Game Room and Social Club / The Cask - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Game Room and Social Club in Orlando, Florida.

Game Room and Social Club is owned by Tim Garito.

He owns a business called Garito and Co.

They appear to be a commericial real estate company.

He bought another bar next door called the Sly Fox Pub.

The Sly Fox was profitable when he bought it and it is still making money.

He decided upon having success with one bar to open another next door.

When he bought The Game Room it was an Irish bar.

The vision was an upscale gaming place for customers to have something to do rather than sit on their phones.

The Game Room is failing and losing $6000 a month, eating into the profit from the successful bar next door.

Jon is surveiiling the bar with Chef Nick Liberato and Mixologist Alli Torres.

He can see from the van how messy the bar is and questions why.

There is no manager or procedures.

The kitchen is actually in the Sly Fox and Rob brings the food over when it is ready.

Nick can see that the fryers are filthy, with dirty oil that is not up to temperature.

Tim is walking some food down the sidewalk and stops to give someone directions.

Dr Michael Anis and Johnny Magic are the spies.

Michael is a Doctor of Internal Medicine and Johnny is a local radio personality.

Jon wants to hear Michael's opinion of how filthy the bar is.

He also wants to hear what he thinks about food being at an incorrect temperature.

The spies order an old fashioned from bartender Sway.

They think that the drink is watered down and bland.

The bartender doesn't check in to see how the drinks are.

Johnny is overly polite about how bad the drinks were.

The spies order food.

Johnny orders mozarella sticks and a chicken wrap.

Michael orders jalapeno poppers and chicken tenders.

In the kitchen, the cook Rob is cutting raw chicken with a serrated knife.

He also uses a jaccarder on the chicken.

Rob is going back and forth to the fridge and touching things with raw chicken on his hands.

The experts feel like this should already be prepped ahead of the service.

The spies ask about the games on offer and are told they are out the back.

They are confused by a storage area with a rack of a few messily stacked board games.

They ask the bartender if the food is good and she says yes.

The experts note that he is using the same knife on the cooked chicken that they used on the raw chicken.

Jon is forced to go in to stop them eating the food.

He speaks with Tim about why he thinks it is failing and he blames inconsistency.

Jon says that he wants to show him why he is failing.

He is not impressed with the state of the bar and lays into owner Tim.

Jon questions Tim on why the bar has not been cleaned up.

There are brooms, paper supplies and an ashtray that has been left out.

There is a box filled with what looks like trash in a well and ice bin that Jon throws around.

The fruit behind the bar has mold on it and the straw holder is also filthy.

Everywhere Jon looks there is filth and he says that it not an upscale bar.

Jon reveals that he is breaking the law by not declaring that they are jacardding the meat.

For the stress test, the bartenders struggle with the drinks and many are poured away.

No one is running food, the cook is expected to leave and take the food.

Jon asks who has ordered food and they go next door.

The food is just sitting there, waiting for a runner.

The kitchen is stacked with tickets and Nick says that it isn't his fault.

Jon speaks with customers who haven't even ordered yet.

They run out of plates in the kitchen and are at 70 minutes for food.

Jons team work on the bar for two days.

The owners, staff and customers are gathered at night for the reveal.

The bar has been renamed to The Cask, with new brighter signage and call to actions.

Inside, there is new furniture and new lighting.

Tim says it now looks like he had imagined all those years ago and everything ties together.

There is a new finishing kitchen, so the prep can be done next door and finished in the bar.

They have new SkyTab POS Systems, a Partender subscription and new graphics.

Jon has given it more of a date night feel with low lighting and warm tones.

On relaunch night, Tim opens the bar.

At the time of writing, the episode is not available on demand, so I have been unable to do a full recap.

What Happened Next at Game Room and Social Club?

Game Room and Social Club is open.

The bar was renamed to The Cask.

They have kept the new name.

They have been slow in changing over the name on some online pages.

Reviews are mostly positive, service has been hit and miss at times.

They held a watch party at the bar for the episode.

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Previous episode - Bar 44 / Apex Social

Next episode - Alley Cat Bar and Grill

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Bar 44 / Apex Social - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Bar 44 in Marietta, Georgia.

Bar 44 is owned by Alade Aminu.

Alade is a former athlete; he was previously a professional basketball player.

He has played professionally for teams around the world.

Alade purchased the bar when he returned to his hometown.

He had no experience in the industry and decided to bring in a partner.

Gary Ellis was brought in due to his experience, and he was promised sweat equity.

If the bar was successful, he would take on some shared ownership of the bar.

Unfortunately, the bar has not been as successful as the pair had hoped.

Gary blames the young staff for the failure of the bar.

The staff blames his lack of management skills as a big part of the problem.

