Kitchen Nightmares (2007) s04e03 Episode Script
PJ's Steakhouse
Tonight on Kitchen Nightmares Chef Ramsay heads to a New York eatery that is all sizzle and no steak.
Disgusting.
The kitchen is run by a Chef who is bursting with confidence.
I'm a natural.
People love my food.
They rave about me.
But doesn't exactly deliver on the plate.
it's freezing cold.
The owner is a bystander who spends most of his time at the bar.
Joe sits and drinks glasses of wine when there is a million things going wrong here.
.
And his wife, well, she is facing the most difficult decision of her life.
I just don't know what to do.
Continue to keep the doors open and lose what little this family has left.
We got rid of everything to stay here.
Or close the restaurant.
Can Chef Ramsay breathe new life into a restaurant that is in critical condition? You have the responsibility of making this place work.
Or will he be forced to put a fork in it? Where the do you start with that? And move on? Stop.
Stop the madness.
This business cannot go any further forward.
That's tonight on Kitchen Nightmares.
Nothing's gonna work.
Forest Hills.
An upper middle-class enclave in the heart of Queens, New York where more than 70,000 people live within two square miles.
The neighborhood streets are busy, but PJ's restaurant is empty.
Kiss me.
Kiss me.
Prior to opening the restaurant, Joe and Madalyn were living a dream life.
When I first came to the states, I started working in construction.
Worked with my brother PJ.
PJ and I were very, very close.
He really and truly taught me about life and be my own man.
Busted my hump for 20 years, worked as hard as I could to get my wife and kids nice things, a nice house.
We were going places.
And then PJ passed away.
Joe was a shell.
Joe was just empty.
I can't mention his name without feeling that hurt inside, you know? He didn't really know how to walk without that guy being around.
He just meant everything to him.
I just couldn't stand to see him in pain.
And when this place came for rent, I said, "go and get the key, and we'll just name it after PJ.
" Welcome to PJ's.
Which is even more special because this was the bar that PJ owned.
How are you guys doing? You know what I know about running a high-end steakhouse? Apparently not much.
I don't know why we're putting garlic on honey mustard.
Joe, it's a honey mustard, garlic-roasted salmon.
That's what it's supposed to be on the menu.
Really? Joe and Madalyn, they're from a construction background.
And so they didn't really know what it was like to get into the restaurant industry.
My steak just was flavorless.
Red meat is red meat.
I don't know what you would expect myself to do about that.
It's a big problem, and the food's inconsistent.
I'm a very good Chef.
People come here just for me.
How is everything? It's terrible.
I'm sorry.
They love my food, and everything is great.
It was raw.
I can't eat that.
They didn't like the steak.
Now I have to void two checks.
I want this place to work so bad.
But we don't know what we're doing wrong.
Give me a cigarette right now.
Give me a cigarette.
I sunk almost $2 million in this restaurant.
I see it dying in its shoes right now.
Two insurances have to get paid this week.
This restaurant, it's cost us our savings, our house, our cars.
Everything.
$4,000.
That was so much money.
That's it.
I'm going drinking.
Meh.
Going drinking? You've been doing that all day.
Joe'll sit and drink glasses of wine and watch television when there is a million things going wrong here.
And he's just basically feeling sorry.
If the problems aren't addressed, we'll have no choice.
We'll have to close the door.
PJ's steakhouse looks great on the outside.
There must be trouble on the inside.
Wow, the place is beautiful.
Unbelievable.
Wow.
Anybody here? My goodness, me.
No one at the front desk.
Hello? Sir, are you a customer or-- Mr.
Ramsay, no.
I'm the owner.
You're the owner.
Huh.
Right.
How are you? Very well.
How are you? Pleasure to see you.
Um, good to see you too.
Didn't expect to see you at the bar.
You've got no one at the front desk there.
That's today, yeah.
As soon as Chef Ramsay showed up, panic set in, and I started getting the butterflies.
We're pretty slow this time of day, so Slow.
Is that normal? It is normal for lunch, yeah.
Right.
Hello.
This is my wife Madalyn.
Hi.
How are you? Right.
How are you? Good.
Nice to see you.
You too.
Eric.
Eric.
Good to see you.
Good to see you.
I'm not intimidated by Gordon.
We're here to get a job done, and we better do the job the best we can.
And if he can help us, great.
If he can't, then he can go himself.
Well, first of all, I'm happy to be here.
I'm somewhat taken aback by walking in and happening to see how beautiful this place is.
What's wrong with it? I'm not restaurant material, I found out.
Uh-huh.
I'm a contractor who jumped into this, who thought I'd get great managers, good floor people, I'd sit back and have a couple of wines at the bar.
I wish opening restaurants were that easy.
Yeah, right.
Yeah, I'm learning as I go.
It can put you in a hole real fast, a restaurant.
I don't know where to go.
Okay, well, I've just arrived.
Yeah? I'm starving.
I'm gonna have some lunch.
And then we'll talk after, yeah? Yeah, I want to cook him a great meal.
And I'm gonna let him find out the problems in the restaurant besides mine, 'cause I don't think mine's a problem.
Oh, dear.
Thank you.
Okay.
You're welcome.
So steakhouse.
Oh, dear.
No porterhouse.
No New York.
No rump.
There's only two cuts of steak.
Two steaks on the menu in a steakhouse? It should be minimum eight to ten.
How are you? Welcome to PJ's.
My name's Colin.
Very well, thank you.
How are you? Doing great.
Thank you for joining us.
Good to see you.
So I'll start with crab cakes.
Then maybe the shrimp and roasted garlic ravioli.
And then I'll have the filet mignon with the gorgonzola demi-glace.
All right, I'll go put this in for you.
Thank you, Colin.
No problem.
I know Eric's a good Chef.
So what's to be nervous about? What'd he order? Crab cakes plus filet mignon with gorgonzola medium rare and a shrimp ravioli.
Write it down.
I just love what I do.
This is perfect.
My food is good, and if he critiques it like I seen him critique other people's food, I'm gonna probably throw it at him.
What is that? The crab cake.
Somebody spit on my plate? What is that on there? That's coulis mango sauce.
Oh, coulis mango.
Thank you.
It's like something out of a modern art museum.
Splat.
Okay.
Wow.
That's disgusting.
It's rancid.
Plastic bits of crap running through the crab cakes.
Is everything okay? Yeah, the Chef sent out a little surprise.
Bits of plastic running through there.
See the plastic? I don't know where it came from, but it's definitely in there.
I'm done with that.
Thanks.
Okay.
Severe warning of what's to come.
Eric.
He found a piece of plastic in there.
Where's that from? him.
I have no idea where that plastic came from.
It just happened to appear.
I don't even have plastic in my kitchen.
The owner sat at the bar watching television.
And they're wondering why they're not doing well.
Hi.
Is that Joe's seat there at the end? Yes.
All the time.
He'll sit there most of the night.
Oh, dear.
Joe does need to get off his ass and start paying attention.
Oh, here's my food.
Fantastic.
Let me leave you alone to eat.
Madalyn, thank you.
Lovely.
Thank you.
Let's see.
How'd you like the steak? Umm Quite tough.
Are they always served with raw onions or-- yeah.
Nah.
Thank you.
My pleasure.
He said the beef's a little tough.
There's nothing positive being said.
I don't really suck that bad, you know? Oh, dear, that looks like the biggest pile of ever to be served in Queens.
My God.
The raviolis are disgusting, tart, tannin, and just a mouthful of acidic, thick, rich, creamy sauce that tastes like there's a buzz in your mouth.
It just seemed like Chef Ramsay didn't like anything.
Excuse me.
Oh, God.
Ooh, dear.
This is really bad.
I can really start to understand why Queens is running as fast as it can from PJ's.
Disgusted by the food in this beautiful restaurant, Chef Ramsay heads to the problem area-- the kitchen.
Did you cook everything? Yeah.
That was pretty embarrassing.
that Chef Ramsay didn't enjoy my meal.
What's with the coulis? It's like something out of a modern art museum.
Splat.
Where's that from? From a can.
From a can.
Disgusting.
The steak.
Filet should melt in your mouth, and it did nothing of the sort.
It's what we could afford.
Eric, come around, so I can talk to you properly.
I was shocked.
I really thought that Eric's food was a lot better than what Chef Ramsay said it was.
The food was .
I get a lot of compliments, man.
A lot.
A lot of compliments from where? The place is empty.
Who's running the place? For the most part, I am.
Oh, please.
First of all, I'm here every day.
You're not here every day.
I'm not here enough to mother him.
But I am here.
He should be here, but he's not doing it.
