Kitchen Nightmares (2007) s05e04 Episode Script
Luigi's
Tonight on Kitchen Nightmares, Gordon visits Southern California's Orange County to help an embattled Italian restaurant called Luigi's.
Now, why the you gotta answer back? With two brothers who can't stand to be around each other.
Get the out of here.
And a wife no one can stand to be around.
No, I didn't say that! The fighting at Luigi's is constant.
Okay, it sucks, go! And even the customers aren't spared.
You! It's the most dysfunctional family restaurant You're lying.
Chef Ramsay has ever encountered.
Say the truth! Can he save this family from ruining their restaurant? I feel so bad.
Or is the situation impossible to fix? We are losing the business, do you understand or no? Because of him! It's because of him! You won't believe what happens on the most intense Kitchen Nightmares ever.
I can't take it anymore! What is that? Disgusting crap.
You're done.
I'm done? I'm not in denial! Yes, you are.
Shut the place down.
Get out of here! That is amazing.
I can't take anymore.
I just can't thank you enough.
Anaheim, California, the most populated city in Southern California's famed Orange County by a promising young chef with a dream, Luigi Catizone.
My dream was to always own a restaurant and my dream did come true.
When my father took a loan on his house and we opened this small restaurant.
And with the aid of his father, Dominic, Luigi was able to make the restaurant successful for many years.
Luigi's is definitely an Anaheim staple.
This is our favorite place to go.
Whenever I used to come here as a kid, it was just a really, really great atmosphere.
In 1999, Dominic retired to Italy and brought in his other son, Tony, to help Luigi run the restaurant.
Tony and Luigi have totally different ways of running the restaurant.
There's like two different sets of standards.
Tony, we got half of calamari and fried mozzarella ready.
Tony is a little bit lazy, taking short cuts.
Tony! Whenever Luigi's here, Luigi wants to be more hands-on.
There's more yelling and screaming.
You're interfering with my cooking.
Get the out of here.
I don't agree with the way he runs it and the way he does it.
We start pointing fingers at each other and we fight.
There's a thing called professionalism, man.
And that's not professional.
You can't lose it like that.
I get pissed off a lot of times because Tony gotta take-a more seriously, this job.
You kill him! I get upset.
I yell and say, "you know what, that's not fair.
" Your brother take care of you.
Without your brother, you'd be in the streets.
You'd be homeless! You! You do this to me.
I feel like I'm being pushed to the limit.
Luigi is yelling.
Grace is yelling.
I'm trying to keep my sanity here.
There's too much yelling going on and I get a headache.
There is a lot of drama that goes on here.
That's a.
Everything, no good.
Everything, no good! The arguments and the stress of the restaurant, it does spill over in the dining room a lot.
Diners don't wanna go to this restaurant or any restaurant to get yelled at.
Okay, it sucks! Go! You! I'm gonna go back to Italy! I've been here for years! All right, all right.
Why are you come in here for, to complain or what? Luigi, Tony, Grace, they just can't seem to work together.
You can't go yelling at people like that.
That's wrong.
Oh, bologna.
The guy complained about everything on the dish.
They're neighbors.
They come over here.
You guys are treating 'em like crap! They don't know nothing about food! It's tearing the family apart.
The way the restaurant is going, it's gonna go broke in a month.
We're in debt totaling a million and a half dollars.
I don't know if we're gonna make it.
We gotta see what we gotta do.
It's too much stress.
If I had to close the doors, I would feel like I've failed my father in everything that we worked for together.
I will lose everything that I've worked for all my life.
I don't know if tomorrow I'm gonna make it.
And I don't know if I could pay my bills.
World's gone viral today, and a restaurant's reputation can live or die in seconds on the Internet.
So I'm here in Anaheim visiting Luigi's restaurant.
I'm gonna check out their website.
UhWow.
Uh, this one looks good.
"A young, very talented 22-year-old chef.
" Oh, look at that, "clearly a youthful maestro.
" Well, that's encouraging.
I can't wait to see what's on the inside.
Um, great start.
Hi.
Morning.
Hi, how are you? Hi, welcome to Luigi's.
Joe.
Good to see you.
Joe, good to see you, buddy.
Gordon.
Nice meeting you.
And your position is? I'm a waiter.
Excellent.
And you got a bit of a hot chef in there? Yes, definitely.
Could you go and get him, please? Absolutely.
Thank you.
Wow, look at this place.
Luigi's d'Italia.
Hmm.
Oh, hello, Chef Ramsay, pleasure to meet you.
Gordon, good to see you.
Um, hold on a minute, you're not 22.
I'm 51.
You're 51? I'm reading the latest report on your website, a youthful maestro, in the kitchen.
Do you have a son in there? No, it must be a mistake.
Yeah, this was written in 1981.
No, I have recent reviews too.
What, like, 1984? No, 1991, uh Anyway But if the food was that good back in 1981, how is it today? I think it's better now.
That's great news.
Yeah.
I have a following for 30 years.
And what I do, I am the best there is.
But there are some things that can be changed.
Youthful 22-year-old.
Like the website.
Who else is running the restaurant? My brother, Antonio.
Wow, that's encouraging.
Very encouraging in terms of a proper family-run restaurant.
I have my wife, wow, okay great.
Tony and, uh, my children.
Let's have a little catch up with the family, shall we? Okay.
Yeah? Are all they're here? Yeah, they're all here.
I'd love to meet them.
Bring them out.
They're hiding someplace.
This is my lovely wife, Grace.
Hi, nice to meet you, Grace.
My wife, good to see you, too.
Where are you from? Italy.
This is your wife? Yes.
This is my wife.
Wow, you did well.
And this is? My daughter.
Dominica, daughter.
Okay, wonderful.
And this is? I'm Linda.
My sister -in-law, my brother's wife.
That's my husband, Antonio.
Antonio how are you? I'm very good, um, pleasure to meet you.
Antonio, Tony, what would you like to be called? I go by Tony.
Tony, okay, great.
Tony's great.
Uh, let's sit down and let's have a catch up, shall we? I'm glad that Chef Ramsay is here to help us, because this is a family restaurant and we shouldn't be a split family restaurant.
First of all, I'm here to help.
Uh, I can't help unless I know what went wrong.
What's wrong with the restaurant? We had a phenomenal leader, and the leader was my father.
He was in the front.
Him and I, we were always on the same page.
And where's your father now? Where is he? He's in Italy, retired.
So no one's actually ever stepped into your father's shoes? Well, I have, but I think what has happened is no one has any idea what is needed in this restaurant.
We're in the position to lose everything.
So who runs it now? I'm the guy in charge right now.
Well, no, Iuh you the way we run it is on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, I run the place and then on Thursday nights through Sunday nights, they run the place.
Wow, it's crazy.
How does a family restaurant not run as a family? They don't get along.
Is it true or no? Yeah.
When you have laziness, it's an infection.
What happens is when Tony is here and Linda is here, they have no understanding that number one is the customer.
No sitting around.
No looking at the TV.
Watching TV when customers come? Is that true? I don't think it's true.
I care about this restaurant.
No, I don't think so.
I go to all the tables.
He want to be in the computer, he talk with the computer, come on.
The complaints are the people feel neglected.
Yeah, but there's also complaints like, "I don't wanna come there when she's there.
" Customers don't wanna come when you're working, what's all that about? I don't know.
It's an I'm just asking, listen, I'm, uh she's got people that she kisses ass to and they love her.
She's got other people that she gets blunt in their face and hate her.
Is it right to just basically go up to the customers and just say, "[bleep.]
you, get the out of here.
" No, I don't say that! I don't say, "[bleep.]
you.
" Now, tell him.
Okay! Say the truth! That's what you said.
No, I didn't say "[bleep.]
you.
" This is what happens.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm just trying to figure out what happened.
I mean, I wasn't here.
Did she say, "[bleep.]
you," did she not say, "[bleep.]
you?" I thought she did.
No, I didn't hear.
"you," no.
Oh yeah, she did.
I did not.
What did you hear? She didn't say that.
She said that to you.
You forget.
No, no, she got into why do you gotta forget for? You gotta to be honest! I'm being honest.
You want this guy to help you or not? I'm trying to get him to help well, then, say the way it is.
I am.
No, you're not! You're lying! I'm not lying.
You guys are lying! No, you said, "I think she said, 'you.
'" you think or she did? Okay, I did it.
She did say, "you.
" you are, that's all.
We are losing the business, do you understand or no? Because of him! It's because of him! No, you see? This is why we don't get along.
Within minutes of meeting the family, Chef Ramsay got a quick sample of one of the restaurant's biggest problems.
We are losing the business, do you understand or no? Because of him! It's because of him! No, you see? This is why we don't get along.
Follow me.
Thank you.
Now he's hoping that the food at Luigi's is as good as Luigi says it is.
Uh, wow.
I'm gonna have a good look of the menu.
The menu's huge, right? The menu is huge.
The last I counted, there was Whew.
