# Hell's Kitchen vs. Masterchef



## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

Both Hell's Kitchen and Masterchef are on back to back right now and I'm curious which one you may like more. I assume that many that watch one also watch the other like we do.

I thought that Hell's Kitchen was a good show but Masterchef in its second season gives the feeling of a much better show. Every week ends on Masterchef in an individual competition to stay on the show where Hell's Kitchen is almost always a team competition with the worst on the team getting the boot. The folks on Masterchef give the impression that they try hard every week vs. HK contestants don't always try their hardest (my impression) because it may not directly benifit them.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

I actually enjoy both shows for different reasons .. The only constant of course is Ramsay and he's a lot gentler on the home cooks than he is on the "professionals." I think on HK, they case folks who think they're good but probably lack the full skill set. Additionally they want people who are gregarious and will speak up - it's really (to some degree) a train wreck waiting to happen and that's the hook that gets people to watch.

Good to see Nona actually working there and hopefully it wasn't just a show for the show. But, regardless, I think the only real obligation to the HK winner is a one-year salary of $250,000 regardless of whether the chef ultimately works at the winning restaurant or not. After the first year, I suspect salary is renegotiated to market rate based on the chef's real experience level (which may be that high, I don't really know what a "good" chef makes).


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

We've tried Master Chef... several times... just can't get into it... I think it is too slow maybe...

Hell's Kitchen, all dependens on the cast/characters that season.

We got totally turned off of Season 7... we like the permier of Season 8 (mostly because the guys got their butts handed to them)... but we need to watch episode 2, before we decide to commit.

Plus it is a bit easier this time of year, as there aren't many other new shows on right now


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

MasterChef doesn't have as much drama as HK which I like. But I still prefer the BBC Gordon. It's funny, I think on an intro to MasterChef he says there's nothing about food that he doesn't know but on BBCs Gordon's Great Escape he talks about how he still learns new things.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

MasterChef takes a different mind set for sure. It is slow to some degree. Last year they ran it two episodes at a time (like Hell's Kitchen has normally been run). The Mystery Box + Elimination in the first hour and the outside challenge + Pressure Test (and elimination) in the second hour. This year they are splitting the two episode types.

Some of the chefs this year are pretty good, but there have also been some really, really bad dishes, too.

I always get a kick out of HK because of the chaos .. It's surprising when they can pull it into a cohesive group especially when the week before some of the same people were sniping at each other.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

dpeters11 said:


> MasterChef doesn't have as much drama as HK which I like. But I still prefer the BBC Gordon. It's funny, I think on an intro to MasterChef he says there's nothing about food that he doesn't know but on BBCs Gordon's Great Escape he talks about how he still learns new things.


Gordon Ramsay is like the Donald Trump of Food .. He just hast to keep adding all kinds of adjectives to make his point ..


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## barryb (Aug 27, 2007)

I like 'em both.


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## say-what (Dec 14, 2006)

I like both, but whenever I watch Hell's Kitchen I keep thinking I'd never let most of these Bozo's work in a fast foor restaurant, much less one of Ramsey's restaurants. It's always amusing at how many different ways the HK idiots can screw up.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

Both. Not sure why. _Ramsey_ is the common thread, obviously, and he seems to play each show differently.

Of course, the contestants are quite different, from the food wannabe's and street-wise of HK to the more domesticated and idealistic MCs.

_Ramsey_ appears to be broadening his American audience and getting closer and closer to the over-exposure edge. He's in so many shows now that one has to wonder when we will collectively start to watch other stuff.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

I do think having HK and MC on at the same time (4 hours of Ramsay this week) is not necessarily a good move.


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

Doug Brott said:


> I do think having HK and MC on at the same time (4 hours of Ramsay this week) is not necessarily a good move.


I don't quite understand the thinking on this either. Why not have one Ramsay show per week and stretch it out, my brother watches HK but not Masterchef and says one cooking show is enough. I think they could be losing some viewers. Funny this came up with my brother after my first post, I really assumed that if you watched one you would watch the other.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

I agree with Doug; it doesn't make sense to have 4 Fox-hours of Ramsey on in one week. We already have reruns of him on BBCA.

When I saw HK go to back-to-back last year, I thought to myself that they were trying to speed-up the conclusion of the series so they could cancel it.

Boy, was I wrong... 

_Hell's Kitchen_ (British version), _The F Word_, and _Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares_ (British version) on BBCA, along with the U.S. versions of _Hell's Kitchen_, _Kitchen Nightmares_, and _MasterChef_.

There's yet another one that involves _Gordon_ traveling all over India, but I don't remember the name.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

I think MasterChef is done in other countries as well. I don't know if Gordon is involved directly or not. He's one busy dude.

I'm sure HK is shot fairly quick, though. I'm sure they don't cook every single night (since there are things they do outside of HK), but the early shows probably are back to back nights. It wouldn't surprise me if Gordon's involvement in the US show is only 3-4 weeks long.

Same with MasterChef, they seem to get the Mystery Box + elimination done with a days worth of shooting. 2 hours of cooking plus all of the TV stuff around it. MC is probably even easier to do day after day after day since the cooks and the 3 Chefs can rely on staff to stock the pantry.

The outside challenge is likely a day on it's own .. What I'm not sure about is the pressure test. It almost seems like that could be added to the other two in-studio challenges. Would make for a longer day, but definitely doable based on the time constraints. This would mean the shooting schedule (where Gordon is involved) would be one day per hour of show. Again, easily bracketed by a 3-4 week schedule.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

Yeah, I agree. It's like producing "Wheel of Fortune" or some other game show (I think "Jeopardy" is produced the same way). They can record an entire week/season in a day or two... I know they do that with some of the poker shows.

