'I don't like him as a human being': Local chef bites back at Gordon Ramsay, says ‘Hell's Kitchen' lived up to its name

Filipponi was one of 16 chefs chosen from applicants around the country to be on FOX TV's "Hell's Kitchen" this past season. All vied for the grand prize of $250,000 and the title head chef at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City.

Filipponi made it into the ranks of the final six contestants before talking back to Chef Gordon Ramsay and being kicked off the show.

"He doesn't like people talking back to him," said Filippponi.

However, he was invited back to film the finale.

After watching the final episode May 14, the chef was fuming.

"It's amazing what they do with editing," he said. "Remarks I made when I got kicked off were inserted into the finale. And they don't show everything."

On the finale, Ramsay took Filipponi to task for overseasoning a piece of meat.

"What they didn't show is that I was in charge of the entire meat station and cooked all the meat. I overseasoned one piece," he said.

Filipponi said he knew from day one that the contestants that made it to the final two were the ones to beat.

"They are both great chefs," he said. "I would have been happy for either and keep in touch with both of them."

However, he does not keep in touch with Ramsay.

"I don't talk to him. I don't like him as a human being, even though he is a great chef. He is verbally abusive," he said. "What you see on TV is the way he is."

Filipponi said when he was called to return to be a part of the final episode he was told by FOX that he had to shoot it, or else he would not have gone.

"I would not do it again," he said. "I was OK with some parts of the way I looked on TV, but not OK with others. The editing is deceptive," he said. "Even though it appeared like we were all enjoying the party after the finale, we weren't allowed to. We were whisked away to a motel and not allowed to stay for the celebration."

Filipponi already had a solid resume under his belt earned at several of the area's top restaurants when he auditioned for "Hell's Kitchen."

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, he has 20 years kitchen experience. He was executive chef at Creehan's Copper Grill, Marina Café, Destin Chops and Café Rendez-vous. He has also worked at Beachwalk Café. He took over as executive chef at Chops 30-A on Feb. 11.

Filipponi said he is not using any recipes from "Hell's Kitchen" for his dishes at Chops 30-A, but did pick up some good tricks he uses, such as freezing blue cheese so that it is easy to grate.

One of Filipponi's popular dishes at Chops 30-A is his Cape Cod jumbo diver scallops, which rest enticingly in a creamy bed of mango beure blanc with a bacon wild mushroom risotto.

A few people have come in to meet the chef at Chops 30-A since the show began airing, but not a lot, he said.

"I don't think FOX has given him (Filipponi) the support they should have," said the restaurant's general manager and operating partner Chris Walling. "He is a great chef and does a great job."