Kitchen Nightmares (US) - General Discussion

[seacliffsal]

The most energy she demonstrated was when talking with the football player.  She's not married to Camille so I wonder just how invested she truly is in the restaurant (and she happily kicked him out when Gordon told her to).

I couldn't figure out what she was doing with her mouth-it was always partially open in the shape of an 'o.'

I don't have much hope for this restaurant in the long run.

[Colorado David]

i apologize if i seemed insensitive earlier re kelly

Edited Monday at 08:25 PM by Colorado David

[Tango64]

The Iberville couple's situation seems familiar. I've known couples in which one spouse is financially successful and busy with their business, but the other spouse wants to have their own endeavor. They want to be busy and productive and known for something rather than just being the spouse of the other. Nothing wrong with that.

I've seen these spouses open restaurants, cafes, and a variety of little boutiques that sell children's clothing, gourmet olive oil, and such. The common theme is that they have no experience or business sense and they open establishments that need a constant influx of cash from the family finances to keep going. Sometimes that not a problem; they're both happy in what they're doing and they can absorb the business not actually being profitable. It's like a hobby.

And other times, the financial loss is too much, employees get hurt, and the business owner has to find a way out. It looks to me like that's what happened with Iberville. By the time GR got there, the owner was over it all, done, not having fun anymore, not interested in trying, just wanting a way out.

[CrazyInAlabama]

S02.E03: Voleos   

New 1/21/2025

"Gordon tries to revamp Voleo's Seafood Restaurant, a second-generation family-run restaurant struggling to stay afloat following the devastation caused by Hurricane Ida in 2021."  In West Wego, LA. David and Lydia own the restaurant.  A daughter works there front of house, son David is a cook there. Original restaurant was in Lafayette, until Hurricane Ida wrecked the place, and the new location is failing, and always have.  

David Sr. blames the failing restaurant on the miserable local customers.   Lydie echos what her husband said, blaming the customers.  

Gordon points out the restaurant has 10 tables, but 110 items on the menu.  Gordon asks customers about the food, and it's not pretty.  David Sr doesn't buy fresh fish and shrimp, but frozen, and loves to microwave everything.   Poor Gordon tries the food, and looks like he's in pain, he can tell everything is from frozen, and nuked.    The giant crab cake looks disgusting.  

Gordon asks local residents, and they all say they would like Voleos to succeed.    

David Jr has taken over the cooking, everything is fresh ingredients.    The menu is one page, not 110 items.   Food looks so much better.  

As always the reopened restaurant is slammed with customers, but they power through.  

Edited Wednesday at 01:56 AM by CrazyInAlabama

[Tango64]

It has become a standard part of the Kitchen Nightmares formula to change the menu from whatever was trying to appeal to the local clientele to a Ramsay Inspired menu. I always have doubts about this working after Ramsay leaves. 

Sure, this place needed to use fresh seafood, lose the microwave, and trim the menu down. But other than that, it had been a successful roadside seafood shack for years. People want fried fish and shrimp, hushpuppies, mounds of fries, and that brown New Orleans gravy on white bread. It's a thing.

Now its elevated, delicately plated Ramsay style seafood. There's a market for that, I'm sure, but now you're going for a different audience than you had before. It's not just a restaurant refresh; it's a different restaurant and there's no guarantee the owner or the community really want it.

So many examples of that in this show. At least he didn't make them switch to scallops, mushroom risotto, and beef wellington.

[NJRadioGuy]

On most of these kinds of shows I can tell within the first five minutes if the place has a real shot or is just treading water with very little long-term chance. This one was an obviously easy fix, so long as the ol' man stays the eff out of the kitchen. No cleanliness issues, no Bad Staff problems, and when the worst insult Gordon gives the food is "watery and bland," well, they're not completely gone.

I think even if the menu changes a bit, if the son can keep up and innovate, and they keep the prices affordable for the region and cater to local tastes they'll survive long-term.