In the Drink Kitchen Nightmares Update: Restaurant or a Funeral Home?
In The Drink was a restaurant located in Wayne, New Jersey near a golf country club. The restaurant was having myriads of trouble, and looked for Gordon to help them out. It has been owned by a married couple Jorge and Solange since 2017.
The owner wasn’t around much, so the place was a mess. It also resulted in a lack of quality control in the restaurant. The food was bad, they owed a lot of money, and the workers weren’t happy with how the owner was running the place. Nadia was the one who acted like a manager, even though Jorge couldn’t afford to hire one. People couldn’t find the restaurant easily, and the menu didn’t look good nor appetizing as the chef wasn’t trained properly.
These were just some of the problems Gordon pointed out. But, did Jorge and Solange turn their fortunes around with Gordon’s help? Find out in In The Drink Kitchen Nightmares Update!
Key Takeaways:
- Absent owner: Jorge’s lack of involvement led to many problems in the restaurant.
- Food quality: Poor food and an unappealing menu drove customers away.
- Financial issues: The restaurant was in deep debt, owing over $250,000.
- Staff struggles: Overworked staff, especially Carlos, showed the need for better management.
- Location challenge: Poor signage made it hard for customers to find the restaurant.
- Unexpected opportunity: The golf cart drink service showed potential for increased profits.
- Menu overhaul: Simplifying the menu improved food quality and kitchen efficiency.
- Management changes: Appointing Nadia as GM and involving Solange more helped operations.
- Customer satisfaction: After changes, diners enjoyed both the new atmosphere and improved food.
Table of Content
Ramsay’s Initial Assessment for In The Drink
Gordon couldn’t even find the restaurant because it had no sign, nor was there any sign that the restaurant was open. He was welcomed by Sam, the waitress who showed him to the table for one.
He went straight to ordering food from the menu. He ordered the combo platter, Caesar’s salad with shrimp on top. For the entree, he got the smoked ounce burger, and a mid-rare open faced steak. Gordon decided to chat with diners before his meal arrived.
He was surprised when one customer complained about finding a hair in their cheese. Sam quickly took the food back to the kitchen and started making a new dish. This quick response showed they cared about fixing mistakes, but it also hinted at problems in the kitchen. Plus, Gordon also didn’t like that they took the food in trays, rather than sophisticated plates for a more fine dining experience.
Gordon decided to talk with another waitress, learning that they’ve been here for a couple of years. That showed the staff was loyal, however he came to know that the owner was absent. He also remained absent for most of the time as the staff was managing the place most of the time.
That was evident as the owner didn’t even come to greet Gordon when he walked in the restaurant. The lack of equipment in the kitchen of In The Drink also meant that food was later than usual. According to him, the restaurant felt like a cafeteria, rather than a fine dining establishment.
Gordon finally received his food after ages, and this was his assessment:
- Combo Platter: It didn’t look appetizing, as it felt like it came out of the 1980’s. The chicken was dry and everything was fried.
- Shrimp Salad (Caesar’s Salad): The salad was acidic, store-bought and tasted terrible.
- Smokehouse Burger: The bun was burnt, and the patty was overcooked. Everything on the burger was greasy.
- Mid-Rare Open Faced Steak: Everything about this was bad. He didn’t even try it.
Gordon finally met the owner after an hour worth of wait. But, he soon found out that the owner was stubborn, and wasn’t taking the criticism well. According to the owner, he was helping out and was there with the staff the entire time. But, the staff, and what Gordon experienced, disagreed. Ramsay also questioned where the cook trained from. But was surprised to know that he was untrained.
Gordon and the Owners of In The Drink
Gordon spent a day learning about the finances and the books of In The Drink restaurant. He was appalled by the numbers and the debt owed by Jorge. He called in the owner’s wife to be there with him, as she didn’t know the exact estimates of the loan her husband took.
They met in the office and Gordon straightened both of them out. It was clear that they needed help, and Ramsay pointed out that the money they have to give back is $250,000. This shocked Solange as why would her husband keep this from her? It also gave Jorge a reality check, who was now more humble rather than stubborn about his behavior the previous day.
Gordon Discovers a New Opportunity for In The Drink
Gordon found out that they have one golf cart that they use to sell drinks. Lexi told him that she can make $2,000 a day selling these drinks. But, she wasn’t selling any food. Gordon was stunned to know the numbers, and was surprised Jorge wasn’t utilizing this golden opportunity.
