Original subtitles

- Spring, Texas,

a suburb 20 miles northwest of Houston...

- Got a over-easy egg going on those grits?

- As soon as I can get it off the pan.

- In this small neighborhood is Kings Blu Jam Café.

- Shrimp and grit and crab cake.

[electricity buzzes]

- Welcome to Kings Blu Jam. We're happy to have you.

Would you like to try one of our biscuits?

- Yes. - I'll get you some.

I'll be right back.

My name is Connie.

I am the owner of Kings Blu Jam Café.

I love my restaurant.

Hey, Anthony, can you make me up some jam?

- Yeah, I got the jam and stuff right here.

- We're kind of a little piece of Louisiana

in the Spring area.

Here you go.

I got another shrimp and grits coming up.

First opened the restaurant in 2018.

There was one other breakfast place in the area.

We were packed. The place was full.

Now we do have competition.

We have a lot of slow days. We're not making any money.

Our debt is over $600,000.

[dramatic music]

- Connie, stop.

You're pulling tickets down, and we're right here.

- Justin is my daughter.

She grew from a server into a manager.

- We're still on these first two tickets.

[bleep]. - She's very direct.

She's always got something to say to someone.

And she likes telling everyone what to do.

- Don't call it. Don't call it. Do not call it.

- I didn't call anything, Justin.

- Connie and Justin's relationship is very toxic.

- Raise your [bleep] eyebrows. Go ahead.

- I've never seen a dynamic between a mother

and a daughter like that.

- I'm not serving that, so you can stop.

- Justin, she's very volatile

in how quick she is to switch up.

With her personality changes, it's hard to connect with her.

- These potatoes are hard as [bleep].

- Come on, come on. We got it.

- My mom doesn't like conflict.

She just doesn't want to be mean to people,

and certain situations where I have to turn

around and be the bad cop.

What was that for? 'Cause it looks burnt.

I'm blunt about everything. I'm gonna tell you what it is.

I'm gonna tell you how it is. I'm not gonna be nice about it.

- Somebody had to peel the shrimp.

- [bleep].

If you want to say something, let's say something.

- I would love to hit the mute button on Justin.

so I can actually focus on what I'm doing.

- [bleep].

- How are you guys doing? - I didn't really like it.

The crab cake is, like, mushy. - OK.

- It's frustrating because my mom's in denial.

- I really don't like the chicken.

- All right, do you want me to take it out of your way?

- Yeah. - OK.

The last three years, I have been

between the front and the back

just trying to keep things afloat.

- What was wrong with that?

- She said the chicken wasn't cooked.

I'm gonna make her another waffle.

- Connie comes in, and she starts messing with stuff,

then she goes back out front and messes with stuff out there

and then comes back in the kitchen,

It's just--it's chaos.

What are you doing? - Huh?

- She needs to stay in her lane as the owner

and just be up front and let me handle the kitchen.

- This is to-go, the Belgian waffle.

- She just says, you're too young.

You don't know what you're talking about, basically.

[screeches, groans]

- My relationship with Justin is strained.

Café has pretty much taken over our lives.

[voice breaking] But, yes, I love my daughter.

I'm very thankful for her.

- Connie is not only my mom, she is my boss.

[voice breaking] And it hurts me as her child

because I don't try to be mean to her.

I'm frustrated with her

because she's not listening to me.

And I feel like it's really ruined our relationship.

My mom has a good heart.

My mom has the right idea,

but she doesn't know how to execute the idea.

And I don't know how to help her.

I feel like I have tried everything,

and I feel like this is my last--

my last reach to help her.

- Appreciate you coming out. - No problem.

- My family is on the line for the debt.

We will lose our house if this place closes.

[crying] If we had to close the doors tomorrow,

it would be sad, but we just really can't go

any further in debt.

We've got to be able to pick things up

and have better days here.

Chef Ramsay is our last hope.

- Oh, my God, are you OK? - Yep.

[dramatic music]

- This restaurant is festering.

You cannot be that deluded.

Stop, stop, stop.

I promise you, you can't do this.

Smell it!

Shut it down!

[upbeat music]

I'm in beautiful Spring, Texas,

a delightful little suburb just outside Houston,

where, in order to compete with the surrounding

heavy hitters in the restaurant world,

family-owned restaurants have to stand out for pure quality.

But, sadly, Kings Blu Jam Café seems to be missing

a huge window of opportunity.

In fact, talking about windows...

is that a freakin' drive-through?

[quirky music]

[indistinct chatter]

Anyone in there?

Oh, there goes the blinds.

Hello.

- Oh, my God.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

- How are you? - I'm great.

- Do I order here or-- - You got to come inside.

- Oh, it's not working?

- No, we're not functioning out of the drive-through today.