Okay, great.
Right, let's start off with oh, fried ravioli, love them.
Okay.
Joe, what about the linguini pescatore? Okay.
What is the catch of the day? That's, uh, mahi mahi.
Let's do that.
Absolutely.
Perfect, thank you so much.
Thank you.
Hmm.
Decor's hideous.
It's stuck in a time warp.
It takes me back to 1981.
Okay, I have a fried ravioli for Chef Ramsay.
Fried raviolis for the chef.
My food is the best food that's possibly made.
But the problem with the restaurant is that we're fighting so much.
Fried ravioli.
Okay.
Fried ravioli.
What's inside the ravioli, please? Uh, it's a five-cheese stuffed ravioli.
And the five cheeses are? I'm not sure.
Wow.
It's a pre-made ravioli.
So not homemade? Those are not homemade.
If we don't even make them here, it'd be nice to know what's inside of them.
I'll find out right now for you.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
How's it going? I need to find out what cheeses are in the ravioli.
What cheeses are in the ravioli? Yeah, yeah.
What kind of cheese is in the breaded ravioli? Read the box.
It's a ricotta cheese, Joe.
I think so it's a ricotta cheese.
Oh my God.
Ugh.
Horrible.
There's something deep fried, frozen.
It doesn't even taste like cheese.
, no.
You got a whole whey and you got American grana.
And a skim cheese.
Yeah.
Okay, perfect.
You got it? Thank you, yes.
Yeah, not good.
Chef Ramsay, I checked on the cheeses for you.
Uh, mascarpone.
Mascarpone.
Ricotta.
Ricotta.
Uh, also, American grana, something called a cheese whey and culture blend.
Where the is that from in Italy? I don'tI have no idea where that's from.
Ooh.
And a, uh, skim cheese.
Skimmed cheese in a fried ravioli? What does that mean? It's fat-free cheese, dipped in fat.
Dipped in fat, yeah.
Okay, thank you.
Okay.
Skimmed cheese in a fried ravioli.
Oh, pots and pans.
Is this nice, or Yeah, it looks good.
Hey, uh, Joe! Mahi mahi.
Here, I'll bring it out to him.
Oh, dear.
Chef, this is the fish special.
It's the mahi mahi.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Hmm.
Hmm, it's mush.
Bland, greasy, no seasoning.
The fish is dreadful.
This is a special fish? Yes, that is the special fish.
Will you taste it for me? It tastes like a mush.
Almost like it's sort of old.
The food just isn't the way it used to be.
With all the fighting going on, the standards and the quality, everything, it tanked.
And that's special? Holy crap.
Okay.
Uh, he said that this one right here, the fish was just dreadful.
It's all right.
I'm still hungry any way.
I can eat that.
I absolutely think he's wrong about the mahi mahi.
I thought it was perfectly fine.
It was just the way it's supposed to be.
That's from the mouth of a chef that knows taste probably more, okay? I know, I am that guy's up here and I'm down here.
What do I know if he cooks good or not? I don't know, that's his opinion.
I don't want you to feel bad because I don't feel bad.
All right.
I'm waiting for his opinion.
What the hell? Chef Ramsay is here to help us, and my brother takes this attitude that it's all complaints.
It's not.
You gotta listen to those complaints and keep your mouth shut.
So everything is atrocious, Chef? Are you tasting the food? Yeah.
You are, yes? The fish was cooked properly, it was fresh.
Yeah, it's mush.
It tastes excellent to me.
Okay, let me finish this, thank you.
I don't need a guy to tell me that my food sucks.
If you don't like the food, then get the out of here.
The linguini pescatore.
Ugh.
What the hell is that? Not what I'd have done to the calamari.
I would've dumped these bits.
More tentacles here than there are in sea world.
That tastes as bad as it looks.
Mussels and the clams were grainy, and calamari had a weird texture to it.
Chef, how are you doing with the pescatore? I'm struggling.
Struggling? I'm struggling.
Yeah, I mean, I certainly don't get that taste of Italy, let me tell you that.
No.
And the sauce is so weak, and it tastes disgusting.
Um, are we done? Yes.
You can't make everyone happy in life.
That's why we need help.
Who gives a.
I don't kiss anybody's ass.
Take me into the kitchen.
I haven't had anyone come in to my restaurant and say, "Luigi, you don't know what the hell your doing?" And not even Chef Ramsay gets to do that.
I'm frustrated.
I wish I could say that was an enjoyable lunch.
The deep fried ravioli with skinny cheese.
Mm-hmm.
Why'd you put that on the menu? To give it to the Americans.
Come on.
Come on, I'm not laughing now.
The fish special, that was overcooked and it was bland.
That was a that was a perfect dish, don't tell me that, come on.
It was like cat food.
Linguini pescatore.
That one there is the best dish on the menu.
It was signature dish when I opened the restaurant.
I stick by my food.
I've been sticking for it over Yeah, that's the problem there.
You've been doing the exact same food for years.
I haven't had a challenge in 30 years.
No one's ever challenged me.
You're the first one.
Listen.
You've lost your sparkle.
I don't believe this is the same man that was the young maestro that was written about There's something missing.
I don't know what it is on the back of the fragmented relationship you've got with your brother, but the heart's gone.
There's got to be some magic somewhere inside that was once there.
But I need it back.
He can't tell me that I don't know what the hell I'm doing in my kitchen.
I've been doing it for 30 years.
After being truly disappointed with Luigi's dishes and his attitude at lunch Chef Ramsay is hoping to see something positive during dinner service.
Welcome to Luigi's.
What I can I get for you? I want to have the ravioli.
The fettuccini delicata.
I'll be right back, get your appetizers started, okay? Uh, where's Tony? Give me your number, so we can play some golf.
Yeah, I'm playing maybe Saturday morning, yeah.
Tony is more like easy-going, not take-a serious, the business job.
There's only seven years between you and Luigi.
How come you haven't got a grey hair, and he's got all the grey hair? I try to relax more.
He's a stressful guy.
You see what happens.
But you don't look like a guy that carries pressure.
I try not to.
Penne, a side of penne with sausages.
I'm gonna show Chef Ramsay that my kitchen runs like a machine, like a smooth machine.
Food is just coming around to 1,000 mile an hour.
Not one chef has tasted anything.
The food always get thrown out like that? The kitchen really pumps food, yeah.
They'rethey're fast.
Fast and dangerous.
While food may be going out to diners with lightning speed, the sauce is kind of watery.
What's wrong with that? He said he doesn't like the sauce on the gnocchi.
It's also coming back just as quickly.
Oh, no.
What's wrong with that now? They didn't like the flavor of the meatballs.
But they're solid.
Show me the ugh, and dry as.
And Luigi is not taking the returns very well.
The lady wanted the gnocchis to be more like fluffy, like light.
Lighter than that? I mean, why don't we put feathers on them? We've been making gnocchi for Oh, my God.
It's getting worse.
You're falling asleep, I don't have any garlic, I don't have any mushroom.
Luigi back in the kitchen, it's kind of scary, 'cause we never know if he's gonna snap and yell at us for something.
Now, why you got to answer back and you don't get the mushrooms, that's all, like I told you.
It's over there.
Okay, put them over there.
That's it, you never said that's all you got to do, is put the [bleep.]
job over there and continue to work.
That's okay, everything okay.
Don't worry about it.
Don't worry about it, nothing happened.
- Wow.
Customers pay extra for that? You've work before with two people and you making you can't make it now with three.
Just let it go.
Chef.
Oh, no.
What's wrong with that now? Uh, they said too chewy, too chewy.
Nobody tastes anything before it goes out? I didn't taste this one.
One complaint screws up my whole kitchen, it slows everything down, that's the way it is, one.
Can I have all the complaints at one time? What's wrong with you? Whatwhat complaints? No, I'm a chef.
You know better than me.
If you're the chef yeah, I know.
I knowbut you seem to what disrupt your kitchen most of all? Sure.
What does? The arrogance what complaints? The arrogance what complaints, when it's not true.
The arrogance of the chef.
Yes, any arrogance.
The question was you're an arrogant chef, just like me, worse than me.
, why are you shouting at me? I'm not shouting at you.
You're not shouting at me? That's right.
Then you're a little bit crazy? I'm a little crazy.
'Cause you are shouting.
I'm always crazy.
Why don't you come here and show me how it's done, chef? You do it.
No, you know better than me.
It's just halfway into dinner service.
Why don't you come here and show me how it's done, Chef? You do it.
No, you know better than me.
But after a series of complaints Luigi has had enough.
Has he? No, he's not gone.
He's gone.
Well, he's walked off the line.
He's not gone.
Yeah.
Well, I'm gonna go back and find him.
Man, you got to unders man.
He'she's not the guy is what he is, and he's a English bastard is what he is, all right? Yeah.
But he's being honest with us.
He's not being honest with us.
That's a bunch of Yeah, he is.
It's not a bunch of [bleep.]
, man.