He called him down and went in that golf cart to start selling drinks. They also found out that the golfers would also love to eat a wrap along with their drinks. This gave Gordon a new idea, and opened Jorge’s eyes to what he was missing before.
Core Issues and Challenges at In The Drink
Jorge told Gordon he expedites every night, while Gordon later learnt that was a lie. His expediting skills were lacking, nor could he check the quality control of the food. The first slider that went had too much salt, and the refired slider had raw meat. There was more food coming back than what was going out. More dysfunctions ensued when Carlos put the salmon in the microwave to cook, rather than cook a fresh salmon.
Gordon also saw that Carlos was at his breaking point. With no breaks, and continuous work, he couldn’t work at his best. He took him outside and gave him bottled water to regain his strength. The line cook was beyond burnt out. The owner was put behind the grill and Gordon started expediting. But, the food was still coming back because of the owner’s mistakes.
Gordon had to scream at Jorge to get his point across. But, he wasn’t listening. More and more orders started to pile on, with no food getting out. Customers were getting antsy, and some of them started to walk out. He did end up getting the food from the chefs, but it was not good enough. The steaks were cold, the chicken was cold, the salad had runny dressing. He ended up shutting the dinner service down.
Gordon Ramsay’s Improvement Plan for In The Drink
Before he could improve the restaurant, he went to check in on Carlos. He saw the potential he had, and how much hard work he was putting in for Jorge. It was evident that he wasn’t the problem. He wanted to help him make a menu he could execute and teach him how to do it properly. Carlos was ecstatic as he idolized Gordon and he accepted without any hesitation.
From what Gordon saw, the line cook, the staff, the restaurant and its location, they weren’t the problem. The problem was clearly the absentee owner. Before he could even get into the improvement plan, Gordon got into a confrontation with the owner. Jorge was deluded into thinking he was the one in the right, while Gordon was wrong. He didn’t take criticism well and this annoyed Gordon. But, he did see some reason, and accepted Gordon’s help.
Gordon’s team spent the entire night renovating the place, but before he could show them, he had another surprise waiting for them. He spruced up the golf cart to now accommodate wraps and drinks, which meant maximizing the profits made. They went to the restaurant to see the new country club aesthetic Gordon’s team made. It certainly changed from being a funeral home before.
Similar to the restaurant, Gordon also redid the menu of In The Drink. No more combo platters, as the staff rejoiced as it wasn’t their favorite.
The items on the menu were:
- Honey glazed wings.
- Delicate sliders
- Bacon cheeseburger with fries
- Chicken Caesar’s Salad and Wrap and more.
Everyone loved the food, and it was easier and faster to make, maximizing profits.
The Relaunch of In The Drink
Before the restaurant could open again, Gordon showed the cooks how to make it. So they don’t repeat the same mistakes again. They opened their doors to many golfers, VIP guests and social media influencers. Solange was the expediter and she set better standards. Food started to flow out of the kitchen at a much better rate, and the customers enjoyed it thoroughly.
Gordon asked the customers for their feedback. Everyone appreciated the atmosphere and that it felt like a true restaurant. The food was amazing, and no one complained. Solange was taking control in the kitchen, but Jorge still ended up meddling in places where it wasn’t his place to. Gordon gave him a time out and told him to stay out of Solange’s way. But, after some time to come to his senses, Jorge finally started greeting the customers, and acted like an owner.
Jorge wanted to change, and he started that change by appointing Nadia the new General Manager of the restaurant. She was the unofficial one handling all day to day tasks, but this time she became the official GM.
The customers provided good feedback to the owners. They loved the atmosphere to now being a restaurant, rather than a funeral home. Regular customers also appreciated the new and improved food menu. Gordon did his job and thanked the loyal staff for sticking by Jorge’s side when things were tough.
Conclusion
In The Drink’s story shows how important it is for restaurant owners to be involved and open to change. Jorge learned that being around and listening to his staff and customers makes a big difference. The makeover wasn’t just about new paint and food. It was about changing how the whole place worked. Gordon’s help proved that even a struggling restaurant can get better with good advice.
The biggest lesson was that success comes from teamwork and admitting when you’re wrong. Jorge had to trust others to do their jobs. This change in attitude, plus the new look and menu, helped In The Drink become a place where people wanted to eat. It shows that running a restaurant is hard, but with the right mindset and help, even big problems can be fixed.
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