May 21 2008
Walnut Tree – Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares
Description:
The Walnut tree (Michelin-starred restaurant) was featured this week, and this was yet another challenge for Gordon, but the challenge was different to what even he anticipated.
The Walnut Tree was a restaurant with a stellar reputation for quality and style, it was opened by one of the first celebrity chefs Franco Taruschio and wife Ann. This was a resturant which people would travel hours to have a meal, the resturant would seve over 800 covers a week with many dinners happy to wait untoll 11 PM to be seated as the dinning was deemed to be celebrity.
Restaurant Info:
This is a little different to the normal kitchen nightmares, Gordon knows the new owners Francesco Mattioli and his wife Enrica for many years, he has ran many succesful resturants in London but to run his own is a big task, and he wont stay in the front of house. Instead he is in the kitchen not allowing his staff to do their jobs. Service is lucky if they see 2 customers a day.
Problems:
Upon gordons arrival he finds Francesco running arround like a madman trying to be all to everyone. The food that is leaving the kitchenis sub-standard, the prices are over the top and the customers have not been returning. There is no-one in charge in the kitchen, as the head chef left months ago and Francesco will not trust his kitchen staffs abilities. Gordon finds that there are at least 2 outstanding members of the team. But they are not being given the chance to show how good they are. Gordon gives the staff the oppertunity to show how they can run the kitchen as head chef. This is as usual destined for good television, not exactly good dining but good tv. After the service Gordon speaks with all and gets the ball rolling with Francesco to get a head chef.
Ramsay’s Makeover:
Gordon gets Francesco working on the interview process and it is quite interstingthe supposed head chefs that apply, the first has a good appearance and looks the business, but he just murders all the fresh produce, Gordon tells him in no incertain terms that he needs to look at what he is doing. The second is an Italian who appears really keen, but wants to move on from his current chef role which is mainly “microwaving” food all the time in his current job [Danger warning warning] but Gordon lets him loose with clean fresh produce, and you know what this really confiedent chef looks the part in the kitchen, but the pasta is like stodge and the rest of the food is overcooked and poorly presented. The 3rd and final is a 27 year old chef from London who is not only keen but ready to step up from his current role to his first head chef role, [oddly the same age as Gordon when he took on his first head chef role] if this guy takes the role he could bringstability to the kitchen, as long as Francesco will keep out.
Gordon works with the current staff and finds that Stephan appears to be the pick of the rest, he is excited about food and has a natural flair for food. The kitchen has to be run by Gordon untilhe has the oppertunity to prove to Francesco that the curent staff have the ability to step up, Gordon give 2 of them a couple of hours to create a signiture dish and the results are amazing, now he has Francesco and Enrica have dinner, on the premis that Gordon has created the new menu. This turns out to be gold Ramsay, the 2 signiture menus [starter, main and dessert] area winner with both of the owners.
This proves eventually to the owners that they have the staff, but now Francesco has to make a choice between the 2 new stars.
The resturaunt re-opening needs Franco and Ann to be there to show that they support the new owners, Gordon ensures that all know that both Franco and Ann will attend and makes the best of a photo opertunity to have a both Franco and Ann with Francesco and Enrica. The plan is to hang this in the entry to show the locals and past clients that the new direction is endorsed. This should put the Walnut Tree in a great position for success.
Followup:
A month on Gordon comes back to visit, and well the new head chef has worked out well but Stephan moved on as the new head chef changed the total menu and reduced the pricing the kitchen is working out and the restaurant is turning 200 covers a week. This has been another success for Gordon.
Breaking News:
Acquired by Welsh hospitality firm Caradog Hotels, which plans to re-open it soon. Caradog already owns the Angel Hotel, in Abergavenny. The Walnut Tree went into receivership with the owners claiming that featuring on Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares TV programme had damaged trade. We previously reported how owner Enrica Mattioli, who took over the restaurant with her husband Francesco, said she wished they had never appeared on the show in 2004. She claimed the programme made the restaurant look too expensive.
The Walnut Tree was founded by Franco and Ann Taruschio more than 30 years ago, with the Mattiolis taking over in 2001. Three years ago it was stripped of its Michelin star. When fiery TV chef Gordon Ramsay visited The Walnut Tree to try to turn it around as part of his series, he clashed with Mr Mattioli over its menu and prices. Edward Symmons Hospitality and Leisure sold the business on the instructions of London-based receiver Begbies Traynor [http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1413106.mostviewed.walnut_tree_has_new_owner.php].