Kitchen Nightmares Open or Closed?

Kitchen Nightmares Open or Closed

Are your favourite Kitchen Nightmares restaurants open or closed?

In Kitchen Nightmares, Gordon Ramsay visits restaurants, identifying the key issues, resolving them and giving the restaurant a renovation all within 3 days.

Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares / Kitchen Nightmares UK aired from 2004 to 2014, with 7 seasons and 36 episodes.

Kitchen Nightmares USA aired from 2007 until 2014, with 7 seasons and 90 episodes, including revisited episodes, see below for a full Kitchen Nightmares episode list.

People often want to know Kitchen nightmares where are they now? On each post you will find Kitchen Nightmares episode recaps, updates and information on each restaurant that Chef Gordon Ramsay has attempted to save.

You will find out which Kitchen Nightmares are open or closed.

A map featuring all of the Kitchen Nightmares restaurant locations is here



Kitchen Nightmares Closure and Success Rates as February 2024


Please credit us should you use these

The Kitchen Nightmares Closure Rate stands at 81%

The Kitchen Nightmares Success Rate stands at 19%

There are 19 Kitchen Nightmares restaurants still open and 87 Kitchen Nightmares restaurants that have closed.


Click on the link for each restaurant to read more about why the Kitchen nightmares closed. We are currently reworking this post, please bear with us!



Kitchen Nightmares Season 8


10 restaurants
Aired: September 2023 -

Bel Aire Diner is open. Reviews are mostly positive with some diners unhappy about the shortened menu and some food and service issues.

Bask 46 is open. Chef Bobby left the restaurant. Reviews are mostly positive.

In The Drink is open. Reviews are mostly positive and much improved since the show.

Da Mimmo is open. Reviews are mostly positive with praise for the pizzas.

The Juicy Box is open. Reviews are mostly positive with some minor complaints on food and service.

Love Bites is closed. They closed to focus on their health and relationship. They had changed the menu and reviews were mostly positive for the month they remained open.

El Cantito Cafe is open. Reviews are mostly positive with some minor complaints on portion sizes and pricing.

South Brooklyn Foundry is open. Reviews are mostly positive with praise for the brunch.

Max’s Bar and Grill is open. Reviews are mostly positive with praise for their staple hotdogs.

Diwan is open. Reviews are mostly positive with some comments to suggest they have returned dishes to the menu and prices are high.


Costa Del Nightmares


4 restaurants
Aired: September - October 2014

Mayfair / Jacks Chicken Shack is closed. They closed after failing to reopen for the 2019 season. Owner John has reverted to his own menu and recipes shortly after Gordon visited.

Le Deck is closed. They closed after failing to open for the 2017 summer season. After filming business was up and Steve had returned to their other restaurant in the mountains.

La Granada Divino is closed. They closed in September 2015, two years after filming, as owners Milan and Gina retired from the restaurant trade.

Quelcuttis Tapas is closed. They closed in 2015, 14 months after Gordon visited with his changes blamed for the closure.



Kitchen Nightmares Season 7


6 restaurants
Aired: April 2014 - September 2014
Closure Rate: 67%

Pantaleone's is open. Business improved 70% after the episode aired and they added a delivery service in 2017. Reviews are positive

Old Neighborhood Restaurant is closed. They closed as of May 1st 2016 after selling the restaurant business, the building was sold in June 2014.

Kati Allo is closed. They closed in April 2014, days after the episode aired. The closure was temporary for renovations but they never reopened.

Mangia Mangia is closed. They closed in November 2014 and Trevor went to rehab, got clean and planned to go to culinary school.

Zayna Flaming Grill is closed. They closed in 2023. The restaurant was sold to a new owner in September 2015 and reviews were mostly positive.

Bella Luna is closed. They closed 3 and a half months after filming in November 2013 and blamed a dispute with the landlord.

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Kitchen Nightmares Season 6


13 restaurants
Aired: October 2012 - May 2013

Closure Rate: 69%

La Galleria 33 is closed. They closed suddenly in November 2018 with no announcement of the closure.

Barefoot Bobs is closed. They closed suddenly in December 2016 with no announcement of the closure. Prior to the closure they reverted to their old menu and brought back the tiki decor.

Mama Maria's is closed. They closed in February 2023 as John retired. John returned some customer favourites to the menu and tweaked recipes. Reviews were mostly positive.

Ms Jean's Southern Cuisine is open. They moved to a new location and reviews are positive. Reviews have improved significantly since 2017.

Olde Hitching Post is open. Reviews are mostly positive with seafood being popular. They stopped doing breakfast in 2019 to the disappointment of many.

Levanti's American Bistro is closed. They closed in November 2013 after Tony decided to retire nine months after the episode was aired.

Sam's Mediterranean kabob Room is closed. They closed in January 2014 as appearing on the show didn't increase customers numbers and more competition had opened in the area.

Nino's Italian Restaurant is closed. They closed in August 2016 due to retirement. Carina said that the remodel was done using cheap furniture that were not fit for purpose.

Mill Street Bistro is closed. Joe renamed the restaurant to Maple City Tavern and they closed in February 2016. Joe sued Gordon after the episode for missing items and damage to the restaurant.

Yanni's Greek Restaurant is open. They returned some of their old dishes to the menu and reviews are mostly positive with the moussaka being a hit with customers.

Prohibition Grille is closed. They closed in July 2017. Chef Rocky opened his own restaurant that had excellent reviews prior to its closure.

Chappy's is closed. Chappy blames the closure on Gordon and has opened and closed a number of restaurants since appearing on the show.

Amy's Baking Company is closed. Amy closed the restaurant in September due to landlord troubles and after much online drama to open an online cookery school. Amy and Samy now live in Israel.

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Kitchen Nightmares Season 5


15 restaurants
Aired: September 2011 - March 2012
Closure Rate: 66%


Blackberry's is closed. They closed in March 2013 as Shelly no longer saw room for growth, were maintaining and not getting the clientele they wanted.

Leone's is open. Gordon revisited, the chefs had been fired and Michael wasn't at the restaurant, he stepped up and reviews are mostly positive. Rose sadly passed away in April 2014.

Mike and Nellie's is closed. They closed in January 21st 2012 and Mike now owns his own catering company.

Luigi's D' Italia is open. The restaurant moved location in December 2017 and opened a catering service. Reviews are positive with praise for the lasagna and pizza.

Burger Kitchen is closed. The restaurant was sold to new owners in August 2011, was rebranded and closed in February 2012.

The Greek at the Harbor is open. Some customers didn't like the changes but reviews are generally positive with praise for the entertainment and food.

Michon's is closed. They closed in August 2013 and two other locations closed - Downtown burnt down in a fire in March 2012 and Peach Tree Centre closed in early 2018. Reviews at the original location were negative after filming.

El Greco is closed. They closed in December 2011 as their debts were too large. Many staff had left due to conflict and reviews after filming were negative with complaints on food and service.

Park's Edge is closed. They closed in early 2014 after their lease ran out and they did not open in a new location. They returned some items to the menu due to customer requests.

Spin A Yarn Steakhouse is open. They returned some dishes to the menu as requested by regulars and reviews are positive with the prime rib remaining a big hit with diners.

Charlie's Italian Bistro is closed. They closed in July 2012 and Genevieve sadly passed away from complications due to epilepsy.

