Is Kitchen Nightmares scripted? Gordon Ramsay ‘staged’ rumors answered

The success of Kitchen Nightmares has a lot to do with the intense reactions from Gordon Ramsay on camera. But is there any chance this show is scripted?

Kitchen Nightmares is a successful reality TV show that’s been around since 2007. Even though Gordon Ramsay wasn’t filming it between 2014 and 2023, its popularity never dwindled.

The wildly jaw-dropping scenarios depicted in different episodes of Kitchen Nightmares are enough to draw in any reality TV lover.

The question is… how real is this particular show? Is it scripted in any way for added flair and drama? Here’s what you should know.

Is Kitchen Nightmares real or scripted?

We have good news for any fans of Kitchen Nightmares who hope the drama showcased in each episode is actually authentic – the show is real and unscripted.

A Reddit thread from a user named ‘MikeTheWalrus‘ reports that a lot of what you see on camera is exactly what you get.

According to Mike, “very little was staged.” In the Reddit thread, he explains that he was a customer at the Oceana Grill in New Orleans before Gordon entered the picture to make significant changes.

Mike wrote, “I was surprised at how intense Gordon Ramsay was even when the cameras weren’t following him. He seemed legitimately upset about the state of the restaurant, albeit hamming it up a bit I’m sure.”

Even though Gordon wasn’t being filmed at every moment, he was just as emotionally involved and passionate about what he was witnessing at the time.

The Redditor went on to say, “I was expecting there to be a larger production team in there, but it was mostly ceiling-mounted cameras and two small camera crews, who were non-invasive. We were told to call the producer over if we wanted to send anything back, but were otherwise left to our meals.”

The worst details of Oceana Grill were put on blast during the episode to show off how visibly disgusting the kitchen was before Gordon came along to intervene.

According to Mike’s Reddit thread, none of that was exaggerated, inflated, or overemphasized. All of Gordon’s reactions were genuine and sincere.

If these sentiments hold true for every episode of Kitchen Nightmares, viewers can rest assured that the show is not scripted.