24 Hours to Hell and Back (2018) s02e10 Episode Script
M'Dears Bakery & Bistro
1 GORDON: I'm Gordon Ramsay, and I'm hitting the road once again heading to struggling restaurants all across America.
-Look at the cockroaches! -That's disgusting.
GORDON: With so many restaurants on the brink of collapse Smell that [bleep.]
! Look at all that [bleep.]
blood in there.
The most disgusting kitchen ever! GORDON: I know that I need to work quickly.
So I've given myself just 24 hours WOMAN: Oh, my God! GORDON: To try and save each of them.
That is [bleep.]
rancid! (sniffs, grunts) GORDON: But when people know I'm coming, they tend to hide what's really going on.
So I'll be covert, hiding cameras in the restaurants, and myself in plain sight Time to raise some hell.
GORDON: To catch them all red-handed.
You're talking out your [bleep.]
, LaToya.
I want to show you something that isn't very pleasant.
It's like leftover dog food.
GORDON: If I have any hope of saving them Tiffany, are you in denial? No one's opinion means anything to me.
GORDON: I'll have to go to hell and back I'm here to help you, but clearly you can't help your-[bleep.]
-self! GORDON: In 24 hours.
You won't break me.
(dramatic music) (beeping) (rock music) GORDON: I've just arrived in Los Angeles, California One of the country's most culturally rich and diverse cities, not to mention a hotbed for some of the world's most extraordinary food.
I'm close to the site of LA's new amazing football stadium, the future home to the Rams and the Chargers.
While the area awaits the business a new stadium will bring, there's one restaurant who's doors are in danger of closing.
Family owned and operated since 2002, M'Dears Bakery & Bistro has earned a great reputation for its freshly baked goods.
Unfortunately, an intervention is needed, because, frankly, m'dear, this place is in trouble.
(groovy music) I'm Carrie Reese, and I'm the owner of M'Dears Bakery & Bistro.
We specialize in elegant Southern cuisine with a California twist.
It's soul food.
In the 1990's, we built the brand, selling our desserts at local jazz festivals, and then I opened the restaurant.
From day one, both my daughters worked here.
We've always been in business together.
I would spend my summers working with her after school.
You guys still doing good over here? -We are.
-Okay.
Throughout this journey that we call M'Dears, it's, um it's had its challenges.
(voice breaking) So (soft music) Over time, the stress of the restaurant has caused rifts between our family.
After the restaurant opened, I was disowned by my family because I married a black man.
And if you know anything about Armenian culture, you don't marry outside of Armenian, let alone marry outside of your race.
My sister was able to turn my mother against me and make sure that the black grandkids didn't get anything.
(voice breaking) And, um while I could have been enjoying retirement, I'm working.
-Mom.
-I got Just leave me alone, please.
Our relationship has suffered somewhat.
I don't know if it's because of the restaurant or just us growing into women.
I think my mom and I's relationship is the closest.
There is a wedge between my mom and my sister.
I'm done with everything.
TIFFANY: There have been years and years and years of us going at each other's throat.
I don't want to be the BFF daughter-mother duo.
I don't want to be the friend.
We deal with each other strictly for business.
You got any wine glasses back here that are clean? I just cleaned them and put them up there, though.
Working at M'Dears, sometimes it's, like, dreadful.
CARRIE: Do not do that! I'm telling you don't do that! I think a lot of the time, the staff doesn't care.
I said it's no matter.
What do you not understand about that? I just closed the door on that ass.
I think the stress of the restaurant has caused friction.
My mom is extremely stressed out, so she's really short.
Who's is this? Who's is this? LATOYA: Ms.
Carrie is a little tough to work for.
CARRIE: You do not use a scrubber on Teflon.
I don't like her, and I don't like dealing with her.
Make me [bleep.]
crazy.
My employees probably perceive me as a money-grubbing bitch.
They don't understand the burden that I carry.
(soft music) MARISSA: If this business were to fail, it would be unfortunate to see all my mama's hard work be for nothing.
(voice breaking) This now has become my legacy to my children and my grandchildren.
M'Dears is holding on for dear life.
So my team told the restaurant that they were trying out for a traditional renovation show.
Whilst they were being interviewed, we installed hidden cameras throughout the restaurant, and have been secretly recording surveillance footage ever since we left.
But even with the best disguise, in this tiny little restaurant, I'll stick out like a sore thumb.
Do you have any idea how long it'd take me to grow this? So I've decided to go undercover to hide in plain sight.
Cameraman Buddy, ready for action.
(groovy music) Hiding behind this camera, I feel invisible.
The decor is dreadful.
This place is run-down.
It clearly hasn't seen love in years.
Who wants to sit down on that thing? Do you know if we're going to have oxtails at all today? No, 86 oxtails.
There is no more grits.
All we have is country potatoes.
Well, I don't know, we ran out.
[bleep.]
, I'm just a waitress.
(laughter) GORDON: Clearly no love lost on the food either.
CARRIE: But why are you guys holding on to the dishes so much? That's why they're always calling back for [bleep.]
.
-Y'all doing okay? -You were supposed to bring me a mimosa, and you forgot all about me.
I ain't forgot, I'm waiting on the dish, man.
I'm fittin' to forget about your ass right now.
Man, you didn't say no smothered.
It don't say that on your receipt.
GORDON: Sitting down in the restaurant would blow my cover, so Ernie and I have taken our food to go.
Um, visually, it looks as bad in here as it does on the plates I mean, it's just slopped.
-Yeah.
-Dig in.
So that's the fried chicken with greens.
-I mean, it just looks old.
-There's not a lot of flavor.
There's no flavor there whatsoever.
And it's certainly not seasoned on the breading.
(beeping) Well, how are those greens? They need a lot more seasoning.
Yeah, did you notice that? Every customer throwing salt.
-Yeah, pepper.
-Pepper everywhere.
-That guy peppered it twice.
-Mm-hmm.
(woman chuckles) (grunts) That's bland.
So the fried chicken and greens, a big no-no, right? Fried catfish sandwich.
That tartar sauce, that stinks.
(beeping) (scoffs) -Just smell that.
-No.
-Meatloaf.
-Whoa, that's meatloaf? It looks like something that sort of slipped out my granddad's underpants.
Look at that, that gravy there.
Whatever that is on there, that is just grim.
(beeping) Don't do it.
ERNIE: Oh.
-Oh, my God.
That is terrible.
-Get back in there? -Yeah.
-Yeah.
-All right.
Let's go.
(tense music) Ladies and gentleman, could I just ask you to stop eating? Knife and forks down.
Turn off the stove.
TIFFANY: Oh, that's Gordon Ramsay.
(laughs) -Oh, wait, that's a fake beard.
-Yeah, that [bleep.]
ain't real.
-Oh! -Oh, you the mean chef.
(laughter) -Whoo! -Can I just have silence just for 30 seconds? Please stop eating, madam.
Carrie, I've been here for the last 90 minutes.
I understand why the restaurant is struggling.
M'Dears is officially closed.
Can you all follow me, please? WOMAN: I ain't going to do too well with him.
MAN: Oof.
GORDON: Oh, my Lord.
(rock music) MARISSA: Are you nervous? CARRIE: Of course.
GORDON: This is Hell on Wheels.
It's a state-of-the-art kitchen, and, more importantly, this is my epicenter, staffed with the most extraordinary team.
Everything we do, we put passion into it.
I'm about to show you something that we've been secretly filming over the last couple of weeks.
And trust me, it speaks to why this restaurant is failing.
Watch carefully, please.
(dramatic music) MAN: What is this smell in the back of the refrigerator? Ew! Ain't nothing spoiled, is it? MAN: That's the wings.
MAN 2: Ugh.
Can you go down to King's Market and see if they have any steaks? Ugh, we don't have French toast right now.
86 spinach, 86 French fries, catfish, salmon croquette.
Stop what you're doing and go get me some eggs, 'cause this is not going to last us.
MAN: Oh.
TIFFANY: This is the wrong plate, but I'm going to go ahead and send it out.
Carrie has a lazy-ass daughter named Tiffany, She doesn't like to work hard.
She can stand there behind the counter and chitchat with all the guys that come in.
I don't know why you guys are just stacking them up here.
Why can't you guys double-bag this stuff? Devin, what exactly are you doing? The employees, they just fear her.
There's no respect.
Kiss my ass.
(laughs) Imbeciles.
[bleep.]
imbeciles.
Oh, no! Why has it come to this? 12 hours a day, seven days a week for the last 16 years.
Where are the standards? Staff, anybody? -What's happened? -No one listens.
No one listens.
No one gives a flying [bleep.]
.
Watching you, Carrie, the owner, this morning, mixing, dredging, cooking, cleaning, washing, sweeping up, you did not strike me as the owner there this morning.
Tiffany, what do you think when you see the team talk about you like that? What's your feedback? No one's opinion means anything to me.
Nobody's opinion matters to you.
Fundamentally, she doesn't give a [bleep.]
.
She doesn't care what the customers think.
She doesn't care about the other employees think.
And, more importantly, she doesn't care about -what you think as her mother.
-Absolutely.
What have you got to say? We've already had these conversations, so I'm asking you.
I don't give a [bleep.]
whether you had the conversation or not.
