A famous restaurant might throw a party to announce the arrival of a new top chef. There's no party for the hiring of a new busboy. Tuesday night in Whistler, Araxi is throwing a big party to celebrate an event that falls somewhere in the middle. Araxi will be crowded with folks eager to see who comes out on top after the two-hour finale of Hell's Kitchen, the Fox-TV reality series (airing locally on City TV). Three contestants are left. The winner, we have been told, gets the position of Head Chef at Araxi. That sounds exciting. But would big audiences watch a 13-week audition for a line cook supervisor?
Hell's Kitchen is hosted by Gordon Ramsey, the celebrity chef and human aneurysm who has been entertaining Fox TV audiences for years with his particular brand of staff abuse. Every year he scythes through stands of culinary hopefuls to find one chef who can take the heat. This is the sixth season for the American version of the show, based on an earlier U.K. version. Past prizes have included top positions in Ramsey's restaurants, or places such as Green Valley Ranch Resort's Terra Verde restaurant in Las Vegas. This year it's head chef at Araxi. Quite an honour, considering the many awards Araxi has been winning under executive chef James Walt.
Ah yes, James Walt -- who still works at Araxi. And will continue to do so. So won't it be rather awkward for poor James to toil under the direction of some youngster whose recent work experience mostly involves trying not to flinch when struck by Chef Ramsey's spittle?
"The Hell's Kitchen winner won't be running the kitchen," Walt said while signing copies of his new Araxi cookbook at a recent launch. "I run the kitchen."
So then -- will the winner be second in command? Third?
Walt pondered a moment. "Maybe fourth," he said.
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