Cafe Hon is closed. They closed in April 2022 after Denise decided to move onto something new. The locals appear to have forgiven Denise for the Hon trademark issue and reviews are positive with the meatloaf being popular among diners.

Chiarella's Ristorante is closed. They closed on the 30th June 2015 after their lease expired and they could not afford an increase in rent.

Zocalo is closed. They closed January 2013 after failing to open after Christmas due to spiralling debts including for taxes. Greg and Mary divorced and he remarried waitress Maria.

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Kitchen Nightmares Season 4

12 restaurants
Aired: January 2011 to May 2011
Closure Rate: 83%


Spanish Pavillion is open. Michael has stepped away from the business and business is up since filming. Reviews are positive with praise for the paella and sangria.

Classic American is closed. The restaurant closed in August 2013 and they continued offering catering services.

PJ's Steakhouse is closed. They closed a few weeks after filming in May 2010 as the takings were low and the debts were high and returned to the construction trade.

Grasshopper Also is closed. They closed in October 2012, was sold and reopened with new management, new staff and a new makeover. The restaurant has changed hands many times since.

Davide is closed. They closed in May 2014 after being sold in January 2014, as the owners wanted to start a farming venture and food tours of Boston North End.

Downcity is closed.They closed on 10th December 2011, after struggling in the decline of the local economy. Aby is now a personal trainer.

Cafe Tavolini is closed. They closed in December 2010, just weeks after filming with an answerphone recording saying that they were closing for medical reasons.

Kingston Cafe is closed. They closed as a restaurant in August 2018, however the space is still used for events and catering functions.

La Frite is closed. The restaurant was sold to a new owner in July 2016 and closed in September 2017 when the owner changed the restaurant to an Italian eatery called Modo Mio.

The Capri Restaurant featured in Kitchen Nightmares season 4 episode 10 and is closed. They closed in September 2019 due to the twins health issues and declining sales at the restaurant.

Zeke's is closed. They closed in October 2012 after taping a notice to the door and the restaurant was sold to new owners. Daryll and Ellen now own LUCA Eats in New Orleans.

Oceana Grill is open. The restaurant was sold to new owners, who have sued the production company over clips showing the poor state of the kitchen as this does not represent the higher standards under their ownership.

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Kitchen Nightmares Season 3

12 restaurants
Aired: January 2010 - May 2010
Closure Rate:75%

Hot Potato Cafe is closed. They closed in August 2010 as their lease was due to expire and a closed sign was put up on the door. Danielle went to college and trained to be a nurse.

Flamangos/The Junction is closed. They closed in April 2011 as Bill and Adele decided to re-retire to Florida. Cheryl moved out of her parents house in 2016.

Bazzini is closed. Bazzini closed in June 2010 and Paul now works as a chef with his son. In a revisit we see Sharyn who had began working full time baking her cakes.

Mojito is closed. Mojito closed in March 2016 and Katalina went travelling, documenting her food journey on Instagram.

Lido di Manhattan is open. They host regular wine tasting and music events that are a huge hit and reviews are mostly positive with a few criticisms on service.

Le Bistro is open. They expanded into providing produce to a local market. Reviews are positive with the beef wellington and mushroom soup receiving rave reviews.

Casa Roma is closed. They reverted to their old menu and briefly rebranded as The AV Roadhouse Restaurant Bar & Grill before reverting back.They closed in July 2017.

Mama Rita's is closed. They closed in December 2010 after abandoning Gordon's menu but the catering business continued for a number of years.

Anna Vincenzo's is closed.They closed in April 2010 and Cece sold the restaurant so that she could spend more time with her children. Cece and Michael had seperated.

Fleming is closed. They closed in October 2010, 5 months after airing after trying a number of different menus and event nights.

Sushi Ko is closed. They closed in August 2009. Lisa believes it was too little too late and Samy blames the show and the local economy.

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Kitchen Nightmares Season 2

11 restaurants
Aired: September 2008 to January 2009
Closure Rate: 100%


Handlebar is closed. They closed in 2009 shortly after Gordon revisited and the restaurant was sold. Bill sadly passed away after a cancer battle in November 2015.

Giuseppi's is closed. They closed in July 2009, blaming the economy and the lack of a liquor license for the closure.

Trobiano's is closed. They closed in October 2008 after the restaurant was seized by the state for not paying their taxes.

Black Pearl is closed. They closed just 4 days after the episode aired with owner David posting one a passive aggressive rant online at Gordon.

J Willy's is closed. They closed in February 2009 after choosing to close rather than cut quality due to increasing food costs.

Hannah & Mason's is closed. They They closed in February 2010 with Chris blaming Gordon's menu and falling customer numbers for both the bistro and catering services.

Jack's Waterfront is closed. They closed in December 2010, presumably due to their debts as reviews were much more positive after the episode was filmed.

Sabatiello's is closed. They closed in October 2008 and Samy told the media that he regretted appearing on the show. He opened another pizzeria that closed due to unpaid rent.

Fiesta Sunrise is closed. They closed in September 2008 after the restaurant was seized due to failing to pay taxes. They had closed the previous year due to failing to pay taxes but paid in full and reopened.

Santé La Brea is closed. They closed in June 2011 after selling the restaurant. Dean retired in 2009 and was living overseas and the restaurant was run by his sons prior to closure.

Cafe 36 is closed. They closed on 18 April 2009 with the owners blaming the economy and Gordon's changes to the restaurant for the closure.

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Kitchen Nightmares Season 1

10 restaurants
Aired: September 2007 - December 2007
Closure Rate: 100%


Peters is closed. They closed in December 2008 and their father passed away in 2009.

Dillons/Purnima is closed. They closed in 2009 and Martin tried to sue Gordon for $3million and to stop the show being aired but it was thrown out of court.

The Mixing Bowl is closed. They closed in January 2009. The restaurant had closed briefly before the filming of the show but reopened for filming.

Seascape is closed. They closed in August 2017 just five months after the episode was filmed and after reverting back to their old menu.

The Olde Stone Mill is closed. The restaurant was sold to new owners in 2009 and was sold it again in 2022. Dean opened an Italian restaurant that closed in 2015. Dean has had minor acting roles and hosted a hunting show.

Sebastians is closed. They closed in January 2008 after the family moved back to Boston. Sebastian had a small part in a movie and runs landscaping and financial companies.

Finn McCool's is closed. They sold the restaurant in 2009 with the family continuing to work there. They closed in March 2012 after an issue with the lease.

Lelas is closed. They closed shortly after filming as Lela's debts were too high to recover.

Campania is closed. The restaurant was sold in September 2010 and eight days later Joe sadly took his own life. They closed in January 2011.

The Secret Garden is closed. They closed in March 2010 after selling the restaurant, this sale fell through but he found another buyer. He had abandoned Gordon's changes quickly after filming.

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Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares/ Kitchen Nightmares UK


Aired: April 2004 - January 2009
24 restaurants
Closure Rate: 83%

Note: I have reordered the episodes as Channel 4 have now clarified the official seasons.

The Dovecote Bistro/Martins is closed. They closed in October 2015 as the business was sold to new owners, they had abandoned the upstairs bistro and focused on the cafe side of the business.

Runaway Girl/Silversmiths is open. Justin sold the restaurant to new owners in April 2017 after winning numerous awards and it has changed hands multiple times since and has closed without warning.

