Hell's Kitchen Winners Didn't Take Prize Jobs - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 07-04-2007, 11:41 AM

FOR the winners of "Hell's Kitchen," life after their run-in with devil chef Gordon Ramsay has been like throwing fat on the fire.

Neither last season's champ, Heather West, nor the winner of season one, punk rock chef Michael Wray, are actually living the dream exactly as it was promised.

West, 27, was promised a job as the executive chef of T-Bones Chophouse, the high-end steak house at luxurious Red Rock Casino Spa in Las Vegas. She now works as a senior chef at the resort's less prestigious Italian restaurant, Terra Rosa.

A casino official said that West was better suited to work at Terra Rosa because it has an open kitchen that keeps her visible to patrons who occasionally recognize her from the show - and sometimes ask for her autograph.

Since the restaurant already had an executive chef, she was given a lesser title, but has been working closely with the resort's head chef to beef up her credentials.

Wray turned down his prize, a chance to run Hell's Kitchen, the TV station-turned-restaurant where the show is filmed in Los Angeles.

Instead, he accepted an invitation to travel to London to work and learn from Ramsay but after just a few days, he flew back to the U.S. to create his own custom-made cooking knives.

The winner of the current season, to be named later this summer, will be offered a job as a top chef at Red Rock's sister resort, The Green Valley Ranch (a hotel/casino made famous in the Discovery channel reality show, "American Casino").

West and Wray could not be reached for comment.

On the show, wannabe super chefs are mentored (and usually berated) by Ramsay, a foul-mouthed, short-tempered kitchen maestro who owns more than 13 top-rated restaurants around the world. Each week he fires a contestant until only one is left.

The Fox show is filmed in an old local TV station in Los Angeles that was converted into a restaurant by the series' producers - specifically for "Hell's Kitchen." The contestants live in a dorm that is part of the building which, like the kitchen and dining room, is chock-full of cameras and microphones.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07032007...don_kaplan.htm

TJL · 07-04-2007, 11:55 AM

Wait, you mean things aren't what they seem on reality shows?

Melonhead00 · 07-07-2007, 02:14 PM

Cowards. Just straight-up cowards.

adultescent · 08-22-2009, 02:46 PM

Season 2 winner Heather West is my favourite winner so far... I only own Season 2 on DVD, although I find it hard to watch knowing contestant Rachel, who I also really liked, ended up committing suicide... Throw in catty Sara, who cracks me up (and kind of looks like Sarah Palin to me - definitely a good thing), and of course I had to buy it... Heather West on Twitter: https://twitter.com/chefheatherwest/

Couch Potato 05 · 09-24-2009, 12:48 PM

I'm not surprised that not all the winners end up working where they're supposed to. What is misleading & unfair to the winner however, is being promised a certain job & it not being available to them, such as the restaurant already having an executive chef.

Well, if they already have an executive chef at a certain restuarant, WHY are the idiots giving that as the big prize?!

07-04-2007, 11:41 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Hell's Kitchen Winners Didn't Take Prize Jobs FOR the winners of "Hell's Kitchen," life after their run-in with devil chef Gordon Ramsay has been like throwing fat on the fire. Neither last season's champ, Heather West, nor the winner of season one, punk rock chef Michael Wray, are actually living the dream exactly as it was promised. West, 27, was promised a job as the executive chef of T-Bones Chophouse, the high-end steak house at luxurious Red Rock Casino Spa in Las Vegas. She now works as a senior chef at the resort's less prestigious Italian restaurant, Terra Rosa. A casino official said that West was better suited to work at Terra Rosa because it has an open kitchen that keeps her visible to patrons who occasionally recognize her from the show - and sometimes ask for her autograph. Since the restaurant already had an executive chef, she was given a lesser title, but has been working closely with the resort's head chef to beef up her credentials. Wray turned down his prize, a chance to run Hell's Kitchen, the TV station-turned-restaurant where the show is filmed in Los Angeles. Instead, he accepted an invitation to travel to London to work and learn from Ramsay but after just a few days, he flew back to the U.S. to create his own custom-made cooking knives. The winner of the current season, to be named later this summer, will be offered a job as a top chef at Red Rock's sister resort, The Green Valley Ranch (a hotel/casino made famous in the Discovery channel reality show, "American Casino"). West and Wray could not be reached for comment. On the show, wannabe super chefs are mentored (and usually berated) by Ramsay, a foul-mouthed, short-tempered kitchen maestro who owns more than 13 top-rated restaurants around the world. Each week he fires a contestant until only one is left. The Fox show is filmed in an old local TV station in Los Angeles that was converted into a restaurant by the series' producers - specifically for "Hell's Kitchen." The contestants live in a dorm that is part of the building which, like the kitchen and dining room, is chock-full of cameras and microphones. http://www.nypost.com/seven/07032007...don_kaplan.htm
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07-04-2007, 11:55 AM	#2
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	Wait, you mean things aren't what they seem on reality shows?
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

07-07-2007, 02:14 PM	#3
Melonhead00 #00 Teshawn Edmonds Forum Regular Join Date: Apr 09, 2004 Location: Brooklyn, New York, USA Posts: 523	Cowards. Just straight-up cowards.
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08-22-2009, 02:46 PM	#4
adultescent Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 27, 2007 Location: Posts: 882	Season 2 winner Heather West is my favourite winner so far... I only own Season 2 on DVD, although I find it hard to watch knowing contestant Rachel, who I also really liked, ended up committing suicide... Throw in catty Sara, who cracks me up (and kind of looks like Sarah Palin to me - definitely a good thing), and of course I had to buy it... Heather West on Twitter: https://twitter.com/chefheatherwest/

09-24-2009, 12:48 PM	#5
Couch Potato 05 Night Owl! Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 31, 2005 Location: California Posts: 392	I'm not surprised that not all the winners end up working where they're supposed to. What is misleading & unfair to the winner however, is being promised a certain job & it not being available to them, such as the restaurant already having an executive chef. Well, if they already have an executive chef at a certain restuarant, WHY are the idiots giving that as the big prize?!