Alade is now in over $1 million of debt, and they are losing $15,000 a month.

It appears that Jon and Alade are the spies for the recon?

Their ordered drinks arrive, and Jon asks Armani if the drinks are consistent.

She says that she can already see that mistakes have been made on his drink.

Jon asks Gary to join them and calls him out on the bartenders not following the recipes.

Gary says that he is a partner in the place, but Jon says that he is not.

He has no ownership at all, and Alade is financing the place.

Gary admits that he has not improved but is trying.

The food arrives, the jerk chicken fries look good, but Jon is given plastic cutlery rather than silverware.

Jon calls Gary out on how lazy it is and the poor impression that it gives.

The next morning, Jon meets with Alade, and he makes references to big brands like Amazon.

Jon says he is in denial about his strategy, especially as he has admitted he would have to close in 4 months.

During the stress test, the expert questions why the chicken isn't pre-prepared before the service to save time.

Multiple orders come through at once, but the cooks are still having to prep.

They are partially completing orders, and there is a lot of wasted movement.

There is no chicken or tortillas on the grill, despite orders waiting.

The bartenders are struggling to make the drinks and are not working the bar correctly.

Many drinks are dumped.

The next day, Jon meets the owners, and he says that he likes them but feels like they are in a fantasy land.

He thinks that they think the business is a brand and operating well, but Jon doesn't think they are as great as they think.

Jon introduces himself to the staff and talks to them about business at the bar.

Bartender Armani tells him that Saturday is their busiest night.

Jon believes that they have lost 60% of their Saturday business, and she confirms this.

Jon compares the bar to an empty basketball arena and questions the brand.

He reveals that he had googled him, and he doesn't feature in the top athletes from Georgia.

Jon basically makes it clear that, as far as he is concerned, Alade is not a brand and no one has heard of him.

(I think that is a bit unfair, as he does have a heavy online presence for his basketball career)

He says that the number 44 is irrelevant and they have lost $1.5million over three years.

Jon reveals the Partender report results, which reveal they have poured more than they sold.

They poured $8150 and sold $6750 worth of liquor in three days.

This is a loss of over $92,000 a year.

Their food costs at 50%, and they are barely making money on the food.

Jon says that anyone else would have fired Gary years ago.

He calls Gary one of the worst managers he has ever met.

Gary tells him that he is wrong; he knows the correct figures, so Jon says he is full of it.

He gets defensive, and Jon continues that he is all talk.

Jon tells Gary to admit the failures so they can move forward.

Alade vouches for him, and Jon calls him an idiot for standing up for the huge loss.

Jon says that he is going to change the brand, and if Alade wants to keep the brand, he will leave.

He says he is leaving the brand in the past and won't put money into something he doesn't believe in.

Alade is reluctant to drop the Bar 44 branding, despite the fact that it is failing.

Jon also wants Gary to admit he has failed too, and he is still defensive and failing to take ownership of the failure of the bar.

Eventually, he admits he has caused the failures at the bar.

The bar has been renamed to Apex Social, with new exterior signage.

At the time of writing, the episode is not available on demand, so I have been unable to do a full recap.

What Happened Next at Bar 44?

Bar 44 is open.

The bar was renamed to Apex Social during the rescue.

Unsurprisingly, they did not keep the new name.

Reviews are positive with praise for the food (it didn't look too bad during the rescue).

There are several fake reviews based on the episode, particularly the owner/manager, rather than genuine visits.

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Previous episode - Main Street Hideaway / Kiki’s Chicago Bar

Next episode - Game Room and Social Club / The Cask

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Main Street Hideaway / Kiki’s Chicago Bar - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Main Street Hideaway in Ashland City, Tennessee.

Main Street Hideaway is owned by Darren and Kiki, a husband and wife team.

The bar is a family affair with both their daughter and son-in-law working at the bar.

It appears that the owners daughter Bella has reached out to Jon for the rescue as she is sat with him in the recon van.

Jon has asked Gregg, Josh and Sam from Craveworthy Brands to be the spies at the bar.

He refers to them as his A team of restaurant professionals and says they will give the best feedback.

The spies sit down at a table waiting for someone to serve them.

Bella tells Jon that they don't have a waitress.

A bartender brings them over some menus but tells them that they have to order at the bar.

They order an old fashioned, old fashioned with a bullet and a margherita.

Whilst the bar is busy her parents are on their phones, ignoring all that is happening in the bar.

The bartender doesn't have a muddler so instead he uses a zester.

The spies aren't impressed with the drinks and aren't eager for a second sip!

They order chicken wings, a burger and irish nachos.

They are called Irish nachos as they use fries instead of nacho chips.

Jon says that Bella's father looks like a broken man and says it must break her heart.

Darren gets off his chair when the spies order comes through to the kitchen.

