On Kitchen Nightmares, airing tonight, Gordon Ramsey sits down to sample the food at his latest restaurant in distress, Baltimore's Cafe Hon.
Served a plate of the restaurant's signature meatloaf, Ramsey says, "Looks like a flamingo turd just landed on my plate." And that may just be the highlight, the pinnacle, of the episode 15, season 5.
Here's the meatloaf in question:
Meatloaf, the money shot
The series, Kitchen Nightmares, is a formula show, yes. The formula, though, has become a sorry cliche much like the restaurateur in question.
The show is just the typical, electronic airing of dirty laundry on a national scale that for some reason continues to pass for entertainment—much like the side shows of carnivals long ago. Other than for Baltimore folks who know Denise Whiting and Cafe Hon and are looking for a bit of Schadenfreude, the show has little to offer.
There are the usual personal attacks on the employer by her staff with quotes like:
"You're a rude bitch..."
"She's like the anti-HON."
"Denise thinks she's a rock star."
And the employer sheds the requisite tear or two. She says she's sorry. And we question her sincerity. Next segment, please.
Tear shedding time
Ramsey paints Cafe Hon's ugly green walls an ugly flamingo pink. The reveal follows, along with the requisite tears of joy and hug from the owner, Whiting. She looks as un-sincere as ever.
The time spent explaining how they fixed the menu is next to nil.
The only interesting part of the episode takes place in a studio at Baltimore radio station, MIX 106.5 with JoJo and Reagan. The MIX folks are engaging, sincere, forthcoming, and fun. What a nice change from the vitrol in the cafe.
Resolution segment - all is well
The quandry segment. Lots of refelctive footage of Whiting deciding whether to do the right thing and give up the trademark to HON. Everyone takes a deep breath. Tension builds—sort of—to about the pitch of "do you think it might rain today?"
She gives up the trademark. Everyone is relieved. Fade from pink walls to black.
There's a certain curiosity factor here for Baltimoreans, but, I recommend that if you have anything else to do this evening, do it.
Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares airs tonight at 8 PM on FOX.
Comments