Ever since I found out that reality TV shows are fake, I stopped watching them (well, most of them). But there is one that I enjoy on a regular basis. Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.
No, I’m not looking for tips for making potatoes-boulangére or even interested in the restaurant business. Nor do I watch it for the disgusting rat droppings he discovers in kitchens, or even for the colorful language he spits into peoples faces after finding a spoiled tomato.
Nope. I watch because Gordon Ramsay does everything short of bashing someone’s head in with a cast-iron skillet to ensure that they’re working with passion.
I often think of my Art Director job as a chef working the pass. And much like working in a kitchen, I work with a team. We generate ideas and concepts together, and it can be fun. But what can be the biggest challenge, often amongst ourselves as the deadline approaches, is keeping the creative standards high.
If I’m doing my job as a professional creative person, I do not want anything going out the door that’s not something the team can be proud of. And I get peeved when it’s not.
Though Ramsay’s temper is often a bit excessive, I love watching anyone with the bollocks to stand up for their passion.
The F-Bombs are the garnish.