If you're here really overseeing everything, then these problems aren't gonna be here, so get your ass off the barstool and stand in here and do it every single night.
Can you motivate yourself to want to keep the restaurant open? I don't know.
Well, he's given up.
I see that in myself, yeah.
I've given up.
Guys, I'm sorry, but take one good look at yourselves first.
If there's one thing that has to change, it's people's attitude around here.
Whether you like it or not, you are "restauranteurs.
" You have the responsibility of making this place work.
Yup.
And there's too many people turning their backs on things that are wrong.
I gotta get some fresh air.
What a shame.
We have absolutely no idea what we're doing here.
It's just a big disaster.
Are we opening for dinner? Coming up on Kitchen Nightmares Madalyn makes a confession.
I was worried.
And a shocking family secret is revealed.
Oh, my God.
Then at dinner service, Eric's head is spinning.
I'm so lost, man.
Joe is drinking at the bar.
Give me a glass of shiraz.
And Madalyn is ready to call it quits.
It's not even worth being open.
It's a New York mess, and Chef Ramsay is caught in the middle.
After a miserable lunch, Gordon takes time to sit down with the one person who appears to have not given up-- Joe's wife Madalyn.
The word "PJ," where does that come from? Joe's brother.
Joe's brother.
Joe's brother owned an Irish bar-restaurant here ten years ago.
And he died when it was at its peak.
He died.
How close were they? They were best friends.
And he was very sad.
He was empty.
I was worried for his welfare.
I was worried.
And when this place came for rent, he came home and told me about it.
So I told him, you know, get the key, and we'll put his brother's name back over the door, and he spent all the money, but it helped him.
It's getting to him now, just the money.
And I think that's why he's at that bar having drinks because he's looking around.
He is embarrassed at how this turned out.
How much did he spend? $1.
2 million.
To build it.
What does it need to take per week to break even? About $17,000 to $18,000.
What's it currently running at now? $4,000.
$4,000? Oh, my God.
Take me back.
Joe was very successful before he opened the restaurant.
Yes.
Yeah, in construction? Yes.
And where were you living at the time when it was-- when we were successful? Yeah.
I designed a house.
It was incredible.
So you designed your dream house.
Yes.
But we sold it.
You sold the house to keep the business open? Yes.
We got rid of everything to stay here.
But this restaurant did more for me than my house.
It brought my husband back.
How do you-- how do you walk away from that? I can't.
This is unbelievable.
Well, that's helped me to understand the background.
As much as it has cost us to keep this place opened, at the same time, it gave us back Joe.
And we just can't let it go.
We'll do whatever we have to do to keep this place going.
After his chat with Madalyn, Gordon has a better understanding of what PJ means to this family.
Now he wants to learn more about how the business operates.
And there's no better way to do that than watching a dinner service.
Hi, good evening.
Welcome to PJ's.
Thank you.
Can I take your coat? Oh, actually, I'm real comfortable.
You have to leave it here.
Okay, Colin, take these two.
As is the case with many of the restaurants that Chef Ramsay visits, the word has spread in the community.
And PJ's is much busier than normal.
I'm not used to being the hostess.
How would you like that cooked? Well done? Ordering a salmon, well.
I just know what's good, and I know what's bad.
And I know I can handle the job.
I know I can do the job really well.
'Cause my food is good.
How are the stuffed mushrooms coming? Talk to me for two seconds.
He literally doesn't talk behind the line.
He doesn't communicate with me.
Especially when it's busy.
The worst situation in the world.
Eric.
Yes, sir.
You got to talk to them.
Come on.
At least talk.
What table is this? Eric's lack of communication has the staff waiting for direction and the diners waiting for food.
Customers normally wait this long for entrees? Yes.
Yeah? It usually takes two hours to eat here.
Two hours? Two hours from start to finish.
Eric, they're starting to complain now that there's no food out there.
Come on, you can do better than this, can't you? Do you give a ? Yeah, I give a .
Come on then, big man.
This is a steakhouse, yes? PJ's steakhouse? PJ's steakhouse.
Yeah, pathetic joke.
That's what it stands for.
Come on, guys.
Nobody looks too happy here.
You didn't get your dinner yet? Okay.
For the amount of people we had tonight, it was a ridiculous amount of time they had to wait for their food.
Eric, how long on that 16? Putting it up right now.
An hour into dinner service, food is finally leaving the kitchen.
Because of the amount of customers, everyone is delivering the food.
Even Madalyn.
Gorgonzola? Who's clearly not comfortable with the job.
All right.
You had the spinach, I had the Listen.
I had the spinach.
Let's go over this, okay? Not a waitress, not a hostess.
I only own it.
So I know nothing about the food.
I am probably the only person who owns a restaurant in the world who wouldn't know what good food is.
That's the truth.
I left that part up to Joe from the beginning.
Give me a glass of shiraz.
It's an hour and a half into dinner service.
Table 30, all the apps are in the window.
Many customers have received food.
This is, like, really weird.
But for most, it wasn't worth the wait.
That's really gross.
You don't like it? It tastes like lemonade.
Lemonade? Yeah, yeah.
Wow.
Okay.
So I'll tell the Chef about the chicken.
Why? And what do you want me to do with it? I'll have a word with them.
I went to check the menu.
It's chicken madeira.
And I will have them take it off for you.
Well, you didn't even recognize it? Okay.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I just don't know how to have better manners at the table.
How long on 23? Salmon and the filet.
That salmon's .
Come on, guys.
Eric, touch the top of that salmon.
It's like a bullet.
Yeah, it's too overdone.
It's only gonna come back.
Chef Ramsay is standing there and catching the mistakes as they're happening.
Look at the crap underneath there.
Look at that.
Eric, that's well-done.
Everything just feels like it's turning downward.
What's that there? Yeah, that's not medium.
It's a disaster.
It was horrible to watch it just fall apart.
Come on.
No, I can't.
It's too much for me.
hell.
With the restaurant full of unhappy customers The chicken is chewy.
And a kitchen falling apart Look at that.
Eric that's well-done.
Chef Ramsay has seen enough of the dinner service and heads to the storage area to see what problems lie below.
What is that in there? Stuck to the cardboard box.
No one gives a about.
Look.
Oh, my God.
Look at that.
Ugh, .
What is that? Blech.
That just sums up the whole restaurant.
Fading away.
Rotten.
And just one big embarrassment.
Blech.
Embarrassing.
Chef Ramsay knows that tonight's dinner service was not lost on Joe and Madalyn.
Thank you.
But he wants to make sure they have a complete picture of the state of the restaurant.
Ay-yi-yi.
This is so hard.
You know that.
I've just come to the conclusion that no one gives a .
Stay there.
When Chef Ramsay walked in that box, I was terrified.
This is the big kick in the bollocks.
I'm not here for this.
We're using horrible plastic lemon juice in a sauce that a customer complained about the fact that it tasted of lemon.
We've got fresh lemons downstairs that have gone rotten.
I just can't believe it.
If it was me, I'd be down with a toothbrush.
Here's the killer blow for me.
Just that one there.
Dealing with the restaurant and the food and the customer's one thing.
But where the do you start with that? It was beyond bad.
It's such a lack of pride.
It's such a lack of caring.
Who knows what the goes on behind our back? I don't know.
It is your job to go in that walk-in box and rotate your stock and clean it out.
And it's part of our job to make sure he does it.
Why should I have to worry about this ? 'Cause it's your business.
You can't stand there and be silent anymore, Eric.
You can't do that.
It seems like the whole blame of this whole place is coming down on my shoulders.
And it's not all my fault.
I'm not the problem here.
Quit slopping it out, guys.
Just get a bag and throw it out.
I can't believe that , can you? How in the name of God? Imagine the wasted food.
We're worse to blame, dear.
And I had no idea what was in there.
I'm very disappointed with Eric.
I realized tonight that a lot of the problems in the kitchen is Eric.
Definitely a change has to come.
The bottom line is nobody around here wants to work, nobody.
Undeterred by a rough day one, Chef Ramsay hits the streets of Forest Hills armed with a camcorder to do some grassroots research on what people really think of PJ's steakhouse.
Have you got two seconds? Sure.
PJ's, the steakhouse, have you heard of it? Have you been there? I have.
It was not a pleasant experience.
When was the last visit to PJ's? Six months ago.
I boycotted it.
Have you heard of PJ's? Yes.
Describe the dinner.
Slow, cold, not too good.
Wouldn't go back.
This is incredible.
Thank you so much.
After hearing what the neighborhood had to say, Chef Ramsay calls the owners and staff to a local theater.
Take a seat.
We're in this movie theater, and we have absolutely no idea what we're doing there.
This is a serious world premiere.
