Kitchen Nightmares

Kitchen Nightmares is an American reality television series on the Fox Broadcasting network, in which chef Gordon Ramsay helps failing restaurants. It is based on the Channel 4 show Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, produced in the United Kingdom. The US show premiered Wednesday September 19, 2007.

In September 2007, a case was filed by a restaurant employee against Ramsay for allegedly staging some dramatic elements in the second episode. The case was dismissed and sent instead to arbitration.

The first season, which focused on restaurants in the Southern California and New York City areas, ended in December, 2007.

The second season premiered on September 4, 2008. Season Two included episodes in the upper midwestern United States as well as New York and California.

In September, 2008, Fox announced that Kitchen Nightmares would return for a third season.


Episodes

Season 1: 2007
# Restaurant Location Original airdate Notes
1. Peter's Babylon, New York Sept. 19, 2007
2. Dillon's New York, New York Sept. 26, 2007 Name changed to Purnima during relaunch.
3. The Mixing Bowl Bellmore, New York Oct. 3, 2007 Closed December 2008
4. Seascape Islip, New York Oct. 10, 2007 Five months after the relaunch of Seascape, the owner sold the restaurant.
5. The Olde Stone Mill Tuckahoe, New York Oct. 17, 2007
6. Sebastian's Toluca Lake, California Nov. 7, 2007 Closed in January 2008.
7. Finn McCool's Westhampton, New York Nov. 14, 2007
8. Lela's Pomona, California Nov. 21, 2007 An epilogue noted the restaurant closed five months after taping was completed when the owner could not meet her debts.
9. Campania Fair Lawn, New Jersey Nov. 28, 2007
10. The Secret Garden Moorpark, California Dec. 12, 2007


Season 2: 2008-2009
# Restaurant Location Original airdate Notes
* Kitchen Nightmares Revisited: Gordon Returns Sept. 4, 2008 Ramsay returns a year later for progress reports on six restaurants from first season.
11. Handlebar Mount Sinai, New York Sept. 11, 2008
12. Giuseppi's Macomb Township, Michigan Sept. 18, 2008
13. Trobiano's Great Neck, New York Sept. 25, 2008
14. Black Pearl New York, New York Sept. 25, 2008 The restaurant closed four days after the episode was broadcast.
15. J Willy's South Bend, Indiana October 30, 2008 The restaurant is advertising for new investors to prevent a forced sale June 1, 2009.
16. Hannah & Mason's Cranbury, New Jersey November 6, 2008
17. Jack's Waterfront St. Clair Shores, Michigan November 6, 2008
18. Sabatiello's Stamford, Connecticut November 13, 2008 Closed in December 2008.[10]
19. Fiesta Sunrise West Nyack, New York November 13, 2008
20. Sante La Brea Los Angeles, California November 20, 2008
21. Cafe 36 La Grange, Illinois January 15, 2009


Reception
Ginia Bellafante of the New York Times found Ramsay's teaching methods and high standards "undeniably hypnotic" and commented that "the thrill of watching Mr. Ramsay is in witnessing someone so at peace with his own arrogance." Doug Elfman of the Chicago Sun-Times said the show is "a very entertaining public service" that "will make you laugh, make you sick and make you think". Randy Cordova of the Arizona Republic found Ramsay "just as blustery and foul-mouthed here as he is on Hell's Kitchen. But he is also oddly endearing, mainly because he genuinely seems invested in the fate of each restaurant".

Some critics found Fox's adaptation of Kitchen Nightmares strayed from the strengths of the original Channel 4 series. Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune said, "Leave it to Fox to take something the Brits did pretty well and muck it up". She added, "Never mind the cooking; this edition of the show appears to be more interested in playing up the family dramas at the restaurants Ramsay visits".
Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times commented, "Whereas the British Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares is fundamentally a food show — it has interesting things to show you about how a restaurant runs and a kitchen works, the wonders of local markets and what you can make from them if you're Gordon Ramsay or willing to follow his instructions — the Fox edition emphasizes mishap, argument and emotional breakdown almost to the exclusion of cuisine".

In addition, one review revealed that at least one restaurant featured in the first season did not actually apply to be featured on the show, but was invited due to the personality of the chef who had previously applied for Hell's Kitchen. According to the review, the business at the restaurant went up 37% after Ramsay's visit.




Fiesta Sunrise (Season 2, Episode 16)

Chef Ramsay is forced to shut down Mexican restaurant "Fiesta Sunrise," in order to bring it back to life. 43:42 minutes