He doesn't wash his hands before he starts preparing the food.

The cheese for the Irish Nachos is stored in a giant tub.

Jon questions how old the cheese in and Darren also agrees it is old and tips it into the bin.

Darren opens a new jar of fake cheese and puts it into a paper cup.

It is microwaved in the cup but the cup is not meant to be microwaved and the wax would leech into the cheese.

The spies ask for extra boats to share the nachos.

They aren't impressed with them as they are unsalted and taste of fake movie theatre cheese.

Darren handles a raw burger before touching the bun, leaving a thumb print.

Next, he handles the spices and touches various other places in the kitchen.

Jon tells Bella that her father doesn't care and he needs to get to the bottom of it.

He enters the bar with Bella to stop his friends from eating the burger.

Jon goes straight into the kitchen and confronts Darren about his not washing his hands.

He questions whether Darren or Kiki would want to eat the filthy spices they are adding to the food.

Jon calls Darren out about his poor practices.

He went outside for a cigarette and didn't wash his hands.

Darren is also not wearing gloves to handle the food.

Jon questions how clean the kitchen is.

The burgers aren't wrapped in the kitchen and the bottom ones are brown.

Jon questions whether he's an ahole who doesn't care, is ignorant or is lazy.

He questions Kiki on whether Darren learnt how to work the bar.

They reveal that they are running out of money.

Darren says that he doesn't know any different.

Jon tells Darren to clean the bar up overnight or he won't return the next day.

During the stress test, it becomes clear that the current set up of the bar isn't working.

The bartenders have to go from one side of the bar to the other for ice.

They are also lacking wells to make the drinks.

The food orders are taken by hand by one person, going to one table at a time.

In the kitchen, Darren is unsure of one of the orders as one order came in on and piece of paper.

He has also lost the piece of paper the order was on.

He is standing up tall and making multiple quesadillas.

Jon feels like he might have got through to him.

Out the front things are going wrong and no one has been served after 25 minutes.

Over a few days, Jon's team work on the bar.

The owners, staff and customers are gathered at night to reveal the new bar.

The bar has been given a makeover, mostly in the interior.

It has also been renamed to Kiki’s Chicago Bar and Grill and given new signage.

The owners are overwhelmed with the new look and hug Jon.

Jon talks about thhe influence that Chicago has over Nashville.

The bar is warmer with new brick accents and it is no longer dark and gloomy.

There are new bar stools and under bar lighting.

There is a new pool table and an upgraded stage with a shot chair.

SkyTab has given them two new POS systems.

They have two new workstations, each with an ice well.

Jon has also given them a subscription to Partender.

He worked with local companies to provide the plumbing and electrics.

At time of writing, the episode is not available on Demand so I have been unable to do a full recap.

What Happened Next at Main Street Hideaway?

Main Street Hideaway is open.

They have kept the new name, Kiki’s Chicago Bar and Grill.

Officially the name change wasn't registered until months after the show was filmed.

They hosted a watch party for the episode.

Reviews are mostly positive.

Some locals are sceptical about whether the theme fits the area.

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Previous episode - Slotzy's Gaming Bar and Grill

Next episode - Bar 44

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Slotzy's Gaming Bar and Grill / Vitale's Hideaway Gaming Bar and Grill - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Slotzy’s Bar and Grill in Worden, Illinois.

Slotzy’s Bar and Grill is owned by Nick Lang.

He took over the bar in 2022 when his father retired after owning it for 30 years.

The bar has a lot of slot machines and is well known for them.

When Nick took over, he hired a manager, Mel, and set up a drinks and food menu.

He left her in charge of his complicated menus, and she is not thriving in the role.

This is affecting the bar as there is no consistency.

The bar has four cooks, which is also not helping with consistency.

The bar is losing money.

Mel has been offered the bar after Nick retires, so she is invested.

Jon is in the surveillance trailer with comedian Cat Timpf.

Jon introduces the bar, and they discover that the bar is off Route 66.

He introduces the owner and his staff and sees how clueless they are.

Two radio personalities are sent in as spies.

They order off the extensive menu, and the items have strange names.

They watch the bartender make the drinks.

Her fingers are in the drink and on the edges.

In the kitchen, the cook is inconsistent and cooks on a dirty grill.

Before the spies eat the food that they ordered, Jon and Cat go in to stop them.

They taste the food, and the meat is rubbery and tastes like charcoal.

Jon tells them what he saw and calls the owner and manager to see the bad food.

Jon lays into them for the bad practices he has seen at the bar before he leaves.

The next day, the staff and owner gather to meet with him.

Jon asks basic questions, and they give him responses with no standards or consistency.

Jon has the numbers report, and the slot machines are helping.

Without them, the business would have lost $29,000 a month.

