In this 24 Hours to Hell and Back episode, Gordon Ramsay visits Los Toros Mexican Restaurant in Chatsworth in Los Angeles, California.
Los Toros is a family run restaurant.
It has been open for over 40 years.
The owners are now $450,000 in debt.
The restaurant is now owned by Nick Sr.
It was opened by his father Nicolas Montaño Jr in 1967.
The restaurant was the only Mexican restaurant in the town.
The business declined after his father passed away.
Nick wants to pass the restaurant on to his children.
His daughter Maribel has a young family.
Nick Jr is not ready to take on the responsibility.
His wife Lucia is the general manager.
The pressure is causing a strain on the family.
Nick's health is suffering as his blood pressure is through the roof.
His family fears they will lose him to a heart attack.
Gordon arrives at the restaurant in disguise as elderly gentleman Grandpa Jim.
He arrives complete with a fake family.
After struggling to start the car they arrive at the restaurant.
Gordon hates the mix and match decor of bright colours.
The 22 page menu is huge and is filled with adverts.
They order classic Mexican dishes including beef tamales, chicken, enchiladas and shrimp tacos.
Gordon's disguise doesn't fool Nicks son.
He writes on a piece of paper that Gordon is at table 15.
The tamales don't look fresh and are pre-prepared.
The carne asada has beef that has turned.
The chicken roulade is appalling with a bad aftertaste due to the mole sauce.
Gordon removes his disguise and re-enters the restaurant.
Gordon goes straight into the kitchen.
He asks the staff to come into the dining room.
He asks the customers to stop eating.
Gordon takes the staff and customers to his Hell on Wheels truck.
He shows them footage of unsafe food temperatures, spoiled food, mouldy food and a filthy kitchen.
There is also a clip of Maribel talking about an incident.
Nine people got food poisoning that led to a health inspection.
Nick Sr defends the store bought dry tamales and the disgusting mole sauce.
He argues with Gordon about the food.
Gordon meets with the staff and introduces the renovation team.
He asks to speak the family and Lucia is ashamed by the footage that Gordon had recorded.
Maribel was unaware of what was going on in the kitchen.
She had asked for Nick Sr to change but he hasn't.
He also continues to deny the food poisoning incident and that he is controlling.
Gordon asks him to leave the meeting as he needs to know how to get through to Nick Sr.
Gordon can fix the restaurant but he isn't sure if he can fix Nick Sr as there is so much denial.
Both Maribel and Nick Sr don't feel that they are ready to take over the restaurant.
They haven't been shown how to run a restaurant.
Gordon inspects the kitchen and finds a dirty chopping board.
There is a year out of date tartare sauce, rotten produce and off prawns.
Nick Sr says that everything has been done today.
Gordon knows better as the beef is green and the chicken is discoloured.
He calls the family in to smell the rancid meat that was "done today".
Gordon estimates that there is $5000 of wasted produce.
Gordon meets with Nick Sr as he can't work out where the restaurant has gone so wrong.
He admits that he has lost control and he joined the service to get away from the restaurant.
Nick knows that his children don't want to be there.
Gordon recognises that he needs to let the restaurant go whether it is to the children or he sells it.
Gordon takes Nick Sr out to the Hell on Wheels truck to reveal the new modern menu.
Nick Jr and Maribel are going to learn how to cook and plate the dishes.
They are impressed by the new menu.
Gordon shows them footage of Nick Srs interview where he discusses them both.
They are saddened by what he has told Gordon.
They promise to fight for the restaurant.
Mary reveals that the line cooks have never even cut an onion before.
They had previously used a chopping tool.
Gordon asks the kitchen staff to cook one of every item on the new menu.
The swordfish is under cooked and the steak is cold.
On relaunch night, the customers love the new decor.
There are food critics in the restaurant live tweeting.
The customers love the new food but there are timing issues in the kitchen.
Gordon's fake family love the new food and promise to return.
Overall, the relaunch is a success as the communication in the kitchen improves.
What Happened Next at Los Toros Mexican Restaurant?
Three months later, the customers love the new changes.
Gordon's dishes are still on the menu as specials.
There have been no food poisoning incidents.
They have a new labelling system in their walk-in.
Nick and Maribel have stepped into their roles.
Nick and Lucia were able to go on a vacation.
The latest Los Toros Mexican Restaurant update is that Yelp Reviews are mixed.
Trip Advisor reviews are more positive.
Some customers love the food.
Some customers say that the menu has reverted back to the old menu.
Others say that it still tastes bad and is cold.
The renovation team only did the main dining room, the entrance.
The other areas are untouched and are still dated.
Los Toros Mexican Restaurant is open.
Planning a visit to the restaurant? Check out their website for more info including opening hours.
Los Toros Mexican Restaurant was aired on February 20 2019.
The episode was filmed in December 2018 and is 24 Hours to Hell and Back season 2 episode 8.
Click for 24 Hours to Hell and Back
Previous episode - Boardwalk 11
Next episode - Social
Ramsay's disguises are appalling lol...........very funny and not convincing at all.
ReplyDelete