Ep 8. Levanti's Italian Restaurant

For this episode of Kitchen Nightmares, Gordon Ramsay heads to Levanti's Italian Restaurant. The restaurant is owned by husband and wife, Frank and Jeanine, who are struggling to keep their business afloat. The restaurant has been open for 18 months, but it has already lost $400,000.

Upon arrival, Ramsay is underwhelmed by the decor and the menu. The ambiance is dark and dull, and the menu is confusing with too many options. The kitchen is chaotic, with cooks yelling and throwing food around. Ramsay orders a few dishes and is disappointed by the quality of the food.

While talking to Frank and Jeanine, Ramsay learns that they have no restaurant experience and they bought the restaurant as a retirement investment. They hired a chef and let him run the kitchen but, after many complaints from customers, they let him go. Now, they are running the kitchen with no experience and it shows.

Ramsay decides to revamp the menu, simplifying it to focus on classic Italian dishes done well with fresh ingredients. He also pushes for a complete overhaul of the kitchen, including the addition of a new pizza oven. Ramsay brings in a new chef, Gabe, to help with the transformation.

As Gabe takes control of the kitchen, Ramsay works on the front of the house and revamps the decor. He replaces the dark and depressing ambiance with bright colors and modern touches. He also takes Jeanine shopping for new uniforms for the staff.

While Ramsay is working on the renovations, Jeanine is struggling with the new responsibilities. She breaks down in tears, saying that she feels overwhelmed and out of her depth. Ramsay encourages her to stick with it and promises that he will help her turn things around.

When the restaurant reopens, Ramsay is pleased with the new look and the new menu. Customers are happy with the changes and the service is improved. The kitchen is running smoothly and the food is coming out hot and fresh.

In the end, Ramsay sits down with Frank and Jeanine and gives them a pep talk. He praises them for their hard work and says that they have what it takes to run a successful restaurant. Ramsay says that he believes in them and wishes them all the best.