194 replies to this topic

[TWoP Nikita]

From Zap2it:

Chef Ramsay visits a chaotic Burbank, Calif., restaurant and goes head-to-head with the owner to simplify the menu.

[EmmyMik]

I never want to hear the phrase "20 flavor combinations" again. Ever.

Sebastian should be kicked to the curb, and it should become Lou-Bertha's. The whole staff was awesome, actually. Love 'em.

[Spooneroonie]

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but Sebastian makes Sandra Lee look like a five star chef. (I'm turning in my Shrike card, now.)

What a dick.

[mtvcdm]

8:53 PM: "There is no way in hell Sebastian has a magical come-to-Jesus epiphany. Uh-uh. No way."

8:59 PM: "WAS HE FUCKING COACHED?!"

9:01 PM: "No revisit at the end? I'm guessing there was nothing they could spin positively. I'm guessing Sebastian went right back to his old menu and the place tanked before the episode made air."

[RoRo]

I never want to hear the phrase "20 flavor combinations" again. Ever.

Or "the concept of the menu..."

[notyou]

Here's the current menu. Looks like the 20 combination shit is still there, but so is the "made to order" wood burning pizza. So maybe he mixed the two?

That owner is a total dumbass.

[Lillith]

Wow. Even if you allow for creative editing that man was delusional about his abilities at best and batshit insane at the worst.

I do agree though the staff seemed really awesome, its probably what kept him afloat as long as that place managed. It just baffles me that they INVITE Chef Gordon and still fight him every step of the way. It didn't occur that if you're losing money something is probably amiss with the running of the restaurant?

[seawind]

Sebastian does a 180 after that screamfest? WTF? Did the camera crew get him drunk?

It was none too obvious that certain cuts of Sebastian talking to the cameras during the dinner service actually were recorded *before* the dinner service, as the old restaurant decor was still in place.

Why do I sit through this show if it's not going to tell me at the end if the place sinks or swims? I hope for the crew's sake that their tool of a boss stuck with it. They were awesome. And so was Gordon. He's so much better than this show.

[AlmondEyes]

I don't understand these people like Sebastian who seek Ramsay's help. They call him because their businesses are failing and have major problems, no? I imagine they're seeking his advice since he's run at least one Michelin-rated restaurant, right? So why do they unanimously, and without fail, ignore Ramsay's advice?

Guys - when Ramsay suggests revamping the menu, I think he knows what he's talking about. Especially when the customers apparently take to the new menu. But no. They always insist on going back to the old, fucked up way of doing things. And then they wonder why business sucks and nothing's working. It's like they're all working from the same playbook. I swear, I just want to scream at the tv every single week; it's like lather, rinse, repeat with these idiots.

I don't buy Sebastian's last-minute redemption arc at the end of tonite's epi. We all know he's going back to that old menu with a thousand permutations and combinations once the cameras stop rolling.

[MamaDeb]

Who taught Sebastian that the primary goal of a menu (much less a restaurant) was to be "unique"?

And if he wanted unique - does *any* restaurant do wood-oven roasted chicken? Because I'd go just for that.

Is this the first time that no employee needed to be fired? Just the owner?

[sky dog]

When you give it to him, say "...And as Sebastian's mother would say, 'Mangia!'" He couldn't contain his excitement at how awesome he thought that idea was.

How hilarious was Sebastian "networking" with all the customers, drinking wine...Giving out $300 worth of free food in one night...Oh man, the hair in the salad? And he comes out and leans over the table with his thinning patch of hair in all its glory.

I found myself wondering just how confusing the menu could have possibly been, but man, I guess it was awful. I mean, variety's good but not if you have to jump through hoops about it. And all the frozen food on top of that. Here's a thought, put down the pipe, get the orders right, turn a profit and you'll be able to afford dough.

Then the big night comes, everything's going amazing and he just reverts back to the old menu! Did he just bring out the old stuff regardless of what the customer ordered? Did he pass out the old menus? I mean this guy is out there! "Sebastian's all over the world! Doesn't that sound good?"

[timesamillion]

I swore I was watching a bit from The Office when dipshit was babbling on about his 20 fucking flavor combinations. That and the whole "Mangia" and "I think I won that one !" business was as if Michael Scott had become a chef.