And the movie's entitled The word on the street.
Oh, gosh.
Oh, no.
I don't have a good feeling about this.
I'm scared to see what's going to happen.
Lights, please.
Have you ever been to PJ's? PJ's, I've been there quite often actually.
When was the last visit to PJ's? Six months ago.
I boycotted it.
They never cook their steak right.
This is incredible.
The same went on six months ago that I saw last night.
How was dinner? Atrocious.
Really? That bad? My son's steak was a hockey puck.
I actually recognized two of the customers that was on that tape.
And I thought, holy .
I ordered salmon, I got flounder.
That's ridiculous.
How many people have you told in the last six months not to go there? There are 66 apartments in my building.
And you told them all not to go? Yes.
It's total .
I wanted to turn around and smack Eric in the mouth.
That's how angry I was.
He's behind us munching on popcorn with a grin on his face.
What was the food like? Awful.
Really? Everything was pretty horrible.
Pretty horrible? Yeah, the steak was chewy, not too flavorful.
If you had the chance to change, what would it be? Better food.
Better food.
That is from the people in the street, and these people are gonna keep that place open.
My God.
I was disgusted with the little movie thing we just saw.
I don't believe it's all that true, you know? It's not that bad.
Why do you find it funny? We sat here in an embarrassing situation.
It's definitely nothing to laugh about, Eric.
I don't know.
I don't believe all of it.
It infuriates me.
If the food was good, they'd say it was excellent.
We have got to start turning this around.
Can this restaurant survive with Eric running the kitchen? Coming up, Chef Ramsay gives Eric a lifeline.
Last chance tonight.
Cook your ass off.
But it just might end up being a rope to hang himself with.
Everything's coming back.
Can he handle the heat? Talk to me.
What the you want me to say? Or will he self-destruct? Stop it.
Close the door.
Close the door.
It's time for you and Chef Ramsay to find out.
This business cannot go any further forward.
That's coming up on Kitchen Nightmares.
Devastated but informed by what they heard at the theater, the owners have a clear picture of how PJ's was perceived by the town.
But Chef Ramsay has more.
Um, there's one big issue.
Eric.
There's nothing worse than having a Chef in the kitchen trying to produce mediocre food.
I'm telling you, the engine room is , and if that's not working, nothing's gonna work.
This business cannot go any further forward with a liability like that.
It's just gotten to a stage where he should have been gone a long time ago.
You realize you're both at fault? Absolutely.
Because you're accepting and tolerating the incompetence.
Yes.
And he's taken advantage of your weakness by becoming worse at what he's paid to do.
I would like to give him a last chance tonight.
I'm gonna put him on the spot.
And I'm gonna call it as I see it.
Get a grip.
Cook your ass off.
Or game over for me.
Yeah? Sounds great.
Tonight will be Eric's last chance to save his job.
So Chef Ramsay has made a few menu changes to help the kitchen keep up.
Okay, tonight, we have to start building our reputation up.
So we're gonna offer a mixed grill.
We got the amazing thighs of chicken, steak beautifully done on the broiler, a little mini slider, tomato roasted, lamb sausage, sauteed mushrooms, fries, and onion rings.
Introducing a mixed grill to say thank you to the neighborhood and welcome back and give us a shot-- such a brilliant idea.
That is our special this evening.
I know not one steakhouse this evening anywhere in Queens is serving a beautiful mixed grill.
I love it.
You don't get that anywhere.
That's great.
Eric, anything on the menu you can't do? No, I can do it all.
You can do it all? Okay, I need Eric, Madalyn, and Joe.
Two seconds, please, yes? This is what I do.
Let me do what I do.
Okay, Eric, one thing I need to see is the timing.
Your timing has to be absolutely spot-on.
Tonight's your night.
You have to show me that.
You have to show me.
It's time for Eric to step up to the plate tonight or there's no room for him here.
Okay, you're the owners.
Who's running it tonight? I am.
What are you doing tonight? Salads.
Salads.
I don't want to see you anywhere near the bar.
Run it.
Run it, run it, run it okay? Yeah.
Let's go.
Hi.
How are you? Good evening, and welcome to PJ's.
Table for four? Yes.
Follow me.
We have our grill for two tonight.
Have fun, please.
Smile a lot.
Smile.
Enjoy.
It's called our PJ's mixed grill.
And it has a flank steak on it.
It has lamb sausage.
It comes with grilled chicken.
That's your flank steak right there.
Would you like to start out with one of those? So what can I get you tonight? Mixed grill.
The mixed grill special.
Thank you.
This is unbelievable.
Already, there's a renewed energy going on.
And this mixed grill has got them sort of excited.
But I know it's early days.
However, the big pressure is on Eric and Madalyn.
She has to run the business, and he has to be consistent in the kitchen.
Otherwise, he's history.
A strip a half-rack, two filet--you got a tomato and mozz salad, Joe.
We got to rock tonight.
You ready, bro? It's nice to see my husband off the bar stool, on his feet, and back to work.
Did you just have an order? Yeah.
Well done.
Excellent.
Eric, when we start to send the mixed grill, what I want to do is see half the table in the window without the other half coming at the same time.
Yes, Chef.
Excellent, thank you.
It makes me feel confident when I can hear a Chef's voice behind me, you know that.
Yes, Chef.
Joe, I'm ready for that tomato-mozzarella.
Tomato-mozzarell.
Steak medium.
Slider.
Just lettuce and tomato? I need a pick-up over here.
PJ's mixed grill.
With Joe and Eric working together, food is leaving the kitchen at a good pace.
Here we are.
And now the first mixed grill special is hitting the table.
When the first mixed grills started to go out, you know, you could see people in the dining room looking over and getting excited.
How's everything look? It's really cold.
Everything's cold? This is cold and this is cold.
All right, I'm sorry about that.
And that steak is still rare.
I'll be right back.
Un--believable.
Mushrooms are cold.
Sausage is cold.
This was supposed to be medium.
Oh, come on.
Eric, it's the first one.
It's the first table.
Come on, Eric, please, yeah? Don't let me down, yes? Pick-up on that PJ's mixed grill.
Ordering a salmon.
We got a PJ's mixed grill.
We got a calamari first.
The mixed grill special is extremely popular, with 21 orders already taken.
I need a pick-up over here.
Table 12.
The kitchen has pushed out 14 of them in a hurry.
Here we go.
Now it's time to find out if Chef Ramsay's dish, cooked by Eric, is satisfying the customers.
How is everything? It's terrible.
I'm sorry.
It's freezing cold.
It was raw.
I will be right back, okay? Is everything okay? It's ice-cold.
And I'm sorry.
I'm very sorry about that.
I'll take it right back.
Can he change that for, like, the filet or something? He doesn't like it.
It's just dry.
I'll be right back.
What's wrong with that? Needs to be-- he said it's cold.
Oh, come on.
Does that chicken look pink to you? Yeah, very.
Everything's coming back.
Ah, I'm so lost, man.
He hates it.
Oh, come on.
This is getting worse than last night.
Eric couldn't cook a sausage.
It was Sad.
What's going on here, guys? There's one simple dish on there to make things look somewhat easier.
Yeah, real simple.
Scumbag.
I've never, ever, ever, ever seen it this bad.
I don't care anymore.
Let's stop the madness.
Stop it.
Close the door.
Close the door.
.
.
It's an hour into dinner service, and with food coming back at a ridiculous rate He hates it.
Oh, come on.
Eric completely giving up Chef Ramsay knows he is left with just one choice.
Let's stop the madness.
Stop it.
Close the door.
Close the door.
Close the door.
It was his last shot.
And he didn't perform.
It's a serious problem.
No lie.
Our Chef's walked out.
They're shutting down the kitchen.
After shutting down dinner service, Chef Ramsay calls an emergency meeting with the owners.
You cannot continue like this.
I'm trying my best, and I cannot work with no tools in there.
He's a cook, but he's not a Chef.
There's a lot of money invested here.
And if I have to choose between a future and a Chef, I have to choose the business.
He needs to go.
We need a new kitchen leader.
It was a no-brainer.
Please give me a real Chef.
I am willing to bring a Chef in here and pay personally for that Chef to help turn this business around for the first month.
But that's your decision.
You can't ask for more than that.
You're the owners, and it's your call.
See you in the morning.
We had to make a quick decision.
We couldn't let it linger on.
We had to rip the band-aid off, you know? Come outside.
At this point in time, if I don't do something, it's not gonna be here at all.
I can't lose a million dollars.
You know what? I think it's all .
We should go whatever direction we have to go in.
We got to move on, my friend.
If my not good enough, let 'em find somebody else 'cause I'm done with it.
