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Gordon Ramsay is a world-class celebrity chef, so it's not surprising that he always criticizes the food at the restaurants he visits in Kitchen Nightmares -- not to mention the fact that there's usually something wrong with the food anyway, or he wouldn't be there. However, I find it a bit difficult to believe that there's never anything he's ever liked in the history of the show. My thoughts are that they just don't show it on camera when he does enjoy or compliment a dish, as that would be less entertaining as his creative insults.

To back this up, I've recently visited Pantaleone's, an Italian restaurant featured in an episode aired last April. Pete, the owner, mentioned to me that Ramsay actually liked his pizza crust recipe (which is still the same), and that certainly was not revealed in the show! Does Ramsay actually like certain dishes more often than we, the audience, realize, thanks to editing?

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  • I can remember one instance where they did this - he tried everything on the plate and remarked that some of it was actually pretty good. I think that episode focused more on the restaurant's presentation than the food or family drama. It was an old-fashioned BBQ place or something. – Zach Thacker Aug 11 '14 at 19:55
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Kitchen Nightmares was based on a show in the UK called Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. This piece is taken verbatim from the Wiki page, which is backed by other sources:

Critics have commented that Fox's adaptation of Kitchen Nightmares strayed from the strengths of the original Channel 4 series. Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune said, "Leave it to Fox to take something the Brits did pretty well and muck it up". She added, "Never mind the cooking; this edition of the show appears to be more interested in playing up the family dramas at the restaurants Ramsay visits". Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times commented, "Whereas the British Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares is fundamentally a food show — it has interesting things to show you about how a restaurant runs and a kitchen works, the wonders of local markets and what you can make from them if you're Gordon Ramsay or willing to follow his instructions — the Fox edition emphasizes mishap, argument and emotional breakdown almost to the exclusion of cuisine".

Given Fox's penchant for sensationalism and their well-documented "scripted 'Reality shows'", it's highly likely (and completely plausible) that Kitchen Nightmares focusses on all the bad aspects while leaving out all the positives. There's no drama in Gordon Ramsay waxing poetic on someone's outstanding pizza crust, but when he starts yelling about how bad the sauce is, all the Jerry Springer fans start drooling.

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    Good answer, there was also a case of a contestant who tried to sue them for faking some of the episode which backs this up. – Crow T Robot Aug 11 '14 at 18:41
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    I can't stand how american shows have to have some kind of drama and in-fighting. Why not just enjoy the show for what it is? – DustinDavis Aug 11 '14 at 19:15
  • There is a good episode from the UK version where he visits an American Soul Food Restaurant and absolutely loved the food: youtube.com/watch?v=aZbpfAAnRf8 – RoboKozo Aug 11 '14 at 21:58
  • @DustinDavis It's funny because UK versions of TV shows we watch in Western Europe are way over-the-top drama-oriented and faux-reality arguments to us (which the US usually do even worse for us). I'm thinking of shows like 'Come Dine With Me'. In the UK version, contestants are seemingly always bitter and snappy and snarky, while in the Belgian version 'Komen Eten', there is practically no discord (at least presented to the audience) between contestants, it focuses more on good, healthy banter, and the food. – Ghoti and Chips Jul 3 '17 at 1:14
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Yes, he liked all of the food in "Momma Cherrie's Soul Food Shack" way back then in Britain, for example. He even praised it for being so tender.

There was also an episode of the US version where Gordon liked a carrot cake and praised it. Heck, even in the most notorious episode with "Amy's Baking Company", he liked the cakes, but dissed the rest.

Of course he likes some food now and then, but this footage is unlikely to be shown at all, since his series lives upon that fact that he rambles on food, but not him loving it!

And rest assured before they film there, they take a closer look at the restaurant and are likely to know which food there sucks so he can order it.

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He enjoyed the cake at Amy's baking company.

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    Is there anything else that you could possibly add for the question? – natural Jul 3 '17 at 0:51

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