- I'll see you in a minute. - See you in a minute.

- Thank you.

OK. Well, that was a waste of time.

Welcome.

Kings Blu Jam Café.

Breakfast, lunch, and a window that doesn't work.

Let's go.

[suspenseful music]

Kings Blu Jam.

- Hello, hello. Welcome in.

- Good morning.

- Have a seat wherever you like.

- Thank you, ma'am.

Chef Ramsay is here.

Our hearts are racing. We're sweating.

- Hello, I'm Macie. - Macie, good to see you.

Let's start off with some coffee, please.

Thank you. - I got you.

Just be cool. Just be cool.

- Man, it's a bit tatty in here.

The restaurant looks drab.

Flies everywhere.

A bleak, bland, boring dining room

that customers are definitely not enjoying.

- There you go. - Thank you.

Right, what do you recommend?

- You know, the biscuit's pretty good.

- I got to do the chicken and waffles, right?

- Chicken and waffles.

- What's so special about the brisket eggs Benedict?

- It's got, like, a barbecue hollandaise sauce on it.

- Say that again. A barbecue what?

- Barbecue hollandaise sauce.

- Whose idea was that?

- I-I have no idea. - Right.

Whilst in town, let's go the shrimp and grits.

Looks like he's gonna drop those.

I'd get two hands on those if I was him.

- Oh, yeah, for sure.

- Where's he going with those?

- As soon as-- [glass shatters]

Oh, [bleep].

Are y'all OK?

- Angela, I'm gonna need you to come to the dining room,

if you would, and bring the mop.

- Yeah. - Damn it.

All over a lady's bag as well. Oh.

- So sorry about that, you guys.

- Young man, with cowboy boots and hair slicked like that,

you should not be carrying glasses above your head

like that on a tray.

Thank you. - Thank you.

- Brisket biscuit, keto shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles.

- All right.

- Is everybody ready as far as ordering?

- Shrimp and grits?

I'll be right back, guys. - Thanks.

- Macie, here's the shrimp and grits.

- Oh.

- Here we go.

Keto shrimp and grits for ya.

- Right.

That looks like someone's just puked in my bowl.

[bluesy harmonica music]

That is disgusting.

That is [bleep] disgusting.

Really bland.

Terrible.

- We're really stacking up here.

- Go ahead and finish it off.

- Go ahead.

- Go right ahead.

You were so eager to do it.

- Ah.

So that is?

- You've got our biscuit Benedict right there.

- That looks ridiculous.

Thank you. - No problem. Enjoy.

- I'm not too sure about the word "enjoy."

I think I'm about to eat the worst Benedict I've ever got.

And my eggs are hard boiled.

Eggs Benedict should be like a soft, runny egg.

The hollandaise sauce with barbecue sauce running through,

what were they thinking?

- You doing OK over here, Mr. Ramsay?

- Between you and I,

especially in a breakfast diner,

when a chef can't poach an egg, we're in trouble.

- Yeah. - Thank you.

Oh, boy.

That was so bad, even the flies didn't want to land on it.

- He said the poached eggs, it was not poached.

It was, like, almost hard boiled.

- OK.

I don't think he liked the brisket.

[microwave whirring]

[bell dings]

- Can you get that other biscuit from the microwave,

please, Aaron? - Yeah.

- I knew when Chef Ramsay came in and ate the dishes,

I knew what was wrong with them.

The recipes are outdated.

I've brought all these things up before.

And Connie doesn't listen to me.

- OK, I've got our fresh homemade biscuit here.

- Are they always this heavy?

- They're microwaved, so that's probably why.

- Right, OK.

Is Chef Mike busy in the kitchen?

- Sorry?

- Is Chef Mike busy in the kitchen?

- Mike? No, he doesn't work here anymore.

- Chef Mike? - Mike?

- Microwave.

- Oh, you're killing me.

Hold on. - [laughs]

- That the waffle for this? - Yeah.

- Thank you.

- Oh, what's this one?

- Got chicken and waffles here. - Chicken and waffles.

Oh, boy.

Oh, my--[bleep].

The waffle tastes strange.

Wow.

That chicken's drier than the [bleep] Sahara Desert.

Is Ms. Connie available for a quick chat?

- I'll go grab her for you.

- Yeah, when she's got a moment--thank you.

Shocking. I mean, really bad.

Everything is cooked with no care.

Awful. Awful, awful.

- He said for the chicken and waffles, the chicken was dry.

- OK.

I don't think our chicken is dry.

Maybe things are fried a little differently.

Chef Ramsay probably isn't used to eating

Southern food in the South.

- You must be Connie. - Connie.

Nice to meet you. - Nice to see you.

Please, sit down. How are you? - Good.

- Tough morning? - Tough morning.

- This dream of running this café

is everything you've always wanted, right?

