Kitchen Nightmares heads to New Jersey to help save a country club restaurant “In the Drink”

Kitchen Nightmares heads to a country club restaurant in New Jersey in the third episode of the new season, “In the Drink.” And even before Gordon Ramsay gets into the kitchen, we already know that he is going to have his hands full with this restaurant.

As Ramsay points out after ordering his meal and realizing that one of the dishes is taking a long time, there is a really good reason why the golfers won’t dine here: if it takes this long to get the food, golfers will miss their tee time. And waiting for the food gave him a chance to walk around and talk to one of the few customers, who actually found hair in the food.

Once Gordon meets the owner of the restaurant, George, it becomes clear that the owner is in denial and as he laughs about things that are being pointed out to him, it’s hard to deny that this might be a real challenge (or a nightmare if you will). We expect owners in denial on Kitchen Nightmares, but there is more to this than denial. It seems as if the owner really doesn’t see all the very real problems around him.

Kitchen Nightmares arrives at In the Drink to help rescue a country club restaurant

After a discussion of finances that reveals that the restaurant is in debt up to $250,000, Gordon takes George for a ride in the refreshment cart around the golf course to reveal exactly how much business he is losing out on. And at least for us, it was eye opening (and I have a golfer in my life).

Now it’s time for dinner service and George jumps on the line to expedite. And while it is clear that he doesn’t usually do this, things get messed up quickly with things getting sent back repeatedly, food not being cooked properly, and ticket times getting up to 60 minute.

Even after Gordon takes over expediting, things go from bad to worse as food continually comes back, the food is not good, and George believes that things “aren’t that bad.” In the end, everything gets shut down because there is just no salvaging this night.

Once the dinner service is shut down, things deteriorate as George pushes back against Gordon Ramsay. And it really looks like for the first time in this new season of Kitchen Nightmares, Gordon might walk away without helping the restaurant turn itself around.

However, George ends up asking Gordon to stay and help him turn things around. And that is exactly what he does, he not only gives the restaurant and menu a refresh, but he also does the same for their refreshment golf cart which will not only bring beverages out to the course, but also wraps!

Even as the restaurant looks to get its fresh start, it seems as if George is struggling to figure out where he needs to be. Everyone else seems to know what they need to do and they are making it happen. In the end, it really looks like In the Drink may have really turned things around with Gordon’s help, the hope is that things continue in the right direction.

The update after Gordon Ramsay left seems to indicate that since his refresh of the restaurant and menu, things are on the right track for them to succeed at In the Drink.