It's time for a 360, you know? Getting rid of Eric, it was tough.
But what's best for the restaurant is the way I'm gonna go.
He's not the only thing that has to change here.
I need to get back on my feet and start paying attention to the business.
And Joe does also.
It's gotta be becoming about keeping this place open and money.
Joe and I need to keep this place going.
With Chef Eric now out of the picture, Chef Ramsay is ready to present his plan for the new PJ's.
How are we feeling? Great.
It's been a tough week, yes? Time to put all that aside.
This is not just a new chapter.
This is a new book.
Are you ready? Yes? The steakhouse has closed.
PJ's grill is now open.
Look at that.
That's beautiful.
Inviting.
Sumptuous.
Rich.
It's clear.
PJ's grill.
I think it's a wonderful idea.
I think it's perfect for the neighborhood.
Right.
Should we go inside? Yeah.
Yes? Let's go.
The important part of keeping PJ's-- absolutely crucial Oh, my God, Joe.
This area here is dedicated to him.
Now it has a proper meaning.
And more importantly, what a lovely tribute.
It's beautiful.
It brought a tear to my eye, you know? It's a good reminder of why this place is called PJ's.
I feel PJ's presence here today.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Madalyn, Joe, two seconds? I want to introduce you to your new Chef.
This is mark.
Mark elliott, Madalyn the owner.
Lovely to meet you.
And Joe, the owner.
I'm really excited to be here.
Oh, we're excited to have you.
Likewise, mark.
I'm just so excited.
I just can't wait to taste his food.
I just can't wait to see the reaction of the customers.
He knows his food inside-out.
And he knows how to cook.
Let me tell you that.
Yeah, it's a long story.
I'll explain later.
Just having someone new and professional with ideas in this restaurant, it'll motivate and turn things around.
With Joe and Madalyn embracing Chef Ramsay's plan Right.
He now introduces the new menu for PJ's grill.
Time for some dramatic change with the food.
I'm excited about this part.
This is the bit that really gets me fired up.
Quick run through the menu, yes? Small, fresh, casual.
And more importantly, fast.
Irish stew.
Chicken scaloppini.
Classic.
Okay? Steak frites.
We're a grill.
So we got the most amazing grill, the most amazing steak frites.
Okay, happy? Good.
Madalyn, I need two seconds with you, please.
Sure.
Yeah? Come with me, darling.
Good.
Excellent.
There's one last change.
What I need to see from you tonight, more than anything, is just warmth with the customers.
I want the burden off your shoulders tonight.
And the only way around that, okay, was to bring in someone very special.
And it's someone I trust with my restaurant.
This man handles And he's here tonight to help you.
Hey, Gordon.
Come say hello.
Top of the morning.
Nice to meet you.
How are you? How are you, sir? Good.
When you're worried about what's gonna happen next or what to say next or how to handle a situation, there's your buffer.
Don't be scared to ask questions and get out there with it.
Okay? All right.
Chef Ramsay loans his manager to train me.
Is this unbelievable? I only hope we perform with the faith he's giving us, you know? Otherwise, that's the end of it.
It's the big night.
This restaurant has been transformed in 24 hours from a steakhouse to a neighborhood grill.
Even though Chef Ramsay has brought in a new Chef Okay? Yeah, oui, Chef.
Feeling good.
And his own manager Okay, are we all set? PJ's fate still rests with Madalyn and Joe.
This is a huge night for PJ's because people are coming back here for the first time, they're going to sit down to hopefully a new Madalyn and Joe.
We need this launch to go well.
Otherwise, you know, we'll have no choice.
We'll have to close the door.
Good evening.
Hello.
Good evening.
Welcome to PJ's.
How are you guys doing? Delighted to have you with us, okay? Enjoy your evening.
a surprise guest from the past shows up.
Hi, good evening.
How are you? Welcome to PJ's.
I know you.
Do you? I do.
When was the last visit to PJ's? Six months ago.
I boycotted it.
They never cook their steak right.
The service, terrible.
If you have any problems, please, ask for Madalyn right away.
Madalyn.
I was shocked that he's back for a surprise visit, and I hope that we won't disappoint him.
Enjoy.
Please.
This guy had a lot of negative feedback about the restaurant.
The young couple that just walked in, is it? Yes.
Table ten, people that have eaten here before.
They were in your film actually.
So previous customers that complained last time they were here.
So watch that ticket, yeah? Yeah.
Let's go.
Hi, how are you? I'd probably recommend the mixed grill.
The grill does look kind of interesting.
We're gonna try the mixed grill.
Great.
Thank you.
All right, first order-- stuffed mushrooms, house salad, and house salad.
Three of mixed grill.
That's gonna be the hit tonight, kids.
So there are two different temperatures on one mixed grill.
Yeah, we cut the steak in half and leave half of it in there a little bit longer.
I love that flexibility.
Music to my ears.
You're welcome.
How we doing, guys? Very good.
How's that stew? It's good.
You guys have to get this next time.
I'll come back for this.
This is awesome.
With the kitchen functioning in a cohesive and professional manner Isn't that good? Oh, that's good.
Madalyn.
Madalyn is about to get her first of many lessons in proper management.
Madalyn.
What's wrong with this guy? It's ridiculous.
Cut it out.
Don't go.
Please don't go anywhere.
I'll be right back.
Okay.
Okay.
That's it.
That's your last break.
I didn't get the break.
I never left.
Okay, go chase your waiters.
Let's find out.
Come on.
Enda was following me everywhere.
You need to go find out from the kitchen what we have, what we don't have.
There's no one there.
Let's get back in.
Let's check on the table four.
I didn't realize how many places you had to be.
Dinner service is off to a strong start.
We need to find out what's happening with table ten.
But the former customers, whose opinion signifies whether PJ's has really changed Did you eat anything yet? Has yet to be served.
You haven't been fed yet? I'll be right back.
Before this critical customer walks out the door, Madalyn must get her kitchen under control.
Table ten hasn't been fed yet.
What the now? Who's sending food to the wrong tables, guys? Take care.
Thank you.
Oh, .
Oh, .
Table ten.
We're just a little behind right now.
Okay, Chef, they're starving.
So they need something, and they need it now.
Take it, mark.
Let's go.
Please take a breath.
Take the pressure off.
Don't worry.
Working hard.
Give me two minutes.
You okay? Beautiful, baby.
Flank steak, a slider, grilled chicken.
Whoo--that's beautiful.
Yes.
Come here.
Pick-up.
Mixed grill, window.
Let's not take this to the wrong table a second time, please.
Really well-handled with that.
Really well-handled in the kitchen.
Thank you.
Here we are.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Want to dig in? Let's dig in.
Hi, how are you? How's everything? Thank you.
They're happy with the new menu.
They're happy with the food.
He said he was definitely coming back.
Oh, it makes me feel so good.
So good.
So please enjoy your dinner.
Thank you.
Everyone loves everything, man.
Hey, you know what? It's all for you, Joe.
You're a different person when you have confidence in your Chef.
Everybody is rocking and rolling.
Nice job across the board.
I was actually very proud to be owner of PJ's grill.
Chef Ramsay's vision of PJ's grill was realized.
How'd you feel? Great.
It was a team effort that was led by the new Chef, Madalyn, and Joe.
Tonight, PJ's grill served 90 customers who loved the food and, more importantly, are coming back because they've had a great time.
The difference, just with a decent Chef in the kitchen, doing his job that he's paid to do What a weight off your shoulders.
But the most important thing is I saw two owners who were passionate, happy, and dealing with their business.
What Chef Ramsay's done here is incredible.
I don't really know how he knew how to go to the heart of Joe.
But he did.
It's just been unreal.
It's like I just got a fire back, you know? I haven't felt that way in a long time.
This is the first time in a lot of years I feel my brother's looking down on me, you know? Look over my shoulder.
You can do it.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Good night.
During my stay here, it's been dark, rainy, and gloomy.
And I'm not just talking about the weather.
But based on what I saw tonight in this restaurant, I seriously hope that tomorrow the sun shines on PJ's grill and into the future.
'Cause it deserves it.
After Chef Ramsay left, PJ's business did improve, but after a great deal of thought, Joe and Madalyn made the most difficult business decision of their life.
They decided to close PJ's grill and return to the construction business.
Next time on Kitchen Nightmares Throw it out! Get it together, marcelo! Gordon returns to the scene of his greatest confrontations.
Shut your mouth already! Get ready for a night of surprises Oh, my God! As Chef Ramsay finds out what happened to Disgusting.
The restaurants he tried to save.
Is business going well? Do you still hate me? Is there any possibility that you may get back together? We will see it all.