- It is.

- Are you aware how much this business

is crumbling around you?

- Yes, sir. I feel it crumbling around me.

- And how much did you invest to get this thing up

and running?

- We're in debt about 600,000.

- In debt? - In debt.

- 600 grand?

And how are you getting by month to month?

- [voice breaking] We're not even really meeting the bills

at the door.

- I'm sorry. Here.

- [sniffles]

- But you've got family here as well.

You've got your-- - My daughter.

- Daughter.

But that must put a strain on your relationship, right?

- [softly] Yeah.

How long is this sustainable for?

- If we can't turn it around,

we just need to close the doors.

- No, this is crazy.

We have a hell of a lot of work to do,

but all I need is just the honesty, that's all.

Thank you, Ms. Connie.

Oh, boy.

[electricity buzzing]

- Is she out there still? - Yeah.

[tense music]

- [coughs] - Are you OK?

Watch your feet. Watch your feet.

It's everywhere.

- There's some lady in the back projectile vomiting

from, I think, something she ate here.

- What happened?

- You had the shrimp and grits as well?

[bleep].

[dramatic music]

- [coughs]

- Oh, let me get some water and a towel.

- [spits] - Here you go.

- Here. - Damn.

- [bleep].

- I feel better now that I let out the shrimp and grits,

but I definitely don't recommend.

Pretty bad.

- I appreciate you coming in. - Thank you.

- Thank you. Hope to see you back soon.

- With the restaurant now empty

and the staff clearing down between services,

I need to gather the team for a serious reality check.

Come round, please, guys. Come round.

Where's Ms. Connie?

Come over, please.

Right.

Oh, boy.

I honestly don't know where to start.

This place is dysfunctional.

The food is inconsistent.

A drive-through window that doesn't work.

Above all that, women are puking up.

There's been a catalog of events this morning.

It's a [bleep] show.

- I've mentioned to Connie, you're not open to listening.

- So Mum doesn't listen?

- No, that's why we're in this situation.

- Justin being the manager,

she has a lot of things she wants to implement,

but she doesn't know everything.

I'm sure she thinks she does. We can't meet every demand.

- Justin, you talk to her like a stranger.

This is your mother.

Is that normal? - Yes.

- She's back there doing her own thing.

She's dropping stuff, saying that she's

gonna get this, get that.

Who's gonna tell a little old lady no?

- Wow.

- They've never been on the same page, ever.

You can constantly hear them bickering about anything.

- Connie, why are you meddling?

- I guess I'm just trying to save the café.

[crying] So I'm working in front.

I'm working in the back.

I'm doing whatever has to be done.

- The stakes are high enough. - They are. They are very high.

They're higher than everybody here right now.

- Are you guys aware of how far in the weeds we are?

We're not talking about two or three months behind in sales.

We're talking about $600,000 in debt.

[pensive music]

This door can close in a heartbeat.

Ms. Connie, can I have five minutes on my own

with Justin, please?

Daughter Justin's anger is clear,

but I'm not understanding why.

So I need to get to the bottom of it.

There are some big issues here. - Oh, yeah.

- And why doesn't Mum address them?

- She doesn't like confrontation.

She doesn't like basically seeing what's there.

- How much of a strain does that put on your relationship?

- [voice breaking] I don't have a relationship with her.

- Stop it. - I don't.

I don't see her outside of work.

I don't talk to her outside of work anymore.

- That's terrible.

- I don't have the patience for her anymore.

I'm always frustrated with her.

- This wasn't your dream. It wasn't your idea, right?

- No, I wanted to be a nurse.

- Wow.

- I was starting school to be a nurse

before I started working here. [sniffles]

And I haven't finished school because I started

working here full-time.

What do you want from this business?

What's your dream now that you're in it?

- Well, I would like to be able to take my mother's--

you know, her name and make it something for her,

if she listens to what you have to say

and doesn't be in denial.

- What keeps you here? - I feel bad as a daughter.

She put her house up on the line.

Her life is literally on the line, her retirement,

her savings, everything.

- So you feel guilty? - I feel guilty.

She's gonna lose everything. - Sure.

Time to bring an end to all that [bleep].

I appreciate the honesty. Do not throw that towel in.

Promise? - Promise.

Thank you. - Yeah.

Thanks, love.

[sighs]

[upbeat music]

It's lunchtime.

- Hi, guys, welcome in. - Hello.

- And the café is open for business.

- Welcome to Kings Blu Jam.

- Absolutely. All righty, I got you.

- Thank you.

- I need a chicken breast down for a balsamic.

- All righty.

- Monte Cristo with fries.

- Connie, can you make some Monte Cristo batter?

- Yeah.

- With service started,

I'm going to see how this place functions.

OK, you good? - Yes, sir.

