Gordon Ramsay Hell's Kitchen preparing to open in Lake Tahoe

STATELINE, Nev. - Many know him from "Hell's Kitchen," "MasterChef" and "Kitchen Nightmares," and now people will get to know world-renowned Chef Gordon Ramsay and experience his culinary skills at his new Lake Tahoe restaurant named after the hit reality show.

Caesars Entertainment has teamed up with Ramsay once again and has transformed the old Sage Room in Harveys Lake Tahoe to be the newest home for Hell's Kitchen.

Even before the doors open, over 12,000 reservations have been made for one of 151 seats in the 3,160 square foot restaurant located on the casino floor.

Everyone will be amazed at the transformation of the Sage Room which has moved to the top floor where 19 was once located. The new tiled open kitchen resembles that of the television show with the red side and the blue side. Even though the nightly chefs won't be competing on one of the two colored teams, their creations will be worthy of winning.

January 10, 2020 has been announced as the opening date which follows three days of Harrah's and Harvey's staff dinners and two nights of invited VIP dining.

Overseeing the new operations is Executive Chef Christina Wilson, the winner of Hell's Kitchen, the show, season ten. This is the eighth restaurant opening she has been part of. From Pennsylvania, Wilson was a chef for a small restaurant group before going on the show.

"I love openings," said Wilson as she took a break and sat a table in the Lake Tahoe location. "I love the adrenaline and teaching new people new things."

In Las Vegas, Ramsay has five locations, all in Caesars properties, and all bearing his name: Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill and Hell's Kitchen in Caesars Palace, Gordon Ramsay Burger in Planet Hollywood, Gordon Ramsay Steak in the Paris Casino, and Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips at the Linq Promenade.

"It is a brilliant partnership with Ramsay and Caesar's Entertainment," said Wilson.

Wilson is the executive chef over Ramsay's United States division.

While most of the recipes used at Hell's Kitchens are the same, including their famous Beef Wellington, Rack of Lamb and Lobster Risotto, they take regional inspirations (and restrictions) into consideration and adapt the menu.

At Hell's Kitchen in Dubai, for instance, they don't serve any pork dishes and no red wine Demi-Glace is prepared.

Using quality ingredients and those found locally/regionally are important to Ramsay and his team, said Wilson.

"Some things may take an extra hour due to the altitude and recipe," said Wilson, "but that leaves more time for love."

She has seen the American lamb market change over the years and their supply now comes from Colorado and not Australia. Wilson said the farmers in the U.S. learned to adapt through tough times, weathered the storm and came out on top with a great product.

"The lamb is a great reflection on resilience of American Farmers," she said.

Two of her favorite menu items, the pan-seared scallops and lobster risotto, were inspired from the reality television show. She also enjoys the Wagyu meatballs and their oysters.

Not only will the menu in Lake Tahoe feature Ramsay's famous dishes for dinner, the dessert menu is also creative.

There is a form of his mother's Sticky Toffee Pudding in all of his restaurants. In Las Vegas there are a Sticky Toffee Pudding shake and ice cream sandwich on the menu. Wilson said it is a traditional English dessert (Ramsay was raised in Great Britain) made for American tastes.

Even the cocktails might have a Tahoe twist as they bring the specialty cocktails Hell's Kitchen is known for to the South Tahoe.

The new team from the bussers to the chefs have been training for days, and even weeks depending on the position, and will continue to do so until opening day.

Ramsay's name is on every restaurant and the experience his guests will enjoy will show that dedication.

He was on the South Shore when working on a location for Hell's Kitchen and toured all spots available at Harveys. When it was decided to move the Sage Room up to the 19th floor it wasn't to minimize the restaurant, but to give patrons a special view when dining, said Wilson.

"It was important to keep the Sage Room and they did right by this space and now deserve the view," said Wilson.

She said it was also important to Ramsay to not dislocate staff.

"Gordon wanted to hold onto the charm," Wilson said of the old Sage Room location that has been transformed into Hell's Kitchen. The bar area will remain in the same area, but this time with a window to the casino floor where people can sit and enjoy a cocktail. There is seating around the bar on the inside...people can eat in the dining room or in the connected bar. Wilson said they could have put more table into the entry, but wanted people to enjoy the space more. There is also a private dining area on the side.

There are even televisions at the bar where patrons can enjoy a game, but most won't even notice as they take in the ambiance of the restaurant.

The restaurant will feature both a lunch and dinner menu, but lunch items can also be found no matter the time of day. They will serve specialty pizzas, burger and even gourmet avocado toast.

Not only is every attention to detail going to be evident in the cuisine, it will also be evident the moment one steps through the door and in the presentation at each table.

Ramsay won't be in Lake Tahoe for the opening but will return for a grand opening when his filming schedule allows, perhaps in spring. The globetrotting celebrity chef serves up an epic adventure in a show that premiered this summer "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted." He travels around the world meeting with indigenous people to learn about their foods and cultures.

Even if in another country, Ramsay keeps in touch with Wilson and the team daily.

"Gordon Ramsay is the ultimate decision maker," said Wilson. "He puts the best people in the best places," she added so the restaurants can run smoothly.

Food allergies are taken seriously at Hell's Kitchen and the knowledgeable staff can guide diners to the right decision as they enjoy themselves. When making reservations, Wilson and Executive Chef Jayson Behrendt said to mention allergies. They can possibly create some of the sauces and roux ahead of time to adjust to things like gluten and dairy.

Behrendt, who, since 1997, has worked at the Grotto, Sage Room, Summit, Friday's Station and 19 while working at Harrah's and Harveys, will be the man over the Lake Tahoe location when Wilson returns to Las Vegas.

Hell's Kitchen Lake Tahoe will be open 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Even though reservations are recommended, walk-ins will be welcome as well.