- This week, I'm in yonkers, new york, where the owners
Of a family-run puerto rican restaurant, el cantito,
Have asked for my help
After a disastrous few years since opening.
- I'm julio. I'm 47 years old.
- I'm debbie. I'm 52 years old.
Both: And we're the owners of el cantito cafe in yonkers.
- El cantito, it didn't start here.
It started from mami's kitchen when we were growing up.
- So my mom was a great cook.
The whole neighborhood loved her cooking.
And then my brother, he was always with her
In the kitchen, and he became very passionate.
It was my mother's dream to open up a restaurant.
My name is debbie. - Debbie.
- And then my brother's chef julio.
He's the executive chef.
My parents both are deceased,
And these are my grandma's recipes.
In 2017, I took an early retirement.
Have you been here before? - No.
- Okay. Puerto rican food.
This location became available,
And me and my brother went for it.
This is the dream.
I put everything in this restaurant,
My whole entire life savings.
We opened el cantito March 10th, 2020.
These are the empanadas.
For five days, the place got full,
And I'm like, "oh, my god, you know, this is it."
Such an amazing feeling to have
People eating and enjoying our food.
And then all of a sudden...
[dramatic music]
The world shut down,
And el cantito had to shut down 'cause of covid.
- We used all our money to survive.
After covid, people just don't wanna come out.
I don't know why they don't come to el cantito cafe.
Why not?
- 'cause we don't make what we need to make, I can't staff.
- The dishwasher is not working too well.
- I don't have a dishwasher. I cook, I clean, I wash dishes.
- Yeah.
- I'm chef e, the sous chef at el cantito.
Every day, things are bad
Because of malfunctioning equipment.
- I can't--I can't open it.
- The salad trough is busted and the fridge was broken.
- Yeah. - It is.
- Here's some water, guys. I'm so sorry about the heat.
Our ac system broke down last summer.
Have you guys ever been to puerto rico, though?
- No. - This is what it feels like.
- It's a lot to juggle, and then to keep a smile...
What am I doing? And to keep that energy...
- Really salty? - It is, yeah.
- It's stressful. And it's hard.
- This is unbelievable. This is unreal.
- I have seen the-- the decline in his passion.
I know that his fire is out because he's tired,
And I get frustrated sometimes.
[groans] come on, come on.
- Julio gets very, very quiet when he's stressed out.
- You know, it's times that we have gone through
In the past during service where it's like,
We say bare minimum to each other.
- I'm debbie's daughter, and I'm julio's niece.
Things have been really tough,
To the point where my mom had to get another job.
And it's like, she gets no breaks.
- Did you guys want something else?
- No, I think we're all set. - Dessert? The bill.
Our money is, you know, running low.
And the little cushion we had is no longer there.
- I don't like to give up, but it takes its toll.
- With the pressure, I'm worried.
I believe that julio will crumble.
- Things have to change. If not,
The doors are going to close.
- I need help. I need--I--we need help.
- Crazy, it doesn't take that long to plate.
[bleep]
♪ ♪
- This place is a death trap.
If I can't help you, you can't help yourself.
Rot has set in.
Smell it!
Shut it down.
I'm in yonkers, new york, to visit el cantito,
A puerto rican restaurant serving food based
On their family recipes.
Now I'm really expecting a celebration
Of those amazing flavors that really does show off
That beautiful island.
And this is it.
Hello.
[tense music]
- Gordon is here at el cantito cafe.
Hello.
I am very nervous.
But whatever it is that gordon says,
I'm gonna give it my all.
How are you? - Very well, thank you.
How are you? Nice to see you.
- I am great, thank you. - Good.
- Uh, table for how many? - Uh--
- Just one, yourself? [laughs]
- I, uh--I think-- - sorry.
- It's all good.
And you are? - Debbie.
- Debbie. Nice to meet you.
You're the owner, right? - Yes, I am.
- Where would you like me to sit?
[light whimsical music]
- Uh, sorry. - Don't worry. You okay?
- Yeah, I'm good. - Thank you.
- Oh, my god, I'm going to cook for gordon ramsay.
You know, it--it puts on so much more pressure on me.
- Is it hot in here, or is it me?
- Yes, no, it's very hot in here.
Our air conditioner broke down. - Air condition broke down?
Damn, I'm sorry. Maybe start with some
Ice cold water, please? - Water?
- Yes, please. Thanks, love.
[upbeat music]
Okay. "all about us.
"el cantito translates to 'the small piece.'
"now through my cooking, I strive to bring
"the authenticity of puerto rico.
"my gratification emerges
"when a customer tries a meal "I've prepared for them
"and leaves feeling fulfilled, and most importantly,
Nostalgic, as they've just left grandma's kitchen."
Multiple times I've been to puerto rico,
And the island's just gorgeous.