- How are you? - Good.

- OK, what are you making there?

- Some Monte Cristo batter.

- Monte Cristo batter? - Yeah.

- Do you have a whisk or--

- Yeah, yeah, I got it--

- A lot easier to get rid of those lumps.

- All right.

- Sorry, excuse me.

What are you actually doing tonight?

- Just helping any way I can in the kitchen

or out front, wherever they're needed.

- Right. OK.

I'm just trying to get up to speed how this system works.

- All righty, here we go.

[quirky music]

- Mm-mm.

- The chicken is just really, really, really dry.

It definitely looks like it's overcooked.

- [bleep].

Seriously, what the [bleep] is that thing?

It's like a floating disease in a fryer.

- Monte Cristos are up. - Heard.

- Oh, my [bleep] good God.

- Connie decided to put the Monte Cristo on the menu,

but Connie doesn't make the batter consistently.

- Monte Cristo, man. Yeah.

- It's greasy. It's heavy.

It's a crazy-looking sandwich.

People don't like it.

- What happened to that Monte Cristo there, by the way?

- It went.

- Did you send that Monte Cristo?

- Yes, Chef. - Oh, my [bleep] God.

- Y'all OK?

- Mm.

- It's bad. - Yeah.

It tastes gummy. I don't like it.

- Do you think there's anything we can do to satisfy you?

- I've seen enough right now. - OK, OK.

- All right, thank you. - Yes, sir.

Well, we pretty much always get complaints

about the Monte Cristo-- it's hit or miss.

- OK, your wings are down.

- Yes, sir? - What's that?

Is she just moseying around?

- Oh, she's always been like that.

- So what is she actually doing now?

- Whatever she wants.

Connie will come in the kitchen,

and she'll jump in on the line, help the cooks.

She's washing dishes.

She's out front. She's seating and greeting.

She will bounce around everywhere.

She doesn't know where to stay in one place.

Mom, Mom? - Yeah.

- It's not gonna toast right there, for one.

- I know we're in the middle of service,

but why don't you ask, hey, Aaron, Justin,

what do you need doing?

Because you're just going back and forth.

- I'm helping put out tickets,

get the food up for the customers.

I think I am helping.

I'm not really sure why no one else seems

to think that I'm helping.

- Did you really put these in the fryer like that, Connie?

- What's happened? What's happened?

- Do you see the hair on the wing?

- Surely you can spot that stuff, no?

- I didn't spot that.

- [bleep] hell, Connie. [bleep].

It's very clear the kitchen lacks any organization.

And now the restaurant is filling up.

- All righty, I got you.

- The orders are quickly coming in.

Are they all new tickets? - Yes, sir.

- Who calls out the orders? - I do. I do, sir.

- You do? - Yeah.

- But who's in charge? - Nobody's in charge.

- I thought you were the head chef.

- I try-- - Kitchen manager.

- I try to be. - Kitchen manager?

- I don't manage it enough. - Ha! He don't do nothing.

He stands here and cooks. That's it.

- It is hard working with Justin.

Prior to me getting hired, her boyfriend was working here.

It was always contentious, so I try

to stay quiet in the kitchen so I don't piss her off.

- Kitchen manager?

What a joke.

[tense music]

- What?

What the [bleep] is that?

What is that?

- A potato?

Oh.

- [bleep]. How does that get up there?

- Is that egg?

- It's egg.

How did an egg yolk get up there?

- That's a good question.

- And what's that thing there for?

- That's grease that I have to pour

in the grease thing outside.

- It's from the oven? - Yes.

- [bleep].

Bloody hell.

That's a health hazard.

With a bucket of bacon fat also a potential fire hazard,

I'm now convinced there could be

other health-code violations in this kitchen.

Oh, my [bleep].

That is stinkin'.

It's slimy. It's greasy.

[bleep] hell.

[bleep].

How long has that been in there?

- I don't know.

They be trying to buy this stuff at the reduced prices.

- "Reduced prices"? - Yeah.

- Who the [bleep] is gonna eat that?

[bleep]. This is absolutely [bleep] disgusting.

There's [bleep] everywhere.

What is that?

Oh, my [bleep].

They're still moving.

[bleep].

Stop right now.

Stop right there.

Ladies and gentlemen, please stop eating.

All of you, please stop eating.

First of all, I'd like to apologize.

I can't for a minute longer

just stand here and watch this restaurant in disarray,

serving you disgusting food.

Out-of-date produce sat in the fridge, rotten.

Cockroaches.

No organization.

Constantly meddling.

And you may be the owner. - Yes.

- But, clearly, you're out of your depth.

- I'm at Kings Blu Jam Café, Spring, Texas.

Stop.

Ladies and gentlemen, please stop eating.

