Trademarks can be tricky things and there is a lot of misinformation out there about whether or not one can trademark Hell’s Kitchen since it is the name of a neighborhood.
Celebrities have made some pretty crazy trademarks over the years, but fans who do a little digging will see that Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen does have a trademark… for its logo.
The stylistic way that Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen is written with a pitchfork design does, in fact, hold a trademark for it to be used in any number of ways. The filing states that it is allowed to be used on coffee cups, mugs, and even plastic bags for the purpose of storing food for household use. It can be used on clothing, like sweatshirts and T-shirts, and has a wide variety of uses in the food and drink industry.
Since Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen brand is more synonymous with a restaurant venue than a form of entertainment, Alicia Keys was allowed to use the name for her show.
While there is certainly entertainment value in watching Hell’s Kitchen with Gordon Ramsay, a copyright office would note that, legally, the two serve a very different purpose. Gordon Ramsay’s trademark is focused on the food and beverage industry, while Alicia Keys’ musical is geared towards a more musical crowd. Therefore, it is unlikely that one would interfere with the other’s audience.
