In this Kitchen Nightmares episode, Gordon Ramsay visits Leo's Italian Grill in Cedar Creek, Texas.
Leo's Italian Grill is owned by Leo and Michelle.
Leo is the executive chef and self-describes the food as Italian with a Southern flair.
He has been in the industry for 30 years.
The business has slowed down and they are finding it tough.
The quality has dropped and the staff think Leo has lost his passion.
Two years ago, their son, who worked at the restaurant died from an asthma attack.
Gordon arrives and sees that the restaurant is the only one in the area.
It should not be suffering as there is nowhere else for locals to eat.
Gordon is greeted as soon as he enters the restaurant.
He notices that the space looks more like a garage.
Michelle admits it used to be a tire shop and they "ran with it."
The server rates the food a 5 out of 10.
They cannot give details of the dishes on the menu.
While waiting, Gordon speaks with customers about the restaurant.
His first dish arrives and there are flies buzzing around the restaurant.
The appetizer sampler is almost inedible and is sent back to the kitchen.
Thw carbonara is congealed and not fresh so it is also sent back.
The server gets the ingredients for the carbonara from Leo.
Gordon says the ingredients are not part of a traditional carbonara.
After service, the staff are gathered to speak with him.
Gordon gives them feedback about the food and the restaurant.
Leo is disappointed as he thought more highly of their food.
Michelle is also honest about her feedback of inconsistency with the food.
For Leo, it is hard to hear the criticism from his wife on his food.
Gordon lets them get back to work to prepare for the next service.
Leo wants to prove he can cook and Gordon goes to the kitchen to watch the process.
There is a stove that is dirty and has dirty pots on it.
The staff can’t work the stove, they had no idea parts of it could even open.
Food is consistently sent back to the kitchen and the food is thrown away.
Gordon sees Leo cook multiple dishes in the same pan without cleaning it.
Gordon takes a break and speaks with the customers directly.
As the service continues, more of the same happens.
The staff get no communication from Leo as he cooks silently.
Gordon gathers from the staff and Michelle that Leo shuts down in the kitchen.
Gordon sits with Michelle and she tells him about their son who passed away.
Gordon finally realizes Leo is a broken man.
He asks for one-on-one time with him in his SUV.
Leo says he was the last one to talk to his son before he passed.
He has not taken any time off since as he keeps reliving the day.
Gordon and Leo finally connect and dinner service is shut down.
Gordon and Leo get to spend more time together.
He is taken to meet a popular Italian chef in Austin, Texas.
Gordon takes Leo through how to make a traditional Italian carbonara.
Leo is happy to get some direction.
He and the chef connect, with Leo opening up about his loss.
While this happened, Gordon’s crew was hard at work renovating the restaurant.
The couple are taken back to the restaurant for the reveal.
The decor is more colorful and charming, with warmth and ambiance.
The couple and staff love the changes that have been made to the restaurant.
There are pictures of Bump, their son who passed away and loved photography.
Gordon presents their new menu with signature Italian dishes.
The staff love the taste of the dishes that they sample.
A revitalized Leo is ready for the evening service.
On relaunch, the customers are let in and Leo starts cooking.
Good food goes out and customers are nodding in approval.
But soon, the tickets pile up and Leo cracks under pressure.
He begins cooking silently and is not communicating.
Gordon has to take him aside to remind him that he needs to communicate.
Leo takes a moment to recompose and powers through.
Customers have nothing but compliments on the food served.
It's time for Gordon to leave the restaurant.
He gives the couple some parting words while congratulating them on the service.
What Happened Next at Grumpy George?
Six weeks later, Leo and Michelle have kept up the standards and menu.
The customers love the food.
Leo started to seek professional help for his grief.
Gordon paid for Leo to have a number of therapy sessions.
He also made a donation to a charity in Leos sons name.
Leo’s Italian Grill is open.
Reviews are mostly positive.
They have kept most of Gordons changes but reverted to their old sauce recipe.
Leo's Italian Grill was aired on 4th March 2025.
The episode was filmed in October 2024 and is Kitchen Nightmares season 9 episode 9.
Read About More Kitchen Nightmares
Previous episode - The Grumpy George Pub
Next episode - Blake's Place
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