And I think of colors, flavors of puerto rico.
And there is nothing that takes me back
To puerto rico in here,
Not even a [bleep] two-dollar fake candle.
The interior here is a little bit dreary.
It's dark. It's gray, unfinished.
- Hello, I'm your server, justin.
What are we thinking?
- So let's start off with the bacalaítos.
Let's do the shrimp ceviche as well, please.
I gotta take an empanada as well.
- Oh, you have to. - Yeah. Who makes them?
- Julio.
- And how would you describe his food
On a scale of one to ten?
- Oh, I always say ten.
- I love that. - This food is good.
- Can I try the snapper as well, please?
- Got it.
- Okay.
[suspenseful music]
- This is the bacalaíto and the ceviche.
- Love it. Thank you.
So why did you decide to buy this place?
- Our dream was to open up a restaurant...
- Right. - All our lives.
- Where was julio's job?
- He was working as a general manager
Right before we opened here.
- So not as a chef?
- He never worked as a chef-chef.
- Why would he become a chef if he's never trained as one?
- He already knew the recipes, cooked with my mom.
She was an amazing cook.
So we put our heads together and opened it.
Enjoy. - Okay.
Well, this looks unappetizing, and the presentation is awful.
Just take that greasy [bleep] off of it.
I lived on empanadas in puerto rico,
And empanadas should be stuffed of excitement.
But this thing is just greasy and bland.
That is gross.
Okay. Bacalaítos.
That's supposed to be a codfish fritter.
It is so greasy.
Justin,
Are these things normally supposed to be that greasy?
- They are straight from the fryer.
- They should be crisp and less greasy.
I'll, uh--I'll make room for my ceviche, thank you.
- And I'll bring you some more napkins.
- And a, uh, [bleep] degreasing mat.
- Julio. Okay.
So his critique was that they were very greasy.
They were supposed to be more crispy.
- Okay.
- Okay. Ceviche.
Shrimp look sort of a weird, off-color.
The flavor's bad. Wow.
The shrimp taste frozen.
They taste watery.
The secret, like any ceviche, it's all about the combination,
The freshest ingredients put together
In the simplest of fashion.
And this is thrown together with someone
That has fallen out of love with cooking.
It says here, "flavors that just come straight
From my grandma's kitchen."
Well, this does taste like my grandma's kitchen,
Except my grandma's [bleep] dead.
Justin, it looks off.
The color's gone. What's happened there?
Are they frozen?
- I'm not sure. - Wow. Okay.
Well, I'm struggling to get to a ten three appetizers deep.
- Okay, so his critique was that it looks off.
He was like, "it looks gray." - okay.
Everything is going wrong.
Like, we--you know, we have-- I've done this so many times,
And it's just like-- it's not--it's not coming out.
- Hi, are you guys ready to order?
- Fried chicken chunks to start?
- Sure.
- How is it?
- Maybe I'm spoiled.
My grandma's so good at cooking the rice, but--
- And is your grandma from puerto rico?
- Yeah, she's from puerto rico.
- Taste any grandma's flavor in there?
- No, no. - 'cause the--chef julio said
That the grandma essence is in his food here, so.
- Uh, justin.
He's not even saying the rice is anywhere near a five,
Let alone a ten.
- Well, maybe he has a different preference.
- No, his grandma's from puerto rico,
And I think he knows his stuff.
- Here. Press it on top. Chef, press it on top.
[bell dings]
- So here we have the chillo... - Oh, wow. Thanks.
- Served with tostones with the garlic sauce.
- Wow. Hello, baby.
- Hello, baby. - [kisses] thank you.
[bleep]
Oh, [bleep].
[tense music]
Both: Thank you.
- Back to talk to you right now.
- I thought they were gonna just--at least
Just cut these off so I don't have to, uh,
Rip my esophagus off halfway through eating.
Not an ounce of seasoning, just overcooked and dry.
It's like we've forgotten what puerto rico stands for.
It's dull.
A tad under $30 for that, in yonkers--
Anyone paying that needs to be [bleep] bonkers.
So this food could be so much better
If the individual cooking it understood the basics.
It's like there's no blood running through his veins.
It's bland.
- He basically just said it was bland.
- Bland? Oh, lord.
The best chef, and--and I've messed up all of his dishes.
I cook so well, you know?
And for me--and for me to mess up his dishes--
- Here you guys go. Both: Thank you.
- And I'm coming back with your card.
♪ ♪
- Have you been to puerto rico? - Never. I'm puerto rican.
- And you've never been there? - It's--it's a shame.
- [retching, coughing]
- That's--that's not right.
[toilet flushing]
Oh boy.
- [coughs]
- Are you okay?
- You've just thrown up in the bathroom?
What did you eat?
- The chicken's raw?
- Oh, my god.
