Ep 1. Peter's

In episode one of Kitchen Nightmares season 1, acclaimed chef Gordon Ramsay pays a visit to Peter's, a struggling Italian restaurant in Babylon, New York that has been run by the same family for over 30 years.

Upon arriving, Ramsay is immediately struck by the dingy decor, outdated menu and lack of customers. The restaurant is failing financially, and the visibly emotional owners, Rita and Peter, are at their wits' end. Ramsay takes a seat at one of the empty tables and orders a variety of dishes from the menu, all of which are lackluster, bland, and poorly presented.

Ramsay's initial visit to the kitchen is equally disheartening - the equipment is old and dirty, the fridge is filled with expired food and the cooks are overwhelmed and unskilled. The chef befriends the staff, encouraging them to speak candidly about their concerns with the restaurant's situation. Ramsay takes this knowledge and uses it to create a plan to revamp Peter's and bring it back to life.

Over the course of the episode, Ramsay acts as a sort of therapist to the distressed family and a stern mentor to the kitchen staff. His first order of business is to create a new, simplified menu with fresh ingredients. Ramsay serves his takes on classic Italian dishes to pleased customers, proving that good food is essential to a restaurant's success. He also employs one of his signature tactics: cleaning and remodelling the restaurant. This includes scrubbing the dirty kitchen with industrial strength cleaners, ordering new equipment and cabinets, and bringing in fresh ingredients.

Throughout the episode, Ramsay is often heated and impassioned in his critiques of the restaurant and its owners. He yells, swears and even walks out of one of the meetings when he feels Rita and Peter are not listening to his advice. Despite his intense approach, Ramsay shows a softer side during a scene where he takes Rita on a tour of some of his own restaurants, giving her a glimmer of hope for their future.

Ultimately, Ramsay succeeds in turning Peter's around. With his help, the restaurant receives a new logo, a revamped menu and fresher decor. Positive reviews from customers start coming in, and the family's finances begin to turn around. Ramsay begins to feel an attachment to the family, noting that they have "a great sense of family and a great sense of pride in their business."

Overall, the first episode of Kitchen Nightmares sets the stage for the rest of the season, showcasing Ramsay's trademark harsh-yet-caring demeanor while highlighting the struggles faced by failing restaurants. The show's popularity has a lot to do with Ramsay's personality, and this episode serves as an excellent introduction to those unfamiliar with his culinary empire.