Kitchen Nightmares has spent its second season primarily in New Orleans as part of the lead up to the Super Bowl. However, in the sixth episode, "Kings Blu Jam," we saw Gordon Ramsay helping a restaurant in Texas instead. But as we hit the seventh episode of the season, we saw the chef back in New Orleans helping The Verdict get back on track.
In this episode of Kitchen Nightmares, Chef Ramsay talked about how New Orleans East, the area where The Verdict was located was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina. But businesses are still trying to bring life back to their city. And this restaurant is no different.
Apparently The Verdict first opened in 2022 and is truly a family run restaurant. But that was one of the issues, as the owner's mother was also in charge of the kitchen and there was a clear lack of direction and accountability. And Gordon Ramsay was quick to notice the issues in the restaurant, especially after sitting in the dining room waiting for his meal for over 50 minutes.
Interestingly enough, it felt like Chef Ramsay really held himself back in terms of losing his cool with the kitchen. Yes, it was clear that he was upset about what he found at The Verdict, but he also had a level of understanding that made this episode entertaining, while also heartwarming.
This season, Gordon Ramsay hasn't been nearly as intense as he has been in the past. And yet, somehow it works (for the most part). It has definitely been a struggle at times to really connect with the episodes and the people he is trying to help. But in "Verdict," it really felt like the right blend of people we wanted to see succeed, drama in the restaurant, and a refresh that made sense. And Chef Ramsay was also the right mix of stern and caring to keep us invested in seeing how things turned out.
Kitchen Nightmares definitely delivered in episode 7 and it made us eager to see what he has for us next. And since it sounds like he is helping a fellow Brit with their restaurant, it should be interesting to see how he handles things in a place where he should be able to find familiar foods from home.