Have you got chicken on there as well?
Are they cooked?
Please check that's cooked properly,
Will you, please?
[squelching]
[bleep]
[sizzling]
- I'm at el cantito, where I've just witnessed
Food being served that could have killed someone.
No more customers. Shut it down, okay?
- Uh, chef, the chicken was undercooked.
- I hope that, you know, you're okay.
And if you need anything, just let us know.
- Thank you.
- This is not the first time that's happened.
It's happened a few times.
- Gordon asked me to tell everyone to leave.
- I need to talk to head chef, julio,
And his sister, debbie, now...
- Chef wants to meet you. - Are you kidding me?
[bowl clatters]
- To figure out what the hell is going on.
Because this place is a total nightmare.
Hey. - Hey, chef.
- It's julio? - Yes. How are you, chef?
- That lunch was not what I expected.
Julio, how do you send raw chicken out to a young kid?
The poor kid was puking up in the bathroom.
I'm disappointed because I came in,
I grabbed this bio,
And the line that stands out is that "my gratification emerges
"when a customer tries a meal I prepared for them
"and leaves feeling fulfilled,
As if they've just left my grandma's kitchen."
Honestly, halfway through my lunch,
I wanted to pick you up and fly down to puerto rico
To remind you of what it should be like.
Who wrote the recipes there? - Me, but I don't have 'em
Written down. I have 'em--
- So you're just cooking from memory?
- Mm-hmm. - So we're guessing?
- Uh, well, yeah. - [burbles lips]
[bleep]
Everything just tasted greasy, no seasoning, and just--
It was--it was really unpleasant.
If this young man wasn't your brother,
Would you employ him?
[tense music]
- No.
My brother has a passion for cooking,
And I believe in his food, and we had it.
We had it there at the beginning.
We lost it because we don't have help.
We don't have the proper personnel.
- I work under a lot of pressure.
I mean, I do everything. I do the groceries,
I come back, I prep, I cook it, I plate it, I serve it.
I ask the guests how they're doing.
I go back there.
I do it all over again and every day.
- He's tired, just like I am.
I come in here, I sweep, mop.
[stammers] you know, and--and have a second job,
'cause I have another job, so.
- Do you have a second job? - Yes, I do.
[somber music]
- [bleep] - yeah. I work--
- And does that money come into the business?
- Mm-hmm. Yeah. - [bleep]
I had no idea we were this far down the ladder.
And the one ingredient I'm missing most,
Do you know what it is?
- Love? - Love.
The one ingredient you can't buy.
When you don't raise those standards
In that kitchen, it just disappears.
It's hard to help a chef that's given up.
I'm here to help.
Do you want to be here?
- Of course I want to be here.
- I'll be back in 24 hours.
I wanna see this place functioning.
I want to see what it's like behind the line,
In the dining room.
I wanna have a look at where the cracks are.
Try to put some passion into it, would you, please?
- Yes, I will, chef.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- It's a new day, and after tasting
A disastrous menu at el cantito,
I'm coming back to see how the restaurant runs
During a busy service,
Which I hope is filled with passion.
- Tonight I'm gonna find that fire
And I'm gonna fight, and I'm gonna cook
With the taste, the passion, the love.
We need communication tonight. - Yeah.
- We need to make sure that we're all on the same page,
That we're all communicating, and we need to help.
All hands on board. - Yeah.
Both: Let's get ready for dinner.
[tense music]
- Here are some menus to get you guys started.
- Thank you.
- So chicharron de pollo, but with mofongo?
- Sure.
♪ ♪
- There's grilled chicken.
- Hi, guys.
♪ ♪
So, uh, julio, just talk me through the process.
Who's doing what? - I'm saute--
- Right, so chef e is on fry. - Fry and grill.
- Gotcha. [bell dings]
What the [bleep] is that for?
- So this is for julio, and he starts off the shift
Like this, which is the smiley face.
And then by the end of his shift, he's like this.
You tell us your mood from back there.
- So what kind of mood are you in today?
- I'm in a happy mood. - You're in a happy mood?
- I'm in a happy mood. - Thank [bleep] for that.
Man, this is tight here, right? - Yeah.
- Why is everything so close?
Yeah, what's happened to the gap behind there?
What happened? - Well, going back and forth
Was a challenge for me, and when we had--
- Going back and forth was a challenge?
- Yeah. - Really?
- It took me a long time, yeah. So we--
- It takes you a long time to get over there?
- Well, to you get what I have to go and then drop it off
And then bring it back, it was easier for me to kind of--
- So we're bumping into each other?
I can't get past chef e.
- Yeah, that's my challenge also.
- Your challenge? - Yeah.
We're always bumping into each other.
- You created the challenge.
Come with me. - Sure.
- We're going for a really long walk.
Just step here. Ready? We'll do this together.