After witnessing a catalog of disasters,

I've shut down the lunch service.

Out-of-date produce sat in the fridge, rotten.

Cockroaches.

No organization.

Constantly meddling.

And you may be the owner. - Yes.

- But, clearly, you're out of your depth.

[dramatic music]

Connie? - Yes, sir.

- Part of tonight's service is like an intervention.

Your restaurant is in dire straits,

and you're not listening.

You're not listening to your customers.

You are not listening to anybody.

We are backed up in hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt.

And you need to stop before you take yourself down,

your restaurant down, and your family down.

Do they not deserve freakin' better?

- Yes, they do.

- I'd like to apologize on behalf of Connie.

Please go home.

There's no check.

[indistinct chatter]

- Oh, [bleep].

- There was so much going wrong.

Gosh.

- While the team clean up the kitchen...

Can we just get this place absolutely spotless, please?

- Yes, sir. - Yeah?

It's time for a serious chat with Justin and Connie.

Take a seat, both of you, please.

The dire state of their relationship

is deeply troubling.

Do you know what pains me? Is how fragmented you two are.

You're like strangers.

It's hard to believe that you are mother and daughter.

You guys are enemies.

It's hard to understand how much love

we've lost through this business--

and then what Justin's been through,

what she's wanted to do and how she's been derailed.

And now she's embroiled in your doing.

So we have to fix you first.

Connie, what do you want from this business?

- I want to be able to serve good food

and give something back that I grew up with.

- But everyone's victims of your dream.

- Right.

- Everyone is in disarray.

Everyone's confused.

Everyone's at their wits' end.

And we're in over $600,000 of debt.

- [crying] Yes.

- Everything you've worked the last four decades for

is draining through your hands on a daily basis.

And we are desperate. - Yes, sir.

- Desperate people take desperate measures.

And you are meddling,

and you're taking everybody down with you.

- Yes. - Stop.

You're on the verge of losing your daughter.

Whether you like it or not, she is the future.

Not perfect, but...

you need to let go before you lose her.

Justin, to go forward, you've got to give Mum a chance.

And going forward, Mum, you've got to stop undermining.

Is that clear? - It's clear.

- Justin, let's work together as family.

Stop...bickering.

Let's not set that tone in front of the rest of the staff

and start supporting... before it's too late.

Is that clear? - That's clear. That's clear.

- You have to actually want this.

I've been telling you, you have to actually want this

and be willing to change.

- I am willing to change.

- Tomorrow we move forward together.

Oh, boy.

Holy [bleep].

Connie needs to understand what she's doing.

And she is not only destroying her business,

but she is tearing her family apart.

Justin needs to trust her mother,

but she also needs to stop being

so disrespectful in the kitchen.

If she can't do that...

then there's no point in continuing.

Man.

- Let's see if you're willing to make a change

and I am willing to go forward with that change with you.

- I appreciate that, really do.

- I don't think that you do. [sighs]

[somber music]

- [crying] 'Cause I'm gonna tell you now,

whether I own this café and I don't own this café,

it really doesn't matter.

You're still gonna be my daughter.

And I'm sorry you have so much anger toward me for this.

I'm sad. I really am. I'm sad.

- And all the times that I've cried to you,

all the times that I've told you when something was wrong--

- Yeah, sure. - Yeah, sure. Yeah, sure.

OK, I'm done. You're just literally [bleep] telling me,

OK, whatever. - I love you, Justin.

- I don't want a hug. - I love you.

- I don't want a hug. - I love you.

- Do not touch me. I don't care if you love me.

- That's sad to say. That really is sad to say.

- It is sad to say at this point.

You made it that way. Thank you.

- It is. OK, all right.

You do what your heart tells you to do.

- My heart told me to [bleep] contact Gordon.

- Uh-huh.

- I had enough heart to say,

let me save my mother's retirement.

If I didn't have enough heart, I wouldn't come in here.

- I go to hug you, and you don't

even want to give me a hug? - No, I don't want a hug.

Look at how you've been acting towards me.

- How do you think you're acting toward me?

Do you think you're-- - It's a two-way street, girl.

And guess what. We may have to split off.

- You know...

- Look at how you've been acting towards me.

- How do you think you're acting toward me?

You think-- - It's a two-way street, girl.

And guess what. We may have to split off.

[dramatic music]

- After taking a moment...

- Justin begrudgingly agrees to come back.

- I'm gonna make it work.

With what Chef Ramsay's brought to us,

I'm going to just remember why we're doing this,

and I'm gonna make it work.

- I'm sorry.

I love you. You know I love you.

[crying] There hasn't been a day in my life

I haven't loved you. - I love you, too.

But it's not love, you putting me through this.

It's not love, you making me work as hard

as you making me work back there.

And you're just dilly-dallying around.

