In this Kitchen Nightmares episode, Gordon Ramsay visits Love on the Blu in Blue Island, Illinois.
Love on the Blu is owned by Valencia Love.
Blue Island is a vibrant community located 19 miles south of Chicago.
Love on the Blu was opened in 2017 by Valencia based on an idea from her cousins.
They liked the idea of a brunch spot but Valencia had no experience in restaurants.
Mikey is the Head Chef, she is culinary trained and loves being in the kitchen.
She says that it is not a professional atmosphere.
They call Valencia Val or the boss lady and think she is the boss from hell.
Val calls her servers dumb and says she has screaming at them for 7 years.
Server Chantel takes food back to the kitchen and thinks the complaints are reasonable.
Val disagrees with the customer complaints.
She rants about them so loudly that customers can hear her out the front of the restaurant.
Mikey thinks that the customers aren’t coming in because they read the online reviews.
And the rude responses from Val that puts off existing and new customers.
Gordon arrives at the restaurant and questions what is going wrong at the restaurant.
He isn’t impressed with the net curtains and is surprised that there is no sign on the door.
Gordon enters the restaurant and meets the front of house staff.
He asks Terrance to see the menu and hates that he is given a QR code instead of a physical menu.
Val calls Terance to the kitchen by shouting for him.
Gordon is shocked to find a salmon omelette on the menu for $40.
He orders an omelette with jerk chicken and lamb chop with fried eggs.
Midway through taking the order, the server CJ is once again called away to the kitchen by Valencia.
She says that she is almost conditioned to jump and drop what she is doing when Valencia yells.
Val insists that each server takes their assigned tables, whilst another server was idle in the kitchen.
Gordon flags down CJ and continues his order, adding chicken and waffles.
He reads through the online reviews of the restaurant and Val’s responses too.
Gordon can hear Valencia screaming at the staff from the dining room.
He questions whether they have lost his order as it is taking so long.
Terrance tells him that the egg whites in the omelette come from a carton.
The jerk chicken omelette has an odd, hard texture and the chicken is dry.
The lamb chop dish is called an omelette but it’s not an omelette.
The lamb chops are missing the demi glace and it is returned to the kitchen.
The waffle has no colour and is not glossy.
The chicken is also very dry.
The lamb chops are returned with the demi glace but it tastes weird and Gordon spits it out.
Gordon calls the staff together for a meeting.
He tells Val that the lunch wasn’t that good.
Gordon questions who came up with the menu items and they say it is Valencia.
He also questions the prices on the menu but she says that if they can’t afford it they shouldn’t come.
Val says that the high egg costs are the reason for this.
Gordon says that if the egg prices are so high then just don’t put them on the menu.
Val is not taking anything Gordon says on board and he questions if she is delusional.
Gordon says he isn’t being disrespectful and that she has no interest in listening.
He says that bad news travels fast and that the staff aren’t able to give feedback.
Terrance says that she doesn’t want to hear it.
Gordon questions the signs on the table saying that the kitchen won’t send out replacement meals.
Valencia says that the high food costs are the reason and that the customers don’t read the menus correctly.
Gordon calls her out on her calling CJ into the kitchen mid order (and imitates her perfectly), despite Chantel being idle in the dining room.
He questions why the service window is closed and she says it is the smoke.
The servers giggle when Gordon asks whether it is because of her voice.
Gordon asks what is wrong with the business.
Val says that it is the employees who don’t listen or follow the rules.
She says that they are disrespectful to the business.
Gordon asks Mikey to go into the kitchen and chat with him.
Mikey says that has always been that bad and that no one can tell her anything.
She has suggested changing the menu and she stays because she has love for the restaurant.
They have a big/little sister relationship and she has worked there a long time.
Gordon thinks that the restaurant is very toxic and negative.
After Gordon leaves, Val rants at the staff and blames them for issues.
Mikey says that when she took a week vacation the place ran so much more smoothly.
Gordon returns to see an evening service.
Terrance has walked out as he was upset with Valencia had said.
His focus is to see what is happening in the kitchen.
Val does the hash browns, pancakes, eggs and French toast on her grill.
