Scooter has not opened up a bakery quite yet, but he does seem to have plans to get Gordon Ramsay his loaf of bread in the future.
Between all of the disgusting food, filthy sheets, yelling, ghost stories and downright strange things that have happened over the course of Hotel Hell’s three season-run, one very heartfelt moment has always sort of stood apart from all of the show’s relative chaos.
This moment, in which the famed celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay, let his usually-grumpy demeanor slide for just long enough to offer the young prep cook from the Cambridge Hotel a once-in-a-lifetime chance at a free education – certainly still stands out as one of Hotel Hell’s highlights.
Scooter has not forgotten his promise to Gordon Ramsay
And, while it seems like the now not-so young Scooter (who has ditched his old nickname and now goes by Donald Telford, instead) still has a ways to go to realize his culinary dreams, he still intends to pay back his “debt” to Ramsay all these years later.
In fact, a quick glance at the comment section of his wife’s TikTok account reveals that the Telford’s are moving ahead with their plans to start some sort of culinary venture in the near future, whether that will turn out to be a restaurant or a food truck – we still do not know.
They are dead-set on ensuring that Ramsay “will have his bread” in return for paying for part of Donald’s culinary education, once they have a licensed kitchen.
All about Scooter’s Hotel Hell episode
If you want a recap of everything that happened leading up to Ramsay’s incredible offer to help Donald on his way through culinary school, the best thing to do is to re-watch Hotel Hell’s “Cambridge Hotel” episode.
The details for this episode are as follows:
| Detail | Description |
| Episode | Hotel Hell season 1, episode 3 |
| Title | “Cambridge Hotel” |
| Initial air date | August 20, 2012 |
| Filmed | At the beginning of 2012 |
| Cambridge Hotel status | Closed (June 2012) |
It seems like Scooter followed in Ramsay’s footsteps
If you have kept up with Donald’s journey beyond his brief stint on Hotel Hell, you will know that despite the slight hiccup with his transfer, he did end up completing a 2-year course in culinary school.
However, as is often the case when students set out to accomplish their dreams, it seems like Donald had a slight change of heart.
When Donald first shared his dreams with Ramsay, he was dead-set on opening his own bakery, but as time progressed (and he started working at other restaurants), he realized that he preferred cooking to baking.
And Donald has shared that if he is to open a new business in the next few years, it will likely be a deli, food truck, or restaurant, and not the bakery that he mentioned on the “Cambridge Hotel” episode all those years ago.
Though, he has been quick to remind Hotel Hell fans that delis, restaurants and food trucks can serve bread too.
What is the holdup?
From the outside it may seem like Donald has had more than enough time to make good on his promise to Ramsay by opening up a business and finally serving the celebrity chef that loaf of bread.
However, Donald’s wife, Amber Lee, has explained that opening up a restaurant has been more difficult than Donald likely imagined back when he made this promise.
Amber Lee explained in a TikTok video from May 2023 that the main obstacle that Donald has faced in trying to open a restaurant, deli or food truck is a lack of funds and funding options.
She later explained that to open a business, “You need credit. You need to get a loan and in order to get a loan, you have to have some kind of collateral. He didn’t have anything.”
So, while Donald still plans to follow through on this dream eventually, the Telford’s have shared that it will likely take another 14 to 20 years.
What Scooter is doing in the meantime
While Donald and Amber Lee are still working on securing the financing that they need for their culinary business idea, it might surprise you to learn that this former Hotel Hell prep cook now has a brand new set of skills that he will be able to incorporate in his future business.
After Donald finished the two years in culinary school that Ramsay paid for, he started working in the HVAC industry, which is how he still earns a living to this day.
And until they open their dream culinary business, Donald and Amber Lee will certainly have their hands full taking care of their two children.
