I agree with you. If I were Gordon Ramsay I would concentrate on his successful businesses in the U.K. and let all you Americans carry on eating huge plates full of crap until you all die from heart disease.I also agree that some of it is staged,maybe they visit years before and leave the fridges and freezers full of crap, but the owners must have agreed to it. The things people will do to get their faces on T.V. Why don't you come over to the U.K. and eat in one of his restaurants before you start spouting your mouth off.

the US version of Kitchen Nightmares. It all seems to staged/fake. IN the euro version these restaurants seemed real and cared about getting his help, but here it's the same formula,

1. he comes in and hates the decor, food
2. Owners won't take his help and say they love their food and have never had a complaint.
3. Lots of screaming (yada yada yada)
4. Owner breaks down and cries
5. Miracously in a week's time a relaunch is done and the business is saved.
   I have to agree with this assessment of the US version. I'd watched about 3 episodes (on Netflix) when I realized that Gordon says some of the same things in each episode. For example, when he inspects the kitchen (AFTER having had a meal in which he orders about 6 entrees, three apps, and two desserts and takes a bite or two of each (if even that), wasting huge amounts of food), he'll find SOMETHING in the kitchen that makes him throw up after screaming, "I've eaten here!"
   Frankly, if I found rotting food in the walk-in and rodent droppings in the corners (not to mention dead, decaying rodents under the appliances), I'd throw up, too.
   Destroy all that which is evil, so that which is good may flourish.

The UK version was awesome. Truly wish it would get more seasons.
-best scene was that old granny telling him to F Off". Laughed my ass off. Appreciate the lack of censorship. (edit: can't believe I was just censored lol!)
The US version is edited out of sequence for 'maximum drama'
..and yes Americans are more likely to make up a bunch of crap for their 5 minutes of fame versus saving a failing business
Maybe they can land a reality show after!!

Just saying that proves that you haven't really watched Masterchef!! Couldn't be more real and authentic in all seasons so far, all 3 judges are exceptional at their part and the production is very professional. Yes there is a routine regarding the challenges but that's just how this game is!! Maybe you should be turning to sports instead of cooking shows.

Masterchef isn't unwatchable just because you don't like something doesn't mean it's unwatchable.

When the show was being developed for American TV, some douchebag FOX executive must have said, "Hey, you know what Americans love? When the same exact sh!t happens in every single episode."
And if you think Kitchen Nightmares is bad you should check out Masterchef. I've never seen a show that was more unwatchable. It makes Jersey Shore look like Chekhov.

i think some of it just seems staged, because these people are hamming it up for the camera. we're fed reality TV non-stop in the US and there's an unwritten but pretty specific role of the reality TV contestant. these owners could really want to change, they're just idiotic enough to act like such a hard-headed drama queen along the way
but I wouldn't really be shocked if I was 100% wrong about the restaurant staffs and everything you say is true. i'm noticing after the fact alot of overblown incidences turned into marketing whenever I watch the "Next week on Hell's Kitchen". that stuff is blatant false advertisement and shameless, but that's reality TV for you it's not like there's been any kind of integrity by the networks in the first place