Nick says Mel has a passion for the bar, but Jon points out that it doesn’t look like it.

Mel is moved to tears, claiming she does have a connection to the bar but is not properly supported.

Jon introduces the experts: expert mixologist Rebecca Dowda and expert chef Brad Miller.

The staff is trained before the stress test.

Rebecca tests the bartenders' skills in making a basic Margarita.

They flail, as they have no idea of the ingredients, tools, or even the recipe.

She takes them through making another basic cocktail.

Brad tests them on making steak for a salad and later trains them on making it the proper way.

They all train before the stress test.

The customers are let in along with a mountain of orders.

Things are off to a slow start, and Mel is instructed to be a manager for the night.

After some time, no one has been served, and tickets are lined up in the kitchen.

They make big mistakes with the temperature.

Drinks made are taken to the wrong customers.

Food is sent back to the kitchen at the wrong temperatures.

The kitchen is a mess, and Jon is so upset that he has Nick throw in the towel.

They are unable to recover, as it will take an hour and a half to get through all the tickets.

Mel is overwhelmed by the experience and moved to tears.

When all the customers are let out, Jon sits with his experts to see what the bar needs.

They decide on a prohibition theme to attract more people from the competition.

The next day, the staff are trained on making a new and easy cocktail called a French 75, which is popular in the area.

Jon sits with the owner and manager.

He tells them of all the processes and systems that he will put in place that the bar is lacking.

Jon wants Nick to set Mel up for success.

Nick admits Mel has proven herself to want to carry on the legacy of the bar.

He believes it will be in good hands.

After days of work, the renovations are complete.

The staff is all gathered for the grand reopening.

The bar is unveiled, and the new name is Vitale’s Hideaway Prohibition Bar and Grill.

The exterior has been revamped with bright colors that will be eye-catching.

Nick loves the new theme, and they go inside.

Inside, the space has been revamped to be warmer and more inviting.

There are wood finishes from the prohibition era.

Nick is moved to tears, and he hugs Jon.

They have two stations with POS systems, a subscription to Partender, new bar tools, and supplies.

There is a glass chiller, ceiling tiles, and brick wall detailing, along with a hidden room with a secret drink.

They quickly set up and let customers in for the relaunch.

On relaunch, customers love the new ambience, and orders come through.

Mel starts managing immediately.

Drinks and food are moving out fast and are of high quality.

Nick is backing up Mel and the kitchen staff.

They read the tickets, knowing where orders go, so there are no mix-ups.

What Happened Next at Slotzy's Gaming Bar and Grill / Vitale's Hideaway Gaming Bar and Grill?

Six weeks later, business has improved significantly since the rescue.

The new concept is a hit with the community, which embraced the mobster branding.

Mel is still managing the bar and is on the path to ownership whenever Nick retires.

Slotzy's Gaming Bar and Grill / Vitale's Hideaway Gaming Bar and Grill is open.

They have kept the new name and concept.

Reviews are mostly positive, with praise for the food and staff.

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Previous episode - Club 21

Next episode - Main Street Hideaway

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Club 21 / Rix Ranch - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer has ask Dustin Drai to visit Club 21 in Goodells, Michigan.

Club 21 is owned by Dave Ricks.

He bought his first bar in 2014, but it failed and closed.

Dave tried again in 2017 with another bar, before getting a loan for Club 21 in 2019.

His daughter, Alex, came on as manager but had to start work elsewhere to make money for a living.

Meghan is a manager, but no one respects her or listens to her.

The bar has no leadership, training, or support for the staff.

Dave is in the hole for almost $1M from all his failed endeavors, including Club 21.

Dustin is sat in the surveillance truck with expert chef Vic Vegas, and expert mixologist Daniel Ponsky.

They think that the exterior is very uninspiring and it definitely does not look like a club.

Dustin introduces the dynamics of the bar, noting there are two managers.

They see that there are bugs in the drinks at the bar.

Their process for taking orders is pen and paper, with no POS in place for the staff to use.

Two local radio hosts are sent in as spies.

They are greeted, and they order a Bloody Mary.

The bartender cannot make a Moscow Mule because they have run out of one of the ingredients.

The drinks are thrown together haphazardly, and the spies hate the taste of them.

They order food, and they see the cook use thick slices of bologna with no seasoning.

The spies complain about the food to the owner, and he complains to the cook, who in turn offers excuses.

Dustin and the spies go into the bar to meet the owner and the manager, Meghan.

Dustin asks for the sales figures, and she shows him slips of paper.

Dave is even more clueless, as he has no system for admin.

Dave admits there are no systems or even training given to the staff.

The next day, the staff and owner are all gathered.

While Dustin is introducing himself, they recognize his business in Las Vegas.