Mikey does all the omelettes, he notices how quickly she moves.
One of the kitchen staff is sent out with an order but has no idea where it is going.
Gordon asks CJ whether there is no shouting because she knows Gordon is there.
CJ says that she hasn’t annoyed her yet and with that she starts yelling.
Val rants after being asked for the wait time on a table, saying if they want fast food to go elsewhere.
One table receives two pieces of bacon before anything else arrives.
Gordon sits with the table and they say it is expensive.
A customer sends a meal back as being too salty and spicy and asks for a replacement.
He sits with one customer who has been waiting an hour for food and it is their first time at the restaurant.
Val says that she doesn’t have the ticket for table 12.
She blames Gordon for the mix up with the ticket.
Gordon reflects that Valencia has shut down but Mikey is carrying the business.
He says that the business is overpriced and is on its last legs.
Gordon asks to meet with Valencia alone.
He says that the service was tough.
Val still blames the staff and says they are only there for the tips.
She says that she has tried everything to get them to listen.
Gordon tells her she has to behave like an owner and tolerate a lot.
She is still defensive and Gordon asks the cameramen to leave.
He tells her that all she has done has blame others and she needs to take responsibility too.
Gordon says that the walls are up and she breaks down, saying that she lost her daughter at just 8 months old.
(This was so sad and I was in tears at her story)
She bought the restaurant on her birthday and it means a lot to her.
Val took out a $198,000 loan to open the restaurant and she is out a lot of money.
Gordon says that they need to get the house in order with systems and training.
They hug before leaving for the evening.
Gordon tells the staff that he has sent her home for the evening.
He is concerned that she is trying to lead but doesn’t know how to run a restaurant.
Gordon outlines his plans for systems and better communication.
Mikey questions whether she is stuck in her ways but if Val can change so she will she.
Overnight, Gordon’s team have given the dining room a makeover.
They have given the kitchen new equipment including new fryers and Hexclad equipment.
His team is training the front of house team and Gordon wants to spend some time with Mikey.
Gordon tells them that he will be cooking with love and they will be making changes to the dishes they already serve.
The steak that Mikey has cooked is perfect and Gordon praises her telling her that she can really cook.
She is invigorated by the praise and you can see the difference.
Val arrives at the restaurant and she loves the new decor, tables and chairs.
The serving hatch with heat lamps is also a welcome change.
Gordon has not only updated the menu but there are printed copies.
The staff bring out the new food for them to sample.
The prices have also been reduced significantly as the food costs have been lowered.
There is a new bell so no more shouting and Mikey is given a chef’s jacket with her name on.
Val is being moved to front of house and Mikey will be running the kitchen.
On relaunch night, the restaurant is busy and customers love the new decor.
They also love the food and Valencia shines as a host in the front of house.
Mikey has command of the tickets and food is making its way out.
Valencia breaks Gordons rule and goes into the kitchen and turns the grill off.
The kitchen starts to back up as the orders come through.
Gordon asks for Val to come into the kitchen to question why she turned the grill off or down.
The kitchen picks up speed again and the food starts to go out at speed.
Valencia can see the difference with the servers using the window and not being in the kitchen.
Gordon advises Mikey on how to handle cooking her steaks and gives her heavy praise on her performance.
The customers have nothing but praise for the food and service.
Gordon meets with Val before leaving the restaurant.
They hug before he leaves the restaurant.
What Happened Next at Love on the Blu?
Three months later, Gordon says that the online buzz has shifted.
He says that the critics have become fans.
Love on the Blu is open.
Reviews are mostly positive.
There is a lot of praise for the food and service.
There are some complaints that prices don't match those on the menu and that the owner was rude.
There are also some complaints on the undercooked food including grits and chicken wings.
The owner responds to reviews on Google, with some of the tone from before filming...
They ran a 20% off deal on Instagram for new followers.
Valencia posted on Yelp in May 2025 (around filming time) that she was having staffing issues.
Love on the Blu was aired on 28th July 2026.
The episode was filmed in May 2025 and is Kitchen Nightmares season 10 episode 3.
Next episode - Borelli's Pizzeria
Previous episode - 4 Star Diner
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