La Gondola Kitchen Nightmares Update – Open or Closed in 2022?

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Episode Recap

La Gondola was a Derby, England, UK restaurant featured on Season 3 of Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares in the UK.

Though the La Gondola Kitchen Nightmares episode aired in March 2006, the actual filming and visit from Gordon Ramsay took place earlier in 2005. It was Season 3 Episode 4 on the UK version of the show.

La Gondola is located in Derby, UK.

The restaurant opened in 1968 and was very popular and successful. Because it’s been around for such a long time, it has a rich history in Derby.

Daniela Bayfield is the owner and has many fond memories of the restaurant, such as celebrating her birthdays there.

She bought the restaurant when it came up for sale. 

Gordon Ramsay arrives and meets with Daniela. He is pleasantly surprised by the decor.

It is a Friday night, but they only have one reservation, which is obviously not a great situation. This is why the La Gondola Kitchen Nightmares episode exists.

She informs Gordon she bought the restaurant on a whim after a divorce.

The clientele is mostly older people who have been visiting La Gondola for generations. 

The menu is extensive and outdated.

Gordon Ramsay orders spaghetti Bolognese but waits a long time for it.

The salmon meal Gordon orders is way too large for the price.

Steve is the head chef and has been at the restaurant since the mid-seventies but refuses to change with the times. 

A large party enters the restaurant, and the kitchen becomes overwhelmed.

They run out of tuna steak and improvise by using canned tuna for the rest of the plates. It’s really not the same – I would be super mad if I got canned tuna instead of tuna steak.

Stella is the marketing manager in charge of booking weddings and events.

She tells Gordon they need at least thirty weddings a year to make a profit, but as of now, they only have nine booked. 

Stella makes a mistake in the kitchen, and instead of fixing the issue, Steve yells at her.

Instead of cooking fresh food, the kitchen staff reheat and microwave many of their dishes.

The next day Steve and another employee Gareth show up late to work.

It is a slow day with only three customers dining in the restaurant. 

Danny is a teen apprentice in the kitchen and seems to only care about his job as Gareth says he watches the clock and can’t wait to go home.

Gordon tells Steve that they are underpricing their meals and serving portions that are too large.

An argument breaks out between Gareth and the owner as they blame each other. 

Gordon Ramsay challenges the staff to make pasta from scratch.

A consultant from Gordon’s company consults with the team and the owner about marketing for La Gondola.

Stella and Daniela show the consultant their questionable advertisement in the local paper.

The ladies then argue with Gordon, saying they still have customers. 

That night the kitchen must make the meals in forty-five minutes.

Everyone loves the fresh pasta dishes, but the kitchen is not communicating.

Gordon is upset by the unmotivated effort he sees in the kitchen.

Steve must make a meal using fresh ingredients, and Gordon trains the rest of the staff to cook using them. The menu is also reduced to make it easier to cook and stock ingredients.

One of the servers does flambé tableside.

A band is hired for the relaunch, and the dance floor is remodeled.

During the relaunch, the restaurant makes more money than they did in previous weeks.

So was the La Gondola Kitchen Nightmares episode a success? Let’s talk about what happened after.