I'm asking you now just to speak up.
Tiffany, are you in denial? Because I have no intention of staying if you don't give a damn.
[bleep.]
done, I swear to God.
[bleep.]
all this.
I need to whoosah and not be around this camera, though.
I'm going to kick this [bleep.]
camera.
(dramatic music) -(exhales deeply) -(beeping) I'm going to kick this [bleep.]
camera.
GORDON: Tiffany, come on.
Here's the reality.
(dramatic music) The problems are partly your fault.
We're months away from shutting the door.
Hate me or love me, I'm here to fix this place.
I haven't got a month.
I haven't got two weeks.
I've got 24 hours, and that 24 hours starts right now.
MAN: What the heck? (indistinct chatter) Staff, pick up your cell, call home.
I need you committed for 24 hours.
Patrons, thank you.
I look forward to seeing you in 24 hours, okay? MAN: 24 hours? -Gordon Ramsay bust out on us -in the restaurant today.
MAN: Ah, [bleep.]
.
I need you on a 24-hour standby.
Are you available? They going to have us [bleep.]
all night, so -Pray for me, Pres.
-You'll be all right, Annie.
(tense music) Watching the performance of some of the members of staff, I'm shocked that you're still here, because I would have fired you in a heartbeat.
(scoffs) From my standpoint, the problem starts at the top.
The owner has something negative to say all the time.
The family that owns this business don't care.
You don't know what the hell you're talking about.
You don't know anything.
You're just talking out your [bleep.]
.
LaToya.
Okay.
This is how my boss talks to me.
Yeah, if you don't want to be here, there's the door.
Mm.
MARISSA: Everyone should admit to their role in this situation.
But that means you as the owner as well.
It comes from the top down.
It does.
Tiffany, listening to the fragmented relationships going on, what have you done to help change that? If the employees have a certain feeling about, "I don't like the way Carrie talks to me," I can't do anything other than let her know how they're feeling.
Witnessing a family-run business that couldn't be any further than family-run, what's happened? MARISSA: The only thing that we really have connecting us is this restaurant.
GORDON: Sure.
-She's so consumed with this, she can't focus on building familial relationships.
We have no chance of getting a successful business unless we are united, but I am here to help.
I've got Brian and Teresa and my renovation team, and we're going to gut this place.
I want every member of staff digging deep.
-Is that understood? ALL: Yes.
And when I smell [bleep.]
, I'm going to call it out.
Brian, Teresa, team, welcome.
Start from that end and work backwards.
I need this place gutted.
I need a word with you, you, and you.
BRIAN: Come on, guys.
Let's go to the front.
We'll start grabbing everything from there.
Come on, guys.
Let's just start grabbing these tables.
Then, we'll just kind of clean up everything.
LATOYA: I think them cups need to go.
(laughs) We can pull all this stuff off.
All right, let's go.
GORDON: Would you mind coming here, please, Tiffany? Truthfully, what on Earth is going on here? -We don't respect each other.
-Right, why is that? We can't sugarcoat that anymore.
This woman hasn't liked me since I was eight years old.
(tense music) So we're talking over 30 years? Yeah, oh, yeah.
Because that's when they got divorced, right? That's when it started.
Have you really hated your daughter -for the last 30 years? -No.
No, but we've never gotten along.
But you walk in, and there's a picture of you and your two daughters.
How can it be a family business? It's not a family business.
It's my business.
You're deflecting every question.
I don't understand.
I do not have confidence that she would run the restaurant properly.
I absolutely do not have any faith in her, period.
I tell her all the time, like, she should just go (voice breaking) And be happy.
She's not happy here.
And, Tiffany, why are you here? I'm not looking for love or friendship here, no.
It's definitely what pays my bills.
I'm not sure who I'm fighting for here.
It's so fragmented, it's extraordinary.
I think we all, as a family, need to solve issues.
-My God.
-You don't want to address any, like, issues.
(tense music) Carrie, it sounds like you've given up on her.
-Yeah.
-You have given up on her? Yes.
[bleep.]
.
This is a really sad situation.
I've never come across such a toxic mother-daughter relationship like this.
You and Tiffany can't really even be in the same room.
-Because of her.
-Oh, my God, seriously? I'm not too sure if I can fix a mother-daughter relationship that's gone south for decades in 24 hours, but I'm going to have a good [bleep.]
go.
So, Carrie let's go into the kitchen.
Yeah, who cleans this place? -Don't laugh.
-Nobody.
Nobody cleans.
What's in here? [bleep.]
hell.
You opened a bag of lettuce.
So whatever fresh lettuce is left in there is sat next to something even more rotten.
Oh, my Lord.
Zucchinis, soft and moldy.
What's in this fridge? Oxtail.
How old is this? It's like leftover dog food.
What's that? When it sits in blood like that, it soils it.
Oh, my God.
What do I scream about the most You're paying for this.
You're the idiot.
-Yeah, I'm an idiot.
-Unbelievable.
Let's come down here.
All these dressings are store-bought? The tartar sauce is, yes.
[bleep.]
hell.
Hold on a minute.
Expired August, 2018.
-It's off, Carrie.
-Okay, it's off, it's expired.
We ate this today.
(dramatic music) What's funny, Carrie? I don't find this funny.
[bleep.]
.
-I don't know what to say.
-If I'm not here, it doesn't get done.
They don't do it on their own.
How many chefs have you seen -come and go in three years? -A lot.
-And why don't they say? -Some don't like attitudes of management.
Carrie, do you know what's starting to become clear to me? That nobody, in your mind, is ever good enough.
Your staff, in your eyes, are never good enough.
Your daughter isn't good enough.
It's no surprise we're losing money -and everybody's pissed off.
-Yeah, basically.
It don't matter what day I walk in here.
Everybody disappointed and sad.
They're feeding off your negativity.
Why don't you all just do your job and I do do my job.
Nobody recognize that, though.
This is crazy.
Carrie, it starts with you.
I want this kitchen cleaned from top to bottom.
Start with changing the fryer today, okay? Immediately.
You too, Carrie.
It's clear that while the staff has passion, Carrie's negativity is killing the soul of this business from the top down.
(scoffs) BRIAN: You take these guys, and you just start going with it, and we're going to basically take them and use them to create a giant art piece.
-This is called hard work.
-No, man, hard work? Come on! So until this color come off? (rock music) What are you feeling? What is going through your mind? Really? Distressed wood? MARISSA: You don't like the distressed wood? I think it's going to look good.
-It's rustic.
-I'm not a rustic person.
You haven't seen it come together yet.
(sighs) (tense music) Oh, my God, we're not doing a black wall.
It's not going to happen.
We're not doing a black wall in this tiny space.
Get somebody to tell her to stop.
(dramatic music) -Hi.
-Hi, hi, hi.
-I'm not doing a black wall.
-No, no, no -No black wall.
-It's not black.
-It's not going to -That looks black to me.
Correct, it does.
So we're doing layers.
This is adding texture off the wall, and then we're bringing in your pinks.
You're still going to have your pinks and your whites and your blacks.
-This place is so small.
-Mm-hmm.
And you just took up another inch or two of space? You took up four inches of space there.
(drill whirrs) BRIAN: It's not going to take away any usable space in the restaurant.
We're going to keep the same amount of dining.
It's going to elevate you and this entire place.
CARRIE: To the Jetsons.
BRIAN: No, no.
It will not be the Jetsons.
(dramatic music) (beeping) (drill whirrs) It's going to cost me a fortune to put this [bleep.]
back.
Uh, Carrie? (dramatic music) -Are you okay? -Not really.
It looks like you're regretting the change.
Do you understand how bad we need to change? The Jetsons is not our image.
-Those look like space saucers.
-Are you serious? This place is months away from closing, and you're telling me about my lampshades? -I get it.
-You don't get it.
-I do.
-You wouldn't be in this mess if you did.
(tense music) Carrie's so dysfunctional, she can't see the forest through the trees.
I need to focus on what will get M'Dears back on track, starting with a new menu.
All right, gents, come up.
We good? -Yeah.
-Come in.
Guys, I can feel it.
You're Carrie may not be inspiring you, but I am, okay? I'm going to motivate you both with our new menu.
Launch menu tomorrow night is this.
Let's start off here Jerk chicken wings.
Lightly seasoned with a nice jerk seasoning with a habanero pineapple hot sauce.
Tasty beyond belief.
Fried fish po' boy sliders with a cabbage slaw.
Next to that, the shrimp and grits.
Cheddar grits done with some beautiful bacon.
They look wonderful.
They do look wonderful, don't they? Entreesbarbecue glazed salmon with the fried okra, and the candied yams.
And then, of course, you've got T-bone steak with a loaded baked potato, garlic spinach, and a gravy.
Right, cast-iron pan.
That cast-iron pan's going to pull that flavor on there.
T at 6 o'clock.
Always lay away from you, so any splash back just splashes out of the pan, not up your arm, okay? Butter, and then some thyme.
And that thyme's going to make that steak absolutely rock.
When's the last time you put a new dish on the menu? -Never.
-Never.
Why is that? A medium-rare should be about two minutes each side.
You let that rest.
That continues cooking there, right? -Yes.
-Okay.
The secretletting it rest increases the flavor.