Kata! Who is living the dream, and who turned their kitchen back into a nightmare? Oh, come on.
Disgusting.
The kitchen is run by a Chef who is bursting with confidence.
I'm a natural.
People love my food.
They rave about me.
But doesn't exactly deliver on the plate.
it's freezing cold.
The owner is a bystander who spends most of his time at the bar.
Joe sits and drinks glasses of wine when there is a million things going wrong here.
.
And his wife, well, she is facing the most difficult decision of her life.
I just don't know what to do.
Continue to keep the doors open and lose what little this family has left.
We got rid of everything to stay here.
Or close the restaurant.
Can Chef Ramsay breathe new life into a restaurant that is in critical condition? You have the responsibility of making this place work.
Or will he be forced to put a fork in it? Where the do you start with that? And move on? Stop.
Stop the madness.
This business cannot go any further forward.
That's tonight on Kitchen Nightmares.
Nothing's gonna work.
Forest Hills.
An upper middle-class enclave in the heart of Queens, New York where more than 70,000 people live within two square miles.
The neighborhood streets are busy, but PJ's restaurant is empty.
Kiss me.
Kiss me.
Prior to opening the restaurant, Joe and Madalyn were living a dream life.
When I first came to the states, I started working in construction.
Worked with my brother PJ.
PJ and I were very, very close.
He really and truly taught me about life and be my own man.
Busted my hump for 20 years, worked as hard as I could to get my wife and kids nice things, a nice house.
We were going places.
And then PJ passed away.
Joe was a shell.
Joe was just empty.
I can't mention his name without feeling that hurt inside, you know? He didn't really know how to walk without that guy being around.
He just meant everything to him.
I just couldn't stand to see him in pain.
And when this place came for rent, I said, "go and get the key, and we'll just name it after PJ.
" Welcome to PJ's.
Which is even more special because this was the bar that PJ owned.
How are you guys doing? You know what I know about running a high-end steakhouse? Apparently not much.
I don't know why we're putting garlic on honey mustard.
Joe, it's a honey mustard, garlic-roasted salmon.
That's what it's supposed to be on the menu.
Really? Joe and Madalyn, they're from a construction background.
And so they didn't really know what it was like to get into the restaurant industry.
My steak just was flavorless.
Red meat is red meat.
I don't know what you would expect myself to do about that.
It's a big problem, and the food's inconsistent.
I'm a very good Chef.
People come here just for me.
How is everything? It's terrible.
I'm sorry.
They love my food, and everything is great.
It was raw.
I can't eat that.
They didn't like the steak.
Now I have to void two checks.
I want this place to work so bad.
But we don't know what we're doing wrong.
Give me a cigarette right now.
Give me a cigarette.
I sunk almost $2 million in this restaurant.
I see it dying in its shoes right now.
Two insurances have to get paid this week.
This restaurant, it's cost us our savings, our house, our cars.
Everything.
$4,000.
That was so much money.
That's it.
I'm going drinking.
Meh.
Going drinking? You've been doing that all day.
Joe'll sit and drink glasses of wine and watch television when there is a million things going wrong here.
And he's just basically feeling sorry.
If the problems aren't addressed, we'll have no choice.
We'll have to close the door.
PJ's steakhouse looks great on the outside.
There must be trouble on the inside.
Wow, the place is beautiful.
Unbelievable.
Wow.
Anybody here? My goodness, me.
No one at the front desk.
Hello? Sir, are you a customer or-- Mr.
Ramsay, no.
I'm the owner.
You're the owner.
Huh.
Right.
How are you? Very well.
How are you? Pleasure to see you.
Um, good to see you too.
Didn't expect to see you at the bar.
You've got no one at the front desk there.
That's today, yeah.
As soon as Chef Ramsay showed up, panic set in, and I started getting the butterflies.
We're pretty slow this time of day, so Slow.
Is that normal? It is normal for lunch, yeah.
Right.
Hello.
This is my wife Madalyn.
Hi.
How are you? Right.
How are you? Good.
Nice to see you.
You too.
Eric.
Eric.
Good to see you.
Good to see you.
I'm not intimidated by Gordon.
We're here to get a job done, and we better do the job the best we can.
And if he can help us, great.
If he can't, then he can go himself.
Well, first of all, I'm happy to be here.
I'm somewhat taken aback by walking in and happening to see how beautiful this place is.
What's wrong with it? I'm not restaurant material, I found out.
Uh-huh.
I'm a contractor who jumped into this, who thought I'd get great managers, good floor people, I'd sit back and have a couple of wines at the bar.
I wish opening restaurants were that easy.
Yeah, right.
Yeah, I'm learning as I go.
It can put you in a hole real fast, a restaurant.
I don't know where to go.
Okay, well, I've just arrived.
Yeah? I'm starving.
I'm gonna have some lunch.
And then we'll talk after, yeah? Yeah, I want to cook him a great meal.
And I'm gonna let him find out the problems in the restaurant besides mine, 'cause I don't think mine's a problem.
Oh, dear.
Thank you.
Okay.
You're welcome.
So steakhouse.
Oh, dear.
No porterhouse.
No New York.
No rump.
There's only two cuts of steak.
Two steaks on the menu in a steakhouse? It should be minimum eight to ten.
How are you? Welcome to PJ's.
My name's Colin.
Very well, thank you.
How are you? Doing great.
Thank you for joining us.
Good to see you.
So I'll start with crab cakes.
Then maybe the shrimp and roasted garlic ravioli.
And then I'll have the filet mignon with the gorgonzola demi-glace.
All right, I'll go put this in for you.
Thank you, Colin.
No problem.
I know Eric's a good Chef.
So what's to be nervous about? What'd he order? Crab cakes plus filet mignon with gorgonzola medium rare and a shrimp ravioli.
Write it down.
I just love what I do.
This is perfect.
My food is good, and if he critiques it like I seen him critique other people's food, I'm gonna probably throw it at him.
What is that? The crab cake.
Somebody spit on my plate? What is that on there? That's coulis mango sauce.
Oh, coulis mango.
Thank you.
It's like something out of a modern art museum.
Splat.
Okay.
Wow.
That's disgusting.
It's rancid.
Plastic bits of crap running through the crab cakes.
Is everything okay? Yeah, the Chef sent out a little surprise.
Bits of plastic running through there.
See the plastic? I don't know where it came from, but it's definitely in there.
I'm done with that.
Thanks.
Okay.
Severe warning of what's to come.
Eric.
He found a piece of plastic in there.
Where's that from? him.
I have no idea where that plastic came from.
It just happened to appear.
I don't even have plastic in my kitchen.
The owner sat at the bar watching television.
And they're wondering why they're not doing well.
Hi.
Is that Joe's seat there at the end? Yes.
All the time.
He'll sit there most of the night.
Oh, dear.
Joe does need to get off his ass and start paying attention.
Oh, here's my food.
Fantastic.
Let me leave you alone to eat.
Madalyn, thank you.
Lovely.
Thank you.
Let's see.
How'd you like the steak? Umm Quite tough.
Are they always served with raw onions or-- yeah.
Nah.
Thank you.
My pleasure.
He said the beef's a little tough.
There's nothing positive being said.
I don't really suck that bad, you know? Oh, dear, that looks like the biggest pile of ever to be served in Queens.
My God.
The raviolis are disgusting, tart, tannin, and just a mouthful of acidic, thick, rich, creamy sauce that tastes like there's a buzz in your mouth.
It just seemed like Chef Ramsay didn't like anything.
Excuse me.
Oh, God.
Ooh, dear.
This is really bad.
I can really start to understand why Queens is running as fast as it can from PJ's.
Disgusted by the food in this beautiful restaurant, Chef Ramsay heads to the problem area-- the kitchen.
Did you cook everything? Yeah.
That was pretty embarrassing.
that Chef Ramsay didn't enjoy my meal.
What's with the coulis? It's like something out of a modern art museum.
Splat.
Where's that from? From a can.
From a can.
Disgusting.
The steak.
Filet should melt in your mouth, and it did nothing of the sort.
It's what we could afford.
Eric, come around, so I can talk to you properly.
I was shocked.
I really thought that Eric's food was a lot better than what Chef Ramsay said it was.
The food was .
I get a lot of compliments, man.
A lot.
A lot of compliments from where? The place is empty.
Who's running the place? For the most part, I am.
Oh, please.
First of all, I'm here every day.
You're not here every day.
I'm not here enough to mother him.
But I am here.
He should be here, but he's not doing it.
If you're here really overseeing everything, then these problems aren't gonna be here, so get your ass off the barstool and stand in here and do it every single night.
