Ep 21. Sante Le Brea

In the 21st episode of Kitchen Nightmares' first season, Chef Gordon Ramsay visits Sante La Brea, a French restaurant located in Los Angeles, California. The restaurant is owned and operated by Jean and Michel, two French brothers who took over their father's restaurant business. Jean is in charge of the front of the house while Michel is the head chef and responsible for the kitchen.

Upon arrival, Ramsay is disgusted with the restaurant's interior and exterior. The front of the house is dirty, and the back of the house is a cluttered mess. Ramsay admits that he is concerned this could take a lot to turn this restaurant around because there are so many problems to tackle.

The kitchen is in total chaos, with Michel being overwhelmed by the menu and unable to keep up with the orders. The food served is mostly frozen or pre-packaged, and the items on the menu are outdated and unappetizing. Ramsay finds the kitchen to be rife with cross-contamination and a lack of organization.

The dining room is also a disaster, Ramsay observes. It has a stained carpet, dirty tablecloths, and old napkins. The restaurant's customers are few and far between, and most of the ones who do come are disappointed with their meals, some of them picking out hair from their plates. Ramsay insists the customers must come first and ensures the kitchen staff understands this message.

The first order of business for Ramsay is to revamp the menu. The items are too complicated and not appealing to the vast majority of customers. This change requires Michel to simplify some of the dishes, and it wasn't easy for Michel. Ramsay suggested that Michel reduce the number of meals and concentrate on a few great dishes to achieve good food quality. Ramsay tries each dish and provides feedback, encouraging the creativity of those dishes that have the potential to be great but need tweaking. By working with Michel, they manage to craft a new menu with a collection of simpler, classic French dishes that their customers are likely to enjoy.

The second challenge for Ramsay is inspiring Michel and his kitchen crew to keep the equipment clean and organized. Ramsay insists on throwing out any stale food and encourages the use of fresh ingredients. As part of the challenge to keep the kitchen staff inspired, Ramsay teaches the team tricks to improve their dishes and ways to make them more flavorful.

The third problem Ramsay has to fix is the restaurant's interior. He brings in a designer to give the restaurant a facelift with new wallpaper, flooring, window coverings, seating, and art that aligns with the restaurant's new theme. Ramsay ensures that the restaurant is cleaner and more welcoming now that they are improving its look both inside and out.

Finally, Ramsay aids Jean in developing the restaurant's marketing efforts. To generate buzz and attract new customers, he invents a grand opening event for the new and improved Sante Le Brea restaurant. Ramsay's marketing initiative succeeds, as the grand opening proves to be a significant success, with locals turning out in droves to try the new menu and take in the restaurant's new ambiance.

Kitchen Nightmares season 1 episode 21 concludes with Jean and Michel giving thanks to Ramsay for his hard work and mentorship. The two brothers take a step back and admire the restaurant's newfound look and embrace a new perspective on their cuisine, a cuisine based on freshness and simpler dishes. Ultimately they save the Sante Le Brea restaurant, which Ramsay calls "a diamond in the rough," so that it can continue to do what it does best, serving outstanding French cuisine to their Los Angeles community.