The Sandgate Hotel - Kitchen Nightmares Update - Open or Closed?

In this Kitchen Nightmares episode, Gordon Ramsay visits The Sandgate Hotel in Folkestone, Kent.

The Sandgate hotel has 15 rooms and is located on the seafront.

It is just across the English Channel from France.

The hotel is owned by husband and wife Lois and Peter Hamilton-Slade.

It is losing £2000 a week and Peter has had to go back to his career in engineering.

Neither of them have experience in the hotel or restaurant industry.

Lois was previously selling perfumes at the airport.

Gordon enters the hotel.

He stands at the reception desk for a while.

Gordon catches the receptionist’s eye but she is on the phone.

There are three restaurants in the hotel.

They have a terrace, bar and a basement Japanese restaurant but they all don’t have any customers.

They say if they don't have a good summer they will have to close by winter.

They are on the line to lose £250,000 if the business fails.

They have the same chef cook for the Japanese restaurant and the other restaurants.

Head Chef Stuart White has an intercom for orders in the kitchen.

All together from all of the restaurants they have 168 meals on offer to diners.

Gordon sits down in the upstairs restaurant.

He orders from the sushi menu.

Gordon is told he must go down to the basement if he wants to order japanese dishes.

The F&B Manager comes to inform him he will have to eat his meals in two different restaurants.

The General Manager says he is okay to eat the sushi in the main restaurant.

There are three managers, two waitresses but only four customers in to eat that afternoon.

The Japanese starter comes but the rice is underdone.

The chicken comes and looks like it is out of a p*rn movie.

He also says "Excuse me waitress I'm missing my b*llocks" as he is missing the potatoes from the dish.

He tastes the chicken but finds that it is tough and does not taste of chicken.

It only tastes of the tomato sauce that is in the middle.

Gordon goes downstairs to the kitchen and it the chefs young assistant who made the rolls.

Stuart says he can't taste everything they serve but he agrees that it is underdone.

He owns up to it and says that he is not experienced with Japanese food.

The owners have so many staff they don't know who is running the hotel.

Gordon starts an exercise at the beach. He wants to see who the staff think is the boss.

They have no idea who is in charge and up to 5 different people are selected.

Gordon says Lois as the owner needs to be more present and take charge as the owner.

So far, the hotel has lost £30,000 in the first 4 months of the year.

Staff say they were told to run the place like it was Peter and Lois’s lounge.

The owners admit that they do mistreat the hotel and eat and drink there every day.

On day three, they set up a portable barbecue grill outside.

Stuart is set to man the barbecue on the patio.

His assistants run the kitchen with radios for communication in between the two stations.

Gordon meets Kirstie, the General Manager, who is married to the owners son.

He finds out she is the one championing the barbecue.

Gordon meets with the kitchen staff.

He lets them know most of the complaints come on Stuart’s day off.

Gordon asks Stuart and Kirstie to order food for the first time.

Kirstie acts as a server for the lunch service.

Gordon witnesses the madness in the kitchen.

There is an over an hour wait before customers get their food.

A table leaves because their food never arrives after a very long wait.

The problem is that the dishes are too complicated for the kitchen.

Stuart is very embarrassed at the poor service and he leaves the restaurant.

Gordon takes the kitchen staff fishing and for some team bonding.

They open up and tell him the meals and the garnishes are too complex.

There are also too many items on the menu.

They don't also like the manic way the kitchen is run.

If meals were simpler, they can get food out faster.

Gordon brings the sea bass they caught to cook some local dishes.

They currently use up to 15 ingredients for a sea bass dish.

Gordon demonstrates a more simple dish.

Lois and Peter love the meal.

They give Stuart bad news about losing an AA Rosette for the food guide.

Gordon tries to make them see it is an opportunity to start afresh.

The downstairs Japanese restaurant is making a loss.

Gordon suggests they close it down, making it spill over space or for private dining.

The main restaurant has a food delivery problem using the dumbwaiter.

Jean-Baptiste, a Maitre'd, comes in to consult with the service staff to improve the service.

He bans the use of the intercoms and notices that the glasses are dirty.

There is also a lack of bottled water.

When speaking with Lois, staff enter through the front of the restaurant and go straight to the bar.

It is uncovered staff spend up to £2000 a month drinking at the bar.

The business is dependent on that money.

They make the decision that the staff are no longer allowed to drink in the bar after shifts and on days off.

Kirstie decides they need to lead by example and the managers should stop dining at the restaurant too.

Gordon wants Stuart to regain his confidence and helps him create a new seafood menu.

They visit a company nearby that has 1000 employees.

They give a free oyster tasting, hoping to interest locals in coming in during the quieter months.

Lois is still being too laid back with the staff.

Gordon has her practice telling the staff their shortcomings and demanding respect.

She then has the courage to talk to Luca about the issues he causes.

For relaunch, they have an Oyster Eating Competition and the French team arrives early.

The restaurant is packed, the kitchen is busy but service in the restaurant is bad.

Kirstie is sitting with guests and Lois doesn't ask for help at first till Gordon prods her.

The Oyster Eating Competition that includes shucking and eating them gets underway on the beach.

The British team wins the competition and it is hoped to be done annually.

Gordon checks in on Lois reminding her to take charge of the hotel.

She should stop treating it like her home and Stuart should stay confident despite the setback.

What Happened Next at the Sandgate Hotel?

Six weeks later, Gordon revisits the restaurant.

Stuart has had a new system installed.

The devices vibrate to let staff know when food is waiting to be taken out to customers.

He is also expecting a child.

Lois says they are getting brand new customers.

They moved the till for better processing.

The seafood menu is very popular.

Turnover has doubled to £14500 a week.

Gordon sits down to have a meal.

He observes the staff improved service and enjoys the sea bass he ordered.

The Sandgate Hotel was put up for sale.

Lois and Peter sold The Sandgate Hotel in 2006.

They made the decision to step away from the hotel industry.

It closed for refurbishment.

The hotel has since changed hands twice.

Trip Advisor reviews were a mix of positive and negative reviews.

The Sandgate Hotel aired on 28 February 2006 and the episode was filmed in June 2005.

It is Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares UK season 3 episode 2.

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