Ruby Tates/Loves Fish is closed. They closed in January 2009, due to the drop in the local economy leading to a lack of bookings

The Priory is closed. They closed in 2008 after Scott reverted the restaurant back to serving carvery dinners and abandoning Gordon's idea of a grill house.

The Curry Lounge is closed. Raz sold the restaurant in 2015 and it closed in 2018. In 2017 Raz admitted to £65,000 of tax fraud in relation to the restaurant.

Piccolo Teatro is closed. They closed in April 2007 before Gordon revisited and Rachel became a hooker. India has had a very successful kitchen career after work experience with Gordon.

The Granary is closed. They closed in January 2008 after an arson attack gutted the restaurant. The arsonist was jailed in September 2018 after spending 10 years on the run.

The Fish and Anchor is closed. They closed in 2008, the business listed for sale at £295,000 and was sold in 2009. After the closure Mike planned to move to Italy.

La Parra de Burriana is closed. They closed in August 2008 with Lawrence closing the restaurant suddenly and Lawrence has since changed his name.

The Fenwick Arms is open. The pub was sold in 2009 and has changed hands twice since. Brian and Elaine are now at The Ship Inn in Aldborough.

Rococo/Maggies is closed. They closed in September 2007 and they filed for bankruptcy.

Morgans is closed. They closed as the business was sold in November 2007. Sandy returned to her antiques shop, Laura was an actress with some bit parts and Phil was jailed for theft for stealing cheques.

La Lanterna is closed. Despite an increase in business, they closed in 2006 and the building was put up for sale.

D-Place is closed. They closed weeks after filming in 2004. It went into receivership and the lease was put up for sale before Gordon was able to revisit.

Momma Cherri's is closed. Shortly after filming they moved into a much larger restaurant called Momma Cherri's Big House restaurant. They closed in 2009 due to large debts.

La Riviera is open. The restaurant was renamed to Contrast and has positive reviews. Loic returned to France and opened L'atelier du peintre, which gained a Michelin star in 2011.

The Sandgate Hotel is open. The business was sold by Lois and Peter in 2006 and has changed hands at least twice since.

Clubway 41/Jacksons featured in Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares season 2 episode 7 and is closed. They closed in September 2006, shortly after Gordon revisited and they seemed to have given up.

La Gondola is closed. The restaurant closed in 2007 and the hotel remained open for a few more years. The abandoned building was targeted by squatters and vandals and Daniella sadly passed away in July 2019.

Oscars is closed. They closed in October 2005 as Maura sold the restaurant and Lenin went into rehab.

Bonapartes is closed. They closed in 2005 and was sold for £450,000. Sue was left homeless and in debt and both Sue and Tim were disqualified from driving for drink driving.

The Glass House is closed. They closed in March 2014 and reopened as The Fulling Mill. The restaurant is still owned by Neil Farrell.

The Walnut Tree Inn is open. They closed in February 2007 and reopened in December under a new owner. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2010 and every year since.

Moore Place is closed. They closed in 2006 when the owners sold the restaurant after starting to go back to their old ways.

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Diwan - Kitchen Nightmares Update - Open or Closed?

Diwan Kitchen Nightmares

In this Kitchen Nightmares episode, Gordon Ramsay visits Diwan in Port Washington, New York.

Diwan is owned by Magaret and Bobby.

The Indian restaurant has been in business for 35 years.

The business has been declining so Bobby has been experimenting with fusions.

However, these have not been a success and leave the customers confused.

Bobby is 68 years old and should be taking it easy but his retirement is in jeopardy.

He still comes to work 7 days a week and does not want to let go of the restaurant.

Gordon arrives at the restaurant.

He is pleased by the stunning view and is excited about the Indian restaurant.

Gordon is confused by a sign outside saying the restaurant is a kebab bar.

He enters and sees the interior has leftover Mexican elements from a closed-down Mexican restaurant.

Bobby explained the Mexican restaurant was an experiment he did to offer more options of cuisine.

Gordon speaks with Bobby, who proudly tells him he is the Mexican chef as he has done it before and had success.

Server Fernandes explains about the Indian restaurant.

Gordon is confused about the menu as there is humus and other non-Indian cuisine still on the menu.

He also notices the high prices on the menu items.

While waiting for the food he looks at their social media pages.

They joined years ago but there have only been 4 posts since then.

He also has time to speak to other customers.

The food arrives and there are Chinese influences in the dishes and Gordon is even more confused.

The dishes are soggy, taste old and are swimming in oil.

Fernandes says the samosas were made in the morning but in reality they were made 2 days before.

The Chicken Tikka Masala arrives sizzling and Gordon sees through the steam that food coloring has been added.

The food is tasteless and he is not happy to pay $42 for food coloring and frozen food.

The Biryani comes and Gordon also sees something wrong with it.

Fernandes is a passionate server and Gordon commends him but the food is substandard and dated.

Gordon sits with Bobby and tells him the food does not represent true Indian food as he has cut too many corners.

He explains his food has not evolved with the times and the customers are not to blame for the decline of the business.

Margaret is also a part of the meeting and she thinks Bobby should be scaling back.

Bobby causally states losing $100,000 is nothing as the business will turn around as it has always done.

Gordon finally sees that Bobby is delusional.

The next day, Gordon has a plan to show Bobby how the times have changed with a survey of the community.

They all say they enjoyed the restaurant in the beginning when it was still authentic.

The diners started to stay away when the food and decor changed.

They think that the prices make no sense as it has fine dining prices.

Gordon thanks them and then goes to observe the dinner service.

Gordon wants to watch both the kitchen and the front of house.

Mistakes are made and food is sent back to the kitchen.

Gordon quickly sees Bobby is controlling the kitchen with no one doing anything.

No one does anything until he says so, which holds up the orders.

Margaret lets Gordon know he has no trust in his staff.

Halfway through the dinner service, everything falls apart once again.

Gordon leaves them to look in the basement storage area.

He quickly discovers that it is in a state.

They store items in the worst conditions with several freezers of frozen foods with no dates.

A lot of the food in there is freezer burned that should not be used.

There is items of fresh produce that are so old that they are dehydrated.

Gordon confronts the staff about the conditions in the basement.

There is still Mexican food being stored even though the restaurant has been closed for a long time.

There is both raw and cooked chicken being stored on the same shelf.

Gordon has the staff clean out the basement all night.

Overnight, Gordon has his own team work on the restaurant space to update the decor.

The bland and confused space is now ambient and warm with Indian influences.

It is bright and colorful.

The staff love the new look and are excited to taste the new menu.

The food is presented to the staff, with no added food coloring and it is all made from fresh produce.

They love the colors, the spices and the flavors.

Maureen from Next Level Chef is introduced to the staff and she will be helping them with their social media presence.

They have some time to practice the new menu and they soon open for the relaunch.

On relaunch, the customers come in and orders flow to the kitchen.

Bobby has finally hung up his apron and is greeting customers in the front of house.

It all starts well with food going out quickly and customers loving the food.

Bobby then quietly goes to the kitchen behind the line and Gordon has to go drag him out.

He is made to sit with his wife and order food from the menu to enjoy themselves.

The kitchen staff promise Gordon not to let Bobby behind the line again.

