Being Famous and Pregnant Doesn't Get You as Far as It Used To

[Hushabye]

Actually, Ramsay has gone off on guests on Hell's Kitchen who have brought dishes back up to the pass that weren't to their satisfaction for one reason or another, rather than sending them back through the wait staff.  However, I've always wondered if they weren't plants to add to the drama of the show, since the complaints are often spurious.

To the topic at hand, if that's the restaurant's policy, that's their policy.  If you don't like it, perhaps it would be better to find a restaurant that does not have such a policy.

[hobish]

Actually, Ramsay has gone off on guests on Hell's Kitchen who have brought dishes back up to the pass that weren't to their satisfaction for one reason or another, rather than sending them back through the wait staff.  However, I've always wondered if they weren't plants to add to the drama of the show, since the complaints are often spurious.

To the topic at hand, if that's the restaurant's policy, that's their policy.  If you don't like it, perhaps it would be better to find a restaurant that does not have such a policy.

You mean they brought the food directly back to the cook's line? I can see why someone would want to bypass the waitstaff; but that is just not how it's done. Even if you are in someplace like Denny's or the like you never approach the cooks directly. It's just not done.

[Sabbyfrog2]

Actually, Ramsay has gone off on guests on Hell's Kitchen who have brought dishes back up to the pass that weren't to their satisfaction for one reason or another, rather than sending them back through the wait staff.   However, I've always wondered if they weren't plants to add to the drama of the show, since the complaints are often spurious.

To the topic at hand, if that's the restaurant's policy, that's their policy.  If you don't like it, perhaps it would be better to find a restaurant that does not have such a policy.

You mean they brought the food directly back to the cook's line? I can see why someone would want to bypass the waitstaff; but that is just not how it's done. Even if you are in someplace like Denny's or the like you never approach the cooks directly. It's just not done.

If they came up to the line then I don't know that I blame him for being short with them. I don't condone the swearing like he does (if that's what he does) at his chefs but if they bypassed the waitstaff then yeah... Don't do that. 
I have actually never seen that happen though. What season was that? I only started watching two seasons ago so if it happened sooner than that I probably missed it.

[Hushabye]

Actually, Ramsay has gone off on guests on Hell's Kitchen who have brought dishes back up to the pass that weren't to their satisfaction for one reason or another, rather than sending them back through the wait staff.   However, I've always wondered if they weren't plants to add to the drama of the show, since the complaints are often spurious.

To the topic at hand, if that's the restaurant's policy, that's their policy.  If you don't like it, perhaps it would be better to find a restaurant that does not have such a policy.

You mean they brought the food directly back to the cook's line? I can see why someone would want to bypass the waitstaff; but that is just not how it's done. Even if you are in someplace like Denny's or the like you never approach the cooks directly. It's just not done.

If they came up to the line then I don't know that I blame him for being short with them. I don't condone the swearing like he does (if that's what he does) at his chefs but if they bypassed the waitstaff then yeah... Don't do that. 
I have actually never seen that happen though. What season was that? I only started watching two seasons ago so if it happened sooner than that I probably missed it.

Yeah, they brought it right up to the line.  I wish I could remember what seasons it's happened, because I'm pretty sure I've seen it at least twice.  One time the guy was super-snotty and kind of OTT -- hence why I think they're staged.  Or maybe I think they're staged because it's just so not the done thing that I can't imagine anyone actually doing it?  Not sure.

[hyzenthlay]

If they came up to the line then I don't know that I blame him for being short with them. I don't condone the swearing like he does (if that's what he does) at his chefs

He's said multiple times he'd expect his real staff to up and quit if he treated them like that. But Hell's kitchen is a reality show so he goes over the top.

The majority of the dinners are 'professional' extras. Unknown actors, and they get a evenings pay and a free meal. I'm sure the walk up to the line was in fact staged, though Ramsey may or may not have been alerted in advance.

[Wonderflonium]

FTR, I've not seen anything that states that Victoria Beckham has been talking or pouting about this, so can we please note call her an SS or say she should have eaten somewhere else? I don't fault her for asking for things to be left off; it's probably not something that she even thought about. Unless someone can show me that she then threw a tantrum because she couldn't get food her way, I don't think she did anything wrong.

Gordon Ramsey on the other hand...

[jimithing]

Actually, Ramsay has gone off on guests on Hell's Kitchen who have brought dishes back up to the pass that weren't to their satisfaction for one reason or another, rather than sending them back through the wait staff.   However, I've always wondered if they weren't plants to add to the drama of the show, since the complaints are often spurious.

To the topic at hand, if that's the restaurant's policy, that's their policy.  If you don't like it, perhaps it would be better to find a restaurant that does not have such a policy.

You mean they brought the food directly back to the cook's line? I can see why someone would want to bypass the waitstaff; but that is just not how it's done. Even if you are in someplace like Denny's or the like you never approach the cooks directly. It's just not done.

If they came up to the line then I don't know that I blame him for being short with them. I don't condone the swearing like he does (if that's what he does) at his chefs but if they bypassed the waitstaff then yeah... Don't do that. 
I have actually never seen that happen though. What season was that? I only started watching two seasons ago so if it happened sooner than that I probably missed it.

I don't watch every season, but I've seen it happen at least twice. Which is what I referred to in the OP. But PPs are probably correct in that they are plants.

