Chef Gordon Ramsay is best known for his fiery attitude and interesting way with words. Thanks to FOX and the BBC, he’s become a bona fide reality celebrity – a chef that’s known for fixing problems and whipping other cooks into shape. But now, Chef Ramsay is in the spotlight not for his work on Hell’s Kitchen, but for alleged actions behind the scenes of his new FOX fall show, Kitchen Nightmares. There is no word, yet, on whether or not the lawsuit will hamper the fall premiere of Kitchen Nightmares, but FOX is a network known for thriving on even bad PR.

Hell’s Kitchen is barely heating up, and already drama is unfolding on a fall series that has yet to premiere. Gordon Ramsay is being sued for alleged actions on the upcoming FOX reality drama that’s based on a successful BBC show of the same name in a strange, history-repeating-itself coincidence. Martin R. Hyde, former GM of Dillons in Manhattan, says that Ramsay falsely called meat in the restaurant spoiled, simulated furnishings, and even hired actors to pose as customers during shooting of Kitchen Nightmares, a reality drama that’s centered on failing restaurants. In the series, Ramsay goes into the kitchen to straighten out menus, re-train chefs, and then re-opens the restaurant to see how his improvements helped.

Hyde left his job, provoked by Ramsay’s “verbal abuse” (which, Hell’s Kitchen fans know is all part of Ramsay’s charm) and seeks millions’ of dollars in damages from the world-class reality TV chef. Ramsay’s spokesperson had no direct comment on the suit, but said that fakery wasn’t something they would do. Oddly, Ramsay was accused almost exactly a year ago of doing the same thing on the BBC version of the show, but Ramsay won his case. Will history repeat itself?