This restaurant is both our restaurant, so I wanna patch things up.
I wanna get along with him.
He's my brother and I want the best for him.
I think you got to go back in there and finish this night off, man.
Don't have no- down from that [bleep.]
, man.
I'm not backing down, just taking a break.
I'm right now.
All right.
Come here.
Yeah.
Read that out underneath.
"The best Italian food west of Italy.
" Yeah.
It's still the best food west of Italy.
You put your food against mine any time you want.
Really? I've worked with more chefs than you can imagine in the past the way you performed tonight, tell me that is a man that is in control of his kitchen, and when I come out and read that [bleep.]
, I'm pissed off.
For you and your customers.
It's 2011.
Unfortunately Luigi, no one [bleep.]
told you.
That's my opinion of tonight's service.
Well, what the are we supposed to do, man? Chef, all I gotta say is I need your help on this.
We should wake up.
Can you help me or not? Wake me up? There's something quite remarkable about how hard you work, but I want you working smarter, not harder.
When you come down and come back to 2011, you've got me.
World famous Italian family restaurant? me.
After discovering how dysfunctional Luigi's really is Good morning.
Good morning, Chef.
How are you? Are you good? Chef Ramsay knows the brothers and their wives need a wake-up call, and he knows just how to do that.
So when was the last time you had a meeting? Well, a meeting with all of the staff? Never.
Five years? Never.
Never, never, never.
Never.
Wow.
Never.
Four of you need one voice put across to all of your staff.
Come through to the kitchen.
Come with me.
I want you to watch something very, very interesting.
Just stay here.
I'll see you in a minute.
Thank you.
Wow, never.
Morning.
Good morning.
Come in, come in, come in.
Hello, Chef.
Good morning.
Take a take a seat, please.
Okay.
I asked you here this morning because I've never seen a restaurant operate the way this one does.
And I can't start to fix anything unless I know what the problems are.
I'm just gonna be honest.
When you go back to the kitchen and tell Tony, go say hello Yeah.
Or, you know, whoever, the client is complaining about this, you get a big fight.
If the people tell you they don't like it, you can't have Luigi, "what do you mean they don't like it? What's wrong with it?" Sorry, I know it's your food, your recipe, and that must be kind of tough to, like, take criticism, but you're gonna have to, like, bend your will a little bit to what the customer wants.
Yeah.
Somebody needs to taste the food before it comes out.
We should been checking the quality of the food in the back two years ago, three years ago.
It's been declining in your mind for the last two years? Yes, absolutely.
I get stressed out when I come to work.
Why? It's just the atmosphere, the complete vibe that we get, the disorganization that we have.
There is no structure.
It's reallyit comes from the top.
We're the top.
We're not organized at all.
How fragmented is it? It's just like Grace and Luigi versus my mom and Tony.
It's very separate.
The conflict with these two families, the clients can feel it.
And who wants to go to a place where the atmosphere is not the most pleasant? So the conflict with the family is spilling into the dining room.
Yes, sir.
Do you agree? Absolutely.
The yelling and screaming.
And who's yelling primarily, who is it? Easily, I think the biggest yeller is Grace.
I never know if I'm gonna walk in and she's gonna be smiling, or sometimes she'll have a frown on her face and start yelling and completely go off the handle.
She's very unpredictable.
Very unpredictable, yeah.
Can I get out of here? I don't wanna hear this.
They're saying what they say.
You have to let other people talk.
She gets like really mad and start telling you things thatfirst of all, they're embarrassing for other customers and second of all, they're not professional.
That's destroying everyone's confidence.
I feel this big.
This is all about, all are lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie.
No, there's a lot of things they've not said.
That's all.
I know you get offended, but that's okay.
Because they're not true.
Linda, look what she said.
Has anyone sat down and spoken to her? I'm just afraid to say anything to her because I don't know if she's gonna yell at me.
Could she not take criticism? No.
She can't take criticism? No, she can't.
Nothing.
No.
No criticism whatsoever.
Come on.
Listen to what they have to say.
No, I don't wanna hear it anymore.
And if she does change her mind, she'll say that she didn't change it, that she's always thought that.
It's crazy.
Okay.
UhJust stay here for a second.
One moment, please.
All right.
I don't care anymore.
I don't care about the restaurant.
I feel like everybody against me.
They're talking lies in front of you.
They're stab your back.
Why I gotta work here? I wanted just to quit.
I don't think I wanna be here anymore.
I feel so bad.
What's the matter? Nothing.
Talk to me.
No, I can't talk.
I just wanna quit.
That's it.
I wanna leave.
I don't wanna be owner of this restaurant.
No, that's no, no, no.
No, I get people talking bad about me.
No, I can't take it.
Why they care about more the restaurant? Stay calm.
I work here.
Grace.
I yell all the time? Grace.
No, look at me.
No, I just I can't take anymore.
Look at me.
I can't take anymore! Grace.
Grace, Grace.
No, I can't take this.
Grace, listen to me.
Listen to me.
I can't take anymore.
Chef Ramsay has arranged a way for the owners to hear how the staff feels about their behavior.
I just wanna quit.
That's it.
I wanna leave.
I don't wanna be owner of this restaurant.
No, that's no, no, no.
And it's all too much for Grace to handle.
Listen to me.
I can't take anymore.
Come here.
I can't take anymore! Grace, Grace, Grace.
No, I can't take all this Listen to me.
No.
Listen to me.
I can't take anymore.
Grace, I'm sorry.
My employees? No, that's not fair.
Grace.
That is not fair.
They are here for you.
No, they are against me.
No.
No.
No, nada.
They talk bad about me.
That's not true.
They are liars.
Grace, that is the feeling of your team, and they are here for you.
And you have to listen to them.
We cannot start to fix this restaurant unless we fix each other first.
So I'm sorry you feel this upset, but that's the first time you've seen the way you affect them.
It's okay, that's okay.
But let's just stay calm and let's go and have a meeting together and talk as a family.
Okay.
Okay? All right, thank you.
Let's go.
I think Grace needed to hear all these criticisms.
She's still a little bit in denial of the way that she is and how it intimidates other people.
I think eventually she will come through, but, uh, it's gonna be hard for her.
You take a seat.
Just a big deep breath.
The owners were listening.
The minute I walked in here, I could feel the level of intensity.
It was it was depressing.
Nobody was being honest with each other.
And if we continue to fall along these lines and remain broken, this restaurant is gonna close.
And whether you like it or not, you're all tied together.
And if we can't work and communicate together as a family, then you shouldn't be in business because it's unfair.
It's unfair.
One thing we are gonna do from this day on is work together.
Can everyone agree on that? Yes.
Yes.
Good.
Past is past.
Okay? See, look, that smile.
I was kind of already almost give up.
I know the truth hurts, but I know it can help us and we're getting better.
Thank you.
Thank you.
After an emotional breakthrough as a result of the staff meeting After you.
Let's go, let's go.
Let's go, let's go.
Chef Ramsay has an idea on how to get the family working together again.
When you think of Italy, you think of spicy sausage.
Yes.
Yes.
When was the last time we made a spicy sausage? When I was a younger girl, yeah.
Oh, you used to make sausage with your parents? Notoh, yeah, always, yeah.
Oh, really? Yeah.
I was 10 years old when I started to make sausage with my parents.
Where, that's in? In Calabria.
Calabria.
I feel like I'm back a young girl.
Okay, so tonight we'll make a brand-new delicious Luigi sausage, yeah? I'll start off slowly grinding.
How big do you like your sausage? Mm, they're making me hungry.
My job was to stuff the sausage, so I love it.
And, you know, in Italy, the sausage brings the family together.
It's a nice feeling, right? Yeah.
So when was the last time you all spent time in the kitchen together? When was that? Never.
Never.
Wow.
This peace that we are trying to get to right now is long overdue.
When my father was here, we were a happy, happy place.
It's been too many years and too many frustrations going on.
I want you two, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, to make the rest of them.
Luigi and I are gonna go and cook, okay? All right.
Nice.
Just to see, like, Tony and Grace working together making sausage, gave me a little bit of hope.
It's a beautiful thing.
Masking me feel young.
It's very fun.
Sausages in.
For the sauce, I'm gonna make it like some nice, sort of rich ragu.
Hmm, fresh.
Fresh like you, huh, chef? Oh, yes.
Working next to Chef Ramsay is a great, great opportunity.
The way that he works and the passion that he has, it makes me, uh, me light a fire and say, "why can't I do that, like I used to think in the old days?" I would love to be in the kitchen here when you were 22, you know that? Yeah, it would have been fun.
Can you imagine? I started to realize, I still have the passion.
Right, are you ready? I'm ready.
Yeah, done, a la 21st century.
Just a little taste.
Simple, fresh, Italian fare.
Jump in.
Mmm.
Oh, man, that's awesome.
Me and Grace worked hard on the sausages.
I feel as though it's just a first, little baby step, and I can be better.
I want to be better.
Good job.