[hobish]

Plants or not it wouldn’t surprise me. One of the cooks in a restaurant where I used to work threatened someone with a very large knife when they came up on her line. Now, granted, the guy was drunk and actually walked around the grill right onto the cook’s line and it was around 3am; but still…

[Clara Bow]

Oh, Sabby....I didn't disagree with his slamming the twit who tried to scam him. The former waitress in me was singing his praises! But most restraunt owners would have been quiet about it, rather than turning it into a huge public mockery. I thought it was also illustrative of a take-no-prisoners style.

[Iris]

I think the restaurant is quite entitled to have this policy, but personally I wouldn't eat there. I take the point about chefs creating a dish etc etc but this was a salad. Again, they are perfectly within their rights to run their restaurant as they see fit but not letting someone have dressing on the side smacks either of a strict and depersonal production line approach to producing food which rarely leads to high quality food or that the food is so preprepared that even the dressing is on the salad which definitely will not lead to high quality food. So although GR is being OTT and SS about this, the general point about it being poor business for a restaurant I think is valid. But hey, it's their restaurant so they are undoubtedly in the clear in this example.

[CakeBeret]

FTR, I've not seen anything that states that Victoria Beckham has been talking or pouting about this, so can we please note call her an SS or say she should have eaten somewhere else? I don't fault her for asking for things to be left off; it's probably not something that she even thought about. Unless someone can show me that she then threw a tantrum because she couldn't get food her way, I don't think she did anything wrong.

Gordon Ramsey on the other hand...

I agree completely. Asking for dressing on the side is a perfectly reasonable request, even if there is a 'no substitutions or changes' policy. It wasn't wrong for her to ask and it wasn't wrong for the restaurant to decline.

The only special snowflake I see here is Ramsey, because he's the one creating all the drama.

[evely28]

FTR, I've not seen anything that states that Victoria Beckham has been talking or pouting about this, so can we please note call her an SS or say she should have eaten somewhere else? I don't fault her for asking for things to be left off; it's probably not something that she even thought about. Unless someone can show me that she then threw a tantrum because she couldn't get food her way, I don't think she did anything wrong.

Gordon Ramsey on the other hand...

I agree completely. Asking for dressing on the side is a perfectly reasonable request, even if there is a 'no substitutions or changes' policy. It wasn't wrong for her to ask and it wasn't wrong for the restaurant to decline.

The only special snowflake I see here is Ramsey, because he's the one creating all the drama.

If I went out for lunch with a pregnant friend and their request to leave off certain ingredients was declined, you bet I would say something. I don't think asking to leave out some ingredients is such a hardship when the dish is a salad, not a prepared sauce. I guess it would be my learning curve to find out it's not about subtituitions but a hard line of "no modifications". Thank goodness the paparazzi wouldn't follow me as I leave without eating. When someone leaves a restaurant without eating, for any reason, it can throw a monkey in the works. It's not so much about the demeaner of the cutomers leaving but the reaction of other's that can make it worse.

[CakeBeret]

FTR, I've not seen anything that states that Victoria Beckham has been talking or pouting about this, so can we please note call her an SS or say she should have eaten somewhere else? I don't fault her for asking for things to be left off; it's probably not something that she even thought about. Unless someone can show me that she then threw a tantrum because she couldn't get food her way, I don't think she did anything wrong.

Gordon Ramsey on the other hand...

I agree completely. Asking for dressing on the side is a perfectly reasonable request, even if there is a 'no substitutions or changes' policy. It wasn't wrong for her to ask and it wasn't wrong for the restaurant to decline.

The only special snowflake I see here is Ramsey, because he's the one creating all the drama.

If I went out for lunch with a pregnant friend and their request to leave off certain ingredients was declined, you bet I would say something. I don't think asking to leave out some ingredients is such a hardship when the dish is a salad, not a prepared sauce. I guess it would be my learning curve to find out it's not about subtituitions but a hard line of "no modifications". Thank goodness the paparazzi wouldn't follow me as I leave without eating. When someone leaves a restaurant without eating, for any reason, it can throw a monkey in the works. It's not so much about the demeaner of the cutomers leaving but the reaction of other's that can make it worse.

It just seems to me that Ramsey is making this a big deal, when it doesn't have to be. I would be annoyed if my friend couldn't get her salad dressing on the side, but life goes on. Complaining to the press and making a big deal out of it is where Ramsey comes across as a SS, imo.

[Nurvingiel]

FTR, I've not seen anything that states that Victoria Beckham has been talking or pouting about this, so can we please note call her an SS or say she should have eaten somewhere else? I don't fault her for asking for things to be left off; it's probably not something that she even thought about. Unless someone can show me that she then threw a tantrum because she couldn't get food her way, I don't think she did anything wrong.

Gordon Ramsey on the other hand...

I agree completely. Asking for dressing on the side is a perfectly reasonable request, even if there is a 'no substitutions or changes' policy. It wasn't wrong for her to ask and it wasn't wrong for the restaurant to decline.

The only special snowflake I see here is Ramsey, because he's the one creating all the drama.

I agree completely. I love Gordon Ramsay but he is making way too big a deal about this. It's just not a big deal what happened. Victoria Beckham isn't making a big deal about it and it was her salad, so I think he should just chill.

[Sabbyfrog2]

Yeah. I agree that it's Gordon making it a bigger deal than necassary. I take back my Victoria SS comment.

Oh, Sabby....I didn't disagree with his slamming the twit who tried to scam him. The former waitress in me was singing his praises! But most restraunt owners would have been quiet about it, rather than turning it into a huge public mockery. I thought it was also illustrative of a take-no-prisoners style.

Oooh yes. I can see where you are going with that. Indeed, most would have likely been pretty discreet about the whole thing.