I'm gonna give you this chance.

- I appreciate that.

- I'm hoping that my mom takes what Chef Ramsay says,

and, you know, she goes home and basically sleeps on it.

- With Connie and Justin working to repair the cracks

in their relationship,

my design team begin working overnight

to repair and update the café's outdated interior.

[bright music]

The next morning, and the renovation is now complete.

- Let's do this.

Oh, are you ready?

- Oh, my gosh.

- Oh, wow.

- The dark and old decor has been replaced

with a lighter color scheme.

And with the booths stripped out,

the space is now decluttered.

And, finally,

the drive-through window is operational.

The kitchen has been deep-cleaned...

and the equipment updated.

- Oh, my God. - [bleep].

- Wow. I love the photos. - Wow.

- Wow. - [gasps]

- Oh, look at the bar stools.

- Oh, the little tiny vases. - And the little vases.

They're so cute.

- It's hard to believe it can look this pretty, huh?

- It is hard to believe that this was the café, isn't it?

- Yeah.

Thank God for Gordon Ramsay, right?

[crying] I can't believe it,

that we could have such a beautiful place.

- Thank God for Gordon Ramsay. - Yes.

- Whoa. - Oh, my goodness.

God, it looks so much bigger.

- This is so awesome. It looks so good in here.

- Amazing.

- Amazing. - Hi, Chef.

- Oh. - Are you happy?

- I'm beyond happy. - Oh, my goodness me.

Are you happy? - I'm happy.

- Let's go into the dining room.

We've got freshness, a restaurant

that is now decluttered.

Great for breakfast. Great for brunch.

- Beautiful.

- And great for a grab-and-go,

because we are opening this window.

We are open for business.

- Yes.

I think it's a lot of changes, but it's exciting changes.

And I'm looking forward to moving forward.

- Right, should we talk about the food?

Come over.

The menu consists of 25 quick items,

most of which can be prepared in under 3 minutes.

Grab a menu, please.

This is what we launch with today--

a simple menu, but done beautifully, right?

Smaller plates for sharing.

Avocado toast, delicious.

Next up, we've got our classic eggs Benedict.

Hollandaise shouldn't be tampered with.

If someone wants to stick [bleep] barbecue sauce

on the side, let them do it.

- Right. - But don't mix them.

Right, larger plates-- Fried chicken and waffles, yes?

We're using the thigh.

We've done a new batter. Do not tamper with that batter.

- Right.

- Brunch burger, a classic-- easy to do and fast to execute.

Beer-battered fish tacos, really good for sharing.

Absolutely delicious.

Bakery--got pumpkin pie, blueberry hand pie,

chocolate croissant, and chocolate chip cookies.

That is it.

Excited? - Excited.

- Very excited.

- Get into the kitchen. Aaron, grab one.

Have a taste.

While the team continue tasting the new menu...

- Mmm. That's a good burger.

- I need to talk to Justin and Connie before we open.

Right.

Now, for the most important part of the menu, you two.

- OK. - Let me explain why.

Family is important for me.

Family is way more important than any restaurant, ever.

We've allowed the deterioration of this business

to get in the way of our family.

- Right.

- I can't even start to think about relaunching

this restaurant until you two are on the same page.

It's serious,

because as soon as I left yesterday,

you were at each other's throats.

Yes or no?

What is it?

[dramatic music]

[dramatic music]

- I can't even start to think about relaunching

this restaurant until you two are on the same page.

It's serious,

because as soon as I left yesterday,

you were at each other's throats.

Yes or no? What is it?

- Yes.

- Yeah? - Yes.

- You need to give Mum a chance.

And you have to embrace change...

- Exactly. - And allow Justin to step up.

Have each other's back.

And let's use this as an opportunity to start again.

- Yes. - OK?

Thank you. - Thank you.

I want to be able to grow together

and be what we need to be here.

Well, I'm ready.

- I'm going to communicate with you,

but I need you to communicate with me as well, please.

- I will.

- It's a new start for Kings Blu Jam,

and it's a new start for Connie and I as we--

growing our relationship as mother and daughter.

- You ready? - Yep.

[upbeat music]

- It's finally time to open the doors

and relaunch the café.

- Tonight I'm gonna be management

in the front of the house, take care of the drive-through.

I will be in my lane.

- Hello. - Hi.

- Hi, ladies. Welcome in.

- Oh, my gosh, your first guests, Aaron.

We got a new kitchen set up, new menu.

I'm nervous for how it's gonna go,

but I'm excited because I think we got it.

- Ooh, what a difference.

- Hello, guys. Welcome in.

- I've invited back the customers

from the lunch service I shut down.

- What can I get for everybody? - The burger.

- And with Connie now only working the front of house,

Justin is expediting in the kitchen.

