In this Kitchen Nightmares episode, Gordon Ramsay visits Simmer Down Cafe in Georgetown, Texas.
Simmer Down is owned by Chris Marino, who is also the executive chef.
He has an aging crowd of customers.
Chris is concerned about getting a younger, richer audience.
He asked his brother Albert to come out of retirement to help with the business.
Customers have many complaints about the food.
Chris is not at his best when he is in a bad mood.
He is struggling and cannot trust that the business would function without his presence.
Gordon arrives at the restaurant and is optimistic.
He is greeted and seated by Albert.
On the menu, there is a claim to receive a 15% discount.
They can get a discount if customers are not offered appetizers and desserts by the servers.
Gordon is baffled as that is the restaurant's profit being given away.
The first dish after ordering arrives.
It is greasy and Gordon cannot identify the meat in the omelette.
The salmon arrives next and it is overcooked.
The seasoning is also strange and Gordon can’t tell what it is.
The kitchen is in confusion when the salmon is sent back.
Gordon can hear them squabbling from out in the dining room.
The liver and onions are also salty.
Chris is defensive, saying Gordon put salt on it, which he didn't.
The pie is last and Gordon isn’t impressed with this either.
Albert tells Gordon Chris’s wife left him out of the blue but they are trying to work on it.
He is obviously taking on a lot.
Their talk is interrupted by staff cleaning and dust clumps fall from the fan.
The staff is gathered for a meeting after the service.
Chris is defensive and Albert denies his claims.
Other defensive staff start speaking up with raised voices.
Chris admits he is defeated.
Gordon appreciates the honesty but dinner service has to begin.
Gordon goes to see Chris’s wife Terri.
He tells Gordon Chris spends 80 hours a week at the business.
His time at the restaurant puts a strain on their marriage.
The next day is their wedding anniversary.
It breaks her heart Chris is so absorbed by the restaurant.
Gordon heads back in time for the dinner service to observe the processes.
He gets feedback from the customers who are waiting.
In the kitchen, they have a long line of appetizer orders.
Their fryers are too busy for the main dishes.
The pressure piles up and the shouting starts.
Gordon has to caution them to keep their voices down.
There are no systems, standards or respect in the kitchen.
Gordon and Albert take some time aside.
They agree that Chris is overwhelmed and working through too much.
Gordon shuts down dinner service and pulls Chris aside to talk with him and Albert.
With the crew and staff out, Chris opens up.
He tries to remember why he got started in the first place.
Chris opens up fully that he is stressed because he has chained himself to the business.
He wants time off but he needs change.
Gordon promises to put systems in place so he can take time off.
Gordon’s team worked all night to refurbish the space.
It is now brighter, colorful and vibrant to invite a younger crowd.
They also have new equipment and a new POS system.
Chris can use this to track sales from home.
The menu has been changed to easier meals.
They require a shorter cook time.
They do a test run on the new systems with Gordon calling out scenarios and instructing staff on what to do.
Cierra does not like being criticized, is problematic and defensive with Gordon.
All the staff try to give her a pep talk and she calms down.
After a successful test run, the customers are let in and orders come through.
On relaunch, the restaurant gets busy quickly.
Communication is a lot better than before so food comes out faster.
They are coping and Chris is front of house greeting guests.
He leaves the staff, who have everything in hand.
Chris’s wife joins them and they have some time to spend together to celebrate their anniversary.
They connect and Chris promises he will try to make time for them to have quality time.
They are relaxed at the counter.
Gordon is happy the new system is working.
What Happened Next at Simmer Down?
Six weeks later, customers are still coming in.
Chris has stepped back for staff to run the kitchen.
He can now spend more quality time with his wife.
Simmer Down Cafe is open.
Reviews are mostly positive.
There is praise for the food in reviews.
Simmer Down was aired on 18th March 2025.
The episode was filmed in October 2024 and is Kitchen Nightmares season 9 episode 11.
Read About More Kitchen Nightmares
Previous episode - Blake’s Place
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