The rest of the night goes well with the customers enjoying their time there.


What Happened Next at Diwan?

Two months later, Bobby has finally stuck to his retirement plans.

He has left his staff in charge of the restaurant.

Fernandes runs the front of house with renewed energy.

Diwan is open.

They are more active on social media.

Reviews are mostly positive with praise for the food and service.

There are a few comments that the prices are still too expensive.

They appear to have returned some of their old dishes to the menu.

With most episodes there are often fake negative reviews and it appears that some one star reviews appeared around the time the show aired.

Diwan was aired on 04 December 2023, the episode was filmed in June 2023 and is Kitchen Nightmares season 8 episode 10.


Read About More Kitchen Nightmares

Previous episode - Max’s Bar and Grill

This post was last updated in January 2024.

Read More »

Max’s Bar and Grill - Kitchen Nightmares Update - Open or Closed?

Max’s Bar and Grill Kitchen Nightmares

In this Kitchen Nightmares episode, Gordon Ramsay visits Max’s Bar and Grill in Long Branch, New Jersey.

Max’s Bar and Grill is owned and run by Jennifer.

She is a third-generation owner as the business has been open for 95 years.

They are known for their hot dogs.

Their standards have fallen as has the customer base.

Jennifer works with her ex-husband Jake, who works in the kitchen.

They still work together as they have children to support.

The staff feel the tension and are uncomfortable.

Jake has a girlfriend called MK, who also works at the business as a server.

Gordon arrives at the restaurant.

He is greeted and taken to his seat.

Gordon orders a coffee while scoping out the space.

He finds the space cold and uninviting.

He sees customers eating hot dogs and the menu has too many items.

The server quickly gives Gordon the lowdown on the owners and their love triangle.

Gordon orders the nachos, chili and the hotdog.

The food comes and he is not impressed.

The chicken in the nachos is raw, the cheese is not melted and the chili is bland.

The dishes all taste frozen.

The hotdogs come out last and the sausage is shriveled and wrinkled.

Gordon has to spit it out as it is too salty.

He finds the food to be very poorly made and it is the worst hot dog he has ever tasted.

It is not going well and Jennifer blames Jake.

MK confronts her and everyone including Gordon hears them.

Gordon sits with Jennifer to find out the history of the business.

Jennifer thinks Jake is the source of the problem as he lacks passion.

She feels like she was forced to hire MK because she had a staffing need.

Jennifer reveals she is in over $1m in debt.

Gordon decides to meet Jake and he also finds that he is lacking in passion.

Gordon wants to observe a lunch service.

He is shocked to find out how long they cook the hotdogs for.

Gordon watches as Jake's lackluster attitude affects the service.

Dishes are forgotten, some are mixed up and sent back to the kitchen.

There is no order and it is a mess with dishes going out in different states.

Orders are backed up in the kitchen and customers are left waiting.

In the front of the house, Gordon gets complaints from the customers.

No one has anything good to say about the restaurant.

MK is also as unresponsive and critical of Jennifer throughout the service.

After the service is over, Gordon sits with the staff giving them feedback.

They have not had a staff meeting in over 2 years and it shows they are not in sync.

The tension is driving them apart with MK, Jennifer and Jake jostling for control.

MK and Jennifer soon start squabbling in front of everyone.

Gordon has to step in and Jennifer breaks down in tears as she is overwhelmed.

Jake requests a meeting alone with Gordon.

He reveals that he feels the tension and is affected by it.

Gordon reminds him he is working there for his children.

Jake meets with Jennifer alone where they try to hash things out and he explains MK is fiery.

They agree to come to a truce for the sake of the restaurant.

Overnight, Gordon’s team have worked on the restaurant space transforming it into a bright space with pops of color.

The menu has also been overhauled, with some new items and a revamp of the hotdog menu.

The staff tries the new menu and they love it all.

They spend a day learning the new menu and locals and celebrities have been invited for the relaunch.

Jake will be supported in the kitchen by Gordon’s sous chef from Hell’s Kitchen.

On relaunch, the customers arrive and orders flow into the kitchen.

Jake finally finds his voice and is in control in the kitchen.

They start to struggle midway through the service.

There are missing orders and ticket times hit 20 mins, keeping customers waiting.

Jake steps up and they work through the orders and work through the backlog quickly.

The customers get their food and they are all happy.

Jennifer has some time to reconcile with MK.

She is happy with Jake stepping up and Jennifer being constructive.

Gordon is happy and promises to be back for their 100th anniversary.


What Happened Next at Max’s Bar and Grill?

Two months later, Max’s is busy and customer numbers are up.

They are still using the new menu.

Jennifer is hopeful for the future of the business and continuing the legacy.

Max’s Bar and Grill is open.

Reviews are very positive after the show.

With most episodes there are often fake negative reviews and it appears that some one star reviews appeared around the time the show aired.

Max’s Bar and Grill was aired on 04 December 2023, the episode was filmed in June 2023 and is Kitchen Nightmares season 8 episode 9.


Read About More Kitchen Nightmares

Next episode - Diwan

Previous episode - South Brooklyn Foundry

This post was last updated in January 2024.

Read More »

South Brooklyn Foundry - Kitchen Nightmares Update - Open or Closed?

South Brooklyn Foundry Kitchen Nightmares

In this Kitchen Nightmares episode, Gordon Ramsay visits South Brooklyn Foundry in Brooklyn, New York.

South Brooklyn Foundry is owned by Kelly and Rey.

They have owned the restaurant since 2018.

Kelly started as a server and now takes care of the front of house.

Rey takes care of the back as the chef.

The space is small but the prices are high and they are not getting enough customers.

They are in debt, with Kelly handling the finances.

There is a lot of tension between the owners, mainly due to money issues.

Gordon arrives in Brooklyn to head to the restaurant.

Outside, he is confused by the entrance and thinks that it looks like a hardware store.

When he enters, he finds it small and meets with Kelly, who serves him.

He soon finds out from Kelly that they offer Botox and a drag show at the restaurant.

Server Nicholas takes his order including ribs.

Gordon ensures to order the overpriced burger, which they are supposedly known for.

A mistake is made and Kelly checks on Gordon’s order while trying to get Rey to make Gordon’s order special.

Gordon has to wait for his food and notices Kelly has a sour look on her face as she works.

After a long wait the ribs come out cold which he complains to Kelly about, who passes the feedback on to Rey.

The burger arrives but he thinks that it is bland and not worth the $30 tag.

After the lunch rush is over he calls the owners to give them feedback directly and get to know the business better.

They blame each other for the state of the pricing.

It is revealed that Kelly is bearing the burden of the debt alone.

Rey says his menu and concept as well as cooking is worth 50% of the business.

He has no financial stake and he has another business that he spends more time at.

The sous chef has been in charge of the kitchen for months.

Rey only started coming back to the restaurant when the show got involved.

Kelly has no access to the business bank accounts but she has all the debt.

It is a confusing mess and Gordon is shocked at every revelation.

They are completely out of sync and Gordon ends the session to focus on watching a service.

For the dinner service Kelly is nervous but with an upbeat attitude.

Gordon returns and goes straight to the kitchen to see what happens behind the line.

The kitchen is inefficient with unused cooktops.

Gordon witnesses Rey ignore Kelly when she is trying to get information about the food.

