Sound supervisor Fernando Delgado is employing DPA 6060 and 6061 miniature microphones in his work capturing audio for a reboot of chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay’s television series, Kitchen Nightmares.
After getting his start in audio engineering nearly 30 years ago, Delgado transitioned from ENG audio to live shows and eventually found a niche in reality TV, supervising shows as early as 2002. His involvement with reality cooking productions started in 2020 with a call to work on Ramsay’s Next Level Chef. During that time, Delgado also made a shift in his equipment in implementing a Zaxcom wireless system complemented by DPA microphones.
“I didn’t have a lot of experience with DPA, but I was well aware of the company’s stellar reputation as its solutions are used and praised by many of my industry colleagues,” says Delgado. “We’ve used a couple of different microphones over the years, but we have never come across any that provided us with the ability to critically listen to everything on a regular basis.
“When we switched to DPA, I was immediately impressed. The accurate off-axis linearity of the microphones is particularly beneficial for capturing accurate audio in noisy environments, like busy kitchens. The mics do not color much at all, and they’re incredibly transparent compared to what I was using before. They’re very warm and kind of beefy sounding for a lavalier mic. Additionally, the Zaxcom wireless system has a very low noise floor, which really allows the DPAs to excel when used together.”
Delgado also points to the durability of DPA Microdot extension cables. “I was worried about the cable in the field, but the heavy-duty design and reinforced cable made it a perfect choice for the physically challenging and fast-paced kitchen environment,” he states. “I have had little to no issues in the last four years since I started using DPA.”
Delgado reveals the creative ways the brand’s microphones were hidden during filming to capture ambient sound on Kitchen Nightmares. “We hid many microphones in bowls of fruit and plants, even underneath a flower petal,” he explains. “We did a lot of unique mic placements, often in the centerpieces on tables, so that we could hear the judges’ comments while they were tasting the food. The DPAs work great in capturing everything we need, clearly.”