It only means greater exposure to an audience that's probably growing deaf to his insults and (as my wife says) bored of his looks. As for me, how many times do I have to see Risotto or Beef Wellington or Sea Bass cooked?


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

Henry said:


> It only means greater exposure to an audience that's probably growing deaf to his insults and (as my wife says) bored of his looks. As for me, how many times do I have to see Risotto or Beef Wellington or Sea Bass cooked?


Don't you mean Scallops?


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

"Doug Brott" said:


> Don't you mean Scallops?


Ha, I've never had scallops but I'm pretty sure I know what they are supposed to look like. Still can't believe some of the food they try to get by Ramsay.


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## Indiana627 (Nov 18, 2005)

I like both. HK is more entertaining for sure with all the fighting and bleeping (it must hold the record for the most bleeped show).

Does anyone know why HK hasn't been upgraded from widescreen SD to true HD? (Probably the same reason Fox's NFL pregame show hasn't either. Come on Fox - it's 2011 already!)


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

HK started before HD was really mainstream. They probably just don't want to buy new cameras and, while it would be nice, it's really not necessary for that show.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

Doug Brott said:


> Don't you mean Scallops?


Yep, that too.


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## jodyguercio (Aug 16, 2007)

Henry said:


> It only means greater exposure to an audience that's probably growing deaf to his insults and (as my wife says) bored of his looks. As for me, how many times do I have to see Risotto or Beef Wellington or Sea Bass cooked?


By now, wouldn't you think that whoever was auditioning for the show would know how Gordon likes his dishes prepared? Why not practice cooking some of the dishes? I wonder what the diners are told pre-taping, hey don't be surprised if you don't eat tonight. And I thought smoking killed your taste buds, has there ever been a contestant on the show that didn't smoke?


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

jodyguercio said:


> [...] And I thought smoking killed your taste buds, has there ever been a contestant on the show that didn't smoke?


I smoked for years and quit about 2 1/2 years ago, I cannot believe the things I can smell and taste that I never noticed before. It's amazing how many folks on that show smoke.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

jodyguercio said:


> By now, wouldn't you think that whoever was auditioning for the show would know how Gordon likes his dishes prepared? Why not practice cooking some of the dishes? I wonder what the diners are told pre-taping, hey don't be surprised if you don't eat tonight. And I thought smoking killed your taste buds, has there ever been a contestant on the show that didn't smoke?


Good points, _Jody_, but I think you might be overlooking the demographic appeal.

IMO every show has an intended audience. So, when the question gets begged, you find that the cameras are smoker-friendly on HK but not on MC.

Again, IMO HK seems to serve dinner by invitation only, and probably for free ... the only stipulation being that you might not eat there that night.

As for your first question; can you imagine a HK without _Gordon's _expletives? It would make for a pretty boring show. And think about it, can you really believe that these "kids" are cooking pros in real life?

Good to hear from you again, buddy. :wave:


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

jodyguercio said:


> By now, wouldn't you think that whoever was auditioning for the show would know how Gordon likes his dishes prepared? Why not practice cooking some of the dishes? I wonder what the diners are told pre-taping, hey don't be surprised if you don't eat tonight. And I thought smoking killed your taste buds, has there ever been a contestant on the show that didn't smoke?


Anthony Bordain says most of the chefs he knows smokes, it's very common.

As for the diners, from what I've seen on other forums, it is possible to get tickets but very difficult. You have to sign a waiver absolving them of any suits if you get sick, certify that you have no allergies and they recommend not going there if there are blood sugar issues etc. But it's apparently free, including free wine. They pay for a cab home and back the next morning to pick up your car if you can't drive.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

dpeters11 said:


> Anthony Bordain says most of the chefs he knows smokes, it's very common.
> 
> As for the diners, from what I've seen on other forums, it is possible to get tickets but very difficult.* You have to sign a waiver absolving them of any suits if you get sick, certify that you have no allergies and they recommend not going there if there are blood sugar issues etc. But it's apparently free, including free wine. *They pay for a cab home and back the next morning to pick up your car if you can't drive.


Makes sense. It's par for the course on Fox. But also, flying pork chops can be hazardous to your ealth ... _so could eating anything these kids cook._


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Right, or for blood sugar, not eating anything could be hazardous. And you never know if you will when you go there.


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## jodyguercio (Aug 16, 2007)

Henry said:


> Good points, _Jody_, ....
> 
> As for your first question; can you imagine a HK without _Gordon's _expletives? It would make for a pretty boring show. And think about it, can you really believe that these "kids" are cooking pros in real life?


The show certainly has a certain appeal. Are you suggesting that FOX is just giving the contestants the titles for the positions that they claim they hold in the places that they work? I'm shocked......:eek2::eek2::lol::lol:



> Good to hear from you again, buddy. :wave:


Thanks, things needed to change IRL for a while but I"m settling back in and will be around more.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

jodyguercio said:


> The show certainly has a certain appeal. Are you suggesting that FOX is just giving the contestants the titles for the positions that they claim they hold in the places that they work? I'm shocked......:eek2::eek2::lol::lol:
> 
> It does. I don't know why, but...
> 
> Thanks, things needed to change IRL for a while but I"m settling back in and will be around more.


Looking forward to more from you.


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## djzack67 (Sep 18, 2007)

I don't like them both


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