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"Kitchen Nightmares" at Cafe 36, La Grange

"Kitchen Nightmares" at Cafe 36, La Grange
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  • Post #121 - January 18th, 2009, 3:16 pm
    Post #121 - January 18th, 2009, 3:16 pm Post #121 - January 18th, 2009, 3:16 pm
    The program failed to mention Terry (owner of Cafe 36) was an Executive Chef at a well known suburban country club for over 20 years. He was bullied by Pinto. I guess he was'nt tough enough to correct the problems with Pinto. One of the waiters on the show, Brian said on camera "having Chef Ramsay come to your restaurant to fix it is like, having somebody satisfy your wife 'cause you don't know how" this comment did not make the final cut. He used another word for satisfy that I don't think is appropriate.
  • Post #122 - January 18th, 2009, 4:01 pm
    Post #122 - January 18th, 2009, 4:01 pm Post #122 - January 18th, 2009, 4:01 pm
    The definitely gave the sympathetic edit to the owners and made Pinto the villian (even if he deserved it) but the fact that they didn't mention Terry's past experience made him both more sympathetic as the 'victim' of Pinto but also showed him to be a pretty huge sap. Anyone who sinks their entire life savings into a business when they are 60+ in age is asking for trouble.
  • Post #123 - February 27th, 2009, 5:45 am
    Post #123 - February 27th, 2009, 5:45 am Post #123 - February 27th, 2009, 5:45 am
    ChefBarney,
    I seem to remember the show made it distinctly clear that Terry had ZERO restaurant experience.

    But if he indeed had 20 years Executive Chef experience, why on Earth did he turn a blind eye to the kitchen disaster?

    I would think that with 20 years in the kitchen, his major flaw would have been micromanaging the kitchen instead of managing his restaurant (of which it appears he did neither).

    Tom
  • Post #124 - February 27th, 2009, 6:00 am
    Post #124 - February 27th, 2009, 6:00 am Post #124 - February 27th, 2009, 6:00 am
    On almost every page of this very interesting thread it is argued whether the restaurant "tried" to be as bad as it showed on TV.

    I have had personal experience with one "reality" show (Extrememe Makeover: Home Edition), and a friend of mine appeared on the "American Inventor" show (though I have never seen this show).

    My assessment is that these shows are just based in reality. So much is done with editing that the truth is hard to discern.

    Suffice it to say, I have no respect for the shows.

    Back to KN: First of all, on the day Chef Gordon arrived, he ordered a meal and everything about it sucked.

    Ask yourself this: if you had a Celebrity coming to your restaurant (let alone to judge you), and you knew weeks in advance he was coming, wouldn't you prepare in advance?

    These people even knew he would be dining with them on a specific day, specific time, yet still failed to serve delicious food in a timely manner?

    I just don't believe that. Not for a minute. Even if you've hired a restaurant consultant, you would do your best to look good (not perfect of course), but you wouldn't want to come off looking like an idiot like Terry did--for fear the consultant would call you "hopeless" and quit.

    Or in my case, I don't want to show up on TV looking like an incompetent idiot (feel sorry for Pinto, because he couldn't possibly be as bad as they made him look).

    Anyway, I take "reality" with a shaker of salt.

    Tom
  • Post #125 - April 17th, 2009, 12:43 pm
    Post #125 - April 17th, 2009, 12:43 pm Post #125 - April 17th, 2009, 12:43 pm
    I like Ramsay too.

    I'm in the UK & live about 2 miles away from where the very first ever "Kitchen Nightmares" was filmed - and worse than that I actually know the gormless chef from that first show - the hapless Tim Gray, and yes, he is a big b*llsh*tter, a useless chef, and as thick as he appears!

    You should all definitely watch that one! You can see it (along with all of the other episodes) on Channel 4's website (the original producers of the show) for free, the website is "4 on demand", although I'm not sure if you'll be able to get it in the US.

    I think the first episode is also on You Tube, it's Napoleons in a place called Silsden.

    Enjoy!
  • Post #126 - April 17th, 2009, 12:53 pm
    Post #126 - April 17th, 2009, 12:53 pm Post #126 - April 17th, 2009, 12:53 pm
    griffinb21 wrote:I like Ramsay too.