- I have a well-done burger, Aaron, and a granola bowl.

- Heard.

- For the first time,

the drive-through has customers.

- To go, to go. Drive-through, drive-through.

- Hey, how are y'all?

- Could we each get a croissant?

- Yeah, be right back. OK.

All right, there you go. - Thank you so much.

- Thank y'all so much. See y'all soon.

Bye-bye.

- That was 90 seconds. - 90 seconds.

- 90 seconds. - Wow.

- Hi, folks, welcome in. You guys can follow me.

- With all the tables out front filling up,

their orders are now flying into the kitchen.

- What can I get for y'all today?

- Eggs Benedict. - The tacos, the fish tacos.

- Fish tacos and a eggs Benedict.

All right, you got another avocado toast walking in.

He's not even saying anything back.

He's not saying nothing back.

Aaron's kind of in his own little zone,

trying to remember what he's doing.

There's no communication between us.

Fried chicken and waffles, another fish taco,

an eggs Benedict, wedge salad, another order of fries.

- Justin, is this ready to roll?

- No, I'm waiting on a granola bowl.

- Seeing them back there is making me feel stressed.

- No, no, you need to make another egg.

- Heard.

- Justin, talk to me, please. Can we sell or not?

- No, there's too many steps for Aaron.

- What dish are we talking about?

- All of it. All of it.

I'm having to go back and finish.

You didn't put green onion on these.

- You can finish it off like that, right?

Yeah, not the best of start.

Justin's shut down.

She needs to step up and run this thing.

Otherwise, we're going backwards.

Come on. Hey, come here, come here.

- That's too much butter in your pan, Aaron.

- Yeah, look at me, look at me.

Hey, just for two seconds, look at me.

You shut down. You're not talking.

And you're saying he's got too many components.

So I want you to step off the expediting and help him.

And I need you to open up and talk.

- Yes, Chef. - And then we work together.

And you step over there two minutes, two minutes over here.

- Yes, Chef.

Can I get fries on that plate, Aaron?

- This is your night to shine, right?

- Yes, Chef. - OK?

So show some enthusiasm, and you have to have patience.

Remember that. - Yes, Chef.

[frantic music]

- Ugh!

- So, Justin, which food do I have in the window?

What ticket am I working here?

- I'm dragging on every ticket, Connie.

None of it's ready.

Another Lone Star sandwich, a plain avocado toast.

Whoa, no.

- Oh, man.

Right, Aaron, come over.

That's not how we serve our eggs Benedict.

So one eggs Benedict on the fly.

So we can sell this table.

- Heard. Yes, Chef.

- I'm ready to call it because it's almost

like it's been a waste of my time being in here tonight.

I would like to talk to you.

[tense music]

- Go on.

- I don't think that Aaron can hold his weight as a lead cook.

It's too much for him.

- But you can't stand there like a madam

just shouting out orders.

I asked you to coach them.

- I jumped in, and he's putting [bleep] food in the window.

- He needs help.

- OK.

- So now you walk away.

Justin, stop acting like a petulant teenager.

Justin? - Yes, Chef.

- I'm talking to you, and you just walk away.

Is that how disrespectful you want to be?

- He's forgetting half the stuff.

- And why can't you tell him and coach him?

- I am.

- Well, do it a little bit more, then.

[dishes clatter]

And can I just say one more thing, Justin?

- Yes, Chef. - Justin?

- Yes, Chef?

- No, I need to look you in the eyes.

You can treat your mother like [bleep],

but don't dare start treating me like [bleep].

[bleep].

- I'm leaving.

- You just give up?

Why?

- Because I don't treat my mother like [bleep].

She treats me like [bleep]. So it's a [bleep] reaction.

- And this behavior is that?

That's the way you want to behave?

- "This behavior"? "This behavior"?

- You're standing there like a princess.

- Yeah, I'm [bleep] mad that he's not even trying.

He's not even putting forth an effort.

- You need to look at yourself. - Yeah, I have.

- Big-time. [bleep].

I said jump behind the line and help them.

- OK, and then I get behind the line, and then...

- Nothing happens. - He's just standing there.

- And you can't talk to them. - I'm calling stuff.

- Holy [bleep]. - I'm leaving.

- I'm leaving.

- Connie, two seconds, please. - Yep.

- So your daughter is throwing a fit, and she's walked out.

[dramatic music]

She's over there.

- You need to go inside.

Like, this is actually [bleep] ridiculous.

- Well, I need to know what you're doing.

- I'm leaving. I treat you like [bleep].

- No, you don't. - Whatever the [bleep]--

No, no, no, I treat you like [bleep].

- Please come help me. This is our café.

- I'm a [bleep] daughter. I treat you like [bleep].

Let me show you how [bleep] of a [bleep] I am.

