May 27 2008
Peters – Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares US
Restaurant info: Peter’s – Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares USA: 27/05/2008
This week Gordon is in Babylon New York at a family Italian restaurant Peter’s this time it’s the US and boy do they do things in a big way. Doesn’t start well with Gordon having to wait at the station for 1 hour for his ride from Peter, looks like a mafia staff car. The father is not sure how to take Gordon you know with the hair like that – foreigners”. I feel honoured I have been introduced to the mob”
Gordon wants to talk with the family about what’s going on and it’s like walking into an Italian market dispute.
The food:
Well here we go Gordon crosses himself and orders Crab Cakes and Lobster Ravioli.
Crab cakes – spicy Dijon sauce – the salad loom rotten and the crab cakes are supposedly home made fresh. Not quite they are stone cold in the middle and not fresh crab meat. Lobster Ravioli with 1/2 a pound of parsley, and the filling is not lobster it’s like baby food. Apparently the chef is insulted over the comment about the parsley and all hell has broken out in the kitchen. Wow this place has problems.
Day 2:
The problems
The kitchen, bread rocks the fridge is rotten onions that look like “camels turds” the fridge is leaking and there is rotten food, when Peter was asked the last time he walked into the walk-in fridge, Peter said last week when I had a hot flush?
Peter is taking this personally like a child, he has never seen something like this [what is he not the manager?]
Gordon instigates a thorough clean of the kitchen, Peter is spending a $1000 a visit on his teeth whitening and tan. Most of the kitchen equipment is not functioning. Robert is an excellent chef, Peter is comping the customers especially his doctor a free bottle of wine and meals has put the family business in jeopardy.
What next a bill collector arrives and Peter handles this like the 2-bit gangster wannabe he is lots of bravado but no action, noise and swearing in full view of all the customers unbelievable.. Gordon has to talk to the owner and he finds out that Peter always takes his wage and even takes extra cash. This is crazy the true meaning of a family business is everyone chipping in.
This place has many issues the main being Peter.
Day 3:
Gordon tells Peter and his dad that they are going to run the kitchen and Tina and her mom are going to runt he dining room, Peter has no idea how to cook in the kitchen and Gordon has packed the restaurant with customers. 1st orders in and Peter is already having a melt down he cannot find anything and blames everyone for everything , he cannot see the boxes of produce in front of him. He now understands that nothing is working, 1 hour in and Peter is winging. Peter carries on to the Point that he calls Peter’s bluff and Say’s “fuck you” and of course Peter tries the old bluff like a gangster, but Gordon does not flinch so Peter immediately backs down. Gordon orders the now demoralised and useless Peter out of the kitchen and asks the chef to take over now food will start to go out. At least Peter now knows the state of the kitchen.
Day 4:
The Makeover
Time to implement changes and Gordon has arranged the make over it needed a proper kitchen, plates, stoves ovens and a working fridge. Gordon’s invested in this now he wants to see them put in.
Gordon starts to re-do the menu, classic simple family style foods. There are 7 competitors but there are no Family Style restaurants, Lobster Ravioli, Flank steak simple family food. The re-launch is about to begin
Just before the first night service and again the bill collector arrives and Peter is off again, being held back by his staff, making tough threats but no substance [great TV who needs the wise-guys] Peters car has been re-possessed.
Now they have re-opened and Peter is not stepping up he wants juice and starts to eat the customers starters Dinning room is filling up and Peter is weak and acting like a child then he starts having a go at the waiting staff for things that he is responsible for and upsets his staff to the extent of tears. 200 customers later in spite of Peter, he has stuffed this. Gordon tells Peter how it is, this is not your business and Peter has the riot act read we all have problems and Peter is the problem here. Peter starts with his mob crap “listen tome, listen tome” but there is no point, Gordon finally drops the bomb Peter this place will run better without you here treating it like your own personal club. Gordon finally tells Peter without anyone around “go home and think about what you will bring to this business” and it looks like it got to him.
All this does is convinces Gordon that Peter is a bad influence and a hot head to have in the business.
Day 5:
The next day Gordon is stunned to find Peter arranging the Walk in to be repaired and the Family Style dinning is a huge hit, word of mouth has the profits soaring, and Peter has decided to host the first ever family day free lasagna with the motto, “Come and my family will serve yours”. Next Peter has the business blessed, and over the next few weeks he has turned around 360 degrees and has committed to help his sister, he actually apologised.
Gordon has reignited their passion and they need to run with it to success.
Favourite lines:
“Instead of buying a stove I bought a suit”
“with the hair like that – must be foreigners”
“I feel honoured I have been introduced to the mob”
rotten onions that look like “camels turds” the fridge
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That Peter guy needed an attitude re-adjustment. I hope he actually changed otherwise I feel sorry for the business.