Can you motivate yourself to want to keep the restaurant open? I don't know.
Well, he's given up.
I see that in myself, yeah.
I've given up.
Guys, I'm sorry, but take one good look at yourselves first.
If there's one thing that has to change, it's people's attitude around here.
Whether you like it or not, you are "restauranteurs.
" You have the responsibility of making this place work.
Yup.
And there's too many people turning their backs on things that are wrong.
I gotta get some fresh air.
What a shame.
We have absolutely no idea what we're doing here.
It's just a big disaster.
Are we opening for dinner? Coming up on Kitchen Nightmares Madalyn makes a confession.
I was worried.
And a shocking family secret is revealed.
Oh, my God.
Then at dinner service, Eric's head is spinning.
I'm so lost, man.
Joe is drinking at the bar.
Give me a glass of shiraz.
And Madalyn is ready to call it quits.
It's not even worth being open.
It's a New York mess, and Chef Ramsay is caught in the middle.
After a miserable lunch, Gordon takes time to sit down with the one person who appears to have not given up-- Joe's wife Madalyn.
The word "PJ," where does that come from? Joe's brother.
Joe's brother.
Joe's brother owned an Irish bar-restaurant here ten years ago.
And he died when it was at its peak.
He died.
How close were they? They were best friends.
And he was very sad.
He was empty.
I was worried for his welfare.
I was worried.
And when this place came for rent, he came home and told me about it.
So I told him, you know, get the key, and we'll put his brother's name back over the door, and he spent all the money, but it helped him.
It's getting to him now, just the money.
And I think that's why he's at that bar having drinks because he's looking around.
He is embarrassed at how this turned out.
How much did he spend? $1.
2 million.
To build it.
What does it need to take per week to break even? About $17,000 to $18,000.
What's it currently running at now? $4,000.
$4,000? Oh, my God.
Take me back.
Joe was very successful before he opened the restaurant.
Yes.
Yeah, in construction? Yes.
And where were you living at the time when it was-- when we were successful? Yeah.
I designed a house.
It was incredible.
So you designed your dream house.
Yes.
But we sold it.
You sold the house to keep the business open? Yes.
We got rid of everything to stay here.
But this restaurant did more for me than my house.
It brought my husband back.
How do you-- how do you walk away from that? I can't.
This is unbelievable.
Well, that's helped me to understand the background.
As much as it has cost us to keep this place opened, at the same time, it gave us back Joe.
And we just can't let it go.
We'll do whatever we have to do to keep this place going.
After his chat with Madalyn, Gordon has a better understanding of what PJ means to this family.
Now he wants to learn more about how the business operates.
And there's no better way to do that than watching a dinner service.
Hi, good evening.
Welcome to PJ's.
Thank you.
Can I take your coat? Oh, actually, I'm real comfortable.
You have to leave it here.
Okay, Colin, take these two.
As is the case with many of the restaurants that Chef Ramsay visits, the word has spread in the community.
And PJ's is much busier than normal.
I'm not used to being the hostess.
How would you like that cooked? Well done? Ordering a salmon, well.
I just know what's good, and I know what's bad.
And I know I can handle the job.
I know I can do the job really well.
'Cause my food is good.
How are the stuffed mushrooms coming? Talk to me for two seconds.
He literally doesn't talk behind the line.
He doesn't communicate with me.
Especially when it's busy.
The worst situation in the world.
Eric.
Yes, sir.
You got to talk to them.
Come on.
At least talk.
What table is this? Eric's lack of communication has the staff waiting for direction and the diners waiting for food.
Customers normally wait this long for entrees? Yes.
Yeah? It usually takes two hours to eat here.
Two hours? Two hours from start to finish.
Eric, they're starting to complain now that there's no food out there.
Come on, you can do better than this, can't you? Do you give a ? Yeah, I give a .
Come on then, big man.
This is a steakhouse, yes? PJ's steakhouse? PJ's steakhouse.
Yeah, pathetic joke.
That's what it stands for.
Come on, guys.
Nobody looks too happy here.
You didn't get your dinner yet? Okay.
For the amount of people we had tonight, it was a ridiculous amount of time they had to wait for their food.
Eric, how long on that 16? Putting it up right now.
An hour into dinner service, food is finally leaving the kitchen.
Because of the amount of customers, everyone is delivering the food.
Even Madalyn.
Gorgonzola? Who's clearly not comfortable with the job.
All right.
You had the spinach, I had the Listen.
I had the spinach.
Let's go over this, okay? Not a waitress, not a hostess.
I only own it.
So I know nothing about the food.
I am probably the only person who owns a restaurant in the world who wouldn't know what good food is.
That's the truth.
I left that part up to Joe from the beginning.
Give me a glass of shiraz.
It's an hour and a half into dinner service.
Table 30, all the apps are in the window.
Many customers have received food.
This is, like, really weird.
But for most, it wasn't worth the wait.
That's really gross.
You don't like it? It tastes like lemonade.
Lemonade? Yeah, yeah.
Wow.
Okay.
So I'll tell the Chef about the chicken.
Why? And what do you want me to do with it? I'll have a word with them.
I went to check the menu.
It's chicken madeira.
And I will have them take it off for you.
Well, you didn't even recognize it? Okay.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I just don't know how to have better manners at the table.
How long on 23? Salmon and the filet.
That salmon's .
Come on, guys.
Eric, touch the top of that salmon.
It's like a bullet.
Yeah, it's too overdone.
It's only gonna come back.
Chef Ramsay is standing there and catching the mistakes as they're happening.
Look at the crap underneath there.
Look at that.
Eric, that's well-done.
Everything just feels like it's turning downward.
What's that there? Yeah, that's not medium.
It's a disaster.
It was horrible to watch it just fall apart.
Come on.
No, I can't.
It's too much for me.
hell.
With the restaurant full of unhappy customers The chicken is chewy.
And a kitchen falling apart Look at that.
Eric that's well-done.
Chef Ramsay has seen enough of the dinner service and heads to the storage area to see what problems lie below.
What is that in there? Stuck to the cardboard box.
No one gives a about.
Look.
Oh, my God.
Look at that.
Ugh, .
What is that? Blech.
That just sums up the whole restaurant.
Fading away.
Rotten.
And just one big embarrassment.
Blech.
Embarrassing.
Chef Ramsay knows that tonight's dinner service was not lost on Joe and Madalyn.
Thank you.
But he wants to make sure they have a complete picture of the state of the restaurant.
Ay-yi-yi.
This is so hard.
You know that.
I've just come to the conclusion that no one gives a .
Stay there.
When Chef Ramsay walked in that box, I was terrified.
This is the big kick in the bollocks.
I'm not here for this.
We're using horrible plastic lemon juice in a sauce that a customer complained about the fact that it tasted of lemon.
We've got fresh lemons downstairs that have gone rotten.
I just can't believe it.
If it was me, I'd be down with a toothbrush.
Here's the killer blow for me.
Just that one there.
Dealing with the restaurant and the food and the customer's one thing.
But where the do you start with that? It was beyond bad.
It's such a lack of pride.
It's such a lack of caring.
Who knows what the goes on behind our back? I don't know.
It is your job to go in that walk-in box and rotate your stock and clean it out.
And it's part of our job to make sure he does it.
Why should I have to worry about this ? 'Cause it's your business.
You can't stand there and be silent anymore, Eric.
You can't do that.
It seems like the whole blame of this whole place is coming down on my shoulders.
And it's not all my fault.
I'm not the problem here.
Quit slopping it out, guys.
Just get a bag and throw it out.
I can't believe that , can you? How in the name of God? Imagine the wasted food.
We're worse to blame, dear.
And I had no idea what was in there.
I'm very disappointed with Eric.
I realized tonight that a lot of the problems in the kitchen is Eric.
Definitely a change has to come.
The bottom line is nobody around here wants to work, nobody.
Undeterred by a rough day one, Chef Ramsay hits the streets of Forest Hills armed with a camcorder to do some grassroots research on what people really think of PJ's steakhouse.
Have you got two seconds? Sure.
PJ's, the steakhouse, have you heard of it? Have you been there? I have.
It was not a pleasant experience.
When was the last visit to PJ's? Six months ago.
I boycotted it.
Have you heard of PJ's? Yes.
Describe the dinner.
Slow, cold, not too good.
Wouldn't go back.
This is incredible.
Thank you so much.
After hearing what the neighborhood had to say, Chef Ramsay calls the owners and staff to a local theater.
Take a seat.
We're in this movie theater, and we have absolutely no idea what we're doing there.
This is a serious world premiere.
And the movie's entitled The word on the street.
Oh, gosh.
Oh, no.