Who taught you how to cook? Yeah, how'd you get into food? I started cooking at home.
Then I went to school for it.
Right, so you went to culinary school? -Yes.
-Great.
How old were you when you first starting cooking? -Well, about 13.
-Good man.
GORDON: From there, just a light sprinkling of toasted flour.
That's going to give you your thickness to the sauce.
(rock music) In goes the stock.
As that boils, you're going to start picking it up.
And then we're going to put a little touch of cream in there, just to lighten up that color.
-Nothing complicated, right? -No.
Okay, we've got a great chance to turn this thing around.
Steak's rested, right? Medium-rare is never served piping hot, okay? Just touch that.
It's got a bounce back there.
So medium-rare is there, almost like you're taking a pulse.
You go further up, it's medium.
And then, up further there is medium-well.
And here, we're going to do a little bit of garlic spinach a beautiful cornel.
From there, a loaded potato bacon bits, beautiful gravy.
There we are, a beautiful T-bone steak.
-You want some wine? -(laughter) Dig in.
Pinkness in the middle, yeah? GORDON: So it's medium-rare.
-It's good.
(laughs) We are just over 17 hours before we re-launch, and you two right now are my only hope of re-launching that place.
Mary, please, come over.
-Hello.
-How are you? -Hi.
Mary.
-Hi.
Mary, Alex, Jamie, and Ben.
-Zuriel.
-Zuriel, nice to meet you.
She is going to get you ready so we can absolutely nail this menu -ahead of re-launch tomorrow.
-Okay.
-Yeah, Mary? -Let's start cooking.
I'm going back to the restaurant.
My idea was to have Carrie cook here with me this evening to inspire her, to get her on the same page, but she's not biting.
She's uninspired, and I'm running out of time.
(dramatic music) Let's talk about the personal stuff.
You're not on the same page with Tiffany.
I have three daughters.
Every little girl needs her mum, I promise you that.
She's such a daddy's girl.
She's always acted like she didn't need or want me.
We're Armenian, and we're black.
-Right.
-Because of my family, who disowned me and, you know, by extension, them, Tiffany absolutely will not accept that ethnic part of her.
She doesn't want me speaking Armenian to her.
She won't let me call her Armenian terms of endearment.
(voice breaking) I have to be who I am.
You're right.
But when was the last time you told Tiffany that you loved her? -I have no idea.
-Do you love her? I love her.
She's my daughter, my number one.
Yes, she may be that daddy's little girl, but she's been here for you, and she needs you.
But we can't make up for 32 years.
I do not want you to spend the next 20, 30 years with this angst.
That is the most important thing within these four walls.
Get that back on track.
-Promise me you'll do that.
-I will, I promise.
(sighs) (soft music) I'm starting to feel there may be hope yet.
With Carrie progressing slowly, I'm hoping our renovation is moving along a bit faster.
-Brian.
-Yes, sir.
-We good? -I think so.
-Soawkward space.
BRIAN: Right.
GORDON: So how do we warm this place up? The idea was to take away all this crazy pink -Yeah, dreadful.
-And then add wood tones -and warmth -Sure.
To create a space that was, like, inviting.
BRIAN: So the concept for this one was that we do butcher block kind of installation here -Nice.
-To get some light wood tones.
GORDON: Love it.
Despite Carrie's concern's about the design, the vision is coming together.
(groovy music) But we still have a lot of work to do to create a soul-food haven that the staff can be proud of.
-LaToya, grab a brush.
LATOYA: Okay.
Let's go, baby.
BRIAN: Don't do that.
(yawns) GORDON: As dawn breaks, some of the most challenging works remains No, you yawn, and it makes me yawn.
GORDON: Including some more tough conversations.
How's this? Ladies.
(inhales sharply) We good? -Tough day yesterday.
-It was a regular day.
I see a lot of tough days in my life.
And if that's a normal day for you, it confirms you've become numb to it.
I'm trying to get through to Mum.
Do you want to make up with her? I'm cool exactly where it is.
You're in a position to change this, Tiffany.
What does Mom do when I call her? She gets irritated.
TIFFANY: She can't stand the sound of my voice.
She hangs up in my face when I'm not even done with a sentence, and I could be calling her just to tell her something about the business.
If you feel someone has mistreated you or talked to you in a certain type of way, under no circumstances just because you share the same blood as them are you supposed to then just subject yourself to possibly being treated like that again.
Mentally, I'm, like, "Okay, you know what? "I know who you are.
You're my mother.
"You gave birth to me.
I respect you.
"And I just want to be over here.
-I just want to go over here.
" -How does that make you feel? I mean, it's disheartening.
No one wants their family to be disjointed.
-I want to fix our family.
-Yeah.
But it's so deep-rooted.
-Do you love your mother? -That's my mother.
-I mean -I'm just asking.
-I asked her the same question.
-Oh, okay.
Well, yeah, that's my mom.
-You still can't answer? -Oh, my God.
(tense music) You won't break me.
(dramatic music) Oh, my Lord.
You won't break me.
(beeping) It's not a chip on your shoulder, it's a boulder.
The only way this will ever work is if the family is united.
I am going to try my best to re-launch this restaurant, and just those negative vibes, that's on your shoulders.
It's certainly not on mine.
(dramatic music) Yeah.
Thank you.
Unbelievable.
I'm starting to fear there's no hope for this family or the restaurant Whoof.
Unless Carrie and Tiffany can reach an understanding.
CARRIE: So, um I want to try to at least bridge the gap in the personal relationship without, um fighting against each other.
For the sake of the family business -Mm-hmm.
-Can you commit? -But -Um Well, I mean, you just said "I have no faith in her," and, uh You misread what I said, though.
I said I didn't have any faith that you would -In responsibility? -In responsibility.
But as far as trustworthiness, as far as your knowledge of the business, that's not in question.
But you said I don't want to work hard -and I don't want to -Okay, but come on.
TIFFANY: Are you serious? -Okay.
So let's just try to drop the defensiveness.
All I'm saying is, will you try? (sniffles) CARRIE: And maybe we can work on the personal relationship -outside of the business -Mm-hmm.
To see if we can take this business to the next level without fighting against each other.
Are you willing to do that? (Marissa sniffles) Okay, well, that's all I'm asking.
I can't ask for any more than that.
(hopeful music) GORDON: Healing years of conflict isn't easy, but with just a few hours to re-launch, I've got one last idea I want to try.
Ladies, come up, please.
Uh, Carrie, let me introduce you to Mary, head of culinary.
-Hello.
-You two have a lot in common.
-Hi.
-I'm Carrie.
-Nice to meet you.
-Armenian as well.
-Oh! [laughs.]
-Yes, come around, please.
-[speaking Armenian.]
GORDON: Come over.
This is peach cobbler, and it's delicious.
Dig in.
(soft music) Yeah? Carrie, what do you think? It's delicious.
You interested in cooking some? -I'm absolutely game.
-Uh-huh.
I bake with my daughters.
That's the only time we get a chance to spend a little bit of quality time together.
-Oh, okay.
-When was the last time you girls baked together? CARRIE: First of all, Tiffany doesn't cook or bake.
Right.
Never even growing up? -No.
GORDON: Never, ever? -No.
-First time for everything.
There we go.
Come on, Tiffany You can do this.
I know it hurts.
-It's tough.
-It's not tough.
-You can do this.
-Oh! You can do it.
That flour went all in my face.
MARY: You can work right over here.
-How am I slicing them? -Maybe slice it let me show youthis way.
I'm holding out the bubbles, just like that.
Just like that.
There you go.
Yeah? Great.
MARY: Spray all of those with the spray.
-Ooh.
-I'm getting covered in flour.
Make sure I do the best at this.
-Oh, that's your job? -Yes.
(laughter) I can't hardly that got to be the easiest thing.
-You can't mess that up.
-No.
(hopeful music) GORDON: Not that difficult, is it, huh? -It's fun.
-I just had no idea how great with this was right here.
I feel like Ignited, and I'm just happy you're smiling.
-Chef Reese, Chef Reese.
-Chef Reese, there you go.
I can't wait to taste this cobbler.
This enough peaches? Having a chance to be with both of my daughters in the same room at the same time is a nice, pleasurable little moment.
Oh, I see that.
You're getting in a little dabble-dabble.
We haven't done that in a long time.
All right, we did a good job, ladies.
You think? GORDON: With some finishing touches, the renovation will be complete.
(drill whirrs) So once we're done with this, then we can put all the booths in.
GORDON: But after her earlier concerns, there's no telling what Carrie will think.
It's the moment of truth.
-Carrie, how you feeling? -Okay.
Change is difficult, right? Oh, absolutely, yeah, it is.
And you haven't changed anything in 17 years.
Nope.
I know you have your concerns and your reservations.
However, I'd love you to go and have a look.
Okay, all righty.
Oh, wow.
Oh, wow.
CARRIE: Oh (sighs) GORDON: Oh, boy.
-Carrie? -Oh, God.
This is so ridiculous.
(beeping) Carrie? (beeping) (tense music) I know you have your concerns and your reservations.
However, I'd love you to go and have a look.
Okay.
Oh, wow.
Oh, wow.
GORDON: We've transformed this dated bakery and bistro into a cozy soul-food destination.