    I'm in the UK & live about 2 miles away from where the very first ever "Kitchen Nightmares" was filmed - and worse than that I actually know the gormless chef from that first show - the hapless Tim Gray, and yes, he is a big b*llsh*tter, a useless chef, and as thick as he appears!

    You should all definitely watch that one! You can see it (along with all of the other episodes) on Channel 4's website (the original producers of the show) for free, the website is "4 on demand", although I'm not sure if you'll be able to get it in the US.

    I think the first episode is also on You Tube, it's Napoleons in a place called Silsden.

    Enjoy!

    Is Tim Gray still in business?

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #127 - April 18th, 2009, 1:50 am
    Post #127 - April 18th, 2009, 1:50 am Post #127 - April 18th, 2009, 1:50 am
    This was first broadcast in the UK on Friday 17th April; the level of GR's language was at an all-time high. Instead of a four-letter frenzy in all its uncensored glory (oh yes, here we don't get anything bleeped out) I don't think he's ever been so mild-mannered; there was more swearing from the staff. There was one glorious occasion where the staff swore more than he did, which must have been an all-time record.

    As a matter of interest, it may well be re-broadcast with you via the BBC, but it's actually transmitted here on a commercial station which is nothing to do with the BBC, (which, presumably has non-UK re-transmission rights).

    Yes, these programmes pretty follow the same formula, although early in this thread, there's an issue seems to have been missed by Cathy2: Head Chef (nearly) always hates GR with a vengeance - till he turns it round, (or not!) whereupon GR suddenly becomes the greatest thing since sliced bread (as we say). Before then, of course, it's "what can this guy tell me? I am a genius and know it all, and he doesn't know anything"
  • Post #128 - April 18th, 2009, 4:59 pm
    Post #128 - April 18th, 2009, 4:59 pm Post #128 - April 18th, 2009, 4:59 pm
    Hi Cathy 2,
    no, Tims adventure is an interesting one :)

    He was responsible for asking Ramsay to go to the restaurant where he worked since it wasn't working, but little did he expect to be the butt of all of the problems.

    After filming, the place shut down, the lady who owned it tried to take Ransay to court claiming it was his fault since he'd given them such a bad review, but she lost.

    Tim decided that he wanted to be a media star & tried to get on TV, auditioning for a show called "Big Brother" (very big in the UK, thought God knows why), he also ,according to Ramsay, tried calling Ramsay to go on daytime tv & cook with him (Ramsay told him to F*** off (according to Ramsay), & Tim's dreamed of & actual career dissolved away like the kind of Alka Seltza you'd need if you ate his food.

    He ended up being caught drink driving in a town called Skipton, tried to blame that on Ramsay, and has ever since tried to make it as a chef in a wild variety of jobs, though little need to guess he hasn't been successful.
  • Post #129 - April 18th, 2009, 5:04 pm
  • Post #130 - May 21st, 2009, 10:27 pm
    Post #130 - May 21st, 2009, 10:27 pm Post #130 - May 21st, 2009, 10:27 pm
    I live in the LaGrange area and heard that Cafe 36 has closed down. A few months ago, before the closing, I also heard that the owners were no longer living in their house and were renting a small apartment in LaGrange. I remember it being said on the show that the owners mortgaged their house to buy the place. I just called the number listed on their website and it's disconnected.

    A person who works in the area told me that one of the problems with the restaurant was that it took longer than an hour to eat lunch at the place and that might be one reason why it was having problems.

    Pretty sad story.

    http://www.cafe36.com/
  • Post #131 - May 22nd, 2009, 8:31 am
    Post #131 - May 22nd, 2009, 8:31 am Post #131 - May 22nd, 2009, 8:31 am
    Hi,

    There was an article recently on the frequency restaurants visited by Kitchen Nightmares close. Since most were on life support before they arrived and already stretched their financial resources, a visit by Kitchen Nightmares is a last ditch effort. Unfortunately, a one week visit may not solve the financial and cultural problems leading to a restaurant's demise.

    Thanks for the update.

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,

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