Dave says he was humbled by the experience last night and is ready to take charge.

They know they are in debt but have no idea how much they are losing a month.

It is revealed that the manager and the owner are not there when the business closes.

This had happened the night before.

The friction between leadership is revealed, and Dave shows remorse at the state of the situation.

Dustin introduces the experts, and they get straight into training.

Daniel takes them through making a batch of Bloody Mary to make it easier and faster.

In the kitchen, Vic is training them on how to make a burger the right way.

They practice, and it is soon time for the stress test.

There are ten wanted posters of Dave on the wall.

With any major mistake, one will be pulled down.

The customers are let in, and orders go through.

It starts off really slow, with customers waiting, and staff needing instruction.

When only one drink has gone out and half the room has not given their order, a poster is taken down.

Six tickets are waiting to be processed in the kitchen, and that is after the ones that are currently being worked on.

Another poster is taken down due to the long wait times.

When the food goes out, a customer notices her tater tots are cold.

Two other customers have the same issue, so another poster is taken down.

Burgers are delayed due to the wait for fries to be ready.

The returned food is never fired again as the kitchen is too behind.

Bad drinks are sent back and spills occur behind the bar.

All the posters get pulled down, and the stress test is ended.

The experts meet with Jon and complain about all the issues they observed.

He gives them some words of advice on how to proceed with the rescue.

The next day, Dustin meets with Dave and his daughter.

Dustin lets them know Dave has to be more consistent and committed to get out of the hole he is in.

This is important, especially if he wants to leave a legacy for his daughter.

Dave is committed, especially because he admires Dustin and his business.

After a few days of renovations, the staff are gathered outside their bar for the reopening night.

The bar is unveiled, and the front has been completely revamped so it looks more like a business.

The name has been changed to Rix Ranch Bar and Grill.

There is a large horse sculpture as an attraction to draw people in.

The staff enter the bar, and it has been given a much-needed facelift.

The space is warmer and well-lit with new furnishings.

Dave is lost for words at the changes that have been made.

They have a new SkyTab POS system with two terminals, two printers, and two tablets.

They have a subscription to Partender, new bar tools and glassware, a new cold press system, and a heating lamp.

After they quickly set up, the customers are let in for the relaunch.

The regulars are also shocked by the transformation.

They all like the changes and their orders are made.

The staff are ready, and they are quick in the kitchen, especially with the new processes.

The food is getting compliments from the customers.

Drinks are made quickly and they are serving multiple drinks at a time.

Dave and his daughter are happy and thankful for the intervention.

What Happened Next at Club 21 / Rix Ranch?

Six weeks later, the customers love the new name, and the menu items are popular.

Meghan left the bar, but Alex and other family members have stepped up to help.

With the new systems in place, Dave is finally seeing a positive cash flow in his bank accounts.

Club 21 / Rix Ranch is open.

They have kept the new name.

Reviews are mostly positive with praise for the food.

They closed briefly in early 2025 for restructuring.

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Previous episode - Pat and Dandy's

Next episode - Slotzy's Gaming Bar and Grill

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Pat and Dandy's Sports Bar and Grill - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer has asked Phil Wills to visit Pat and Dandy’s Sports Bar and Grill in Toledo, Ohio.

The bar is owned by Matt and his partner, Cathy.

They bought the bar in 2019 using his wife’s retirement money.

They decided to open a bar, despite having no hospitality experience.

The bar was a staple of the community, so they left everything exactly the same.

However, the bar began to decline, and they currently have 27 employees.

The stress has had an impact on Matt’s health, and he is now limited in what he can do.

They are losing money and are in $400,000 debt.

Phil sits in the surveillance van with expert Mixologist Mia Mastroianni and expert chef Brad Miller.

They think that the exterior of the building looks run-down, but they recognize its significance to the community.

The owners and staff are introduced to the experts, along with an explanation about their debt.

The bar is full on a weekday, which is great, so where is the money going?

General Manager Sarah has been at the bar for 14 years, and her daughter is the assistant GM.

Nine staff members are working that night, and the experts think that there are too many.

The bar is big, with a large front of house, a large bar area, and a large kitchen.

They have asked some radio personalities to be their spies there.

The spies go in and immediately notice the dust in the bar.

They get given a dirty table with used glasses.

The pair is overlooked for a long time before they get served.

They ordered a spicy margarita from the menu.

They see the drink being made poorly.

It is served in a mini bucket and tastes awful.

In the kitchen, the chicken is getting warm in the breading, and there is cross-contamination.

The experts, along with Phil, go into the bar to confront the owners.

Phil meets the owners and asks about their situation.

They have a lot of heart but no business sense due to a lack of experience.

Mia asks about the bucket.

She notices they are inconsistent in pours and undercharge for the amount of liquor they serve.