My gosh, unbelievable.
Yeah, very good, I gotta try it.
Oh, my gosh.
Too good.
Now that Chef Ramsay has seen a glimmer of hope with the family working together Luigi, we are relaunching this restaurant tomorrow.
He has o more surprise in store to make sure Tony and Luigi stay united.
I want all of you right now to watch something.
Listen.
Good night.
It's been five years since I've seen my father.
I miss him, I love him.
I wish I was close to them.
Seeing my dad remind me of the past, remind of where we came from and how we started and why we started this kind of business, you know, why we we're in it.
It puts it back in perspective.
We got to dig deep, you know what I mean? This place could do what it needs to be able to do.
Whatever it takes.
Starting tomorrow.
Tomorrow you'll see a new Luigi, I guarantee it.
After arranging for an emotional message from Luigi and Tony's father, Chef Ramsay and his team worked through the night to bring a little piece of Italy to Luigi's.
Good morning.
Morning.
Today, we start off with a new attitude, a new restaurant, and a new beginning.
Are you ready to see the new Luigi's? Yes.
On the count of three oneTwo Three! Oh! Oh, my God.
Oh, wow.
Welcome to new Luigi's.
No.
No way.
Oh, my God.
Wow.
Oh, my gosh.
Everything has been themed as if we're on this amazing trip to Italy.
It's appealing, it's vibrant, and just got that rustic, Italian charm.
Beautiful.
Oh, my God.
Gone is the clutter.
Gone are those horrible booths.
Now we have this wonderful, nice, family-style banquet seating.
Look at the tables.
Underneath, we got the Luigi's stamp of approval.
Beautiful, beautiful, Chef.
Oh, my God.
Even the napkins have got your stamp on there.
Grace, what you think? Unbelievable, unbelievable.
Wow.
I remember now how it was with my dad, and how hard we worked to get this restaurant started.
Luigi, you are quiet.
I get nervous when you're quiet.
No, I'm very, very happy, Chef.
You're the best.
You're the best.
Thank you, Chef, thank you so much.
Listen.
I hope that you are reenergized.
You are the best.
Come on, you're the best.
Oh, oh, with a little cuddle.
I didn't know you gave them out.
I know, you're the best.
This is just a dream.
I'm dreaming.
I'm asleep.
It's unbelievable.
It's a new Luigi's.
I need to give another hug.
Oh, God.
Look at Tony! Are you happy? Yeah! Okay, good.
Make Daddy! Whoo! After giving the restaurant the much-needed makeover, Chef Ramsay has also given the menu a dramatic makeove well.
Welcome to the new menu.
It's fresh.
It's seasonal, and it's exciting.
Oh, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
Wow, yum.
What have done? We've simplified it.
And mad made it manageable and delicious, okay? Let's start off with the appetizers.
A lovely bowl of seasonal minestrone with a fresh Pesto.
The pasta dish is down the bottom, yes.
Linguine el clam, delicious.
And then finally, baked salmon for a light take on supper.
When are we start to eat? Let me finish, please.
I'm sorry.
Is she always like this? Always.
One thing you do deserve, Luigi, yeah, is a medal for being married to Grace.
Okay.
Get some knife and forks, jump in and get tasting.
Mangiare, mangiare.
Oh, wow.
It's very good.
Mmm.
So good.
The short rib is awesome.
The short ribs is good.
It reminds me of stuff mom used to make.
The new menu is amazing.
I love it.
I think this is a slice of authentic Italy in Anaheim.
Lasagna, that's one, really good.
We have the restaurant that looks like a modern place.
We have a new menu.
Mmm.
Everybody is smiling.
Everybody's happy again.
I really feel fantastic.
Everything is excellent.
I'll be proud to serve this food.
Welcome to the new Luigi's.
It's relaunch night at Luigi's.
We are serving the new menu.
So would you like to start off with any appetizers? The calamari.
Want to try the calamari? And for the first time in a long time, there's positive energy in the restaurant.
Luigi cooks.
Tony, you expedite.
Right, right, right.
Right, Chef.
Let's get those first orders in, please.
I don't want Luigi panicking.
I'm gonna get spaghetti and meatballs.
Homemade sausage.
I want the calamari, I'll get that.
Here we go.
So order in.
First one.
Order in, one order fried calamari, one linguine pescatora Chef Ramsay has lit up another fire within me that's gonna burn for a long time.
Hey, let's go, let's go, guys.
Luigi, lovely.
Much better like that.
Pescatora.
Order up.
Calamari? Bruschetta.
So good.
With Luigi producing stunning dishes in the kitchen, diners are thrilled with Chef Ramsay's new menu.
That's delicious.
And the kitchen is having no trouble keeping up with the demand.
Pescatora, pescatora.
Let's go, they got to pick up, pick up! Oh, where's Tony? They're working on it.
Tony? Tony? All right, I'll be right there.
Look at all this Food.
Food has been sitting here forever! So let's go! While food is getting to the hot plate in a timely manner I don't know where any of this food goes.
Tony and Luigi have stopped coordinating.
And the logjam in the kitchen is not sitting well with diners.
Where's Tony? They're working on it.
I need my brother to come in and give me some help.
I get frustrated and I get mad.
I want to kill the guy.
Tony, what's going on? Let's go, let's pick up the pace.
It's relaunch night.
And while the kitchen continues to produce food Tony, what's going on? Let's pick up the pace.
All right, I'll be right there.
A lack of communication between the brothers has resulted in food sitting on the pass and not at diner's tables.
It's getting cold.
Tony, service, please, let's go.
Luigi, you have to keep this together.
If you start screaming, I'll kick you out.
If I lose my cool again in front of the customers it's definitely gonna cost my business.
All right, let's go, let's go, let's go.
I got to learn to take a deep breath and get it back together.
Tony, look at me, look at me now.
We're producing unique food d it's dying.
He's cooking, you can't stand there like a lemon.
You gotta help him a little bit.
We can't cook like this and let the food die in the window.
I need you expediting.
Talk to each other.
Start pushing the food out.
Let's go.
I need a fried calamari on that one.
Ordering, one calamari! Hey, Dominica! Dominica, take this, they're right here, table 41.
Now it sounds like a kitchen.
We got some voices in there.
I still need one more pescatore.
With Tony now concentrating on expediting What else we got? Baked salmon and a chicken parm.
Wonderful, wonderful.
Luigi is free to focus on the quality and the consistency of the food.
Bon appetit.
Enjoy! Oh, he made it for you.
Thank you, thank you.
We have a fettuccini Alfredo.
And diners are once again enjoying the new Luigi's.
That is really good.
It is.
Special, okay.
Thank you, chef.
There you go.
We're finally leaving the negativity and the fighting behind us.
Good things will come with good attitude.
This first step was great.
Is that the last entree gone? Yes, sir.
Okay.
Tonight, we took a baby step forward in a right direction.
Slow start, the customers were happy.
And yes, we were a little bit like headless chickens.
But you showed you had passion, yes? Yep.
The passion is back in Luigi's! Yeah.
Whoo.
Good.
Two brothers, step forward.
Look at you two.
Honestly, that's exactly what I wanna see.
You've made the critical first step, but stay on it.
Stay on that path.
Having chef bring us together is something special.
The brothers need to be bonded.
I think my father would be very proud.
Love is back at Luigi's.
Stay together.
You make him look good and you make him look good.
Thank you very much, Chef Ramsay.
You're the prince in white shining armor.
You walked into our place and you gave us hope and courage again.
Let's give a hand for the chef.
Thank you, Chef.
Thank you very much.
Good night, Chef.
No screaming.
No screaming, okay? Stay on it.
Whoo! Wow.
I have never, in all the years of Kitchen Nightmares, seen a more explosive family situation than here at Luigi's.
They were so busy fighting each other the reputation of the restaurant went completely downhill.
This week, we moved them forward 30 years.
But unless this family stays united, Luigi's has no chanceand I mean no chanceof success.
In the weeks that followed, Luigi's received a rave review from The OC Weekly.
"The revamped dining room was slammed.
All sorts of delights passed us by.
" Yeah, this is fantastic.
- And the restaurant is regaining the reputation it once held in the community.
It smells really good.
Yeah, yeah.
You've got work to do.
Thank you.
Wow, that's Luigi.
And unbelievably Awesome.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
The family is working together in harmony.
Beautiful sausage! Beautiful! Chef Ramsay has brought the family together again, and my father in Italy is gonna be proud of us.
Fantastic.
We put all our differences aside, and I think we're gonna build a new, bright future for all of us.
Next time on Kitchen Nightmares.
Chef Ramsay returns to some of the most unforgettable restaurants he tried to turn around.
Why don't you get the out of my restaurant! Want me to go? I would love you to go.
Classic American, owned by best friends, on the verge of losing it all.
I feel like I've failed.
I've tried hard.
Davide, run by two brothers at war with each other.
I'm pissed over the You put me through.