- Come on, I need you, Justin. - [bleep].

- Please come back inside and help me finish the shift.

- I would like to leave because Aaron's not putting

forth a [bleep] effort. - I'll say something to Aaron.

I need you better than I need them.

Come on, Justin. - [bleep], man.

- Take a breath. Take a breath.

Justin needs to stop, pull it together,

and get back on the line.

Namaste. This is hard.

This is hard for you. I love you more than anything.

You know, she is my daughter. She will always be my daughter.

And we need her in the café.

This night is way too important not to have Justin.

Justin, please take a breath, baby.

You are my daughter, and I love you.

Just help me get through tonight.

It's gonna be all good.

- My mom coming outside and saying that she needed me

and that she wanted me to come back inside,

it felt like it was my mom being my mom and not my boss.

- Boys, I want y'all to step it up, if you can, in here for me.

And let's try to get this food out quickly, OK?

Y'all work together as a team, please.

- You feeling better?

- Yes, Chef.

Excuse me.

[pensive music]

- Are we back in control?

- Yes, Chef.

- Do you want to do this? - [voice breaking] Yes, Chef.

- Are you sure?

I know you can do it.

But they need help.

And there's only one person who can do it.

And it's a long way around for Mum to come back in here.

So you facing the music is the best thing you can ever do.

And it's never gonna be easy, especially at the start.

- Yes, Chef. - Come on.

- I got tense. I got frustrated.

And I needed him to say what he said to me

to kind of, like, snap out of my own stuff.

But I also needed my mom to say what she said to me

for me to come back in.

- Right, you ready to start taking orders?

- Yes, Chef. - Yeah? Good.

- This is our one shot.

And I'm gonna make it happen for my mom.

Two avocado toast and three wedges.

- Yep.

- Hey, guys, welcome in. I'll be right with you.

- I need a burger well-done and a taco to sell.

- Heard. Hamburger well to sell.

- Thank you.

Can I get service, please?

- That's me. - That's him.

- Avocado toast.

- And the wedge. - And the wedge is me.

- Mmm. It's not just plain avocado.

Like, it's seasoned.

- That chicken's really good.

For tonight's meal, Kings Blu Jam, five stars.

- We've got people enjoying our food,

people who are telling me they want to come back and--

I'm about to start crying.

We're extremely grateful.

- Well, thank y'all for coming in.

I'll check back with you, OK?

- I just need you for 30 seconds.

Now, listen, tonight was never gonna be perfect.

You know that? - Yes, Chef.

- It was not supposed to be perfect.

We're gonna get bumps. Handle it.

Stay in there, OK? - Yes, Chef.

- Come here. - Thank you.

- You got this. OK?

- Thank you for everything.

- You are the future.

Remind yourself of that, OK, girl?

- The future of Kings Blu Jam, I think it looks good.

If everyone can stay in their lane,

stay doing what we were taught by Gordon and his team,

then, yeah, I feel like the café can be a success

and can, you know, grow and keep going forward

in the years.

- My time is done.

You have a beautiful restaurant...

- Oh, I'm so thankful for you.

- And, more importantly, a wonderful family.

Come here.

Keep those spirits up.

OK?

OK?

- You're a blessing.

- This is gonna be thriving.

- Appreciate it.

- I know you can do it.

Have faith in yourself, OK? - I will.

Chef Ramsay coming to Kings Blu Jam Café...

[voice breaking] Bigger than life.

Just so thankful that he came

and helping us rebuild our house

to where we have a home now.

We just couldn't have done it without him.

- Wow.

This has been one hell of a bumpy one.

Honestly, when I first got here,

I found a mum and daughter on a collision course.

But, seriously, with a hard turn of the kitchen,

Connie is now staying in her lane,

and fingers crossed, Kings Blu Jam Café

is back on track.

Man, what a week.

What a week.

Two months later...

Connie has been staying in her lane...

- Guys, this is pretty hot.

- Managing the drive-through,

seeing an increase in business.

- Thank you guys.

- Justin is managing the kitchen

and has added a few of their own items back on to the menu.

Mum and daughter are continuing to work

on their relationship.

And, thankfully, no one has thrown up in the restaurant

since I left.

Next time on "Kitchen Nightmares"...

Oh, my God.

Just tell her it's ice cold.

- I'm not doing it, bitch. Get out.

Leave me the [bleep] alone. - My mama is a problem.

- Stop talking. - I'm in shock.

Produce past its sell-by date.

That is gone.

- I'm in debt a million dollars.

- This is way deeper-rooted than any of you think.

Stop.

Apologize to the customers and send them home.

You're in denial. - Yeah, I'm in denial.

- I'm in the storm of my life.

I can't.

- Oh. - No!

Leave me alone. You take that.