The overwhelming pink has been traded out for tasteful pink accents.
The dining rooms have been updated with fresh paint, rich wallpapers, accent walls, new shelving, table and chairs, and an updated bar.
(scoffs) Oh, God, this is so ridiculous.
(tense music) GORDON: Carrie? YouOh.
You okay? Come on, what do you think? How are the short people going to be able to reach that? Seriously? Ouch.
Carrie.
Truthfully, what's your favorite part? -Probably the shelving.
-The shelving that's too high? -Well, yeah.
-Okay.
And the back? Let'slet's walk in there.
-Ladies, come in.
-Mm-hmm.
-You good? -Ooh, look at this.
-Yeah? -Oh, wow, look, Mom.
We did that.
We worked on that.
-Ooh.
-I like the Do you like the black backsplash? -No.
-Oh, God! -What is wrong? -I don't think it fits.
I think it looks cute.
TIFFANY: As far as my mother goes, she's still trying to take all this in a new restaurant, a new system, a new way of doing things.
This is her baby, so I can't really read her at the moment.
I think it feels like home, like -Totally, like you're at -If you were having -Thanksgiving, like, at home.
-Mm-hmm.
TIFFANY: I think people would love to be back here.
-Yeah.
-Have a good look round, yeah? I can't wait to hear your feedback, yeah? I'm going to get set up in the kitchen, ready for re-launch.
Carrie's negativity could still derail this restaurant.
Oy! GORDON: But we're running out of time.
I hope she comes around, because without Carrie Front of the house.
This re-launch will fail.
We couldn't have done this without the help of Associated Food Equipment & Supplies, yeah? -Tiffany, you ready? -Ready, yes.
WOMAN: Yes.
-Support one another.
Don't go for one another.
It's going to be sticky to begin with.
We're going to get backed up, but then we get out the weeds.
-Mm-hmm.
-Yeah? ALL: Yes! -Good luck, guys.
-Let's go.
-Game time.
Yeah? We got this.
-All right.
-Yeah? Can you wipe off the booths? They're all dusty.
GORDON: 60 seconds to go.
(tense music) Don't be nervous.
I'm really stressed.
So, as the owner, you expedite.
-I have to holler it out? -If they have to cook and tell what table they're going It just needs that communicator.
Ooh, oh, wow.
GORDON: Who's running the front of the house? MARISSA: Debra's going to be doing the hostessing.
Tiffany, do you want to be responsible for one, two? I do three, four? TIFFANY: Yeah.
GORDON: Let's go.
ALL: Ten, nine, eight, seven WOMAN: Oh, my God.
For real? ALL: Four, three, two, one! (cheers and applause) WOMAN: All right.
WOMAN 2: How you doing, love? Absolutely, welcome, welcome, welcome.
Carrie, this is where you're going.
-Look out there.
-I know.
What are you nervous about? This is totally outside of my comfort zone.
-Where's the strength gone? -I don't know.
I'm so scared that I'm going to fail.
You've been working so hard and getting nowhere.
-Mm-hmm.
-If we don't change, there's no chance at success.
Embrace it.
Okay.
Are you guys ready to order, or you need more time? I have to try your wings.
-Medium-rare.
WOMAN: Medium-rare.
Got you, baby.
(rock music) (machine whirring) GORDON: Okay, we got our first order on, yes? You call out the order? Are you calling out? -Okay, I'm calling.
-Good, good girl.
-Yes, I need two -Nice and loud, louder.
-I need two -Hot order.
Come on, you got this.
I'm with you.
-I am with you.
-I need two jerk wings, one shrimp and grits, three glazed salmon all day, and two medium-rare steaks.
-Okay.
BOTH: Heard! Look, come in here.
So this is the team moving now.
Okay? Salmon's in the pan, T-bones are in.
We're going to send the wings now.
How long for the wings, please? -30 seconds, okay? -Okay.
Come on, you got this.
There we are, now, go.
The team is off to a strong start, and as the food makes its way to the customers -All right, sweethearts.
-All right.
MAN: Thank you.
Oh, there we go.
Oh, yeah, no, it's looking fancy up in here.
-That's good.
GORDON: Initial feedback is positive.
(machine whirring) CARRIE: Tiffany, we got wings up.
-This is table two? -That's table two.
Got it.
Table one, that's table one.
-So this is actually table two.
-Oh, no, that's not No, we're still waiting on the sliders.
CARRIE: Oh, shoot.
GORDON: With more orders coming in, there's more pressure on Carrie to keep a cool head.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
GORDON: Ms.
Carrie, we got off to a great start.
Okay, stop, I don't need any more of those.
No? I've got it in advance.
-Let me have those tickets.
-Let me finish my sentence.
GORDON: But she started reverting -I'm looking for a slider.
GORDON: To her old ways.
Carrie, you got to talk to them.
-Help me out, yes? -Okay, I need my appetizer.
-I need wings.
-Wings, I need.
This is killing me.
Okay, hey, excuse me? Everything is waiting on wings.
I need five more wings all day.
It's not all waiting.
We're a little bit backed up, so give them some confidence.
Carrie, I need some encouragement.
I can't stand all the lecturing.
(dramatic music) (dramatic music) GORDON: Stop! Carrie, it's 30 seconds or so.
The difference is night and day.
Just encourage them.
CARRIE: I don't want to throw a wrench into stuff.
This is your opportunity to be a leader and a motivator.
I know you can do it.
And I can't change 17 years in one night.
-I know.
-But we need to -start somewhere, okay? -Okay.
CARRIE: Come on, you guys.
We can do it.
I got nine wings all day, please.
(rock music) I have never cooked like this, but we can do it.
Nobody my age likes anybody younger telling them what to do.
All right, sweethearts, jerk chicken.
JET: That looks awesome.
Wow, that is spicy, but, like, good spicy.
-Yeah.
-The wings is on fire.
Bobby said they're amazing.
-What's going to table one? -Two and one, two and one.
Tiffany and Carrie working together.
-Keep it going.
-And one more.
That's Marissa, table nine.
GORDON: Just keep it going, yes? CARRIE: Medium-rare and salmon, please.
Okay, Trevon, come on.
You're doing a good job, honey.
Let's go.
The one that's plain is well-done.
The one that's not plain is medium-rare.
-Trevon, you are doing amazing.
-Thank you.
LATOYA: Everybody's eating everything and loving it, raving about the food.
A long time coming.
-A long time coming.
-Good.
MARISSA: The customers are loving it.
They love the new menu items.
They love the atmosphere and the ambiance.
Yes, thank you very much.
I think they love the change.
GORDON: Good job.
Keep it going, carry on.
They're loving the food, yeah? ZURIEL: Thanks.
-Well done.
-How's that cobbler? -The cobbler's amazing.
-Isn't it? -Yes.
Hey, we made that, we made that.
I know, I know, yeah, we did that.
I am feeling a level of relief.
TIFFANY: I am grateful for this experience, -and I'm embracing everything.
GORDON: Come on! TIFFANY: My mother is kind of learning to step back a little, and, like, release a little bit of control.
She's growing, and her performance today was really great.
-I need you for 30 seconds.
-Okay.
-I need you as well.
-Okay.
First of all, yeah? Well done, okay? That wasn't easy.
Feedback from customers has been what? CARRIE: Yes.
Very good.
-Happy? -Yeah.
Now, when we started, it was toxic.
Tonight you have proved a point.
-We can work together.
-Yes.
-Yes, yes.
-Yeah? Stay on that page.
We haven't resolved everything, I get that.
-But change is good.
-Mm-hmm.
-Keep her on track.
-Yes.
And remind each other how important love is.
-You love these two, right? -Yes.
-You can tell them that.
-Oh, yes, I can.
Love you both.
Love you both.
Chef Ramsay cares about this business and cares about us.
Thank you for hanging in there.
MARISSA: This process was extremely big for my sister, because she doesn't open up to anyone.
I do appreciate it, thank you.
MARISSA: We cracked the surface a little bit.
They might not have been gigantic steps, but baby steps.
But baby steps are just as good sometimes.
-And, you, keep it up.
-I will.
-Keep it up.
-I promise.
-Thank you.
-Thank you so much.
I really appreciate all of your help, okay? -Okay.
-Bye-bye, now.
CARRIE: It was definitely a hard journey, but it was absolutely worth it.
One of the most difficult 24 hours that I've ever endured.
And listen, let's be honest we're never going to fix a toxic family relationship in 24 hours based on 32 years of negativity.
But what tonight did prove is that they can work together.
There's a glimmer of hope.
If they stick like that, they can rebuild this.
If they go back one step, the doors are going to close.
(hopeful music) (beeping) Hey, Chef Ramsay.
All is very well here.
The customers love the changes.
I am getting used to them.
The cooks are also utilizing your techniques on our steaks, and we haven't had a steak returned yet.
And Tiffany's been way, way better.
TIFFANY: Thanks so much for the opportunity.
It's been a good experience.
MARISSA: Thanks, Chef Ramsay, for coming and helping our restaurant, our family try to get things back on track.
-Marissa, table nine.
MARISSA: Got it.
-Tiffany? -Yeah? Can you run it for me? MARISSA: I think we're communicating a little bit more, and just really from the bottom of our heart, I just want to say thank you for that and taking time out of, you know, your life to help with ours.