Oh, my God! And finally, who can forget Abby from downcity? you and get out of my restaurant! See how they're doing now.
That's next time on Kitchen Nightmares.
Now, why the you gotta answer back? With two brothers who can't stand to be around each other.
Get the out of here.
And a wife no one can stand to be around.
No, I didn't say that! The fighting at Luigi's is constant.
Okay, it sucks, go! And even the customers aren't spared.
You! It's the most dysfunctional family restaurant You're lying.
Chef Ramsay has ever encountered.
Say the truth! Can he save this family from ruining their restaurant? I feel so bad.
Or is the situation impossible to fix? We are losing the business, do you understand or no? Because of him! It's because of him! You won't believe what happens on the most intense Kitchen Nightmares ever.
I can't take it anymore! What is that? Disgusting crap.
You're done.
I'm done? I'm not in denial! Yes, you are.
Shut the place down.
Get out of here! That is amazing.
I can't take anymore.
I just can't thank you enough.
Anaheim, California, the most populated city in Southern California's famed Orange County by a promising young chef with a dream, Luigi Catizone.
My dream was to always own a restaurant and my dream did come true.
When my father took a loan on his house and we opened this small restaurant.
And with the aid of his father, Dominic, Luigi was able to make the restaurant successful for many years.
Luigi's is definitely an Anaheim staple.
This is our favorite place to go.
Whenever I used to come here as a kid, it was just a really, really great atmosphere.
In 1999, Dominic retired to Italy and brought in his other son, Tony, to help Luigi run the restaurant.
Tony and Luigi have totally different ways of running the restaurant.
There's like two different sets of standards.
Tony, we got half of calamari and fried mozzarella ready.
Tony is a little bit lazy, taking short cuts.
Tony! Whenever Luigi's here, Luigi wants to be more hands-on.
There's more yelling and screaming.
You're interfering with my cooking.
Get the out of here.
I don't agree with the way he runs it and the way he does it.
We start pointing fingers at each other and we fight.
There's a thing called professionalism, man.
And that's not professional.
You can't lose it like that.
I get pissed off a lot of times because Tony gotta take-a more seriously, this job.
You kill him! I get upset.
I yell and say, "you know what, that's not fair.
" Your brother take care of you.
Without your brother, you'd be in the streets.
You'd be homeless! You! You do this to me.
I feel like I'm being pushed to the limit.
Luigi is yelling.
Grace is yelling.
I'm trying to keep my sanity here.
There's too much yelling going on and I get a headache.
There is a lot of drama that goes on here.
That's a.
Everything, no good.
Everything, no good! The arguments and the stress of the restaurant, it does spill over in the dining room a lot.
Diners don't wanna go to this restaurant or any restaurant to get yelled at.
Okay, it sucks! Go! You! I'm gonna go back to Italy! I've been here for years! All right, all right.
Why are you come in here for, to complain or what? Luigi, Tony, Grace, they just can't seem to work together.
You can't go yelling at people like that.
That's wrong.
Oh, bologna.
The guy complained about everything on the dish.
They're neighbors.
They come over here.
You guys are treating 'em like crap! They don't know nothing about food! It's tearing the family apart.
The way the restaurant is going, it's gonna go broke in a month.
We're in debt totaling a million and a half dollars.
I don't know if we're gonna make it.
We gotta see what we gotta do.
It's too much stress.
If I had to close the doors, I would feel like I've failed my father in everything that we worked for together.
I will lose everything that I've worked for all my life.
I don't know if tomorrow I'm gonna make it.
And I don't know if I could pay my bills.
World's gone viral today, and a restaurant's reputation can live or die in seconds on the Internet.
So I'm here in Anaheim visiting Luigi's restaurant.
I'm gonna check out their website.
UhWow.
Uh, this one looks good.
"A young, very talented 22-year-old chef.
" Oh, look at that, "clearly a youthful maestro.
" Well, that's encouraging.
I can't wait to see what's on the inside.
Um, great start.
Hi.
Morning.
Hi, how are you? Hi, welcome to Luigi's.
Joe.
Good to see you.
Joe, good to see you, buddy.
Gordon.
Nice meeting you.
And your position is? I'm a waiter.
Excellent.
And you got a bit of a hot chef in there? Yes, definitely.
Could you go and get him, please? Absolutely.
Thank you.
Wow, look at this place.
Luigi's d'Italia.
Hmm.
Oh, hello, Chef Ramsay, pleasure to meet you.
Gordon, good to see you.
Um, hold on a minute, you're not 22.
I'm 51.
You're 51? I'm reading the latest report on your website, a youthful maestro, in the kitchen.
Do you have a son in there? No, it must be a mistake.
Yeah, this was written in 1981.
No, I have recent reviews too.
What, like, 1984? No, 1991, uh Anyway But if the food was that good back in 1981, how is it today? I think it's better now.
That's great news.
Yeah.
I have a following for 30 years.
And what I do, I am the best there is.
But there are some things that can be changed.
Youthful 22-year-old.
Like the website.
Who else is running the restaurant? My brother, Antonio.
Wow, that's encouraging.
Very encouraging in terms of a proper family-run restaurant.
I have my wife, wow, okay great.
Tony and, uh, my children.
Let's have a little catch up with the family, shall we? Okay.
Yeah? Are all they're here? Yeah, they're all here.
I'd love to meet them.
Bring them out.
They're hiding someplace.
This is my lovely wife, Grace.
Hi, nice to meet you, Grace.
My wife, good to see you, too.
Where are you from? Italy.
This is your wife? Yes.
This is my wife.
Wow, you did well.
And this is? My daughter.
Dominica, daughter.
Okay, wonderful.
And this is? I'm Linda.
My sister -in-law, my brother's wife.
That's my husband, Antonio.
Antonio how are you? I'm very good, um, pleasure to meet you.
Antonio, Tony, what would you like to be called? I go by Tony.
Tony, okay, great.
Tony's great.
Uh, let's sit down and let's have a catch up, shall we? I'm glad that Chef Ramsay is here to help us, because this is a family restaurant and we shouldn't be a split family restaurant.
First of all, I'm here to help.
Uh, I can't help unless I know what went wrong.
What's wrong with the restaurant? We had a phenomenal leader, and the leader was my father.
He was in the front.
Him and I, we were always on the same page.
And where's your father now? Where is he? He's in Italy, retired.
So no one's actually ever stepped into your father's shoes? Well, I have, but I think what has happened is no one has any idea what is needed in this restaurant.
We're in the position to lose everything.
So who runs it now? I'm the guy in charge right now.
Well, no, Iuh you the way we run it is on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, I run the place and then on Thursday nights through Sunday nights, they run the place.
Wow, it's crazy.
How does a family restaurant not run as a family? They don't get along.
Is it true or no? Yeah.
When you have laziness, it's an infection.
What happens is when Tony is here and Linda is here, they have no understanding that number one is the customer.
No sitting around.
No looking at the TV.
Watching TV when customers come? Is that true? I don't think it's true.
I care about this restaurant.
No, I don't think so.
I go to all the tables.
He want to be in the computer, he talk with the computer, come on.
The complaints are the people feel neglected.
Yeah, but there's also complaints like, "I don't wanna come there when she's there.
" Customers don't wanna come when you're working, what's all that about? I don't know.
It's an I'm just asking, listen, I'm, uh she's got people that she kisses ass to and they love her.
She's got other people that she gets blunt in their face and hate her.
Is it right to just basically go up to the customers and just say, "[bleep.]
you, get the out of here.
" No, I don't say that! I don't say, "[bleep.]
you.
" Now, tell him.
Okay! Say the truth! That's what you said.
No, I didn't say "[bleep.]
you.
" This is what happens.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm just trying to figure out what happened.
I mean, I wasn't here.
Did she say, "[bleep.]
you," did she not say, "[bleep.]
you?" I thought she did.
No, I didn't hear.
"you," no.
Oh yeah, she did.
I did not.
What did you hear? She didn't say that.
She said that to you.
You forget.
No, no, she got into why do you gotta forget for? You gotta to be honest! I'm being honest.
You want this guy to help you or not? I'm trying to get him to help well, then, say the way it is.
I am.
No, you're not! You're lying! I'm not lying.
You guys are lying! No, you said, "I think she said, 'you.
'" you think or she did? Okay, I did it.
She did say, "you.
" you are, that's all.
We are losing the business, do you understand or no? Because of him! It's because of him! No, you see? This is why we don't get along.
Within minutes of meeting the family, Chef Ramsay got a quick sample of one of the restaurant's biggest problems.
We are losing the business, do you understand or no? Because of him! It's because of him! No, you see? This is why we don't get along.
Follow me.
Thank you.
Now he's hoping that the food at Luigi's is as good as Luigi says it is.
Uh, wow.
I'm gonna have a good look of the menu.
The menu's huge, right? The menu is huge.
The last I counted, there was Whew.
Okay, great.
Right, let's start off with oh, fried ravioli, love them.
Okay.