Brad asks about the chaos of the kitchen, and the cook says she loves it.

The night is shut down, and the next morning, the staff are all gathered.

The next day, Phil comes in and sits with the owners.

He tells them they are being too nice, and the staff is taking advantage.

The owners agree to see things his way.

They meet with the staff.

The experts are introduced to them, and they outline all the bad practices they saw the night before.

They ask all the staff about their situation.

They are shocked to hear that an inexperienced bartender, who received no training, was in charge of training new hires.

They ask the General Manager what food costs should be, and she says 37%.

She is corrected that it should be 24%.

The managers don't know what beverage costs should be.

Their Partender report shows they lost almost 25% due to overpouring.

This comes to $130,000 a year that they are losing.

Matt is shocked to see this, and he sees that he can't trust his staff.

After this, Mia takes the staff through making a spicy margarita properly.

In the kitchen, Brad takes them through making slider smash burgers.

They train and are ready for the Stress Test.

The expectation is for Sarah to act as GM, and the owners to watch her.

The customers are let in, and it gets busy so quickly.

The bar staff have to constantly be reminded to prepare drinks on the bar top.

The kitchen is slammed, and the cook is slow, so tickets pile up.

Wait times reach 20 minutes.

Sarah has a bad attitude, and Matt is made to speak to her to get things under control.

It doesn't work, as chicken wings are sent out almost raw to a customer.

The food has to be sent back.

It is then refired, but this time it is burnt on the outside, but still raw in the middle.

Sarah’s attention is called to the dish as she nearly misses it.

With the AGM in the kitchen, the meal should not have been sent out.

Drinks are being made slowly, but taste good.

The kitchen is in chaos and is unable to keep up with the orders.

The Stress Test is shut down.

Matt speaks to the staff once the bar is empty.

He outlines their duties to them, especially to the GM.

Sarah is frustrated and just wants to go home.

The next day, Phil meets with the owners.

They have news that Sarah and Jose, their GM and AGM, skipped training.

They both have not come to work and refused to answer calls.

The owners decide they want to keep them, but they will be in the kitchen instead.

They will take over management instead.

Phil takes them through what they need to do to get ahead.

Jon has time to consult with the renovation team and Phil on the best way to use the space.

The team works long hours, and a few days later, the bar is ready for the reopening.

The staff and owners gather at night.

The bar is unveiled, and the exterior has been revamped with a bigger, brighter sign.

There is one small change to the name.

They are now Pat and Dandy’s Sports Central Bar and Grill.

They have a dolphin in front to signify their record as the biggest Miami Dolphins sports bar in the country.

The owners and staff are let in, and they love the changes.

The bar is warmer with updated decor and massive viewing screens.

They have four new Sky Tabs POS systems and three Sky Tabs.

There is a subscription to Partender, new bar tools and barware, new liquor, and new kitchen tools.

The staff is down two members, but they are ready to push ahead.

They prep and open up to the customers.

They make multiple drinks at a time, and the bar cheers.

The kitchen is ready for the tickets to come in.

Matt is making sure the food is expedited quickly.

The change is night and day.

What Happened Next at Pat and Dandy's Sports Bar and Grill?

Weeks later, Matt and Cathy are doing better at managing inventory.

They expect to start seeing profits soon.

The community is happy the bar stayed a neighborhood bar and embraces the changes made.

Sarah still works at the bar but is no longer a General Manager.

Pat and Dandy's Sports Bar and Grill is open.

They didn't keep the new name.

Reviews are mostly positive.

There is praise for the food, atmosphere, and drinks.

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Next Level Chef Season 5 Where are they now?

Next Level Chef Season 5 aired from 29th January 2026.

There were 15 contestants and the show aired on FOX.

The chefs compete to be named the Next Level Chef by competing in cookery challenges.

If the contestants do well they move up a level and when they perform poorly they drop levels.

The prize for the winner was mentorship by all three mentors and $250,000 cash.

In this season, the mentors were Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais.

Please read before you copy sections of this post onto Fandom/other websites..

Amber Kellehan was a Home Chef from Los Angeles, California.

She was mentored by Gordon Ramsay.

After Next Level Chef, Amber is a social media chef.

She shares food content with other contestants from the season.

Amber hosted a watch party for one of the episodes.

Andy Allo was a Social Media Chef from Malibu, California.

She was mentored by Gordon Ramsay.

After Next Level Chef, Andy is the owner of Akone.

Akone offers a cameroonian fine dining experience.

She also continues to share food content on social media.

Andy was previously an Actor and Singer.

She also offers coaching and personalised videos on Cameo.

Christian Alquiza was a Social Media Chef from Austin, Texas.

He was mentored by Richard Blais.

