essay and expanding some thoughts. And,
something else began to hit me.
Quite
often, the thrust of the show becomes not salvaging the restaurant
that opened, but creating a restaurant that could stay open.
And
that’s as important as it is easy to miss. The establishment and
the intentions that went into first opening the doors… the theme,
the menu, the efforts… get moved to the side. They don’t say it
happens. But it does.
And
it’s hard to argue the concept if that’s the conscious approach
being made. You rarely see people go into business with the idea
being to fail spectacularly, close up shop, and leave most involved
in financial, emotional, and physical ruin.
For
a moment though, consider what Ramsay (and his team) so often
does… he redecorates the restaurant and creates a new menu.
In
simple terms… if someone told you that your chicken saltimbocca
was beyond belief… and as a result of that signature dish, you
opened your restaurant with chicken saltimbocca proudly featured
as a specialty… is it the same restaurant if Ramsay takes chicken
saltimbocca off the menu?
Expand
that thought to truly encompass what goes into opening a restaurant.
That
left me wondering… how free is Ramsay to change the world? Is
any time given to discussing the menu with participants so they
can explain the importance of mom’s special chocolate cake, dad’s
favorite stuffed mushroom appetizers, or grandma’s legendary gravy?
Does the color of the paint, the style of the chairs, or any other
element of design involve some important meaning? And when is
this an element of Ramsay’s approach? …or, more importantly perhaps,
is this ever an element of Ramsay’s approach?
Because
quite often, Ramsay appears to change everything. About
the only thing left standing is that, more often than not, a seafood
restaurant has a new seafood menu. (And so on. But even that isn’t
a hard and fast rule.)
So
there I am, with… “wow, look at Ramsay go”… “geez, saving a third
of these places is a miracle because I wouldn’t set foot near
them after watching this”… and “they seemed so proud of that chowder,
I wonder if he tried to save the dish by talking to them about
how to adjust it and improve it instead of chucking it and bringing
in his own minestrone”… darting through my head.
And
I was working on different concepts such as those for my essay
and a theme of perception. Until, in one episode, I hear something
else. And I realize that what we have here is a blindingly brilliant
lack of responsibility.
See,
it’s funny. As I said a moment ago, the script follows a bit of
a formula. Introduction… meal that Ramsay entirely, or at least
mostly, finds bland or disgusting… observe a service filled with
problems… new paint and re-launch with a new menu… hiccup for
dramatic tension... leave with the foundation of potential success
and high hopes. Everyone hugs.
Usually.
But
obviously, success doesn’t just happen. As the expression goes,
water finds its own level. You can’t take lazy, disorganized,
and just generally bad at business people and turn them around
in a week by brushing on a fresh coat of paint and sharing a few
thoughts on sauces for chicken.
In
one of the British episodes, the restaurant closes and the owner
goes on to become a prostitute. We are talking about extremes.
We are talking about life.
That
said… back to the one episode that struck me… the time I heard
a very telling comment made.
Ready?
The
owners expected an appearance on the show would help promote their
business.
I
will repeat that. And let’s expand it a bit for empahsis...
The
owners stated that, in their way of thinking, just the appearance
on Ramsay’s show would help save their business.
And
there it is folks… ignorance on parade.
Ok…
well… there is a bit more. You have to understand that the owners
had this arrogance as they were saying this. Allow me to explain.
They
most certainly DID NOT tell a story of hard work where
they were arriving at the restaurant seven days a week to put
in 18-20 hours each day, no days off in years, had fallen behind
in their bills and could barely pay the staff, couldn’t afford
advertising or any upgrades to the location, and, with their fingernails
clawing the boards for every last moment of holding on, as a last
act had applied to be on the show and hoped Gordon Ramsay would
be able to assist them with their business, make some improvements
that they simply couldn’t see or work out on their own, and when
the show was broadcast be able to announce their new and improved
restaurant with a sincere hope to get some additional attention
for a business they loved.
That
was NOT the message they were presenting.
These
people thought their food was great, and the place was brilliant.
For some reason quite unknown to them, that they could not figure
out (because obviously they knew they were awesome), they weren’t
getting the business volume they deserved. So, a shout out to
Gordon, let’s get him down here. There’s nothing he can tell us
that we don’t already know. We run a better kitchen than he ever
could. We run a better restaurant than he ever could. He’ll love
us. But he does have a show on television, and we could get some
free advertising for ourselves on it.
That
was how they offered up the idea that an appearance on the show
would help them. Again, the owners expected an appearance on the
show would help promote their business.
Now…
funny thing… go back a bit and take a look at what I said about
the restaurants that appear on the show. Actually, here’s my quote:
“It
could be bad food, financial concerns that are well beyond significant,
personality problems, or a number of other concepts (and often
combinations of more than one)… but the most simplistic concept
seems to be that a restaurant is in trouble. (Chaos and ignorance
being a bonus.)”
What
I said could be read simply -- “…a restaurant is in trouble.”
What
I left out was even more telling. Many episodes have kitchens
that, to put it kindly, wouldn’t pass a health inspection. …food
in storage that is, to put it kindly, spoiled. …staff that is,
to put it kindly, jackasses.
Have
you watched an episode or two? Than you know what I mean. Even
the episode featuring the woman that turns to prostitution. Let’s
not question her choices for career endeavors… let’s not place
any type of values or judgments upon her for that. Just watch
the Piccolo Teatro episode if you can. Watch Gordon speak to her
father. Watch Gordon assist a cook he finds talented and dedicated.
Fancy editing or not, I’m guessing Rachel (the owner) and her
work ethic will not impress you. (Funny thing… losing 70,000-pounds
a year (and in the link I’m about to provide she actually is quoted
as saying her place was losing about 6,000-pounds each month)…
she blames Ramsay for the doors closing: “It
became more chaotic after he turned up…” and
yet, we are told, she uses the episode to advertise her current
services.)
My
subtle point is… if things were going well, you wouldn’t ask to
be on the show. And, quite often, the restaurants that are on
the show… well… the cameras often depict establishments that I
wouldn’t want to set foot inside after seeing the episode. (All
of which makes Ramsay’s success rate even more impressive. But
back to the ignorance and arrogance and lack of responsibility…)
Amazingly
this owner wanted Ramsay to show up, say everything was great,
and broadcast an hour-long testimonial about the restaurant’s
brilliance and his general awesomeness.
And
all I could do was shake my head.
We’ve
reached a point where everything in the world, for many people,
is someone else’s fault. When things are bad, way, way, way
too often people refuse to even consider that they might in even
the smallest of ways have something to do with the misfortune
that consumes them.
By
and large, the nightmare on the show is self-generated. Produced
and created by the person facing it. But who wants to admit that
they’re wrong? It feels so much nicer to have someone show up,
offer a hug, and say “hey, not your fault”… it’s want they want
to hear, because it’s what they believe.
Are
we really surprised by this?
Commercials
on television seem to tell us that failing to pay our debts… breaking
the law… and on and on… can be solved by calling this attorney,
visiting this accountant, or taking this medication. Because,
you know, it’s not your fault. (Hugs!)
And
somehow… somehow we all seem surprised that people expect something
for nothing.
More
power to Ramsay for the success he had with the shows and his
efforts. (And a wish you never have to meet those that blamed
him… and only him… for their failures after he left.)