Some more random notes on running this as a Primetime Adventures game.
Network
As Hell’s Kitchen runs on the Fox network with bleeps, the animated version would run on Sunday nights after Family Guy and The Simpsons, also with bleeps.
Characters
There are only five recurring characters on the show (well, four, but I’m going to stretch it a bit). These can be used as player protagonists, or supporting cast members.
Chef Ramsay
We know he’s married, because his wife has shown up on the show. He’s never seen to go home, and he’s often seen in his office in the wee hours, so we can assume that he never sleeps. Ever.
Jean-Phillipe Susilovic, aka JP
JP is the Maître d’ is Hell’s Kitchen. He’s pleasant and friendly, but has been known to get confrontational with contestants when orders are sent back or they do things that impact the smooth operation of his dining room.
Scott Liebfried
Men’s kitchen
MaryAnn Salcedo (season 1-3) / Gloria Felix (season 4-5) / Heather West (season 6)
Women’s kitchen
We rarely see these people on-screen with speaking roles. They’re there to help Ramsay keep an eye on both kitchens, and will occasionally pipe up and yell at someone if something is starting to go horribly awry. When contestants dwindle to a handful, they pitch in on stations during dinner service. These roles could be filled by other characters — Mr.T yelling “Too salty, fool!” comes to mind for some reason.
Robert
Robert was a contestant in seasons 5 and 6. He’s a sweet, lovable 500 lb. guy who specializes in food with lots of cream, butter, and fat. Halfway through the both seasons, he had heart problems and left the show. I love Robert, but as cruel as it sounds I would continue him as a runnng joke. Robert will appear in any and every HK show I run, and leave due to a dramatic medical emergency halfway through the season. If he’s a player protagonist, he gets the spotlight in Episode 3 of a 5-episode season, or episode 4 of a 7-episode season.
Other Protagonists
Any cartoon character who could theoretically work in a kitchen is allowed, along with cartoon versions of real people who have ever appeared as cartoon versions of themselves. The types of characters who wouldn’t work would be Grape Ape or Godzilla (too big), Smurfs, Atom Atom, or Inch High Private Eye (too small), ***** or Dino (not anthropomorphic), H.E.R.B.I.E. or Homestar Runner (no arms).
House rule: I award extra fan mail for the most obscure but verifiable cartoon character. I award extra fan mail for best obscure cartoon representation of a real person. I award extra fan mail for awesome cartoon pairings (for instance, Paul McCartney from Yellow Submarine and Michael Jackson from the Jackson 5 cartoon). Extra fan mail from having only one protagonists associated with a duo or group, and picking a less obvious member (Curly Joe from the 3 Stooges cartoon, Thurston Howell from Gilligan’s Planet, Pinky rather than The Brain).
Sets
Red Kitchen/Blue Kitchen
Exactly the same set, except for the color they’re decorated in. Assume them to be fully stocked with ample quantities of any sort of food, no matter how obscure, and any sort of kitchen gadgets required.
Dining Room
Pretty much a big room filled with tables, chairs, and customers. There are often celebrities seen dining there. The decor changes occasionally based on themed dinner service, and there have been challenges to decorate the dining room. When it gets down to the final two contestants, the room is split in two and each contestant decorates it as their own restaurant.
Confessional
This is really the only personal set the characters get where they can be alone with their thoughts. The backdrop looks like a wine cellar.
Ramsay’s Office
Ramsay’s personal set, because he doesn’t use the confessional. Normally he doesn’t talk to the camera or himself, but ocassionally monologues to JP or one of the helper-chefs to blow off steam.
Living Quarters
Where everyone goes to chain smoke, bitch about each other, and sleep.
Hall of Shame
Only seen when customers are entering for dinner service, if contestants are cleaning it as punishment for losing a challenge, or if a contestant is walking out after being sent home.
Reward Locations
This can be anything, from a spa or fancy restaurant, to a cruise ship or department store for a shopping spree.
Challenges
Create a menu from a weird ingredient, like shmoo, or gagc. Design a menu for a celebrity guest being honored during dinner service, who has strange tastes or dietary requirements (garbage served on a trash can lid for Oscar the Grouch, for instance).
Punishments
This usually involves cleaning the sets and prepping for dinner service. Depending on the contestants, cleaning quarters could be vile and disgusting. Weird ingredients could be disturbing or difficult to prepare, or the “ingredients” could escape and cause trouble (Killer Tomatoes, anyone?).
Dinner Service
There are occasional guest stars among the diners, who may turn out to be enemies of one or more of the contestants (for example, Buttercup from the Powerpuff Girls is in the red kitchen, and Mojo Jojo shows up for dinner). Some diners may have special dietary needs. Ninjas, zombie or robots might attack in the middle of service, for no good reason. Ramsay will still be screaming at the contestants that the risotto is soggy and the lamb is undercooked while they try to deal with these other issues.
There are a number of ways I could review the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. I could tell you that it’s basically just 3.5 with a bunch of things fixed, updated and refined, and refer you to the free conversion guide at Paizo.com to see what those changes are. I could tell you that it’s a 600 page book that could be used to beat someone half to death without scratching the finish. I could opine that even though it’s $50, it’s a relative bargain because it’s basically the Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Master’s Guide in one volume. I could tell you that the layout follows 3.5 standards and the art is gorgeous.
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