(flames crackling)
-Look at the cockroaches! -That's disgusting.
GORDON: With so many restaurants on the brink of collapse Smell that [bleep.]
! Look at all that [bleep.]
blood in there.
The most disgusting kitchen ever! GORDON: I know that I need to work quickly.
So I've given myself just 24 hours WOMAN: Oh, my God! GORDON: To try and save each of them.
That is [bleep.]
rancid! (sniffs, grunts) GORDON: But when people know I'm coming, they tend to hide what's really going on.
So I'll be covert, hiding cameras in the restaurants, and myself in plain sight Time to raise some hell.
GORDON: To catch them all red-handed.
You're talking out your [bleep.]
, LaToya.
I want to show you something that isn't very pleasant.
It's like leftover dog food.
GORDON: If I have any hope of saving them Tiffany, are you in denial? No one's opinion means anything to me.
GORDON: I'll have to go to hell and back I'm here to help you, but clearly you can't help your-[bleep.]
-self! GORDON: In 24 hours.
You won't break me.
(dramatic music) (beeping) (rock music) GORDON: I've just arrived in Los Angeles, California One of the country's most culturally rich and diverse cities, not to mention a hotbed for some of the world's most extraordinary food.
I'm close to the site of LA's new amazing football stadium, the future home to the Rams and the Chargers.
While the area awaits the business a new stadium will bring, there's one restaurant who's doors are in danger of closing.
Family owned and operated since 2002, M'Dears Bakery & Bistro has earned a great reputation for its freshly baked goods.
Unfortunately, an intervention is needed, because, frankly, m'dear, this place is in trouble.
(groovy music) I'm Carrie Reese, and I'm the owner of M'Dears Bakery & Bistro.
We specialize in elegant Southern cuisine with a California twist.
It's soul food.
In the 1990's, we built the brand, selling our desserts at local jazz festivals, and then I opened the restaurant.
From day one, both my daughters worked here.
We've always been in business together.
I would spend my summers working with her after school.
You guys still doing good over here? -We are.
-Okay.
Throughout this journey that we call M'Dears, it's, um it's had its challenges.
(voice breaking) So (soft music) Over time, the stress of the restaurant has caused rifts between our family.
After the restaurant opened, I was disowned by my family because I married a black man.
And if you know anything about Armenian culture, you don't marry outside of Armenian, let alone marry outside of your race.
My sister was able to turn my mother against me and make sure that the black grandkids didn't get anything.
(voice breaking) And, um while I could have been enjoying retirement, I'm working.
-Mom.
-I got Just leave me alone, please.
Our relationship has suffered somewhat.
I don't know if it's because of the restaurant or just us growing into women.
I think my mom and I's relationship is the closest.
There is a wedge between my mom and my sister.
I'm done with everything.
TIFFANY: There have been years and years and years of us going at each other's throat.
I don't want to be the BFF daughter-mother duo.
I don't want to be the friend.
We deal with each other strictly for business.
You got any wine glasses back here that are clean? I just cleaned them and put them up there, though.
Working at M'Dears, sometimes it's, like, dreadful.
CARRIE: Do not do that! I'm telling you don't do that! I think a lot of the time, the staff doesn't care.
I said it's no matter.
What do you not understand about that? I just closed the door on that ass.
I think the stress of the restaurant has caused friction.
My mom is extremely stressed out, so she's really short.
Who's is this? Who's is this? LATOYA: Ms.
Carrie is a little tough to work for.
CARRIE: You do not use a scrubber on Teflon.
I don't like her, and I don't like dealing with her.
Make me [bleep.]
crazy.
My employees probably perceive me as a money-grubbing bitch.
They don't understand the burden that I carry.
(soft music) MARISSA: If this business were to fail, it would be unfortunate to see all my mama's hard work be for nothing.
(voice breaking) This now has become my legacy to my children and my grandchildren.
M'Dears is holding on for dear life.
So my team told the restaurant that they were trying out for a traditional renovation show.
Whilst they were being interviewed, we installed hidden cameras throughout the restaurant, and have been secretly recording surveillance footage ever since we left.
But even with the best disguise, in this tiny little restaurant, I'll stick out like a sore thumb.
Do you have any idea how long it'd take me to grow this? So I've decided to go undercover to hide in plain sight.
Cameraman Buddy, ready for action.
(groovy music) Hiding behind this camera, I feel invisible.
The decor is dreadful.
This place is run-down.
It clearly hasn't seen love in years.
Who wants to sit down on that thing? Do you know if we're going to have oxtails at all today? No, 86 oxtails.
There is no more grits.
All we have is country potatoes.
Well, I don't know, we ran out.
[bleep.]
, I'm just a waitress.
(laughter) GORDON: Clearly no love lost on the food either.
CARRIE: But why are you guys holding on to the dishes so much? That's why they're always calling back for [bleep.]
.
-Y'all doing okay? -You were supposed to bring me a mimosa, and you forgot all about me.
I ain't forgot, I'm waiting on the dish, man.
I'm fittin' to forget about your ass right now.
Man, you didn't say no smothered.
It don't say that on your receipt.
GORDON: Sitting down in the restaurant would blow my cover, so Ernie and I have taken our food to go.
Um, visually, it looks as bad in here as it does on the plates I mean, it's just slopped.
-Yeah.
-Dig in.
So that's the fried chicken with greens.
-I mean, it just looks old.
-There's not a lot of flavor.
There's no flavor there whatsoever.
And it's certainly not seasoned on the breading.
(beeping) Well, how are those greens? They need a lot more seasoning.
Yeah, did you notice that? Every customer throwing salt.
-Yeah, pepper.
-Pepper everywhere.
-That guy peppered it twice.
-Mm-hmm.
(woman chuckles) (grunts) That's bland.
So the fried chicken and greens, a big no-no, right? Fried catfish sandwich.
That tartar sauce, that stinks.
(beeping) (scoffs) -Just smell that.
-No.
-Meatloaf.
-Whoa, that's meatloaf? It looks like something that sort of slipped out my granddad's underpants.
Look at that, that gravy there.
Whatever that is on there, that is just grim.
(beeping) Don't do it.
ERNIE: Oh.
-Oh, my God.
That is terrible.
-Get back in there? -Yeah.
-Yeah.
-All right.
Let's go.
(tense music) Ladies and gentleman, could I just ask you to stop eating? Knife and forks down.
Turn off the stove.
TIFFANY: Oh, that's Gordon Ramsay.
(laughs) -Oh, wait, that's a fake beard.
-Yeah, that [bleep.]
ain't real.
-Oh! -Oh, you the mean chef.
(laughter) -Whoo! -Can I just have silence just for 30 seconds? Please stop eating, madam.
Carrie, I've been here for the last 90 minutes.
I understand why the restaurant is struggling.
M'Dears is officially closed.
Can you all follow me, please? WOMAN: I ain't going to do too well with him.
MAN: Oof.
GORDON: Oh, my Lord.
(rock music) MARISSA: Are you nervous? CARRIE: Of course.
GORDON: This is Hell on Wheels.
It's a state-of-the-art kitchen, and, more importantly, this is my epicenter, staffed with the most extraordinary team.
Everything we do, we put passion into it.
I'm about to show you something that we've been secretly filming over the last couple of weeks.
And trust me, it speaks to why this restaurant is failing.
Watch carefully, please.
(dramatic music) MAN: What is this smell in the back of the refrigerator? Ew! Ain't nothing spoiled, is it? MAN: That's the wings.
MAN 2: Ugh.
Can you go down to King's Market and see if they have any steaks? Ugh, we don't have French toast right now.
86 spinach, 86 French fries, catfish, salmon croquette.
Stop what you're doing and go get me some eggs, 'cause this is not going to last us.
MAN: Oh.
TIFFANY: This is the wrong plate, but I'm going to go ahead and send it out.
Carrie has a lazy-ass daughter named Tiffany, She doesn't like to work hard.
She can stand there behind the counter and chitchat with all the guys that come in.
I don't know why you guys are just stacking them up here.
Why can't you guys double-bag this stuff? Devin, what exactly are you doing? The employees, they just fear her.
There's no respect.
Kiss my ass.
(laughs) Imbeciles.
[bleep.]
imbeciles.
Oh, no! Why has it come to this? 12 hours a day, seven days a week for the last 16 years.
Where are the standards? Staff, anybody? -What's happened? -No one listens.
No one listens.
No one gives a flying [bleep.]
.
Watching you, Carrie, the owner, this morning, mixing, dredging, cooking, cleaning, washing, sweeping up, you did not strike me as the owner there this morning.
Tiffany, what do you think when you see the team talk about you like that? What's your feedback? No one's opinion means anything to me.
Nobody's opinion matters to you.
Fundamentally, she doesn't give a [bleep.]
.
She doesn't care what the customers think.
She doesn't care about the other employees think.
And, more importantly, she doesn't care about -what you think as her mother.
-Absolutely.
What have you got to say? We've already had these conversations, so I'm asking you.
I don't give a [bleep.]
whether you had the conversation or not.
I'm asking you now just to speak up.
Tiffany, are you in denial? Because I have no intention of staying if you don't give a damn.