Joe, what about the linguini pescatore? Okay.
What is the catch of the day? That's, uh, mahi mahi.
Let's do that.
Absolutely.
Perfect, thank you so much.
Thank you.
Hmm.
Decor's hideous.
It's stuck in a time warp.
It takes me back to 1981.
Okay, I have a fried ravioli for Chef Ramsay.
Fried raviolis for the chef.
My food is the best food that's possibly made.
But the problem with the restaurant is that we're fighting so much.
Fried ravioli.
Okay.
Fried ravioli.
What's inside the ravioli, please? Uh, it's a five-cheese stuffed ravioli.
And the five cheeses are? I'm not sure.
Wow.
It's a pre-made ravioli.
So not homemade? Those are not homemade.
If we don't even make them here, it'd be nice to know what's inside of them.
I'll find out right now for you.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
How's it going? I need to find out what cheeses are in the ravioli.
What cheeses are in the ravioli? Yeah, yeah.
What kind of cheese is in the breaded ravioli? Read the box.
It's a ricotta cheese, Joe.
I think so it's a ricotta cheese.
Oh my God.
Ugh.
Horrible.
There's something deep fried, frozen.
It doesn't even taste like cheese.
, no.
You got a whole whey and you got American grana.
And a skim cheese.
Yeah.
Okay, perfect.
You got it? Thank you, yes.
Yeah, not good.
Chef Ramsay, I checked on the cheeses for you.
Uh, mascarpone.
Mascarpone.
Ricotta.
Ricotta.
Uh, also, American grana, something called a cheese whey and culture blend.
Where the is that from in Italy? I don'tI have no idea where that's from.
Ooh.
And a, uh, skim cheese.
Skimmed cheese in a fried ravioli? What does that mean? It's fat-free cheese, dipped in fat.
Dipped in fat, yeah.
Okay, thank you.
Okay.
Skimmed cheese in a fried ravioli.
Oh, pots and pans.
Is this nice, or Yeah, it looks good.
Hey, uh, Joe! Mahi mahi.
Here, I'll bring it out to him.
Oh, dear.
Chef, this is the fish special.
It's the mahi mahi.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Hmm.
Hmm, it's mush.
Bland, greasy, no seasoning.
The fish is dreadful.
This is a special fish? Yes, that is the special fish.
Will you taste it for me? It tastes like a mush.
Almost like it's sort of old.
The food just isn't the way it used to be.
With all the fighting going on, the standards and the quality, everything, it tanked.
And that's special? Holy crap.
Okay.
Uh, he said that this one right here, the fish was just dreadful.
It's all right.
I'm still hungry any way.
I can eat that.
I absolutely think he's wrong about the mahi mahi.
I thought it was perfectly fine.
It was just the way it's supposed to be.
That's from the mouth of a chef that knows taste probably more, okay? I know, I am that guy's up here and I'm down here.
What do I know if he cooks good or not? I don't know, that's his opinion.
I don't want you to feel bad because I don't feel bad.
All right.
I'm waiting for his opinion.
What the hell? Chef Ramsay is here to help us, and my brother takes this attitude that it's all complaints.
It's not.
You gotta listen to those complaints and keep your mouth shut.
So everything is atrocious, Chef? Are you tasting the food? Yeah.
You are, yes? The fish was cooked properly, it was fresh.
Yeah, it's mush.
It tastes excellent to me.
Okay, let me finish this, thank you.
I don't need a guy to tell me that my food sucks.
If you don't like the food, then get the out of here.
The linguini pescatore.
Ugh.
What the hell is that? Not what I'd have done to the calamari.
I would've dumped these bits.
More tentacles here than there are in sea world.
That tastes as bad as it looks.
Mussels and the clams were grainy, and calamari had a weird texture to it.
Chef, how are you doing with the pescatore? I'm struggling.
Struggling? I'm struggling.
Yeah, I mean, I certainly don't get that taste of Italy, let me tell you that.
No.
And the sauce is so weak, and it tastes disgusting.
Um, are we done? Yes.
You can't make everyone happy in life.
That's why we need help.
Who gives a.
I don't kiss anybody's ass.
Take me into the kitchen.
I haven't had anyone come in to my restaurant and say, "Luigi, you don't know what the hell your doing?" And not even Chef Ramsay gets to do that.
I'm frustrated.
I wish I could say that was an enjoyable lunch.
The deep fried ravioli with skinny cheese.
Mm-hmm.
Why'd you put that on the menu? To give it to the Americans.
Come on.
Come on, I'm not laughing now.
The fish special, that was overcooked and it was bland.
That was a that was a perfect dish, don't tell me that, come on.
It was like cat food.
Linguini pescatore.
That one there is the best dish on the menu.
It was signature dish when I opened the restaurant.
I stick by my food.
I've been sticking for it over Yeah, that's the problem there.
You've been doing the exact same food for years.
I haven't had a challenge in 30 years.
No one's ever challenged me.
You're the first one.
Listen.
You've lost your sparkle.
I don't believe this is the same man that was the young maestro that was written about There's something missing.
I don't know what it is on the back of the fragmented relationship you've got with your brother, but the heart's gone.
There's got to be some magic somewhere inside that was once there.
But I need it back.
He can't tell me that I don't know what the hell I'm doing in my kitchen.
I've been doing it for 30 years.
After being truly disappointed with Luigi's dishes and his attitude at lunch Chef Ramsay is hoping to see something positive during dinner service.
Welcome to Luigi's.
What I can I get for you? I want to have the ravioli.
The fettuccini delicata.
I'll be right back, get your appetizers started, okay? Uh, where's Tony? Give me your number, so we can play some golf.
Yeah, I'm playing maybe Saturday morning, yeah.
Tony is more like easy-going, not take-a serious, the business job.
There's only seven years between you and Luigi.
How come you haven't got a grey hair, and he's got all the grey hair? I try to relax more.
He's a stressful guy.
You see what happens.
But you don't look like a guy that carries pressure.
I try not to.
Penne, a side of penne with sausages.
I'm gonna show Chef Ramsay that my kitchen runs like a machine, like a smooth machine.
Food is just coming around to 1,000 mile an hour.
Not one chef has tasted anything.
The food always get thrown out like that? The kitchen really pumps food, yeah.
They'rethey're fast.
Fast and dangerous.
While food may be going out to diners with lightning speed, the sauce is kind of watery.
What's wrong with that? He said he doesn't like the sauce on the gnocchi.
It's also coming back just as quickly.
Oh, no.
What's wrong with that now? They didn't like the flavor of the meatballs.
But they're solid.
Show me the ugh, and dry as.
And Luigi is not taking the returns very well.
The lady wanted the gnocchis to be more like fluffy, like light.
Lighter than that? I mean, why don't we put feathers on them? We've been making gnocchi for Oh, my God.
It's getting worse.
You're falling asleep, I don't have any garlic, I don't have any mushroom.
Luigi back in the kitchen, it's kind of scary, 'cause we never know if he's gonna snap and yell at us for something.
Now, why you got to answer back and you don't get the mushrooms, that's all, like I told you.
It's over there.
Okay, put them over there.
That's it, you never said that's all you got to do, is put the [bleep.]
job over there and continue to work.
That's okay, everything okay.
Don't worry about it.
Don't worry about it, nothing happened.
- Wow.
Customers pay extra for that? You've work before with two people and you making you can't make it now with three.
Just let it go.
Chef.
Oh, no.
What's wrong with that now? Uh, they said too chewy, too chewy.
Nobody tastes anything before it goes out? I didn't taste this one.
One complaint screws up my whole kitchen, it slows everything down, that's the way it is, one.
Can I have all the complaints at one time? What's wrong with you? Whatwhat complaints? No, I'm a chef.
You know better than me.
If you're the chef yeah, I know.
I knowbut you seem to what disrupt your kitchen most of all? Sure.
What does? The arrogance what complaints? The arrogance what complaints, when it's not true.
The arrogance of the chef.
Yes, any arrogance.
The question was you're an arrogant chef, just like me, worse than me.
, why are you shouting at me? I'm not shouting at you.
You're not shouting at me? That's right.
Then you're a little bit crazy? I'm a little crazy.
'Cause you are shouting.
I'm always crazy.
Why don't you come here and show me how it's done, chef? You do it.
No, you know better than me.
It's just halfway into dinner service.
Why don't you come here and show me how it's done, Chef? You do it.
No, you know better than me.
But after a series of complaints Luigi has had enough.
Has he? No, he's not gone.
He's gone.
Well, he's walked off the line.
He's not gone.
Yeah.
Well, I'm gonna go back and find him.
Man, you got to unders man.
He'she's not the guy is what he is, and he's a English bastard is what he is, all right? Yeah.
But he's being honest with us.
He's not being honest with us.
That's a bunch of Yeah, he is.
It's not a bunch of [bleep.]
, man.
This restaurant is both our restaurant, so I wanna patch things up.
I wanna get along with him.
He's my brother and I want the best for him.