After Next Level Chef, Christian continues to create food social media content.

He is the a culinary producer and host of Hot Kitchen on YouTube channel First We Feast.

Christian did a pop-up dining event.

His third child is due in July 2026.

Cole Lawson was a Pro Chef from Los Angeles, California.

She was mentored by Gordon Ramsay.

After Next Level Chef, Cole is a Private Chef.

She also does pop-up dining experiences.

Cole is also a food content creator on social media.

In June 2025, she appeared on Yes, Chef! Season 1 as a sous chef for Zain Ismail.

Connor Caine was a Pro Chef from Manhattan Beach, California.

He was mentored by Nyesha Arrington.

After Next Level Chef, Connor is a a private chef and caterer at Eats By Connor.

He is a food social media content creator and launched Rank Every Cookie on Instagram.

Connor appears to have launched a cookie company Connor's Cookie Co before abandoning the project.

Connor has recently started a YouTube channel.

Danielle Kartes was a Home Chef from Puyallup, Washington.

She was mentored by Nyesha Arrington.

After Next Level Chef, Danielle is a food blogger.

She also has a YouTube channel.

Danielle has had a number of cookbooks published and appeared on a number of TV shows. Connor has recently started a YouTube channel.

Darian Bryan was a Pro Chef from Buffalo, New York.

He was mentored by Richard Blais.

After Next Level Chef, Darian returned to the restaurant he owns, Bratts Hill by Chef Darian.

Darian is also a Private Chef.

He has previously appeared on multiple TV shows and hosted many pop-up dining events.

Elise Jesse was a Home Chef from Cincinnati, Ohio.

She was mentored by Richard Blais.

Elise was eliminated in episode 5 after her New York Strip was delicious but the potato was lumpy and the presentation was lacking.

After Next Level Chef, Elise continues to create food content alongside working as a reporter.

She is a sports reporter, mostly covering the Cincinnati Bengals.

Elise has a YouTube channel called The Sick Podcast - Orange Report, covering Bengals games.

She is also a food blogger at Elise Jesse's Kitchen and shares her recipes online.

Elise hosted a watch party with funds raised for charity.

Emerson Bartolome was a Home Chef from San Diego, California.

He was mentored by Nyesha Arrington.

Emerson was eliminated in episode 6 after his curry dish lacked texture.

There is a beautiful moment where a butterfly lands on Emerson's shoulder, a message from a dearly departed friend.

After Next Level Chef, Emerson is a food content creator.

He has recently started a YouTube Channel, BT Cooks.

Emerson has appeared in other contestants social media content.

He is a brand ambassador for Kamado.

Emerson had previously appeared on Guy's Grocery Games un 2022.

Gabrielle Coniglio was a Pro Chef from Palm Beach, Florida.

She was mentored by Gordon Ramsay.

After Next Level Chef, Gabrielle is a Private Chef.

She has had a number of high profile clients including Ben Affleck, who there was a false rumour she was dating.

Gabrielle also owns a meal delivery company, Gab’s Organics.

Jared Veldheer was a Home Chef from Grand Rapids, Michigan.

He was mentored by Richard Blais.

After Next Level Chef, Jared was in charge of the school lunch programme at jis childrens school.

Jared was a former NFL player, who retired in 2021.

He had previously retired in 2017 but returned in 2019.

Jared creates NFL content and runs a line back training programme called The Veldheer Lineman Vault.

Trinidad, aka Machete, Gonzalez was a Pro Chef from Houston, Texas.

He was mentored by Nyesha Arrington.

After Next Level Chef, Machete is the owner of Gordo Niños, a taco restaurant.

He and some of the other contestants did a meet and greet event.

Machete hosted a watch party for his audition episode.

He is competing in the 2026 World Food Championships.

Mareya Ibrahim-Jones was a Social Media Chef from Capistrano Beach, California.

She was mentored by Gordon Ramsay.

Mareya was eliminated in episode 4 after her pork loin with mole dish was overcooked and overspiced.

After Next Level Chef, Mareya is a Freelance Consultant and owner of FitLife Corp.

She is the Founder of Superfood Sprinkle, a food supplement.

Mareya is also a health and wellness public speaker.

She hosts a podcast called The Real Dish.

Mareya released a cookbook called Eat Like You Give a Fork: The Real Dish on Eating to Thrive in 2019. (*AD - Amazon).

Matt Starcher was a Social Media Chef from Chesapeake, Virginia.

He was mentored by Nyesha Arrington.

After Next Level Chef, Matt sells MaD seasoning online and at farmers markets.

He also creates food content on social media as MattDad.

Matt was previously approached to appear on the show for season 1 but declined at the time.

Tim Laielli was a Social Media Chef from Dripping Springs, Texas.

He was mentored by Richard Blais.