A table leaves after the food takes 30 minutes to reach them and Kelly informs a silent Rey.

Food is sent back when it is not cooked to the customers request.

Gordon sees a plated dish about to go out that is below standards.

The burger is well done rather than medium as the customer requested.

Rey blames Gordon at first then is rude and backtracks.

Gordon keeps calling him out on all the dishes being sent back.

He thinks that is obvious he is not committed to the business.

Gordon has seen enough and facilitates a meeting between the owners after the dinner service.

Rey is asked if he would just hand over the business to Kelly.

He is collecting $70,000 a year from the struggling business and not contributing enough.

He is manipulative but then walks away.

Gordon assures Kelly he has a plan that could save the business.

The staff are called and their loyalty is questioned.

Everyone but Sous Chef Danny commit to the restaurant.

Danny walks out and Gordon is happy they have a loyal staff to work with at least.

Gordon brings his team to work overnight on the restaurant space.

The next morning, Gordon sits with Kelly to work on her business plan.

Small business consultant Pedro Sotto is brought in to work with her and will be with her for a few weeks.

Gordon has arranged for a full kitchen staff come in to help out for a few weeks while they work on hiring.

After the renovation, Kelly and the staff are shown the new look of their business.

It is brighter with new lighting, a new bar top, new tables and chairs for better space flow and an extra 9 seats.

Gordon has also made a new menu of food that can be made quickly in their small kitchen.

The staff taste the dishes and love it all.

Kelly meets the new kitchen staff and she is grateful for the help they are providing.

There is a last meeting between the staff.

They learn the new space and set up for their first service.

The space fills up quickly with customers and a food blogger with over 1m followers.

Kelly is now front of house managing staff rather than micro managing, carrying plates herself.

The kitchen rises to the challenge but the food is going to the wrong tables with some confusion.

Kelly is able to correct some things.

The serving staff are forgetting orders, which is causing confusion.

Kelly panics and settles into her old patterns but is shaken out of it and gets a handle on her staff.

The customers are finally enjoying themselves.

At the end of the night, Gordon is happy with how they all stepped up and is optimistic about leaving the restaurant in Kelly’s hands.


What Happened Next at South Brooklyn Foundry?

Two months later, it is revealed that Rey came back.

He said that the time apart was necessary for both of them.

He is now committed to growing the business.

Kelly is confident they can do it together and things are better.

South Brooklyn Foundry is open.

Reviews are mostly positive since the show.

As is the usual with these shows there are some negative reviews that do not seem genuine.

South Brooklyn Foundry was aired on 27 November 2023, the episode was filmed in June 2023 and is Kitchen Nightmares season 8 episode 8.


Read About More Kitchen Nightmares

Next episode - Max's Bar and Grill

Previous episode - El Cantito

This post was last updated in November 2023.

Read More »

El Cantito Cafe - Kitchen Nightmares Update - Open or Closed?

El Cantito Cafe Kitchen Nightmares

In this Kitchen Nightmares episode, Gordon Ramsay visits El Cantito Cafe in Yonkers, New York.

El Cantito is owned by Julio and Debbie, a brother and sister team.

Julio is the Executive Chef and Debbie is front of house.

They serve their grandmothers recipes from Puerto Rico.

The space became available and they opened the restaurant in 2020.

Debbie funded the opening of the restaurant with her life savings.

Shorty after opening the pandemic struck and they used all their money to stay open.

They were full most services before being forced to close during the pandemic.

The trade has not returned and the footfall has declined dramatically.

They have no staff or a dishwasher.

Julio does cooking and washes dishes, anything that is needed.

Chef E says that the kitchen is mostly broken and the AC system has also broken.

Julio is stressed, especially at the amount of food that is returned.

Debbie can see that Julio is stressed and it frustrates her too.

She can also see that his passion for the business has declined.

Debbie’s daughter Stephanie is a waitress at the restaurant.

She can see that things are tough and her mom had to get another job as money was tight.

Gordon arrives at the restaurant, with high expectations on the food.

Debbie meets Gordon at the door and shows him to a table.

Julio feels under pressure and Gordon notices that the restaurant is warm.

He looks at the menu and reads their story.

Gordon has visited Puerto Rico many times and feels nothing takes him back there.

It is dreary, grey and mostly unfinished.

Gordon orders bacalaitos, shrimp cerviche, empanada and the snapper.

The empanadas arrive in a puddle of grease and is bland.

The bacalaitos is greasy as it has come straight out the fryer.

The shrimp cerviche looks off and the flavour is bad.

The shrimp taste watery as they are clearly frozen.

Gordon thinks that he has fallen out of love with cooking.

Gordon speaks with customers who are not happy with their meals.

One has rice that he is unhappy with and his grandmother is Puerto Rican so he is familiar with the cuisine.

The snapper arrives for Gordon and it has been cooked whole, with no seasoning.

It is overcooked, bland and dry.

One of the customers begins vomiting, shortly after eating his meal in the restaurant.

His chicken dish was raw and bloody.

Gordon orders them to shut down the kitchen before any more customers get sick.

Gordon wants to meet with Julio and Debbie immediately.

He tells them that the lunch was disappointing and made one customer sick.

Julio tells Gordon that he has none of the recipes written down and cooks from memory.

Gordon tells them it was unpleasant and the food was greasy and unseasoned.

Debbie says that if Julio wasn’t her brother then she would fire him.

They tell him that it is due to the lack of money that things have slipped.

Debbie tells Gordon that she has a second job to put money into the business.

Gordon says that love is missing from the food and it is hard to help a chef that has given up.

Gordon returns the next day to see a busy service.

They hold a staff meeting before the service, focusing on communication.

Gordon arrives and goes into the kitchen and is introduced to the staff.

The line is tight as Julio moved the units closer to each other so he didn’t have to go as far.

However it means the chefs can’t pass each other and it makes it more complicated.

Gordon walks behind the unit to reiterate how much space there really is in the kitchen.

The kitchen is silent and Julio has not called out any of the orders.

Chef E has to read the tickets to work out what needs to be done.

Gordon goes to speak to the customers and one finds an unexpected bone in her chicken chunks.

There is also little meat in the dish, almost like she’s been served a carcus.

The customers are dabbing at excess oil on their food with a napkin.

Gordon finds frozen shrimp, soaking in water to quickly defrost.

This ruins the taste of the shrimp immediately.

Julio tells Gordon that he is tired and he knows that what he is doing is sloppy.

Gordon says that he is cooking like a zombie, who doesn’t want to be at the restaurant.

Gordon has invited Next Level Chef season 2 star Omi Hopper to dine undercover at the restaurant.

Puerto Rican chef Omi will be dining in disguise so she is not recognised.

They order some Puerto Rican staples and are bitterly disappointed.

The food is very greasy.

Chef E slips in the kitchen as there is excess oil on the floor.

They admit that they clean the grease traps once every three months.

It should be cleaned once a week.

It is a fire hazard as it is full of grease and leaking onto the floor.

Gordon wants to check out the walkin and goes into the basement.

He finds a tub full of mouldy and rotting lemon.

There is chicken breasts stored on top of plantain and a random pork chop sitting in water.

The standards are well below par.

Gordon takes a tray of frozen ribs into the kitchen, along with the rotten lemons.

Julio says that he lost interest and it is bad.