And how can you say that making your own freaking pizza dough is "too expensive" ?? I can make a damn good pizza dough for < $1 with a couple cups of flour, water, yeast, a little honey and some white wine. Those Sysco doughs didn't even rise in the oven ! And then when they cooking the new dough, dipshit was trimming off the outer, charred crust ! Which is oftentimes the best part !

I also HATE HATE HATE restaurants that have that sort of "concept" though it's usually confined to stir-fry type places. If wanted to have to figure out which ingredients went best with each other, I'd cook it at home myself (and I am a very good cook). A "restaurant" implies that the chef has put some thought into the menu and that I, the customer, doesn't have to figure it out on my own.

I'm just about done with this show it's so fake.

Edited by timesamillion, Nov 7, 2007 @ 10:21 PM.

[notthatsmart]

Just bizarre. What a strange, strange faux chef.

[AwNutz]

Please. That jackass had NO intention whatsoever of changing anything at his restaurant. He is a part-time actor (as was pointed out not only by the VO, but the multiple shots of his nasty-ass head shots on his own damn wall) who wanted to use the show for a little face time on TV and a chance to show his "range" of emotions. Hence his nice, calm guy persona. And the inquisitive, ready-to-learn persona. And the tough guy persona. And the angry guy persona. And look at me cry on cue persona. And passion for job persona. The guy was a walking joke, and this show was nothing but resume fodder for him.

His menu? Sucked. I have a hard enough time choosing when I don't have to put the whole damn thing together. If I want to experiment, I'll do it my my own frickin' kitchen. Otherwise, I want to try something someone has already determined tastes great together. And wasn't previously frozen. I go to McDonald's for that shit.

I love how he called the show, ostensibly, for help, but had no intention of changing anything and truly felt he was successful because he'd kept his doors open for two years. On his wife's dime. It sure as hell wasn't off the money the restaurant wasn't making. His crappy frozen dough is already in the supermarket. It's called Tombstone. And it's probably better than the shit he was selling.

[mtvcdm]

Then the big night comes, everything's going amazing and he just reverts back to the old menu! Did he just bring out the old stuff regardless of what the customer ordered? Did he pass out the old menus? I mean this guy is out there! "Sebastian's all over the world! Doesn't that sound good?"

Seriously. That was the most galling part of it. "The food is going out, the staff is a well-oiled machine with no weak links whatsoever, the customers are happy, we're fully booked and serving $81 tables... this isn't good at all! I want to be unique! FLAVOR COMBINATIONS FOR ALL!"

[timesamillion]

Here's the current menu. Looks like the 20 combination shit is still there, but so is the "made to order" wood burning pizza. So maybe he mixed the two?

that looks like the old menu. GRrrrr wouldn't have had 15 different pizzas. The dumbass can't even spell margarita (sic) correctly.

[Hebea]

Haven't watched in awhile so I tuned in tonight. Nope....hasn't changed. Still obviously fake...contrived...rigged.
At least this time they admited to being actors up front. ;)

I won't waste any more time on that show.

[xerinahsss]

He was seriously in denial. Franchise that.

[FutonPotato]

Sebastian should be kicked to the curb, and it should become Lou-Bertha's. The whole staff was awesome, actually. Love 'em.

Me too! I'd go to Lou-Bertha's Pizza Place!

The only reason this guy has a restaurant is that he's married to his investor. Who must be delusional too. Cute baby, though.

Hint: If your servers have to explain the menu, it's a bad menu. The last thing I ever want to hear from a server when I'm hungry is "Let me walk you through our menu."

Whether you love or hate Dr. Phil, his favorite line for buttheads was perfect for tonight: "How's that working for ya?"

Sebastian's equating "unique" with "good" made me think of the old Bill Cosby bit: A cokehead said cocaine "intensifies your personality," and Cosby responded: "What if you're an asshole?"

[MyEyesSee]

Wow! I’ve never seen an ass’ ass make such a complete ass of himself. Bravo Sebastian! Hope you don’t end up a unique yet poor, lonely old man babbling about 20 flavor combinations (a la Winky Dinky Dog tmHollywood Shuffle).