I think you got to go back in there and finish this night off, man.
Don't have no- down from that [bleep.]
, man.
I'm not backing down, just taking a break.
I'm right now.
All right.
Come here.
Yeah.
Read that out underneath.
"The best Italian food west of Italy.
" Yeah.
It's still the best food west of Italy.
You put your food against mine any time you want.
Really? I've worked with more chefs than you can imagine in the past the way you performed tonight, tell me that is a man that is in control of his kitchen, and when I come out and read that [bleep.]
, I'm pissed off.
For you and your customers.
It's 2011.
Unfortunately Luigi, no one [bleep.]
told you.
That's my opinion of tonight's service.
Well, what the are we supposed to do, man? Chef, all I gotta say is I need your help on this.
We should wake up.
Can you help me or not? Wake me up? There's something quite remarkable about how hard you work, but I want you working smarter, not harder.
When you come down and come back to 2011, you've got me.
World famous Italian family restaurant? me.
After discovering how dysfunctional Luigi's really is Good morning.
Good morning, Chef.
How are you? Are you good? Chef Ramsay knows the brothers and their wives need a wake-up call, and he knows just how to do that.
So when was the last time you had a meeting? Well, a meeting with all of the staff? Never.
Five years? Never.
Never, never, never.
Never.
Wow.
Never.
Four of you need one voice put across to all of your staff.
Come through to the kitchen.
Come with me.
I want you to watch something very, very interesting.
Just stay here.
I'll see you in a minute.
Thank you.
Wow, never.
Morning.
Good morning.
Come in, come in, come in.
Hello, Chef.
Good morning.
Take a take a seat, please.
Okay.
I asked you here this morning because I've never seen a restaurant operate the way this one does.
And I can't start to fix anything unless I know what the problems are.
I'm just gonna be honest.
When you go back to the kitchen and tell Tony, go say hello Yeah.
Or, you know, whoever, the client is complaining about this, you get a big fight.
If the people tell you they don't like it, you can't have Luigi, "what do you mean they don't like it? What's wrong with it?" Sorry, I know it's your food, your recipe, and that must be kind of tough to, like, take criticism, but you're gonna have to, like, bend your will a little bit to what the customer wants.
Yeah.
Somebody needs to taste the food before it comes out.
We should been checking the quality of the food in the back two years ago, three years ago.
It's been declining in your mind for the last two years? Yes, absolutely.
I get stressed out when I come to work.
Why? It's just the atmosphere, the complete vibe that we get, the disorganization that we have.
There is no structure.
It's reallyit comes from the top.
We're the top.
We're not organized at all.
How fragmented is it? It's just like Grace and Luigi versus my mom and Tony.
It's very separate.
The conflict with these two families, the clients can feel it.
And who wants to go to a place where the atmosphere is not the most pleasant? So the conflict with the family is spilling into the dining room.
Yes, sir.
Do you agree? Absolutely.
The yelling and screaming.
And who's yelling primarily, who is it? Easily, I think the biggest yeller is Grace.
I never know if I'm gonna walk in and she's gonna be smiling, or sometimes she'll have a frown on her face and start yelling and completely go off the handle.
She's very unpredictable.
Very unpredictable, yeah.
Can I get out of here? I don't wanna hear this.
They're saying what they say.
You have to let other people talk.
She gets like really mad and start telling you things thatfirst of all, they're embarrassing for other customers and second of all, they're not professional.
That's destroying everyone's confidence.
I feel this big.
This is all about, all are lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie.
No, there's a lot of things they've not said.
That's all.
I know you get offended, but that's okay.
Because they're not true.
Linda, look what she said.
Has anyone sat down and spoken to her? I'm just afraid to say anything to her because I don't know if she's gonna yell at me.
Could she not take criticism? No.
She can't take criticism? No, she can't.
Nothing.
No.
No criticism whatsoever.
Come on.
Listen to what they have to say.
No, I don't wanna hear it anymore.
And if she does change her mind, she'll say that she didn't change it, that she's always thought that.
It's crazy.
Okay.
UhJust stay here for a second.
One moment, please.
All right.
I don't care anymore.
I don't care about the restaurant.
I feel like everybody against me.
They're talking lies in front of you.
They're stab your back.
Why I gotta work here? I wanted just to quit.
I don't think I wanna be here anymore.
I feel so bad.
What's the matter? Nothing.
Talk to me.
No, I can't talk.
I just wanna quit.
That's it.
I wanna leave.
I don't wanna be owner of this restaurant.
No, that's no, no, no.
No, I get people talking bad about me.
No, I can't take it.
Why they care about more the restaurant? Stay calm.
I work here.
Grace.
I yell all the time? Grace.
No, look at me.
No, I just I can't take anymore.
Look at me.
I can't take anymore! Grace.
Grace, Grace.
No, I can't take this.
Grace, listen to me.
Listen to me.
I can't take anymore.
Chef Ramsay has arranged a way for the owners to hear how the staff feels about their behavior.
I just wanna quit.
That's it.
I wanna leave.
I don't wanna be owner of this restaurant.
No, that's no, no, no.
And it's all too much for Grace to handle.
Listen to me.
I can't take anymore.
Come here.
I can't take anymore! Grace, Grace, Grace.
No, I can't take all this Listen to me.
No.
Listen to me.
I can't take anymore.
Grace, I'm sorry.
My employees? No, that's not fair.
Grace.
That is not fair.
They are here for you.
No, they are against me.
No.
No.
No, nada.
They talk bad about me.
That's not true.
They are liars.
Grace, that is the feeling of your team, and they are here for you.
And you have to listen to them.
We cannot start to fix this restaurant unless we fix each other first.
So I'm sorry you feel this upset, but that's the first time you've seen the way you affect them.
It's okay, that's okay.
But let's just stay calm and let's go and have a meeting together and talk as a family.
Okay.
Okay? All right, thank you.
Let's go.
I think Grace needed to hear all these criticisms.
She's still a little bit in denial of the way that she is and how it intimidates other people.
I think eventually she will come through, but, uh, it's gonna be hard for her.
You take a seat.
Just a big deep breath.
The owners were listening.
The minute I walked in here, I could feel the level of intensity.
It was it was depressing.
Nobody was being honest with each other.
And if we continue to fall along these lines and remain broken, this restaurant is gonna close.
And whether you like it or not, you're all tied together.
And if we can't work and communicate together as a family, then you shouldn't be in business because it's unfair.
It's unfair.
One thing we are gonna do from this day on is work together.
Can everyone agree on that? Yes.
Yes.
Good.
Past is past.
Okay? See, look, that smile.
I was kind of already almost give up.
I know the truth hurts, but I know it can help us and we're getting better.
Thank you.
Thank you.
After an emotional breakthrough as a result of the staff meeting After you.
Let's go, let's go.
Let's go, let's go.
Chef Ramsay has an idea on how to get the family working together again.
When you think of Italy, you think of spicy sausage.
Yes.
Yes.
When was the last time we made a spicy sausage? When I was a younger girl, yeah.
Oh, you used to make sausage with your parents? Notoh, yeah, always, yeah.
Oh, really? Yeah.
I was 10 years old when I started to make sausage with my parents.
Where, that's in? In Calabria.
Calabria.
I feel like I'm back a young girl.
Okay, so tonight we'll make a brand-new delicious Luigi sausage, yeah? I'll start off slowly grinding.
How big do you like your sausage? Mm, they're making me hungry.
My job was to stuff the sausage, so I love it.
And, you know, in Italy, the sausage brings the family together.
It's a nice feeling, right? Yeah.
So when was the last time you all spent time in the kitchen together? When was that? Never.
Never.
Wow.
This peace that we are trying to get to right now is long overdue.
When my father was here, we were a happy, happy place.
It's been too many years and too many frustrations going on.
I want you two, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, to make the rest of them.
Luigi and I are gonna go and cook, okay? All right.
Nice.
Just to see, like, Tony and Grace working together making sausage, gave me a little bit of hope.
It's a beautiful thing.
Masking me feel young.
It's very fun.
Sausages in.
For the sauce, I'm gonna make it like some nice, sort of rich ragu.
Hmm, fresh.
Fresh like you, huh, chef? Oh, yes.
Working next to Chef Ramsay is a great, great opportunity.
The way that he works and the passion that he has, it makes me, uh, me light a fire and say, "why can't I do that, like I used to think in the old days?" I would love to be in the kitchen here when you were 22, you know that? Yeah, it would have been fun.
Can you imagine? I started to realize, I still have the passion.
Right, are you ready? I'm ready.
Yeah, done, a la 21st century.
Just a little taste.
Simple, fresh, Italian fare.
Jump in.
Mmm.
Oh, man, that's awesome.
Me and Grace worked hard on the sausages.
I feel as though it's just a first, little baby step, and I can be better.
I want to be better.
Good job.
My gosh, unbelievable.
Yeah, very good, I gotta try it.
Oh, my gosh.
Too good.