Really!?
The owners all ask for his help in both versions. This has been done in the past, when Norman Lear lifted the British series "Till Death Do Us Part" form the UK he changed it to "All in the Family" he changed and adapted it for a US audience.
I disagree with you about the owners in the UK just whole heartily taking his advice, the owner of The Walnut Tree obviously and reluctantly allowed some of Ramsay's suggestions but his restaurant still closed for the same reason the restaurants close in the US version, the owners go back to their old ways which weren't working in the first place, and they're usually already so far in debt that even if they keep the changes they can't pay back the debt they've accumulated over several months to years.
The Walnut Tree was forced to close, but the irony is that it re-opened with new owners and they do a menu that features lower prices and fresh local products, something the owner at the time when Ramsay was trying to help refused.
Many of the restaurants featured in both series actually close, there is a site that tracks the closures from each season some of them get sold but most of them close, the ones that stay open usually aren't as far in debt or with the changes are able to get new customers.
Obviously some of the restaurants were in areas of the US that the economy was a major factor, and there was just too much competition.
Where I live there are about a dozen restaurants within walking distance not to mention three fast food joints, and three pizza joints all in the same block with one across the street from the other two. Even when restaurants close here someone will re-open the same spot under a new name.
There is just more competition in most US cities, most of the UK restaurants are in smaller townships.
The one thing I like with the UK version, is that Ramsay does the voice over narration and it adds a personal touch since he actually interacted with the people, in the US version the narrator is just a paid narrator and is just reading what's written, as he does for other things he narrates.
They're currently showing the "Ruby Tate" episode on BBC America and the owner didn't like the changes Ramsay suggested at first he did change, but even that restaurant closed under it's new name Love's Fish Restaurant.
The owners on both series ask for his help, but honestly most of them don't think "THEY" are the problem it's even worst with the ones who are chef/owners most of them think their food is good.
As Ramsay and any business owner will tell you know your market and know your customers, most of the owners I seen on the series have no clue about their market or their customers and potential customers in their market.
The US series is adapted to a main stream US audience, and the British version is adapted to a main stream UK audience, and both series follow a formula for their audience and market.
Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.

I'm an American and I couldn't agree more. Love the UK series; can barely tolerate the crybabies in the US version. The American version is all about the "big reveal", and that's just materialistic window-dressing. It's like a game show all that's missing is the announcer reading off the list of "fabulous prizes". I wonder how Gordon feels about the differences between the two series. I'd like to think he prefers the UK format.

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You are 100% right!
I was comparing the two versions and i came up with the same conclusion.
The UK episodes are less boring, "real" and authentic.
In US it all seems the same thing, only scenary changes, and it seems that i am watching pure fiction.
It's a shame.. but well.. unfortunately i understand why..

You can thank Fox. They've had some good actions shows, dramas, comedies over time but their reality and variety programming likes to amp up sensationalism and lower intelligence. Remember, these are the people that brought us such classics as "When Animals Attack 4," "Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?" and shelved their own gameshow "Our Little Genius" before it aired due to being rigged.
Each season has slowly gotten better. They cut back on a lot of the crap in the last few years but the BBC version is still the superior show.

In the first episodes he was quieter, polite, and he didn't rip off his shirt in fury, now he just follows the listed formula. Very sad indeed.

He should be arrested for that attitude of his.

I'll tell you what the biggest differences to me are:
We in the US are generally short attention span brats. We need histrionics and cash prizes. The US shows always contain the ultra drama andif having a successful business out of it isn't good enoughwe expect brand new decor, brand new fixtures, overnight make-overs and expensive mentors.
The UK version is completely about the love of the business. For a while, the only "prizes" they got were a signed clock and a return visit or such.

Nah it still works but Fox likes to dramatize everything and hype up everything like there is no tomorrow.
The Dark Knight Rises Summer 2012!

Thats because you are a friggin moron that is dain bramaged from watching too much reality TV.

That's because it didn't have shiny objects to keep your short, undeveloped American attention span.

The UK series was a total contrast, all rightlamest thing I've ever seen in my life.

Why do you think Gordon refuses to watch these damn shows. They suck, and he knows it. The UK series, total contrast.

I went on a cruise in 2010 with Carnival and there where a lot of Americans, all they wanted was to get noticed, talk louder then anyone, do everything better then others, still they are fatter then anyone else and more.
I never watch reality shows worst coming from the US this primitive country that as not evolve the we do everything better then everyone mentality and they ask why the rest of the world hate then.

Prima donna. LOL. "Pre-Madonna"? Like Cher for example?
"Ass to ass. Ha ha ha ha. ASS TO ASS!"; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa5z77EI8y0

LMMFAO! ROFLMAO!!!
"pre-madonna"????
Please tell me you're doing that deliberately!
Destroy all that which is evil, so that which is good may flourish.

He/she didn't say "all chefs in America". He/she said: "It is because the chefs in the American series are"