After Next Level Chef, Tim is a full time photographer.

Tim continues to create food content for social media.

He has over 1 million followers on Instagram and is approaching 1million on YouTube.

Tim is currently writing a cookbook, due for release in 2027.

More Next Level Chef Contestants

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Swamp Tales - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer has asked Jason Santos to visit Swamp Tales Bar and Restaurant in Carlyle, Illinois.

Swamp Tales is owned by Sarah and Nick.

They bought it from Sarah’s uncle in 2022.

They put up their farm as collateral.

They were misled, as they thought it was making money, but the reality was different.

Since they had the farm and a young family, they hired Chloe as a manager.

Former cook, Bree, also became a manager.

Neither of the managers has any training.

Everything is falling apart due to the incompetence of the management team.

The couple is in danger of losing everything if the bar fails.

Jason is in the surveillance truck with Expert Chef Tatiana Rosana and Expert Mixologist Alli Torres.

He briefs them on the owners and how they were made promises.

Jason tells the experts that the owners are now $793,000 in debt.

Chloe is only 21 and is the front-of-house manager.

The cocktails are served in Styrofoam cups.

The decor is a mix of various gimmicks.

The spies are comedians who eat on the road a lot.

They make fun of the decor and ask for popular New Orleans drinks that they cannot make.

The drinks they receive are bad, and they order food from the menu.

The kitchen is worse, as the grill is dirty.

Gloves are thrown on the floor, and prep practices are poor.

The food served is dry, and the spies hate it.

Jason has seen enough and goes in to meet the owners.

He takes them to the kitchen to show them its poor condition.

The owners try to admit fault, but it is obvious they are too laid back.

He confronts them with the food storage and the state of the kitchen.

Jason tasks them with cleaning the kitchen out overnight.

The next day, Jason meets with the staff, introducing himself.

The staff all think consistency and service are the bar's major problems.

The staff is defensive of the alligator meat they serve.

The owners drive eleven hours to get it.

The issue is that they mistreat the meat, serving it overcooked and dry.

Their Partender report shows they lost $1,700 a weekend, or $93,000 a year.

The owners do not know about any of the food or operational costs.

The experts are introduced, and to begin, Alli takes the bartenders through making the drink they served to the spies.

She sees they do not measure the ingredients properly, leading to a lack of consistency.

Alli takes them through making a basic Daiquiri, which they had said they could not make earlier.

In the kitchen, Tatiana watches them make nachos and gives them a note on cleanliness.

She teaches them to make a Cajun Poutine, which is easy and fast to make.

For the stress test, the owners have been tasked with helping where they see support is needed.

Customers are let in, and it gets instantly busy.

The bartenders are all cramped around a well.

Nick is lost as to what to do.

Chloe looks miserable and is just focused on her task rather than directing.

Drinks have been made and left sitting on the bar with no one claiming them.

Chloe is offered help, but she is too stressed to even accept it.

Nick is directed to coach her, but she rolls her eyes at him.

In the kitchen, Bri is doing better, cooking well, and cleaning up after herself.

Jason has seen enough, and they shut the night down.

The next day, Jason sits with the two managers.

He praises Bri and tells Chloe everything she did wrong.

Chloe explains that she was nervous, which is why she could not relax.

Jason talks to the owners about food costs and how to price the dishes on their menu.

He tells them that they are losing lots of money on their alligator meal.

They either need to reduce the portion sizes, garnish, or charge more so they can break even.

Alli trains the bartenders to make a Hurricane, a basic drink for their location.

Then they take some time to practice.

Jon's team works hard, and they renovate the bar.

The staff is gathered around the bar at night for the unveiling.

The bar has been renamed to Swamp Town Cajun Kitchen and Cocktails.

There is a new lit-up sign that no one can miss.

Inside, the space has been brightened up with warm lights and more coordinated decor.

They are excited to see two ice wells.

They have new bar tools with real glassware, new SkyTab POS systems, and tablets.

There is a subscription to Partender and a merch wall.

They love it all and can't wait to open.

On relaunch, customers are let in, and orders come through.

The staff is all too happy to serve.

Chloe has a better disposition and is smiling whilst making drinks.

Bri is busy in the back, keeping up with orders with great ticket times.

Nick and Sarah are working, helping with food and drinks without being prompted.

Jason commends them for stepping up.

He assures them that if they keep it up, they will get through their debt.

What Happened Next at Swamp Tales Bar and Restaurant?

Six weeks later, customers love the food and drinks.

The upgraded menu is bringing in new customers.

Chloe and Bri are thriving as managers and provide great customer service.

Swamp Tales is open.

They didn't keep the new name and reverted to their old name.

Reviews are mostly positive.

A few have mentioned the alligator not being available consistently.

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