I don't have a good feeling about this.
I'm scared to see what's going to happen.
Lights, please.
Have you ever been to PJ's? PJ's, I've been there quite often actually.
When was the last visit to PJ's? Six months ago.
I boycotted it.
They never cook their steak right.
This is incredible.
The same went on six months ago that I saw last night.
How was dinner? Atrocious.
Really? That bad? My son's steak was a hockey puck.
I actually recognized two of the customers that was on that tape.
And I thought, holy .
I ordered salmon, I got flounder.
That's ridiculous.
How many people have you told in the last six months not to go there? There are 66 apartments in my building.
And you told them all not to go? Yes.
It's total .
I wanted to turn around and smack Eric in the mouth.
That's how angry I was.
He's behind us munching on popcorn with a grin on his face.
What was the food like? Awful.
Really? Everything was pretty horrible.
Pretty horrible? Yeah, the steak was chewy, not too flavorful.
If you had the chance to change, what would it be? Better food.
Better food.
That is from the people in the street, and these people are gonna keep that place open.
My God.
I was disgusted with the little movie thing we just saw.
I don't believe it's all that true, you know? It's not that bad.
Why do you find it funny? We sat here in an embarrassing situation.
It's definitely nothing to laugh about, Eric.
I don't know.
I don't believe all of it.
It infuriates me.
If the food was good, they'd say it was excellent.
We have got to start turning this around.
Can this restaurant survive with Eric running the kitchen? Coming up, Chef Ramsay gives Eric a lifeline.
Last chance tonight.
Cook your ass off.
But it just might end up being a rope to hang himself with.
Everything's coming back.
Can he handle the heat? Talk to me.
What the you want me to say? Or will he self-destruct? Stop it.
Close the door.
Close the door.
It's time for you and Chef Ramsay to find out.
This business cannot go any further forward.
That's coming up on Kitchen Nightmares.
Devastated but informed by what they heard at the theater, the owners have a clear picture of how PJ's was perceived by the town.
But Chef Ramsay has more.
Um, there's one big issue.
Eric.
There's nothing worse than having a Chef in the kitchen trying to produce mediocre food.
I'm telling you, the engine room is , and if that's not working, nothing's gonna work.
This business cannot go any further forward with a liability like that.
It's just gotten to a stage where he should have been gone a long time ago.
You realize you're both at fault? Absolutely.
Because you're accepting and tolerating the incompetence.
Yes.
And he's taken advantage of your weakness by becoming worse at what he's paid to do.
I would like to give him a last chance tonight.
I'm gonna put him on the spot.
And I'm gonna call it as I see it.
Get a grip.
Cook your ass off.
Or game over for me.
Yeah? Sounds great.
Tonight will be Eric's last chance to save his job.
So Chef Ramsay has made a few menu changes to help the kitchen keep up.
Okay, tonight, we have to start building our reputation up.
So we're gonna offer a mixed grill.
We got the amazing thighs of chicken, steak beautifully done on the broiler, a little mini slider, tomato roasted, lamb sausage, sauteed mushrooms, fries, and onion rings.
Introducing a mixed grill to say thank you to the neighborhood and welcome back and give us a shot-- such a brilliant idea.
That is our special this evening.
I know not one steakhouse this evening anywhere in Queens is serving a beautiful mixed grill.
I love it.
You don't get that anywhere.
That's great.
Eric, anything on the menu you can't do? No, I can do it all.
You can do it all? Okay, I need Eric, Madalyn, and Joe.
Two seconds, please, yes? This is what I do.
Let me do what I do.
Okay, Eric, one thing I need to see is the timing.
Your timing has to be absolutely spot-on.
Tonight's your night.
You have to show me that.
You have to show me.
It's time for Eric to step up to the plate tonight or there's no room for him here.
Okay, you're the owners.
Who's running it tonight? I am.
What are you doing tonight? Salads.
Salads.
I don't want to see you anywhere near the bar.
Run it.
Run it, run it, run it okay? Yeah.
Let's go.
Hi.
How are you? Good evening, and welcome to PJ's.
Table for four? Yes.
Follow me.
We have our grill for two tonight.
Have fun, please.
Smile a lot.
Smile.
Enjoy.
It's called our PJ's mixed grill.
And it has a flank steak on it.
It has lamb sausage.
It comes with grilled chicken.
That's your flank steak right there.
Would you like to start out with one of those? So what can I get you tonight? Mixed grill.
The mixed grill special.
Thank you.
This is unbelievable.
Already, there's a renewed energy going on.
And this mixed grill has got them sort of excited.
But I know it's early days.
However, the big pressure is on Eric and Madalyn.
She has to run the business, and he has to be consistent in the kitchen.
Otherwise, he's history.
A strip a half-rack, two filet--you got a tomato and mozz salad, Joe.
We got to rock tonight.
You ready, bro? It's nice to see my husband off the bar stool, on his feet, and back to work.
Did you just have an order? Yeah.
Well done.
Excellent.
Eric, when we start to send the mixed grill, what I want to do is see half the table in the window without the other half coming at the same time.
Yes, Chef.
Excellent, thank you.
It makes me feel confident when I can hear a Chef's voice behind me, you know that.
Yes, Chef.
Joe, I'm ready for that tomato-mozzarella.
Tomato-mozzarell.
Steak medium.
Slider.
Just lettuce and tomato? I need a pick-up over here.
PJ's mixed grill.
With Joe and Eric working together, food is leaving the kitchen at a good pace.
Here we are.
And now the first mixed grill special is hitting the table.
When the first mixed grills started to go out, you know, you could see people in the dining room looking over and getting excited.
How's everything look? It's really cold.
Everything's cold? This is cold and this is cold.
All right, I'm sorry about that.
And that steak is still rare.
I'll be right back.
Un--believable.
Mushrooms are cold.
Sausage is cold.
This was supposed to be medium.
Oh, come on.
Eric, it's the first one.
It's the first table.
Come on, Eric, please, yeah? Don't let me down, yes? Pick-up on that PJ's mixed grill.
Ordering a salmon.
We got a PJ's mixed grill.
We got a calamari first.
The mixed grill special is extremely popular, with 21 orders already taken.
I need a pick-up over here.
Table 12.
The kitchen has pushed out 14 of them in a hurry.
Here we go.
Now it's time to find out if Chef Ramsay's dish, cooked by Eric, is satisfying the customers.
How is everything? It's terrible.
I'm sorry.
It's freezing cold.
It was raw.
I will be right back, okay? Is everything okay? It's ice-cold.
And I'm sorry.
I'm very sorry about that.
I'll take it right back.
Can he change that for, like, the filet or something? He doesn't like it.
It's just dry.
I'll be right back.
What's wrong with that? Needs to be-- he said it's cold.
Oh, come on.
Does that chicken look pink to you? Yeah, very.
Everything's coming back.
Ah, I'm so lost, man.
He hates it.
Oh, come on.
This is getting worse than last night.
Eric couldn't cook a sausage.
It was Sad.
What's going on here, guys? There's one simple dish on there to make things look somewhat easier.
Yeah, real simple.
Scumbag.
I've never, ever, ever, ever seen it this bad.
I don't care anymore.
Let's stop the madness.
Stop it.
Close the door.
Close the door.
.
.
It's an hour into dinner service, and with food coming back at a ridiculous rate He hates it.
Oh, come on.
Eric completely giving up Chef Ramsay knows he is left with just one choice.
Let's stop the madness.
Stop it.
Close the door.
Close the door.
Close the door.
It was his last shot.
And he didn't perform.
It's a serious problem.
No lie.
Our Chef's walked out.
They're shutting down the kitchen.
After shutting down dinner service, Chef Ramsay calls an emergency meeting with the owners.
You cannot continue like this.
I'm trying my best, and I cannot work with no tools in there.
He's a cook, but he's not a Chef.
There's a lot of money invested here.
And if I have to choose between a future and a Chef, I have to choose the business.
He needs to go.
We need a new kitchen leader.
It was a no-brainer.
Please give me a real Chef.
I am willing to bring a Chef in here and pay personally for that Chef to help turn this business around for the first month.
But that's your decision.
You can't ask for more than that.
You're the owners, and it's your call.
See you in the morning.
We had to make a quick decision.
We couldn't let it linger on.
We had to rip the band-aid off, you know? Come outside.
At this point in time, if I don't do something, it's not gonna be here at all.
I can't lose a million dollars.
You know what? I think it's all .
We should go whatever direction we have to go in.
We got to move on, my friend.
If my not good enough, let 'em find somebody else 'cause I'm done with it.
It's time for a 360, you know? Getting rid of Eric, it was tough.