Gordon tells them to stop taking orders and tell the customers to leave.

Gordon has to keep reminding Julio he is talking about the present and not the past when he did have more passion for the business.

Julio breaks down and says that he wants to make it great again.

Debbie says that she knows his food is good and that is why she invested in the restaurant.

Gordon meets with them and tells Julio that he is not being true to himself.

He introduces Omi to the owners and she takes off her disguise.

She describes the experience as lacking in so many things and the food was so greasy.

Julio says that he loves to cook and Debbie says the fire was there in the first year.

Gordon tells them that there are big changes and invites Omi back the next evening.

The owners have a heart to heart conversation and hug.

Gordons team worked overnight giving the restaurant a revamp.

The dining room has been repainted and is now bright and inviting.

He has installed a new AC system and put up a picture of their mother.

The kitchen has been reorganised and they have been given lots of new kit.

There is a new salad bar and more.

Gordon introduces them to the new menu.

Their original recipes have been written down and updated with a modern flair.

Debbie says that she will quit her second job to focus on the restaurant.

They try the food and love it.

Julio is excited to cook the recipes.

He shows Julio and Chef E how to prepare their new dishes.

On relaunch, the restaurant is busy.

Gordon has invited a number of guests including Omi.

Julio is more enthusiastic and calls out the orders.

Communication is great and the first dishes go out to happy customers.

The customers love the food.

The restaurant starts to fill up and Julio starts to struggle in the kitchen.

One table is missing a dish and Julio starts to lose it.

Gordon tells Julio that he needs to speak with Chef E more.

Julio starts to shut down and clams up.

Gordon calms him down and the service recovers.

The customers love the food and Debbie is elated.



What Happened Next at El Cantito Cafe?

Two months later, Julio’s passion for cooking has returned.

The customers have returned.

El Cantito Cafe is open.

Reviews are mostly positive with praise for the food.

There have been a few complaints about portion sizes and prices.

As usual, there are many fake reviews after the show airs.

They hosted a watch party and also are now providing catering services.

El Cantito Cafe was aired on 20 November 2023, the episode was filmed in June 2023 and is Kitchen Nightmares season 8 episode 7.


Read About More Kitchen Nightmares

Next episode - South Brooklyn Foundry

Previous episode - Love Bites

This post was last updated in November 2023.

Read More »

Love Bites - Kitchen Nightmares Update - Open or Closed?

Love Bites Kitchen Nightmares

In this Kitchen Nightmares episode, Gordon Ramsay visits Love Bites in Saugerties in Ulster County, New York.

Love Bites is owned by Tess and Chris.

They are childhood sweethearts, who knew each other when they were younger.

They rekindled when they met in a restaurant where Chris was working.

They are engaged but have yet to set a date due to the pressures at the restaurant.

They had a head chef that they had to let go and have been unable to find another so Chris is in the kitchen.

Chris suffers from anxiety and is struggling with cooking in the kitchen.

Tess says that the restaurant is destroying their relationship.

They argue constantly and Chris shouts at Tess often.

Line Chef Roberto says that there is a lot of tension and Chris is overwhelmed.

His mom Donna helps at the restaurant.

Tess tries to help in the kitchen and Chris won’t let her, talking down to her.

Donna says that the restaurant has made her not recognise her son and says he is no longer the gentleman she raised.

Even on their days off, Chris is focused on the restaurant.

Ginny is Tess’ mom and she doesn’t think their relationship is going to make it without changes.

Chris worries about losing Tess.

They are $200,000 with debt collectors chasing them and struggling to pay staff.

Their house is leveraged against the business so they will lose their home if it fails.

Gordon arrives and thinks that the area the restaurant is located in is gorgeous.

He goes behind the scenes into the control room to watch what is going on behind the scenes.

Gordon sees the way that Chris talks to Tess and she breaks down after the way he speaks to her.

Gordon decides to go into the restaurant and meets Tess.

He sits down and looks over the menu.

He hears Chris and Tess arguing.

Gordon orders a coffee and thinks that the menu is all over the place.

He orders the spicy breakfast salad, crab cake benedict and French dip.

A dish is broken in the station and Chris rants about the situation.

Tess tries to help in the kitchen and Chris tells her to get away.

Chris starts to dry heave as he prepares Gordons food.

Tess tells Gordon that both of their moms work at the restaurant.

She also tells Gordon that she has health conditions including EDS and she has had 25 surgeries.

Tess goes into the kitchen to speak to Chris about Gordons food and once again they argue.

The spicy breakfast salad is really bad, with no seasoning and terrible eggs.

Chris throws a bun at Roberto that he says is three days old.

The French dip tastes okay but there is so much bread and so little brisket.

It is clear to Gordon that Chris is just banging food out.

The crab cake eggs benedict is too greasy as it is deep fried.

Gordon meets Tess outside and she tells him that Chris is shouting at her.

She didn’t want the business but it was too much for Chris so she had to quit her job.

Tess says she isn’t sure if she even wants to marry Chris anymore but is only there to try and save the restaurant.

After the lunch rush, Gordon meets Chris and gives feedback on his experience.

He calls it the most toxic restaurant that he has ever been to and asks Chris if he wants to be in the kitchen.

Chris admits that he doesn’t want to be in the kitchen.

Gordon confronts him about his behaviour towards Tess, especially with her medical issues.

He tells him that if the women weren’t his family then he would have no staff as they wouldn’t put up with his behaviour.

The next day, Gordon meets Chris’ mom Donna to talk about Chris.

She tells him that Chris is overwhelmed and Gordon tells her that she is helping his bad behaviour.

Gordon wants to observe a service from the kitchen.

He notices that the vegan French toast is cooked on the same griddle as meat and eggs.

The bacon is back on the griddle seconds after Gordon has told him off for it.

They are behind and there is now a 30 minute wait for food.

The line is so small and Gordon questions why the menu is so big with such a small place.

Chris tells Tess that there is no steaks and they argue about the situation.

Both of the moms baby Chris and Tess struggles with that as she feels like no one cares about her.

Things get worse in the kitchen with missing items and they continue to argue.

Gordon talks to Tess mom Ginny outside and he tells her no restaurant is worth what it is doing to Tess.

She blames all of the issues in their relationship on the restaurant and it is a problem in their relationship.

Gordon calls a staff meeting and tells Chris there is a vortex of negativity.

There is a divide between the front and back of house.

It is clear that the owners need a break from each other and the restaurant.

Gordon tells Ginny to take her daughter home with her as it is not healthy for anyone.

He tells her that he will sort the restaurant out.

Gordon tells Chris that he is about to mess his life up if things continue the way they have.

Chris says that he wants to be better and get the help he needs.

Gordon and Chris hug before he leaves for the day.

The restaurant is renovated over three days, giving them both time off from the restaurant.

Gordon takes Chris to meet with a professional to talk through the issues he has.

Chris says that he feels hostage to the restaurant and he realises he needs a different approach.

Chris arrives at the new and improved Love Bites, whilst Tess takes some time off.

The menu has been significantly reduced with the aim that it can be cooked without him so he can take time off.

They taste the new menu and love the new food.

Gordon has brought in front of house manager Emily to train the staff.

On the relaunch, Chris is feeling good and Gordon reminds them to share the load.

The service is off to a great start with Chris staying calm and the customers loving the food.

