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2 August 17 - 23, 2014 Br ainerd Dispatch By Shona Dustan TV Media G ordon Ramsay is a force to be reckoned with. After taking his native Great Britain by storm, Ramsay has offi- cially won over hearts — and tele- vision sets — on this side of the pond. His fourth series for the Fox network is now well into its sec- ond season, and with Ramsay's candid and colorful personality as popular as ever, it shows no signs of slowing down. Catch a new epi- sode of "Hotel Hell" airing Mon- day, Aug. 18, on Fox. The sophomore season of Ram- say's latest reality hit premiered in July and saw the world famous Scottish chef working his magic in Las Cruces, N.M., where Cali Szc- zawinski runs the Meson de Mesil- la Hotel, a Tuscan-style accommo- dation in the middle of the New Mexico desert. Unfortunately — as with all of Ramsay's "Hotel Hell" subjects — her business model leaves much to be desired. Watching Ramsay swoop in with his characteristic brash bluntness is always a delight, and he really didn't pull any punches for this season opener. After being besieged with im- ages of how the plain, dirty, unpro- fessional hotel was being run, fans got to revel in the carnage as Ram- say tore Cali's business acumen to shreds. A general manager was fired, cooks were given the third degree and, most importantly, Cali was banned from ever singing ka- raoke in her hotel again. One guest even told the woman, "I would pay you $100 not to sing," but Ramsay managed to make it happen without shelling out cash. By the end of the season pre- miere, it's clear that the great Gor- don Ramsay still has that special something that has made him a fixture of both British and Ameri- can TV — that plus an impressive physique, as a quick dip in the Me- son de Mesilla Hotel's contaminat- ed pool reveals. This season of "Hotel Hell" promises even more drama than the last, and it seems Ramsay is in his element once again. Oddly, though, Gordon Ramsay began his professional life in a job far from the hospitality industry. Once upon a time, he was a footballer (or soccer player, if that suits you better), though his short competitive career was marred by setbacks and injuries. When it came time for him to move into the big leagues, Ramsay had the distinct honor of training with his beloved Glasgow Rangers, but fell short of taking the field for any professional games. As his dreams of playing profes- sional football crumbled around him, the tena- cious Ramsay had to make alternate plans for his future. After taking classes on hotel management and study- ing un- der some of the world's best chefs, Ramsay spent the late '80s and early '90s making a name for himself in the restaurant world. Despite a few scandals (an affair with the wife of a restaurateur he worked for defi- nitely created a bump in the road to success), Ramsay's work spoke for itself. By 1998, he had opened his own restaurant, and by 2001, he had become the first Scot to be awarded three Mi- chelin stars. As his business in- terests ex- panded, so too did his em- pire. Soon he was opening restau- rants all over Eu- rope and, eventu- ally, in America as well. Mean- while, his cu- linary and business skills — as well as his unpredict- able personality — had already earned him some television time in the U.K. with the kitchen docu- mentaries "Boiling Point" (1999) and "Beyond Boiling Point" (2000), as well as a BAFTA-win- ning episode of "Faking It" in 2001. But it wasn't until 2004 that Ramsay's television career really took off. "Ramsay's Kitchen Night- mares" premiered in Britain in 2004 and had a premise very simi- lar to that of "Hotel Hell" — the famous chef would travel the U.K. dishing out tough love to failing restaurateurs and doing what he could to help them turn things around. "Hell's Kitchen," Ram- say's first reality TV project, also premiered in 2004, wherein the Scottish chef mentored and cri- tiqued hopeful competitors, send- ing them home one-by-one until there was a winner. It didn't take long for American television networks to realize Ramsay had something special. Fox jumped in first, wasting no time getting on the Gordon Ramsay bandwagon, and by 2005, the network was producing a U.S. version of "Hell's Kitchen," focus- ing on the drama that's so often whipped up by Ramsay's short temper, focus and perfectionism. The series is still going strong, its 13th season set to premiere this September. In 2007, hoping to capitalize further on America's love affair with the belligerent chef, Fox also produced a U.S. version of "Kitchen Night- mares." After sev- en successful seasons, the series was laid to rest last spring, but that doesn't mean the chef's pres- ence on the net- work has dimin- ished. In fact, Ramsay has ex- panded his hori- zons with the network. In 2010, he signed on as both producer and judge on Fox's U.S. version of "MasterChef," a show that's seen five seasons and is still going strong. Add that to a handful of British series Ramsay has developed and starred in on the side, and you've got one uber- busy chef. The latest collaboration be- tween Ramsay and Fox, "Hotel Hell," was announced in 2012, and so far Fox has no regrets. Au- diences love the dynamic of Ram- say's sharp tongue and heavy- handed approach to helping people make a go of their businesses. As the sassy chef travels the country, he leaves an indelible mark — and hopefully more successful busi- nesses — in his wake. Catch a new epi- sode of this dy- namic series as "Hotel Hell" airs Mon- day, Aug. 18, on Fox. Dubious digs Ramsay checks into Fox for season 2 of 'Hotel Hell' Cover Story this week Gordon Ramsay and Meson De Mesilla Hotel owner Cali Szczawinski as seen in "Hotel Hell" 001115021r1 "Your One-Stop, Locally-Owned Medical Supply Company." FREE Delivery in our service area! 8-5:30pm M-F, 9-12 Sat. 206 W. Washington, Tyrol Hills Center Brainerd 218-829-2100 BRAINERD MEDICAL SUPPLY We Process Medical Assistance, Medica, Blue Cross, Medicare and Most insurance. 24 Hour Emergency Oxygen Service Attention: Nursing Students Don't Let Summer Time Injuries Ruin Your Vacation! Waterproof Arm and Leg Protectors Enjoy the Water! We have Scrubs, Littmann Stethescopes, blood pressure kits. 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