Now that Chef Ramsay has seen a glimmer of hope with the family working together Luigi, we are relaunching this restaurant tomorrow.
He has o more surprise in store to make sure Tony and Luigi stay united.
I want all of you right now to watch something.
Listen.
Good night.
It's been five years since I've seen my father.
I miss him, I love him.
I wish I was close to them.
Seeing my dad remind me of the past, remind of where we came from and how we started and why we started this kind of business, you know, why we we're in it.
It puts it back in perspective.
We got to dig deep, you know what I mean? This place could do what it needs to be able to do.
Whatever it takes.
Starting tomorrow.
Tomorrow you'll see a new Luigi, I guarantee it.
After arranging for an emotional message from Luigi and Tony's father, Chef Ramsay and his team worked through the night to bring a little piece of Italy to Luigi's.
Good morning.
Morning.
Today, we start off with a new attitude, a new restaurant, and a new beginning.
Are you ready to see the new Luigi's? Yes.
On the count of three oneTwo Three! Oh! Oh, my God.
Oh, wow.
Welcome to new Luigi's.
No.
No way.
Oh, my God.
Wow.
Oh, my gosh.
Everything has been themed as if we're on this amazing trip to Italy.
It's appealing, it's vibrant, and just got that rustic, Italian charm.
Beautiful.
Oh, my God.
Gone is the clutter.
Gone are those horrible booths.
Now we have this wonderful, nice, family-style banquet seating.
Look at the tables.
Underneath, we got the Luigi's stamp of approval.
Beautiful, beautiful, Chef.
Oh, my God.
Even the napkins have got your stamp on there.
Grace, what you think? Unbelievable, unbelievable.
Wow.
I remember now how it was with my dad, and how hard we worked to get this restaurant started.
Luigi, you are quiet.
I get nervous when you're quiet.
No, I'm very, very happy, Chef.
You're the best.
You're the best.
Thank you, Chef, thank you so much.
Listen.
I hope that you are reenergized.
You are the best.
Come on, you're the best.
Oh, oh, with a little cuddle.
I didn't know you gave them out.
I know, you're the best.
This is just a dream.
I'm dreaming.
I'm asleep.
It's unbelievable.
It's a new Luigi's.
I need to give another hug.
Oh, God.
Look at Tony! Are you happy? Yeah! Okay, good.
Make Daddy! Whoo! After giving the restaurant the much-needed makeover, Chef Ramsay has also given the menu a dramatic makeove well.
Welcome to the new menu.
It's fresh.
It's seasonal, and it's exciting.
Oh, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
Wow, yum.
What have done? We've simplified it.
And mad made it manageable and delicious, okay? Let's start off with the appetizers.
A lovely bowl of seasonal minestrone with a fresh Pesto.
The pasta dish is down the bottom, yes.
Linguine el clam, delicious.
And then finally, baked salmon for a light take on supper.
When are we start to eat? Let me finish, please.
I'm sorry.
Is she always like this? Always.
One thing you do deserve, Luigi, yeah, is a medal for being married to Grace.
Okay.
Get some knife and forks, jump in and get tasting.
Mangiare, mangiare.
Oh, wow.
It's very good.
Mmm.
So good.
The short rib is awesome.
The short ribs is good.
It reminds me of stuff mom used to make.
The new menu is amazing.
I love it.
I think this is a slice of authentic Italy in Anaheim.
Lasagna, that's one, really good.
We have the restaurant that looks like a modern place.
We have a new menu.
Mmm.
Everybody is smiling.
Everybody's happy again.
I really feel fantastic.
Everything is excellent.
I'll be proud to serve this food.
Welcome to the new Luigi's.
It's relaunch night at Luigi's.
We are serving the new menu.
So would you like to start off with any appetizers? The calamari.
Want to try the calamari? And for the first time in a long time, there's positive energy in the restaurant.
Luigi cooks.
Tony, you expedite.
Right, right, right.
Right, Chef.
Let's get those first orders in, please.
I don't want Luigi panicking.
I'm gonna get spaghetti and meatballs.
Homemade sausage.
I want the calamari, I'll get that.
Here we go.
So order in.
First one.
Order in, one order fried calamari, one linguine pescatora Chef Ramsay has lit up another fire within me that's gonna burn for a long time.
Hey, let's go, let's go, guys.
Luigi, lovely.
Much better like that.
Pescatora.
Order up.
Calamari? Bruschetta.
So good.
With Luigi producing stunning dishes in the kitchen, diners are thrilled with Chef Ramsay's new menu.
That's delicious.
And the kitchen is having no trouble keeping up with the demand.
Pescatora, pescatora.
Let's go, they got to pick up, pick up! Oh, where's Tony? They're working on it.
Tony? Tony? All right, I'll be right there.
Look at all this Food.
Food has been sitting here forever! So let's go! While food is getting to the hot plate in a timely manner I don't know where any of this food goes.
Tony and Luigi have stopped coordinating.
And the logjam in the kitchen is not sitting well with diners.
Where's Tony? They're working on it.
I need my brother to come in and give me some help.
I get frustrated and I get mad.
I want to kill the guy.
Tony, what's going on? Let's go, let's pick up the pace.
It's relaunch night.
And while the kitchen continues to produce food Tony, what's going on? Let's pick up the pace.
All right, I'll be right there.
A lack of communication between the brothers has resulted in food sitting on the pass and not at diner's tables.
It's getting cold.
Tony, service, please, let's go.
Luigi, you have to keep this together.
If you start screaming, I'll kick you out.
If I lose my cool again in front of the customers it's definitely gonna cost my business.
All right, let's go, let's go, let's go.
I got to learn to take a deep breath and get it back together.
Tony, look at me, look at me now.
We're producing unique food d it's dying.
He's cooking, you can't stand there like a lemon.
You gotta help him a little bit.
We can't cook like this and let the food die in the window.
I need you expediting.
Talk to each other.
Start pushing the food out.
Let's go.
I need a fried calamari on that one.
Ordering, one calamari! Hey, Dominica! Dominica, take this, they're right here, table 41.
Now it sounds like a kitchen.
We got some voices in there.
I still need one more pescatore.
With Tony now concentrating on expediting What else we got? Baked salmon and a chicken parm.
Wonderful, wonderful.
Luigi is free to focus on the quality and the consistency of the food.
Bon appetit.
Enjoy! Oh, he made it for you.
Thank you, thank you.
We have a fettuccini Alfredo.
And diners are once again enjoying the new Luigi's.
That is really good.
It is.
Special, okay.
Thank you, chef.
There you go.
We're finally leaving the negativity and the fighting behind us.
Good things will come with good attitude.
This first step was great.
Is that the last entree gone? Yes, sir.
Okay.
Tonight, we took a baby step forward in a right direction.
Slow start, the customers were happy.
And yes, we were a little bit like headless chickens.
But you showed you had passion, yes? Yep.
The passion is back in Luigi's! Yeah.
Whoo.
Good.
Two brothers, step forward.
Look at you two.
Honestly, that's exactly what I wanna see.
You've made the critical first step, but stay on it.
Stay on that path.
Having chef bring us together is something special.
The brothers need to be bonded.
I think my father would be very proud.
Love is back at Luigi's.
Stay together.
You make him look good and you make him look good.
Thank you very much, Chef Ramsay.
You're the prince in white shining armor.
You walked into our place and you gave us hope and courage again.
Let's give a hand for the chef.
Thank you, Chef.
Thank you very much.
Good night, Chef.
No screaming.
No screaming, okay? Stay on it.
Whoo! Wow.
I have never, in all the years of Kitchen Nightmares, seen a more explosive family situation than here at Luigi's.
They were so busy fighting each other the reputation of the restaurant went completely downhill.
This week, we moved them forward 30 years.
But unless this family stays united, Luigi's has no chanceand I mean no chanceof success.
In the weeks that followed, Luigi's received a rave review from The OC Weekly.
"The revamped dining room was slammed.
All sorts of delights passed us by.
" Yeah, this is fantastic.
- And the restaurant is regaining the reputation it once held in the community.
It smells really good.
Yeah, yeah.
You've got work to do.
Thank you.
Wow, that's Luigi.
And unbelievably Awesome.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
The family is working together in harmony.
Beautiful sausage! Beautiful! Chef Ramsay has brought the family together again, and my father in Italy is gonna be proud of us.
Fantastic.
We put all our differences aside, and I think we're gonna build a new, bright future for all of us.
Next time on Kitchen Nightmares.
Chef Ramsay returns to some of the most unforgettable restaurants he tried to turn around.
Why don't you get the out of my restaurant! Want me to go? I would love you to go.
Classic American, owned by best friends, on the verge of losing it all.
I feel like I've failed.
I've tried hard.
Davide, run by two brothers at war with each other.
I'm pissed over the You put me through.
Oh, my God! And finally, who can forget Abby from downcity? you and get out of my restaurant! See how they're doing now.
That's next time on Kitchen Nightmares.