Chef Gordon Ramsay had a lot of work to do when visiting Bel Aire Diner. From the start, he was overwhelmed by the sheer number of items on the menu. A menu this intricate can result in quality issues and unnecessary difficulties for the kitchen staff. “It’s like an encyclopedia, this thing!” he exclaimed in a clip posted on his official Instagram page. Upon counting the options, he claimed to have “lost count at 270, and [he was] only halfway through.” Furthermore, Ramsay wasn’t impressed with the food, and personal issues within the family led to a hostile work environment.
After the “Kitchen Nightmares” episode concluded, an Instagram video revealed how the Bel Aire Diner’s owners felt while watching it. “Since we filmed in May, we have made, and are continuing to make, significant changes to keep Bel Aire the beloved neighborhood institution it has always been,” the post read. Brothers Peter and Kal share in another Instagram video that the whole experience of filming the show did “bring us closer together and make us better business owners.” According to Yelp reviews, the restaurant hasn’t improved that much just yet, but locals seem to still be rooting for them, responding to the video with comments like, “Appreciate the update (and your humility).”