[bleep.]
done, I swear to God.
[bleep.]
all this.
I need to whoosah and not be around this camera, though.
I'm going to kick this [bleep.]
camera.
(dramatic music) -(exhales deeply) -(beeping) I'm going to kick this [bleep.]
camera.
GORDON: Tiffany, come on.
Here's the reality.
(dramatic music) The problems are partly your fault.
We're months away from shutting the door.
Hate me or love me, I'm here to fix this place.
I haven't got a month.
I haven't got two weeks.
I've got 24 hours, and that 24 hours starts right now.
MAN: What the heck? (indistinct chatter) Staff, pick up your cell, call home.
I need you committed for 24 hours.
Patrons, thank you.
I look forward to seeing you in 24 hours, okay? MAN: 24 hours? -Gordon Ramsay bust out on us -in the restaurant today.
MAN: Ah, [bleep.]
.
I need you on a 24-hour standby.
Are you available? They going to have us [bleep.]
all night, so -Pray for me, Pres.
-You'll be all right, Annie.
(tense music) Watching the performance of some of the members of staff, I'm shocked that you're still here, because I would have fired you in a heartbeat.
(scoffs) From my standpoint, the problem starts at the top.
The owner has something negative to say all the time.
The family that owns this business don't care.
You don't know what the hell you're talking about.
You don't know anything.
You're just talking out your [bleep.]
.
LaToya.
Okay.
This is how my boss talks to me.
Yeah, if you don't want to be here, there's the door.
Mm.
MARISSA: Everyone should admit to their role in this situation.
But that means you as the owner as well.
It comes from the top down.
It does.
Tiffany, listening to the fragmented relationships going on, what have you done to help change that? If the employees have a certain feeling about, "I don't like the way Carrie talks to me," I can't do anything other than let her know how they're feeling.
Witnessing a family-run business that couldn't be any further than family-run, what's happened? MARISSA: The only thing that we really have connecting us is this restaurant.
GORDON: Sure.
-She's so consumed with this, she can't focus on building familial relationships.
We have no chance of getting a successful business unless we are united, but I am here to help.
I've got Brian and Teresa and my renovation team, and we're going to gut this place.
I want every member of staff digging deep.
-Is that understood? ALL: Yes.
And when I smell [bleep.]
, I'm going to call it out.
Brian, Teresa, team, welcome.
Start from that end and work backwards.
I need this place gutted.
I need a word with you, you, and you.
BRIAN: Come on, guys.
Let's go to the front.
We'll start grabbing everything from there.
Come on, guys.
Let's just start grabbing these tables.
Then, we'll just kind of clean up everything.
LATOYA: I think them cups need to go.
(laughs) We can pull all this stuff off.
All right, let's go.
GORDON: Would you mind coming here, please, Tiffany? Truthfully, what on Earth is going on here? -We don't respect each other.
-Right, why is that? We can't sugarcoat that anymore.
This woman hasn't liked me since I was eight years old.
(tense music) So we're talking over 30 years? Yeah, oh, yeah.
Because that's when they got divorced, right? That's when it started.
Have you really hated your daughter -for the last 30 years? -No.
No, but we've never gotten along.
But you walk in, and there's a picture of you and your two daughters.
How can it be a family business? It's not a family business.
It's my business.
You're deflecting every question.
I don't understand.
I do not have confidence that she would run the restaurant properly.
I absolutely do not have any faith in her, period.
I tell her all the time, like, she should just go (voice breaking) And be happy.
She's not happy here.
And, Tiffany, why are you here? I'm not looking for love or friendship here, no.
It's definitely what pays my bills.
I'm not sure who I'm fighting for here.
It's so fragmented, it's extraordinary.
I think we all, as a family, need to solve issues.
-My God.
-You don't want to address any, like, issues.
(tense music) Carrie, it sounds like you've given up on her.
-Yeah.
-You have given up on her? Yes.
[bleep.]
.
This is a really sad situation.
I've never come across such a toxic mother-daughter relationship like this.
You and Tiffany can't really even be in the same room.
-Because of her.
-Oh, my God, seriously? I'm not too sure if I can fix a mother-daughter relationship that's gone south for decades in 24 hours, but I'm going to have a good [bleep.]
go.
So, Carrie let's go into the kitchen.
Yeah, who cleans this place? -Don't laugh.
-Nobody.
Nobody cleans.
What's in here? [bleep.]
hell.
You opened a bag of lettuce.
So whatever fresh lettuce is left in there is sat next to something even more rotten.
Oh, my Lord.
Zucchinis, soft and moldy.
What's in this fridge? Oxtail.
How old is this? It's like leftover dog food.
What's that? When it sits in blood like that, it soils it.
Oh, my God.
What do I scream about the most You're paying for this.
You're the idiot.
-Yeah, I'm an idiot.
-Unbelievable.
Let's come down here.
All these dressings are store-bought? The tartar sauce is, yes.
[bleep.]
hell.
Hold on a minute.
Expired August, 2018.
-It's off, Carrie.
-Okay, it's off, it's expired.
We ate this today.
(dramatic music) What's funny, Carrie? I don't find this funny.
[bleep.]
.
-I don't know what to say.
-If I'm not here, it doesn't get done.
They don't do it on their own.
How many chefs have you seen -come and go in three years? -A lot.
-And why don't they say? -Some don't like attitudes of management.
Carrie, do you know what's starting to become clear to me? That nobody, in your mind, is ever good enough.
Your staff, in your eyes, are never good enough.
Your daughter isn't good enough.
It's no surprise we're losing money -and everybody's pissed off.
-Yeah, basically.
It don't matter what day I walk in here.
Everybody disappointed and sad.
They're feeding off your negativity.
Why don't you all just do your job and I do do my job.
Nobody recognize that, though.
This is crazy.
Carrie, it starts with you.
I want this kitchen cleaned from top to bottom.
Start with changing the fryer today, okay? Immediately.
You too, Carrie.
It's clear that while the staff has passion, Carrie's negativity is killing the soul of this business from the top down.
(scoffs) BRIAN: You take these guys, and you just start going with it, and we're going to basically take them and use them to create a giant art piece.
-This is called hard work.
-No, man, hard work? Come on! So until this color come off? (rock music) What are you feeling? What is going through your mind? Really? Distressed wood? MARISSA: You don't like the distressed wood? I think it's going to look good.
-It's rustic.
-I'm not a rustic person.
You haven't seen it come together yet.
(sighs) (tense music) Oh, my God, we're not doing a black wall.
It's not going to happen.
We're not doing a black wall in this tiny space.
Get somebody to tell her to stop.
(dramatic music) -Hi.
-Hi, hi, hi.
-I'm not doing a black wall.
-No, no, no -No black wall.
-It's not black.
-It's not going to -That looks black to me.
Correct, it does.
So we're doing layers.
This is adding texture off the wall, and then we're bringing in your pinks.
You're still going to have your pinks and your whites and your blacks.
-This place is so small.
-Mm-hmm.
And you just took up another inch or two of space? You took up four inches of space there.
(drill whirrs) BRIAN: It's not going to take away any usable space in the restaurant.
We're going to keep the same amount of dining.
It's going to elevate you and this entire place.
CARRIE: To the Jetsons.
BRIAN: No, no.
It will not be the Jetsons.
(dramatic music) (beeping) (drill whirrs) It's going to cost me a fortune to put this [bleep.]
back.
Uh, Carrie? (dramatic music) -Are you okay? -Not really.
It looks like you're regretting the change.
Do you understand how bad we need to change? The Jetsons is not our image.
-Those look like space saucers.
-Are you serious? This place is months away from closing, and you're telling me about my lampshades? -I get it.
-You don't get it.
-I do.
-You wouldn't be in this mess if you did.
(tense music) Carrie's so dysfunctional, she can't see the forest through the trees.
I need to focus on what will get M'Dears back on track, starting with a new menu.
All right, gents, come up.
We good? -Yeah.
-Come in.
Guys, I can feel it.
You're Carrie may not be inspiring you, but I am, okay? I'm going to motivate you both with our new menu.
Launch menu tomorrow night is this.
Let's start off here Jerk chicken wings.
Lightly seasoned with a nice jerk seasoning with a habanero pineapple hot sauce.
Tasty beyond belief.
Fried fish po' boy sliders with a cabbage slaw.
Next to that, the shrimp and grits.
Cheddar grits done with some beautiful bacon.
They look wonderful.
They do look wonderful, don't they? Entreesbarbecue glazed salmon with the fried okra, and the candied yams.
And then, of course, you've got T-bone steak with a loaded baked potato, garlic spinach, and a gravy.
Right, cast-iron pan.
That cast-iron pan's going to pull that flavor on there.
T at 6 o'clock.
Always lay away from you, so any splash back just splashes out of the pan, not up your arm, okay? Butter, and then some thyme.
And that thyme's going to make that steak absolutely rock.
When's the last time you put a new dish on the menu? -Never.
-Never.
Why is that? A medium-rare should be about two minutes each side.
You let that rest.
That continues cooking there, right? -Yes.
-Okay.
The secretletting it rest increases the flavor.
Who taught you how to cook? Yeah, how'd you get into food? I started cooking at home.
Then I went to school for it.