But what's best for the restaurant is the way I'm gonna go.
He's not the only thing that has to change here.
I need to get back on my feet and start paying attention to the business.
And Joe does also.
It's gotta be becoming about keeping this place open and money.
Joe and I need to keep this place going.
With Chef Eric now out of the picture, Chef Ramsay is ready to present his plan for the new PJ's.
How are we feeling? Great.
It's been a tough week, yes? Time to put all that aside.
This is not just a new chapter.
This is a new book.
Are you ready? Yes? The steakhouse has closed.
PJ's grill is now open.
Look at that.
That's beautiful.
Inviting.
Sumptuous.
Rich.
It's clear.
PJ's grill.
I think it's a wonderful idea.
I think it's perfect for the neighborhood.
Right.
Should we go inside? Yeah.
Yes? Let's go.
The important part of keeping PJ's-- absolutely crucial Oh, my God, Joe.
This area here is dedicated to him.
Now it has a proper meaning.
And more importantly, what a lovely tribute.
It's beautiful.
It brought a tear to my eye, you know? It's a good reminder of why this place is called PJ's.
I feel PJ's presence here today.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Madalyn, Joe, two seconds? I want to introduce you to your new Chef.
This is mark.
Mark elliott, Madalyn the owner.
Lovely to meet you.
And Joe, the owner.
I'm really excited to be here.
Oh, we're excited to have you.
Likewise, mark.
I'm just so excited.
I just can't wait to taste his food.
I just can't wait to see the reaction of the customers.
He knows his food inside-out.
And he knows how to cook.
Let me tell you that.
Yeah, it's a long story.
I'll explain later.
Just having someone new and professional with ideas in this restaurant, it'll motivate and turn things around.
With Joe and Madalyn embracing Chef Ramsay's plan Right.
He now introduces the new menu for PJ's grill.
Time for some dramatic change with the food.
I'm excited about this part.
This is the bit that really gets me fired up.
Quick run through the menu, yes? Small, fresh, casual.
And more importantly, fast.
Irish stew.
Chicken scaloppini.
Classic.
Okay? Steak frites.
We're a grill.
So we got the most amazing grill, the most amazing steak frites.
Okay, happy? Good.
Madalyn, I need two seconds with you, please.
Sure.
Yeah? Come with me, darling.
Good.
Excellent.
There's one last change.
What I need to see from you tonight, more than anything, is just warmth with the customers.
I want the burden off your shoulders tonight.
And the only way around that, okay, was to bring in someone very special.
And it's someone I trust with my restaurant.
This man handles And he's here tonight to help you.
Hey, Gordon.
Come say hello.
Top of the morning.
Nice to meet you.
How are you? How are you, sir? Good.
When you're worried about what's gonna happen next or what to say next or how to handle a situation, there's your buffer.
Don't be scared to ask questions and get out there with it.
Okay? All right.
Chef Ramsay loans his manager to train me.
Is this unbelievable? I only hope we perform with the faith he's giving us, you know? Otherwise, that's the end of it.
It's the big night.
This restaurant has been transformed in 24 hours from a steakhouse to a neighborhood grill.
Even though Chef Ramsay has brought in a new Chef Okay? Yeah, oui, Chef.
Feeling good.
And his own manager Okay, are we all set? PJ's fate still rests with Madalyn and Joe.
This is a huge night for PJ's because people are coming back here for the first time, they're going to sit down to hopefully a new Madalyn and Joe.
We need this launch to go well.
Otherwise, you know, we'll have no choice.
We'll have to close the door.
Good evening.
Hello.
Good evening.
Welcome to PJ's.
How are you guys doing? Delighted to have you with us, okay? Enjoy your evening.
a surprise guest from the past shows up.
Hi, good evening.
How are you? Welcome to PJ's.
I know you.
Do you? I do.
When was the last visit to PJ's? Six months ago.
I boycotted it.
They never cook their steak right.
The service, terrible.
If you have any problems, please, ask for Madalyn right away.
Madalyn.
I was shocked that he's back for a surprise visit, and I hope that we won't disappoint him.
Enjoy.
Please.
This guy had a lot of negative feedback about the restaurant.
The young couple that just walked in, is it? Yes.
Table ten, people that have eaten here before.
They were in your film actually.
So previous customers that complained last time they were here.
So watch that ticket, yeah? Yeah.
Let's go.
Hi, how are you? I'd probably recommend the mixed grill.
The grill does look kind of interesting.
We're gonna try the mixed grill.
Great.
Thank you.
All right, first order-- stuffed mushrooms, house salad, and house salad.
Three of mixed grill.
That's gonna be the hit tonight, kids.
So there are two different temperatures on one mixed grill.
Yeah, we cut the steak in half and leave half of it in there a little bit longer.
I love that flexibility.
Music to my ears.
You're welcome.
How we doing, guys? Very good.
How's that stew? It's good.
You guys have to get this next time.
I'll come back for this.
This is awesome.
With the kitchen functioning in a cohesive and professional manner Isn't that good? Oh, that's good.
Madalyn.
Madalyn is about to get her first of many lessons in proper management.
Madalyn.
What's wrong with this guy? It's ridiculous.
Cut it out.
Don't go.
Please don't go anywhere.
I'll be right back.
Okay.
Okay.
That's it.
That's your last break.
I didn't get the break.
I never left.
Okay, go chase your waiters.
Let's find out.
Come on.
Enda was following me everywhere.
You need to go find out from the kitchen what we have, what we don't have.
There's no one there.
Let's get back in.
Let's check on the table four.
I didn't realize how many places you had to be.
Dinner service is off to a strong start.
We need to find out what's happening with table ten.
But the former customers, whose opinion signifies whether PJ's has really changed Did you eat anything yet? Has yet to be served.
You haven't been fed yet? I'll be right back.
Before this critical customer walks out the door, Madalyn must get her kitchen under control.
Table ten hasn't been fed yet.
What the now? Who's sending food to the wrong tables, guys? Take care.
Thank you.
Oh, .
Oh, .
Table ten.
We're just a little behind right now.
Okay, Chef, they're starving.
So they need something, and they need it now.
Take it, mark.
Let's go.
Please take a breath.
Take the pressure off.
Don't worry.
Working hard.
Give me two minutes.
You okay? Beautiful, baby.
Flank steak, a slider, grilled chicken.
Whoo--that's beautiful.
Yes.
Come here.
Pick-up.
Mixed grill, window.
Let's not take this to the wrong table a second time, please.
Really well-handled with that.
Really well-handled in the kitchen.
Thank you.
Here we are.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Want to dig in? Let's dig in.
Hi, how are you? How's everything? Thank you.
They're happy with the new menu.
They're happy with the food.
He said he was definitely coming back.
Oh, it makes me feel so good.
So good.
So please enjoy your dinner.
Thank you.
Everyone loves everything, man.
Hey, you know what? It's all for you, Joe.
You're a different person when you have confidence in your Chef.
Everybody is rocking and rolling.
Nice job across the board.
I was actually very proud to be owner of PJ's grill.
Chef Ramsay's vision of PJ's grill was realized.
How'd you feel? Great.
It was a team effort that was led by the new Chef, Madalyn, and Joe.
Tonight, PJ's grill served 90 customers who loved the food and, more importantly, are coming back because they've had a great time.
The difference, just with a decent Chef in the kitchen, doing his job that he's paid to do What a weight off your shoulders.
But the most important thing is I saw two owners who were passionate, happy, and dealing with their business.
What Chef Ramsay's done here is incredible.
I don't really know how he knew how to go to the heart of Joe.
But he did.
It's just been unreal.
It's like I just got a fire back, you know? I haven't felt that way in a long time.
This is the first time in a lot of years I feel my brother's looking down on me, you know? Look over my shoulder.
You can do it.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Good night.
During my stay here, it's been dark, rainy, and gloomy.
And I'm not just talking about the weather.
But based on what I saw tonight in this restaurant, I seriously hope that tomorrow the sun shines on PJ's grill and into the future.
'Cause it deserves it.
After Chef Ramsay left, PJ's business did improve, but after a great deal of thought, Joe and Madalyn made the most difficult business decision of their life.
They decided to close PJ's grill and return to the construction business.
Next time on Kitchen Nightmares Throw it out! Get it together, marcelo! Gordon returns to the scene of his greatest confrontations.
Shut your mouth already! Get ready for a night of surprises Oh, my God! As Chef Ramsay finds out what happened to Disgusting.
The restaurants he tried to save.
Is business going well? Do you still hate me? Is there any possibility that you may get back together? We will see it all.
Kata! Who is living the dream, and who turned their kitchen back into a nightmare? Oh, come on.