Just as Ramsay gives restaurateurs a makeover, so too someone needs to give this series a makeover. Don't get me wrong. It is engaging and entertaining, but often in the typical reality show/disaster beside the road kind of way. Every episode I've ever seen unfolds in precisely the same way: Ramsay arrives and everything is a disaster; he screams and yells at the unbelievably inept owners who reluctantly give in to Ramsay's suggestions (usually, someone storms off - more reason for the f-word); their first attempt is always a disaster; Ramsay redoes the menu and refurbishes the decor and pushes the idea of fresh, local produce and a simpler menu; the grand reopening is a resplendent success. I could look at the clock during the show and tell when the next "act" was going to occur. And there's the issue. The show is too predictable. In reality, every restaurant won't be a success (actually, about half of those places Ramsay visited are closed) and every owner can't possibly be as mind-numbingly imbecilic as they initially appear here. I also find it bizarre that Ramsay remakes the decor of every restaurant he visits: how much does that cost? One other typical Ramsay-esque touch is his pervasive use of profanity (he even has a series called "The F-Word"). At some point, that really seems juvenile and unprofessional. I know it is done for ratings. A grizzled Brit barking obscenities at clueless morons! What a concept for a reality show! But, again, it's endless and becomes monotonous. As said at the outset, the show does manage to engage one a little, but the hook isn't in very deep. I have no doubt that Ramsay is an accomplished chief, and his suggestions (nay, ultimatums) are sound.* But it get's hard to believe that the same magical Ramsay touch would always work so predictably and so perfectly in every restaurant.*Ramsay's insistence on fresh, local produce was cited by some of the closed restaurants as one of the reasons for their demise. Fresh and local tends to cost more and spoil quicker. Most of the restaurants visited were already at the limits of their finances and this change put them further in the red.

I might have seen an episode or two when it first started, then a couple more the second series, and now I can't miss it, it is just as good as, in fact better, than The F Word. National Television Award nominated Gordon Ramsay every week basically visits a restaurant, pub or café business that is failing with customers, food quality and ideas, takings, attitude, financial difficulties (e.g. debts) and the business itself, and it is Ramsay's job to help as much as he can to make it a more profitable and improved business for the workers and customers together. As with his other shows, Ramsay's use of swearing, particularly "the f word" is key to some of the great laughs, and also how stupid or ridiculous some of the business bosses, employees or main staff members behave in the work environment that is meant to be cooperating. It is very good to see just how bad these eating places are working, but it is also nice in the end to see most of the businesses saved. It has been nominated the BAFTA for Best Features twice, it won the International Emmy for Non-Scripted Entertainment, and it was nominated the National Television Award for Most Popular Factual Programme. Gordon Ramsay was number 84 on The 100 Greatest Sex Symbols, and he was number 82 on The 100 Worst Britons (for his arrogance I guess), and the programme was number 35 on The 100 Greatest TV Treats 2004. Very good!

I'm tired of reality TV, I'm tired of Emeril, give us reality in our reality TV. This show delivers. This is not a show about some chef in a sanitized kitchen studio making meals he has prepared and rehearsed 10 times prior to airing, this is about a man who loves food and wants to see good food on your plate. The drama from the series comes from the people whose restaurants are failing and Gordon's expertise in rectifying their calamities. He addresses this in a direct assault the failings of the business end and back kitchen. More often then not, you find the star in the kitchen with his hands up to elbow in work ensuring his plan comes through. I find his hands on approach refreshing and exciting.If you enjoy food programming this is a must, if you enjoy reality TV and can appreciate dialog then it is required viewing.A reality TV show which delivers and rewards the viewer.

Only weeks before the more mainstream 'Hell's Kitchen' came along, this one-hour, 4-part documentary series on Channel 4 was a real unexpected treat for viewers, particularly for jaded ones such as myself, tired at the whole cringe worthy "celebrity chef" genre.Grizzly chef Gordon Ramsey travelled around Britain, each week visiting a different restaurant that was struggling to make money, serve decent food etc. In his now-famous way, Gordon would shout, swear & threaten the incompetent chefs at the restaurants, warn the restaurant owners that they will go out of business if they don't put their foot down & try & turn their fortunes around, help out in the kitchen, & promptly criticise anyone who had the guts to disagree with him on any sort of decision he made.Seeing Mr. Ramsay tear into young upstarts, arrogant owners & generally anyone who got in his way, made for fascinating television, but it was also pleasant to see that, more often than not, the help Gordon had provided made a lot of difference, & that the restaurant began attracting more customers & serving better food.No doubt there will be a second series of 'Hell's Kitchen' on ITV1 next year, but I would also like to see this show recommissioned as well. Not as glamorous as seeing celebrity chefs whinge at each other in a glorified TV studio, but 'Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares' was the best cookery-related show to come out in a long, long time