Vasi’s Restaurant – 24 Hours to Hell and Back Update – Open or Closed?
>><<(keep reading to learn what happened)2 | View All Season 2 Episodes January 16, 20191700 Watertown Ave Waterbury, CT 06708
Episode Recap
Vasi’s Restaurant and Bar was a Waterbury, Connecticut restaurant featured on Season 2 of Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back. Though the Vasi’s Restaurant 24 Hours to Hell and Back episode aired in January 2019, the actual filming and visit from Gordon Ramsay took place earlier in November 2018. It was Episode 3 of Season 2.
Located in Waterbury, Connecticut, the owners of Vasi’s Restaurant and Bar are the eponymous Vasilios “Vasi” Kaloidis and his mother.
Vasi’s parent’s owned many restaurants when they first immigrated to the USA from Greece.
In 2002, Vasi decided he wanted to follow in his parents’ footsteps and open his own place. He went with a simple name – Vasi’s Restaurant and Bar.
While you might think that Vasi might serve Greek food given his heritage, the restaurant actually serves primarily Italian food (though it can get a bit confusing).
Unfortunately, in 2008, Vasi’s father passed away.
Now, the restaurant is struggling. And to make matters worse, Vasi is in over $500,000 of debt because of the restaurant, which is why he desparately needs help from Gordon Ramsay in the Vasi’s Restaurant 24 Hours to Hell and Back episode.
To recon things, Gordon appears at Vasi’s Restaurant in disguise, and he is immediately confused.
The menu offers French onion soup despite Vasi’s being an Italian restaurant. Remember how I said it can get a bit confusing?
Gordon orders the calamari, clams, and shrimp.
He describes the food as awful and throws in lots of negative adjectives like “rubbery” and “sour” as Gordon Ramsay is wont to do.
Once he’s experienced enough, Gordon removes his disguise and reveals his identity.
Chef Val panics when she sees Gordon and wants to go home.
Gordon reassures her he knows that she can cook, and he will not pick on her. She stays.
Vasi calls his mother, Toula, to inform her that Gordon is there.
Vasi blames the economy for the failing restaurant, while Chef Val blames the boring and uninspired menu.
Gordon calls everyone to the Hell on Wheels truck, and they watch footage of Chef Val tasting food with her fingers and then putting them back into the food.
The footage also shows dropped food being served. Vasi does not react to the video footage.
Toula reveals to Gordon that her son owes her $250,000 as part of the restaurant’s huge debt burden.
Gordon then meets with Vasi’s wife, Lauren.
Lauren knows her husband is unhappy with the restaurant, and she hates how the restaurant makes her mother-in-law feel.
Vasi is only happy when he is with his children. It’s a really sad situation and makes you feel for Vasi.
Gordon finds old shellfish in the fridge. Val tells Vasi they cannot serve the fish, but Vasi disagrees.
Chef Val can’t take Vasi’s lack of leadership anymore, and she leaves.
Gordon chases after her and says the restaurant needs her.
Vasi tells her that he’s sorry and promises to change.
Gordon hopes Chef Val will rediscover her love of cooking as it seems to have been lost due to the boring menu.
To help with that, Gordon introduces a new menu.
It is a Greek inspired menu, leaving the Italian menu of the past behind. I think this makes sense given that Vasi’s family has such a direct connection to Greece.
Chef Val comes up with her signature dish for the relaunch.
Gordon asks Vasi’s mom to stop giving Vasi money as he needs to take accountability for his actions.
Chef Val masters the new dish and trains the other cooks on making it.
Gordon shows the new kitchen and dining room to the owners and the staff.
The walls are lined with family photos that make Vasi and his mother emotional.
There are also pictures of his late father on the wall.
Chef Val’s dish is a hit.
Among the many customers, a food blogger and food critic are at the restaurant for relaunch night.
The kitchen is slow at first, but eventually, Vasi steps up, and things run smoothly. The relaunch is a success.
Three months later, Vasi is grateful and down 30 pounds. Vasi renamed the restaurant Vasi’s Taverna as he wanted to go back to an Italian restaurant. Vasi claims the customers wanted him to revert to the old theme. In 2020 Vasi sold the restaurant, but the sale fell through.