Barbecue on Hell's Kitchen - Gordon Ramsay Needs to Beef Up on His BBQ

Hell's Kitchen - The Barbecue Edition - NOT

I was really stoked when I heard that Chef Gordon Ramsay was going to have, for the first time ever, barbecue at Hell's Kitchen. The previews pumped the bbq theme and even had some of the contestant chefs chasing pigs around.

Hum . . . perhaps they would have North Carolina style pork barbecue in Hell's Kitchen. I could just imagine the smokers out back. Ah. Heaven.

I settled down to watch Hell's Kitchen, and then they gave the menu. It would be ribs, burgers, and fried chicken and all made inside in the kitchen. Then, it seemed everyone ordered burgers or chicken - not that ribs made as on the show would be classified as barbecue anyway.

So, What the Heck?

Honestly, I can't imagine a professional chef being so off the mark on a type of food. Serving burgers and fried chicken as barbecue would be about like dishing up some Spaghetti-Os and calling that Italian cuisine.

Barbecue is a noun and is food but varies from area to area across the United States. Here in North Carolina, it is chopped pork on a bun. In other areas, it might be ribs or brisket and often beef. But, barbecue is the meal and not how the meal is cooked though many people will say they are going to barbecue (and then grill food).

I just overlook that and help people who want to have fun on the grill or with a smoker and those who do want to make actual barbecue. But, that's the general public. Ramsay is probably the most well known chef in the world, so it is not cool that he does not appear to know what barbecue is or how it is made.



What the BLANK are YOu Doing?

Ramsay had his usual melt downs on the chef contestants. One put chicken to fry in with the French fries and others got orders messed up. It was the usual mayhem on the program with Ramsay ranting and cursing.

But, in the end, the one who needed a good dressing down was Ramsay on this one. He would not appreciate one of his favorite foods being disrespected. He'd be all over that. Yet, he has barbecue that is fried chicken and other assorted foods that are most definately not barbecue. I never even saw any ribs (but could have been on a bathroom break if they showed some), but fast baked ribs would certainly not qualify as barbecue either.

I don't know what the heck (ought to use the word he always uses) Ramsay served on his barbecue edition at Hell's Kitchen. It looked to be perhaps a cross between Southern food and fast food - but not even that. It was a bad night in Hell's Kitchen, and this time it was not the aspiring chefs who messed up. It was Gordon Ramsay.