Chris starts going back to his old ways and the kitchen begins to struggle.

Gordon tells them to slow down and Chris isn’t listening to Gordon.

Chris throws a rag at the side and it hits Gordon.

Chris is letting his anxiety get to him and food is starting to be returned with mistakes.

Chris constantly worries that he is behind but they are working at a good pace.

Gordon takes him outside for a time out and tells him that he is rushing for no reason.

He is putting himself under pressure when he doesn’t need to.

Tess and her mom arrive for dinner to see the new look and new menu.

She loves the new look and the new menu.

Gordon sits with Tess and she says that she feels amazing after some steps away.

He sends Chris out into the restaurant to see Tess.

Gordon sits with the owners and wishes them luck but tells them they need time to breathe.



What Happened Next at Love Bites?

Two months later, it is revealed Chris and Tess had decided to sell the restaurant to focus on repairing their relationship.

After filming, they returned some customer favourites to the menu.

Love Bites closed in July 2023.

They closed due in part to their health struggles.

Reviews prior to the closure were mostly positive.

It later emerged that the sale had already been finalised by the time the episode was filmed.

The new owners have undone all of the changes made to the decor during the episde.

The Town Cafe opened in its space and reviews are excellent.

Love Bites was aired on 13 November 2023, the episode was filmed in June 2023 and is Kitchen Nightmares season 8 episode 6.


Read About More Kitchen Nightmares

Next episode - El Cantito Cafe

Previous episode - The Juicy Box

This post was last updated in November 2023.

Read More »

The Juicy Box - Kitchen Nightmares Update - Open or Closed?

The Juicy Box Kitchen Nightmares

In this Kitchen Nightmares episode, Gordon Ramsay visits The Juicy Box in Brooklyn, New York.

Juicy Box is owned by Jacques Sylvester.

It is a family run Haitian restaurant, located in Little Haiti.

He opened a chain of businesses including the Waffle Box and the Smoke Box.

In 2019, he handed the business over to his son Naqam aka Q, when he was just 21 years old.

Jacques also brought his daughter Napalya into the business to help run it.

The business started to decline and his stepmom Tamara brands it a disaster.

Napalya says that Q enjoys the bar culture side of the business.

He has a party life with many friends and his friends are constantly at the restaurant.

Q is struggling with paying the staff and the admin side.

He often has to go to the market to pick up ingredients that they have run out due to inventory issues.

Chef Stef says that no one takes Q seriously as an owner.

The siblings argue with each other during the service.

The owners have invested $1million into keeping the restaurant afloat.

If they lose this business, then they fear the empire they have built will fail.

Gordon arrives at the restaurant but it is 10am and they are closed.

He goes for a walk around the neighbourhood and thinks they are losing the morning trade.

Gordon returns at 2pm and they are finally open.

Q and Zappy are excited when Gordon arrives.

Gordon orders a juice but the juicer is broken and instead he is served a smoothie.

Gordon orders some food or tries to order.

He is given a list of menu items that he can’t order as they don’t have the ingredients.

Gordon orders chicken wings, jerk chicken tacos and Haitian rice with grilled salmon.

Stef tells her that they now have snapper and she says that this will make him happy.

Gordon gives Zappy a high five upon hearing that they have snapper now.

After 30 minutes, Gordon has not received any of his food.

Q took the food to wrong table and leaves Gordon waiting for food.

Gordon asks Zappy for something to eat and she checks on his food.

Zappy is not happy that Gordon is being kept waiting.

Stef says that Q has no control or leadership between the kitchen and the floor.

The chicken wings aren’t exciting and taste like store bought wings.

The kitchen staff start to argue as the server is clearing the sink whilst food is sat waiting to go to customers.

Gordon has seen enough and goes into the kitchen.

He ends up bringing his own food back to his table.

Zappy says that everyone is under pressure and they all need to do a shot.

The tacos are lacking Haitian flair, it is ice cold and dry.

Gordon sees Q doing shots at the bar and think it is like the kids have been left home alone.

The salmon is dry and a mess.

Gordon asks for a metal knife and fork as he has snapped the plastic ones he was given.

He questions how this works when customers order steak and other proteins.

Q says that they give the customers plastic and hope for the best.

The snapper tastes fresh and is seasoned nicely.

The seasoning is a unique blend named after Qs grandfather.

Gordon tells Q that he is concerned with the pace of the restaurant.

He is shocked that the juice machine is broken, especially as this is their USP.

Q tells him that the machine has been broken and Gordon suggests changing the name.

He tells Q that he arrived in the morning to find them closed.

Q tells Gordon that he is recharging in the morning and has a shot to get the day going.

Zappy and the bartender argue about a cocktail, with the bartender telling her she is using the wrong liquor.

Jacques arrives at the restaurant and sits with Gordon.

He tells him that the first two years were great, selling juice with a strong customer base.

Jacques tells Gordon that Qs lifestyle has changed.

He used to go to the gym and they now open at 2pm.

They had previously opened at 7am and have lost thousands of dollars due to losing the early trade.

He also says that Zappy has got caught up in the drinking and party culture at the restaurant.

Jacques says that they only have 60 days to turn it around as it is draining his other businesses.

Gordon meets with Zappy and he tells her that he is upset for her father.

She defines her role as a helping hand but she enjoys the party more than the work.

Gordon asks her if she is in or out.

Next, he meets with Q and asks him if he really wants the business.

He recognises that he needs a solid team and he feels like he doesn’t have that.

He describes his relationship with his sister as a battle.

Gordon tells him it is a business and not a party house.

He also tells him that he has 60 days to turn it around or his father will sell it.

Q looks shocked at hearing that his father will not continue to prop the failing business up.

Gordon arrives to see an afternoon service.

Zappy puts the tickets where she feels like and no one calls the tickets out.

One customer receives her entrée before she has received her appetiser.

Stef couldn’t tell from the ticket, whether it was an entrée or appetiser.

Another diners meal didn’t come with grilled chicken as the ticket didn’t have chicken on it.

There are no systems in the kitchen or dining room and everyone is meddling.

Gordon sees that a container of sauce is off and goes to see the walk-in fridge downstairs.

He discovers that the fridge doesn’t work and hasn’t for 6 months.

The fridge is warm and the produce is rotting due to the heat and there are flies everywhere.

The fridge is running 30-40 degrees warmer than it should be.

Gordon meets with the staff and tells them that they have no standards or systems.

He tells them that is way further gone than he thought and run by a bunch of jokers.

Q is casual about it and says he will keep it rolling as it has been.

Gordon asks everyone except Q and Zappy to leave the meeting.

He also asks for the cameramen to leave.

He lays into them hard and tells them they can’t party there and run a business.

Gordon tells them he is more concerned for their dad.

Zappy says she could be in school or elsewhere she wants them to grow.

Gordon isn’t convinced they deserve his help and it would be wasted.

He needs Q to have hunger and discipline for the business.

Gordon tells him that he needs to step up, he will stand by his side but he won’t carry him.

The next day, Gordon takes Q to a local gym for a workout and to motivate him to start early.

Back at the restaurant, Stef and the staff have been deep cleaning the restaurant and learning the new recipes.

The restaurant has also been revamped with a brighter colour scheme.

The bar has been transformed and there is a new juicer.

Gordon offers them a fresh pineapple juice.

