If Simon Cowell tells it like it is, than Gordon Ramsay yells it like it is. But if viewers take a closer look at the content in Ramsay's shows (Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, Master Chef), before and after his outbursts, it's apparent that he has a big heart. He believes that putting in the effort to make sure that customers enjoy their experience is worth it. He also believes that patrons are generally too passive and should speak up when service is subpar.
Ramsay is back with a brand new show called Hotel Hell, where he travels across America to teach everyone what they should look out for when they're guests in hotels! Only Gordon, with his high standards, could expose what's wrong with so many hotels across the country. Below is my interview with Mr. Ramsay. One of the things he stressed was simple: It may not be the best idea to ever stay in a honeymoon suite because it's so unsanitary. Use your imagination.
You used your black light in a hotel's honeymoon suite and recommended that if anyone gets an upgrade to the honeymoon suite, they should turn it down.
Gordon: Honestly, it was like a semen galaxy. I turned that light on and it was…shocking. I mean really shocking. And then I got the owner and every guest in that hotel to come in my room and put a pair of glasses on and I turned my light on. Stay out of the honeymoon suite, OK?
When you go to these hotels and restaurants, don't they know you're coming? Don't they prepare a little bit for you to come?
Gordon: That's a very good question. A lot of people think it's set up. It's not set up. What you see is what happened, live. I found a pillowcase that was infested with cockroaches. When they turn around and tell me that they've cleaned up and they know I'm coming and they've spent the last three weeks cleaning up, what scares me is the state of it before they cleaned up. That's what worries me. You're supposed to be having a romantic time, a fun time, it's pretty horrific.
Do you think room service is a rip off?
Gordon: I always say keep room service to a minimum because food in transit doesn't really translate very well. When it's going up five floors in a lift and then handled by three or four people, and then another 25 percent charge on top of that. If you can eat in the lobby or downstairs restaurant, I’ll always advise it.
Have you ever been embarrassed by anything you've done on TV?
Gordon: I guess I get excited when I spot talent. I never get upset with the decisions I've made and I'm brutally honest. You don't get a second or third chance. You make a mistake once and you learn from that, so I… I want to be judged by the talent. Unfortunately I'm the one that always gets judged, so in time it will speak for itself because I think this year's Master's Chef and this year's Hell's Kitchen has been extraordinary.
What's your favorite Gordon Ramsay show?
Gordon: Hotel Hell, that's my baby. We gave birth to Master Chef. Kitchen Nightmares is extraordinary, that's very personal. Hell's Kitchen, I go to hell and back, but Hotel Hell is good.
Hotel Hell airs Monday nights at 8 p.m. on FOX!