Right, so you went to culinary school? -Yes.
-Great.
How old were you when you first starting cooking? -Well, about 13.
-Good man.
GORDON: From there, just a light sprinkling of toasted flour.
That's going to give you your thickness to the sauce.
(rock music) In goes the stock.
As that boils, you're going to start picking it up.
And then we're going to put a little touch of cream in there, just to lighten up that color.
-Nothing complicated, right? -No.
Okay, we've got a great chance to turn this thing around.
Steak's rested, right? Medium-rare is never served piping hot, okay? Just touch that.
It's got a bounce back there.
So medium-rare is there, almost like you're taking a pulse.
You go further up, it's medium.
And then, up further there is medium-well.
And here, we're going to do a little bit of garlic spinach a beautiful cornel.
From there, a loaded potato bacon bits, beautiful gravy.
There we are, a beautiful T-bone steak.
-You want some wine? -(laughter) Dig in.
Pinkness in the middle, yeah? GORDON: So it's medium-rare.
-It's good.
(laughs) We are just over 17 hours before we re-launch, and you two right now are my only hope of re-launching that place.
Mary, please, come over.
-Hello.
-How are you? -Hi.
Mary.
-Hi.
Mary, Alex, Jamie, and Ben.
-Zuriel.
-Zuriel, nice to meet you.
She is going to get you ready so we can absolutely nail this menu -ahead of re-launch tomorrow.
-Okay.
-Yeah, Mary? -Let's start cooking.
I'm going back to the restaurant.
My idea was to have Carrie cook here with me this evening to inspire her, to get her on the same page, but she's not biting.
She's uninspired, and I'm running out of time.
(dramatic music) Let's talk about the personal stuff.
You're not on the same page with Tiffany.
I have three daughters.
Every little girl needs her mum, I promise you that.
She's such a daddy's girl.
She's always acted like she didn't need or want me.
We're Armenian, and we're black.
-Right.
-Because of my family, who disowned me and, you know, by extension, them, Tiffany absolutely will not accept that ethnic part of her.
She doesn't want me speaking Armenian to her.
She won't let me call her Armenian terms of endearment.
(voice breaking) I have to be who I am.
You're right.
But when was the last time you told Tiffany that you loved her? -I have no idea.
-Do you love her? I love her.
She's my daughter, my number one.
Yes, she may be that daddy's little girl, but she's been here for you, and she needs you.
But we can't make up for 32 years.
I do not want you to spend the next 20, 30 years with this angst.
That is the most important thing within these four walls.
Get that back on track.
-Promise me you'll do that.
-I will, I promise.
(sighs) (soft music) I'm starting to feel there may be hope yet.
With Carrie progressing slowly, I'm hoping our renovation is moving along a bit faster.
-Brian.
-Yes, sir.
-We good? -I think so.
-Soawkward space.
BRIAN: Right.
GORDON: So how do we warm this place up? The idea was to take away all this crazy pink -Yeah, dreadful.
-And then add wood tones -and warmth -Sure.
To create a space that was, like, inviting.
BRIAN: So the concept for this one was that we do butcher block kind of installation here -Nice.
-To get some light wood tones.
GORDON: Love it.
Despite Carrie's concern's about the design, the vision is coming together.
(groovy music) But we still have a lot of work to do to create a soul-food haven that the staff can be proud of.
-LaToya, grab a brush.
LATOYA: Okay.
Let's go, baby.
BRIAN: Don't do that.
(yawns) GORDON: As dawn breaks, some of the most challenging works remains No, you yawn, and it makes me yawn.
GORDON: Including some more tough conversations.
How's this? Ladies.
(inhales sharply) We good? -Tough day yesterday.
-It was a regular day.
I see a lot of tough days in my life.
And if that's a normal day for you, it confirms you've become numb to it.
I'm trying to get through to Mum.
Do you want to make up with her? I'm cool exactly where it is.
You're in a position to change this, Tiffany.
What does Mom do when I call her? She gets irritated.
TIFFANY: She can't stand the sound of my voice.
She hangs up in my face when I'm not even done with a sentence, and I could be calling her just to tell her something about the business.
If you feel someone has mistreated you or talked to you in a certain type of way, under no circumstances just because you share the same blood as them are you supposed to then just subject yourself to possibly being treated like that again.
Mentally, I'm, like, "Okay, you know what? "I know who you are.
You're my mother.
"You gave birth to me.
I respect you.
"And I just want to be over here.
-I just want to go over here.
" -How does that make you feel? I mean, it's disheartening.
No one wants their family to be disjointed.
-I want to fix our family.
-Yeah.
But it's so deep-rooted.
-Do you love your mother? -That's my mother.
-I mean -I'm just asking.
-I asked her the same question.
-Oh, okay.
Well, yeah, that's my mom.
-You still can't answer? -Oh, my God.
(tense music) You won't break me.
(dramatic music) Oh, my Lord.
You won't break me.
(beeping) It's not a chip on your shoulder, it's a boulder.
The only way this will ever work is if the family is united.
I am going to try my best to re-launch this restaurant, and just those negative vibes, that's on your shoulders.
It's certainly not on mine.
(dramatic music) Yeah.
Thank you.
Unbelievable.
I'm starting to fear there's no hope for this family or the restaurant Whoof.
Unless Carrie and Tiffany can reach an understanding.
CARRIE: So, um I want to try to at least bridge the gap in the personal relationship without, um fighting against each other.
For the sake of the family business -Mm-hmm.
-Can you commit? -But -Um Well, I mean, you just said "I have no faith in her," and, uh You misread what I said, though.
I said I didn't have any faith that you would -In responsibility? -In responsibility.
But as far as trustworthiness, as far as your knowledge of the business, that's not in question.
But you said I don't want to work hard -and I don't want to -Okay, but come on.
TIFFANY: Are you serious? -Okay.
So let's just try to drop the defensiveness.
All I'm saying is, will you try? (sniffles) CARRIE: And maybe we can work on the personal relationship -outside of the business -Mm-hmm.
To see if we can take this business to the next level without fighting against each other.
Are you willing to do that? (Marissa sniffles) Okay, well, that's all I'm asking.
I can't ask for any more than that.
(hopeful music) GORDON: Healing years of conflict isn't easy, but with just a few hours to re-launch, I've got one last idea I want to try.
Ladies, come up, please.
Uh, Carrie, let me introduce you to Mary, head of culinary.
-Hello.
-You two have a lot in common.
-Hi.
-I'm Carrie.
-Nice to meet you.
-Armenian as well.
-Oh! [laughs.]
-Yes, come around, please.
-[speaking Armenian.]
GORDON: Come over.
This is peach cobbler, and it's delicious.
Dig in.
(soft music) Yeah? Carrie, what do you think? It's delicious.
You interested in cooking some? -I'm absolutely game.
-Uh-huh.
I bake with my daughters.
That's the only time we get a chance to spend a little bit of quality time together.
-Oh, okay.
-When was the last time you girls baked together? CARRIE: First of all, Tiffany doesn't cook or bake.
Right.
Never even growing up? -No.
GORDON: Never, ever? -No.
-First time for everything.
There we go.
Come on, Tiffany You can do this.
I know it hurts.
-It's tough.
-It's not tough.
-You can do this.
-Oh! You can do it.
That flour went all in my face.
MARY: You can work right over here.
-How am I slicing them? -Maybe slice it let me show youthis way.
I'm holding out the bubbles, just like that.
Just like that.
There you go.
Yeah? Great.
MARY: Spray all of those with the spray.
-Ooh.
-I'm getting covered in flour.
Make sure I do the best at this.
-Oh, that's your job? -Yes.
(laughter) I can't hardly that got to be the easiest thing.
-You can't mess that up.
-No.
(hopeful music) GORDON: Not that difficult, is it, huh? -It's fun.
-I just had no idea how great with this was right here.
I feel like Ignited, and I'm just happy you're smiling.
-Chef Reese, Chef Reese.
-Chef Reese, there you go.
I can't wait to taste this cobbler.
This enough peaches? Having a chance to be with both of my daughters in the same room at the same time is a nice, pleasurable little moment.
Oh, I see that.
You're getting in a little dabble-dabble.
We haven't done that in a long time.
All right, we did a good job, ladies.
You think? GORDON: With some finishing touches, the renovation will be complete.
(drill whirrs) So once we're done with this, then we can put all the booths in.
GORDON: But after her earlier concerns, there's no telling what Carrie will think.
It's the moment of truth.
-Carrie, how you feeling? -Okay.
Change is difficult, right? Oh, absolutely, yeah, it is.
And you haven't changed anything in 17 years.
Nope.
I know you have your concerns and your reservations.
However, I'd love you to go and have a look.
Okay, all righty.
Oh, wow.
Oh, wow.
CARRIE: Oh (sighs) GORDON: Oh, boy.
-Carrie? -Oh, God.
This is so ridiculous.
(beeping) Carrie? (beeping) (tense music) I know you have your concerns and your reservations.
However, I'd love you to go and have a look.
Okay.
Oh, wow.
Oh, wow.
GORDON: We've transformed this dated bakery and bistro into a cozy soul-food destination.
The overwhelming pink has been traded out for tasteful pink accents.