Hell, give Lou-Bertha a high-end pizza place to run. She'd make it profitable.

[JodithGrace]

I've eaten in diners where they had these hideous photographs of the food, and wondered, how on earth are they hoping to attract customers with this? It takes a lot of technique and sometimes dowright trickery to make food look delicious in photos. And amateur photos are usually not helped by the menu reproduction process.

But the photos were the least of Sebastian's problems, apparently. What a delusional idiot! At the end, when he was raving about what a good cook he was...how is it cooking when you are defrosting purchased frozen food and reheating it in a microwave? And since when does unique = good?

I looked up Sebastian's on line and couldn't see any evidence that anything has changed there at all. Of course, I don't have any idea when the "makeover" took place. And sometimes the internet can be amazingly out of date. But the listing for Sebastian's still goes on about their 20 different flavor combinations.

I couldn't see the menu linked above. Do they still have photographs?

Edited by JodithGrace, Nov 7, 2007 @ 10:40 PM.

[Rosalyn578]

I don't understand these people like Sebastian who seek Ramsay's help. They call him because their businesses are failing and have major problems, no?

I strongly suspect that his wife is the one who called. I also wouldn’t be surprised is she was the one who helped him “turn around” at the end.

When you give it to him, say "...And as Sebastian's mother would say, 'Mangia!'" He couldn't contain his excitement at how awesome he thought that idea was.

I fell on the floor laughing at that. I love that she threw in the arm flourishes with it.

I, too, was sitting there wishing there were some way that Lou-Bertha and the rest of the staff could buy the place from him.

[GenieinTX]

I think that menu on the website is absolutely after GR had been there because they make a big deal about the wood burning ovens. They weren't using them before.

What a delusional idiot! Your restaurant is failing. Gordon-fucking-Ramsey comes to help you, and you believe your menu is better? Moron!

What really pisses me off.. this guy can have a wife and a cute baby and I can't even get a date!

[JohnR]

That's the first time I've ever seen a reality TV show bluntly put out a casting call for itself. These shows always make the wannabes come to them! Looks like the nets have already set in motion plans for a LOT more reality TV thanks to the writer's strike.

[Erie42]

Spooneroonie I was totally thinking the same thing. Sebastian is the Sandra Lee of restaurant cooks and it was really really sad. I sort of wonder how many restaurants do the same thing with frozen ingredients. It was a shame that they weren't using the wood burning ovens too because when I was living out West that kind of pizza was huge.

And I agree Lou should have been running the place. I kept hoping that Ramsay would somehow rescue her and Q and send them to a restaurant worthy of their talents and enthusiasm.

I don't really think that Sebastian was acting either since he just doesn't seem capable of that good of a facsimile of rage. And with all the crying going on it made me miss the stiff upper lip of the UK version. And whining to mommy just made him seem more like a candy ass. Gordon should have asked where the man's bollocks are!

[OmahaMtLion]

That's the first time I've ever seen a reality TV show bluntly put out a casting call for itself. These shows always make the wannabes come to them! Looks like the nets have already set in motion plans for a LOT more reality TV thanks to the writer's strike.

I've seen a few shows put out calls when it's time for the next round. The Bravo ones, in particular, I recall ads for those. Although it's usually like a separate ad that runs during the commercial break rather than an on-screen type of dealio.

Edited by OmahaMtLion, Nov 7, 2007 @ 10:52 PM.

[mtvcdm]

No, Probst makes the casting call at the end of every reunion show. He's just never put the phone number on the screen.

And I don't think they'll have any trouble finding applicants. Even seeing what heavily-edited bunkum is in store for them, if you're a restaurant owner in the hole half a mil and on the verge of losing your house, you're not going to care very much about how you'll get portrayed.

[w2irt]

From the "lost in translation" department, what had me on the floor was how he was going to teach each of the kitchen staff how to be world-class tossers. With Sebastian in there, they could learn from the best.

[JohnR]

Good point about the ad being right on the screen instead of a separately produced ad. That tells me this was a last second thing they threw on there, because of the urgency of the thing.

[AwNutz]

What really pisses me off.. this guy can have a wife and a cute baby and I can't even get a date!

SO. MUCH. WORD!!!!