He has also fixed the walk-in fridge and bought them new cutlery.

Gordon introduces the new menu and they love the food.

He hangs a photo of Pappy on the wall and they have a video call with him.

On relaunch, Gordon has invited a VIP guest, Haitian Times journalist Gary Pierre-Pierre.

The food is a big hit with the customers.

Gary describes the dish as elevated and is impressed.

Q has stepped up as a boss.

The kitchen begins to struggle with the number of orders.

Customers have been waiting 20 minutes for subs.

Communication has broken down in the kitchen.

Stef pulls it back and food starts leaving the kitchen again.

Jacques has faith that Q won’t go back to his old ways.

After the service, Gordon introduces Reuel Vincent, a Next Level Chef finalist, to mentor them.



What Happened Next at The Juicy Box?

Two months later, Q has stepped up as a leader.

He is still adjusting to the early hours but is looking forward to taking it to the next level.

The Juicy Box is open.

Reviews are mostly positive.

Some diners have reported salty meals and spotty service.

As with every other episode, there are a number of fake reviews.

The Juicy Box was aired on 06 November 2023, the episode was filmed in June 2023 and is Kitchen Nightmares season 8 episode 5.


Read About More Kitchen Nightmares

Next episode - Love Bites

Previous episode - Da Mimmo

This post was last updated in October 2023.

Read More »

Da Mimmo - Kitchen Nightmares Update - Open or Closed?

Da Mimmo Kitchen Nightmares

In this Kitchen Nightmares episode, Gordon Ramsay visits Da Mimmo in Dumont, New Jersey.

Da Mimmo is owned by Melissa, her husband and her three sons.

Melissa is a retired police officer and they opened the restaurant in tribute to her husbands uncle.

Melissa doesn’t know anything about restaurants and has no experience.

Her son Antonio is keeping the place together.

He was working construction but left the trade to learn how to make pizzas.

It was always his dream to own a restaurant and has passion for the business.

He and his mother are keeping the restaurant together and he doesn’t want to let down his family.

Francesca is the head chef and is not easy to work with.

She doesn’t take criticism well and communication is poor.

Sons Vito and Vincent are not serious about the business in any way.

They even admit that they do nothing and do social media and watch movies.

Her husband Vito Sr is still an active police detective and is working double shifts to support them.

He is still investing money into the restaurant and they are $500,000 in debt.

Gordon arrives at the restaurant but Melissa wants to speak with him before he goes into the restaurant.

He calls her and tells her that he is outside and she gets into his car.

They talk about the restaurant, it was supposed to be a family restaurant but only their oldest son is pulling his weight.

The other two come in to cause chaos and end up stressing out their mother and brother.

Melissa wants them to take over the social media and they won’t even do that for them.

She has been covering the payroll out of her own pocket for the last 2 to 3 weeks.

Gordon enters the restaurant and thinks the graffiti wall is a monstrosity.

He notices there are only around 12 customers in the restaurant.

Gordon looks at the menu and orders from Giuseppe, who glides around the restaurant.

Gordon orders the minestrone soup, the Ortolana pizza, calamari and meatballs in a bread bowl.

The minestrone soup is being made from scratch so Antonio is told to hold off on the pizza.

After 30 minutes, the soup arrives and the pizza is fired.

Gordon says that the soup is quite nice but the pizza has terrible mozzarella.

He can tell that it isn’t fresh mozzarella.

The calamari tastes like elastic bands and is bland, with uncooked cherry tomatoes.

The bowl for the meatballs is burnt and he calls it an implant gone wrong.

The meatballs are cold and he tells Giuseppe to put his finger in and it is ice cold.

Francesca isn’t happy with the feedback but she doesn’t like having to use frozen ingredients.

She feels trapped with what she has to use to create the dishes.

Gordon asks to meet all of the staff in the restaurant.

He calls it a nightmare with long waits for food and terrible food.

Francesca doesn’t like the food that she cooks as she usually cooks with fresh ingredients.

Melissa says that they don’t have the credit or trust with vendors for fresh ingredients.

Antonio buys the ingredients and with all his other roles he is drowning.

There is no money in the cash register and they are throwing food away.

Melissa admits that she knows nothing about the restaurant.

Gordon asks to meet with Melissa and Antonio and tells them they have their work cut out.

The restaurant stresses her out and they don’t have the people coming in.

The brothers will occasionally post on social media but they have millions of followers.

Antonio is there six days a week and can’t remember when he last had a break.

He is committed to the restaurant and is under a lot of pressure.

Gordon blames Melissa for the pressure that he is under.

She goes into the kitchen and hugs her son.

The evening service is busy after Gordon has invited the local.

Gordon wants to observe the service to see where their issues are.

Melissa phones Vito and tells him to come to the restaurant.

During the service, the customers are left waiting for food.

The kitchen is in chaos and there is too much smoke in there.

Steaks are burning on the grill and Francesca is shutting down.

She feels under pressure with Gordon walking around.

Vito and Vincent arrive at the restaurant, mid service.

They order food and drinks at the bar.

Gordon tells them to stop making their order as the customers are more important.

They tell Gordon that they are doing social media and collectively they have 3.5million.

The restaurant itself has just 800 followers and they claim it is hard to promote the restaurant.

Gordon lays into them about how they could fill the restaurant easily with promotion and instead they mess around.

Vincent is wearing a $35,000 watch and Gordon tells them the truth about the financial situation.

They are shocked to discover that their parents are $500,000 of debt.

Gordon goes into the fridges and finds old product.

Francesca claims that they clean the fridge every day but the mussels are dead and the produce is rotted.

Gordon also finds slimy, rancid chicken breasts.

He asks Francesca if she has given up and decides to shut down the kitchen.

After the service, Gordon sits down with the family.

He tells the youngest brothers to stop smirking and tries to get them to see how upset their mum is.

Gordon tells Melissa to either get the boys to help or they need to leave.

Gordon is going to train Antonio and create a new menu.

The restaurant will be given a revamp.

The younger brothers eventually come around to how serious the situation is and how stressed their mum is.

They are quite upset at being kept in the dark.

The next day, Antonio is taken to Razza to meet Dan, one of the country’s best pizza makers.

They learn that the best ingredients aren’t as expensive as they think they are.

The revamp is complete and the family are invited in to see the changes.

They think that the restaurant looks great and they see the new menu.

The family sample the dishes and are blown away by the taste.

On relaunch, the restaurant is busy with locals and former customers.

The food leaves the kitchen quickly and the customers love the food.

The food slows down and Gordon tries to turn it around.

Food is left waiting in the kitchen and Gordon sends Antonio into the kitchen.

He takes control of the situation and food starts leaving the kitchen again.

The customers love the food and promise to return.

The brothers promise to help more and will promote the restaurant on socials.

Gordon meets with the family and is pleased with the restaurants turn around.



What Happened Next at Da Mimmo?

Da Mimmo is open.

They regularly hold events in the space.

Their social media doesn't appear to have taken off as much as Gordon had hoped.

Reviews are mostly positive with praise for the pizzas.

Da Mimmo was aired on 16 October 2023, the episode was filmed in June 2023 and is Kitchen Nightmares season 8 episode 4.


Read About More Kitchen Nightmares

Next episode - The Juicy Box

Previous episode - In The Drink

This post was last updated in October 2023.

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