The dining rooms have been updated with fresh paint, rich wallpapers, accent walls, new shelving, table and chairs, and an updated bar.
(scoffs) Oh, God, this is so ridiculous.
(tense music) GORDON: Carrie? YouOh.
You okay? Come on, what do you think? How are the short people going to be able to reach that? Seriously? Ouch.
Carrie.
Truthfully, what's your favorite part? -Probably the shelving.
-The shelving that's too high? -Well, yeah.
-Okay.
And the back? Let'slet's walk in there.
-Ladies, come in.
-Mm-hmm.
-You good? -Ooh, look at this.
-Yeah? -Oh, wow, look, Mom.
We did that.
We worked on that.
-Ooh.
-I like the Do you like the black backsplash? -No.
-Oh, God! -What is wrong? -I don't think it fits.
I think it looks cute.
TIFFANY: As far as my mother goes, she's still trying to take all this in a new restaurant, a new system, a new way of doing things.
This is her baby, so I can't really read her at the moment.
I think it feels like home, like -Totally, like you're at -If you were having -Thanksgiving, like, at home.
-Mm-hmm.
TIFFANY: I think people would love to be back here.
-Yeah.
-Have a good look round, yeah? I can't wait to hear your feedback, yeah? I'm going to get set up in the kitchen, ready for re-launch.
Carrie's negativity could still derail this restaurant.
Oy! GORDON: But we're running out of time.
I hope she comes around, because without Carrie Front of the house.
This re-launch will fail.
We couldn't have done this without the help of Associated Food Equipment & Supplies, yeah? -Tiffany, you ready? -Ready, yes.
WOMAN: Yes.
-Support one another.
Don't go for one another.
It's going to be sticky to begin with.
We're going to get backed up, but then we get out the weeds.
-Mm-hmm.
-Yeah? ALL: Yes! -Good luck, guys.
-Let's go.
-Game time.
Yeah? We got this.
-All right.
-Yeah? Can you wipe off the booths? They're all dusty.
GORDON: 60 seconds to go.
(tense music) Don't be nervous.
I'm really stressed.
So, as the owner, you expedite.
-I have to holler it out? -If they have to cook and tell what table they're going It just needs that communicator.
Ooh, oh, wow.
GORDON: Who's running the front of the house? MARISSA: Debra's going to be doing the hostessing.
Tiffany, do you want to be responsible for one, two? I do three, four? TIFFANY: Yeah.
GORDON: Let's go.
ALL: Ten, nine, eight, seven WOMAN: Oh, my God.
For real? ALL: Four, three, two, one! (cheers and applause) WOMAN: All right.
WOMAN 2: How you doing, love? Absolutely, welcome, welcome, welcome.
Carrie, this is where you're going.
-Look out there.
-I know.
What are you nervous about? This is totally outside of my comfort zone.
-Where's the strength gone? -I don't know.
I'm so scared that I'm going to fail.
You've been working so hard and getting nowhere.
-Mm-hmm.
-If we don't change, there's no chance at success.
Embrace it.
Okay.
Are you guys ready to order, or you need more time? I have to try your wings.
-Medium-rare.
WOMAN: Medium-rare.
Got you, baby.
(rock music) (machine whirring) GORDON: Okay, we got our first order on, yes? You call out the order? Are you calling out? -Okay, I'm calling.
-Good, good girl.
-Yes, I need two -Nice and loud, louder.
-I need two -Hot order.
Come on, you got this.
I'm with you.
-I am with you.
-I need two jerk wings, one shrimp and grits, three glazed salmon all day, and two medium-rare steaks.
-Okay.
BOTH: Heard! Look, come in here.
So this is the team moving now.
Okay? Salmon's in the pan, T-bones are in.
We're going to send the wings now.
How long for the wings, please? -30 seconds, okay? -Okay.
Come on, you got this.
There we are, now, go.
The team is off to a strong start, and as the food makes its way to the customers -All right, sweethearts.
-All right.
MAN: Thank you.
Oh, there we go.
Oh, yeah, no, it's looking fancy up in here.
-That's good.
GORDON: Initial feedback is positive.
(machine whirring) CARRIE: Tiffany, we got wings up.
-This is table two? -That's table two.
Got it.
Table one, that's table one.
-So this is actually table two.
-Oh, no, that's not No, we're still waiting on the sliders.
CARRIE: Oh, shoot.
GORDON: With more orders coming in, there's more pressure on Carrie to keep a cool head.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
GORDON: Ms.
Carrie, we got off to a great start.
Okay, stop, I don't need any more of those.
No? I've got it in advance.
-Let me have those tickets.
-Let me finish my sentence.
GORDON: But she started reverting -I'm looking for a slider.
GORDON: To her old ways.
Carrie, you got to talk to them.
-Help me out, yes? -Okay, I need my appetizer.
-I need wings.
-Wings, I need.
This is killing me.
Okay, hey, excuse me? Everything is waiting on wings.
I need five more wings all day.
It's not all waiting.
We're a little bit backed up, so give them some confidence.
Carrie, I need some encouragement.
I can't stand all the lecturing.
(dramatic music) (dramatic music) GORDON: Stop! Carrie, it's 30 seconds or so.
The difference is night and day.
Just encourage them.
CARRIE: I don't want to throw a wrench into stuff.
This is your opportunity to be a leader and a motivator.
I know you can do it.
And I can't change 17 years in one night.
-I know.
-But we need to -start somewhere, okay? -Okay.
CARRIE: Come on, you guys.
We can do it.
I got nine wings all day, please.
(rock music) I have never cooked like this, but we can do it.
Nobody my age likes anybody younger telling them what to do.
All right, sweethearts, jerk chicken.
JET: That looks awesome.
Wow, that is spicy, but, like, good spicy.
-Yeah.
-The wings is on fire.
Bobby said they're amazing.
-What's going to table one? -Two and one, two and one.
Tiffany and Carrie working together.
-Keep it going.
-And one more.
That's Marissa, table nine.
GORDON: Just keep it going, yes? CARRIE: Medium-rare and salmon, please.
Okay, Trevon, come on.
You're doing a good job, honey.
Let's go.
The one that's plain is well-done.
The one that's not plain is medium-rare.
-Trevon, you are doing amazing.
-Thank you.
LATOYA: Everybody's eating everything and loving it, raving about the food.
A long time coming.
-A long time coming.
-Good.
MARISSA: The customers are loving it.
They love the new menu items.
They love the atmosphere and the ambiance.
Yes, thank you very much.
I think they love the change.
GORDON: Good job.
Keep it going, carry on.
They're loving the food, yeah? ZURIEL: Thanks.
-Well done.
-How's that cobbler? -The cobbler's amazing.
-Isn't it? -Yes.
Hey, we made that, we made that.
I know, I know, yeah, we did that.
I am feeling a level of relief.
TIFFANY: I am grateful for this experience, -and I'm embracing everything.
GORDON: Come on! TIFFANY: My mother is kind of learning to step back a little, and, like, release a little bit of control.
She's growing, and her performance today was really great.
-I need you for 30 seconds.
-Okay.
-I need you as well.
-Okay.
First of all, yeah? Well done, okay? That wasn't easy.
Feedback from customers has been what? CARRIE: Yes.
Very good.
-Happy? -Yeah.
Now, when we started, it was toxic.
Tonight you have proved a point.
-We can work together.
-Yes.
-Yes, yes.
-Yeah? Stay on that page.
We haven't resolved everything, I get that.
-But change is good.
-Mm-hmm.
-Keep her on track.
-Yes.
And remind each other how important love is.
-You love these two, right? -Yes.
-You can tell them that.
-Oh, yes, I can.
Love you both.
Love you both.
Chef Ramsay cares about this business and cares about us.
Thank you for hanging in there.
MARISSA: This process was extremely big for my sister, because she doesn't open up to anyone.
I do appreciate it, thank you.
MARISSA: We cracked the surface a little bit.
They might not have been gigantic steps, but baby steps.
But baby steps are just as good sometimes.
-And, you, keep it up.
-I will.
-Keep it up.
-I promise.
-Thank you.
-Thank you so much.
I really appreciate all of your help, okay? -Okay.
-Bye-bye, now.
CARRIE: It was definitely a hard journey, but it was absolutely worth it.
One of the most difficult 24 hours that I've ever endured.
And listen, let's be honest we're never going to fix a toxic family relationship in 24 hours based on 32 years of negativity.
But what tonight did prove is that they can work together.
There's a glimmer of hope.
If they stick like that, they can rebuild this.
If they go back one step, the doors are going to close.
(hopeful music) (beeping) Hey, Chef Ramsay.
All is very well here.
The customers love the changes.
I am getting used to them.
The cooks are also utilizing your techniques on our steaks, and we haven't had a steak returned yet.
And Tiffany's been way, way better.
TIFFANY: Thanks so much for the opportunity.
It's been a good experience.
MARISSA: Thanks, Chef Ramsay, for coming and helping our restaurant, our family try to get things back on track.
-Marissa, table nine.
MARISSA: Got it.
-Tiffany? -Yeah? Can you run it for me? MARISSA: I think we're communicating a little bit more, and just really from the bottom of our heart, I just want to say thank you for that and taking time out of, you know, your life to help with ours.
(flames crackling)