It was more than a year ago that social media posts were buzzing about Gordon Ramsay sightings at two restaurants in metro Detroit.
Sightings included speculation that Ramsay and a crew were in town filming episodes of his show, “Secret Service,” on the Fox Network. The show aims to examine major issues at struggling restaurants.
Now it appears that both restaurants will be on the next season of “Kitchen Nightmares,” which airs on Fox on July 21.
In a Gordon Ramsay Facebook post touting the ‘Kitchen Nightmares” Season 3, there is a clip showing longtime Boodles Restaurant and several employees in Madison Heights. Another identifiable restaurant on the clip is Freddy’s Steakhouse in Hammond, Indiana. Also to appear on the show is the now-closed Firenze’s Restaurant & Pizzeria, a longtime Warren eatery.
“This season of Kitchen Nightmares is all about small town, big mess,” Ramsay said in “Kitchen Nightmares” Season 3 first-look Facebook post.
Boodles Restaurant, at 935 W. 11 Mile Rd, Madison Heights, is well known for its prime steaks, tableside Caesar salad and live music. In April, the restaurant celebrated 40 years in business.
“Kitchen Nightmares” is a reality show where Ramsay works with restaurants that are struggling or have management, food, or overall issues. Ramsay, over a week’s time, helps identify what’s wrong with the restaurant’s operations and comes up with a fix.
In this season, featuring Midwest restaurants, the owners are facing “enormous challenges, from health code violations and staffing issues to menu errors and kitchen conditions found only in nightmares,” according to a news release, and Ramsay is the featured restaurant’s “9-1-1 call and the last chance for their businesses to survive.”
In an email to the Free Press, the FOX network confirmed that both Boodles Restaurant and Firenze’s Restaurant and Pizzeria are featured on the upcoming season of “Kitchen Nightmares.”
“Kitchen Nightmares” premiere is two hours, airing from 8-10 p.m. Its regular Tuesday time slot is 8-9 p.m., starting July 28.
Firenze’s Restaurant & Pizzeria shuttered not long after Ramsay’s visit.
An internet search still shows the Firenze Restaurant & Pizzeria on East 10 Mile as “permanently closed,” per its Google listing.
At the time, Frank Rocca, a son of the original owners, the late Maria and Pasquale Rocca, confirmed the closure to the Free Press, texting a photo of the sign on Firenze’s door that says it’s permanently closed.
Ramsay is well known for his restaurants and various hit competitive TV shows, including “Hell’s Kitchen,” “MasterChef,” “MasterChef Jr.”, and “Next Level Chef.”
On his shows, Ramsay is also known for his blunt, often in-your-face demeanor, bleeped-out foul language and harsh criticism.
A few years ago, Ramsay visited the Upper Peninsula to film an episode of his “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted” series for National Geographic. For the series, Ramsay followed chefs and traveled to remote places in the world seeking out “culinary inspiration, epic adventures, and cultural experiences,” National Geographic’s website said.
The episode featured diving among shipwrecks, helping monks at the Holy Transfiguration Skete, a Byzantine Catholic monastery in the Keweenaw Peninsula.
It also featured Ramsay teaming up with chef James Rigato of award-winning Mabel Gray in Hazel Park.
This story has been updated with new information.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SusanMariecooks. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for insider scoops on food and dining in metro Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2 metro Detroit restaurants featured in new season of ‘Kitchen Nightmares’
Reporting by Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