- Okay. - It takes a long time
To get the other side of the kitchen.
One, two, three. - [laughs]
- How long did that take? - Didn't take much at all.
It didn't take that long. - 1 1/2 seconds.
He sort of almost encased himself
In this tiny little square.
All this space.
This is so weird.
Kitchens shouldn't be run like that.
They should be seamless, organized,
And have enough space to navigate.
[upbeat percussive music]
- Fried corn fritters.
♪ ♪
- Does the chef ever call orders out?
Does he talk to you?
Is--is it always this silent?
- We're pretty quiet.
- Does he not tell you what's on?
- Um, he'll say sometimes.
- You don't call anything out?
You just read the tickets? - I just read the tickets.
- Wow.
That's a very strange setup, very strange indeed.
Hello. How are we? - Hello.
- How's the food?
- No. A lot of carcass. All: Yeah.
- Enjoy.
For the--the pat that she's doing.
- Crispy, yeah.
[tense music]
[water running]
- That is my fresh shrimp.
♪ ♪
- Oh, I didn't put that in. - Julio.
- I know, but I need it for now, chef.
- You need it now? - Yeah.
I'm doing, uh, rice and seafood.
- But you just fast-tracked the defrosting of them.
When you soak them, they just absorb the water.
- Chef, I don't have enough-- - what are you doing?
Whatever flavor, you've washed that off.
It's gone, so they're just gonna turn into rubber.
Oh, julio, julio.
Oh, my god.
- Yes, chef. - What's wrong with you?
- I don't know, chef. I'm tired, chef. I'm trying.
- That's--that's worse than being tired in there.
What's happened there? - I don't have the staff.
I'm really nervous 'cause you're around, and--
- I'm here to help, julio.
But that there, I mean, it's just like--you're so--
- It's sloppy. - You know it's sloppy.
- It's sloppy. I know. - [bleep]
- I know. - If your mother walked in,
Would she say?
- She would probably slap me. - She'd be fuming.
- Yeah, she would. - Fuming. It's crazy.
[bleep]
He's just literally cooking like a zombie, no love,
No flare, but more importantly,
Cooking like he doesn't want to be here.
[dramatic music]
[sizzling]
[tense music]
- I'm at puerto rican restaurant
El cantito,
Where it's become clear that chef julio has
Let standards slip.
- I just want this day to be over.
- So I've had to resort to drastic measures.
I've invited renowned puerto rican chef
And star of "next level chef," omi hopper,
To dine undercover.
The most outstanding dish tonight
Was the halibut three ways.
[applause]
That has shown such creativity.
Omi will be dining in disguise
So she's not recognized by debbie or julio.
- Omi is a incredible puerto rican chef
That understands flavors, understands freshness,
But more importantly, cooks from the heart.
Her deep-rooted passion for puerto rican cuisine
Makes her the perfect person to help identify
Just what's going wrong at el cantito.
- You're doing this one.
Okay.
That one.
- Here we go.
- We have the alcapurrias.
I'll put this like this.
- Okay, thank you.
- The fried chicken is already fighting up.
- Uh-huh. [laughs]
- I got you.
- Oh, my god.
Um, what--what--
- Oh, [bleep]. - Ooh, be careful.
- You okay? - You all right?
- You good? - Is that oil down there?
- Yeah.
- Why is it so [bleep] greasy here?
Is something leaking? - I don't think so.
- Two seconds. Just come out the way a minute.
Well, who cleans this?
Chef, when was the last time you cleaned it?
- Every three months. - Every three months?
But it needs to be cleaned once a week.
Wait. Let me find out...
Oh, [bleep].
- [bleep]
- That right now is an absolute fire hazard.
- Yeah. - That's full.
All that [bleep] dripping down the back,
Coming down through here, and causing an absolute hazard.
Oh boy.
- Tonight is the worst night in three years.
- What else are you hiding here?
Where's the walk-in refrigeration?
- The refrigeration is downstairs in the basement.
- [bleep] what's the smell in here?
[shudders]
What the [bleep]?
The [bleep] is that?
That was--
A [bleep] lemon.
Bloody hell. [bleep]
Oh, [bleep].
Chicken breasts on top of the plantain.
[bleep]
Who the [bleep] is gonna eat that?
Marinated in what?
This just proves that the whole place
Has got a lack of standards.
So sad.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
I mean, [bleep].
These owners have given up, man.
[trills lips]
[bleep]
[toilet flushes] [bleep]
Sorry. [bleep] no, you come out first.
[bleep] sorry. - You sure?
- Yeah, well, I'm more concerned you've seen that now.
Sorry. Oh, [bleep].
Debbie? What--
Just stop what you're doing.
What the hell is going on here?
What is that? What is this?
Talk to me, please! What are you doing?
Fresh ones on top of the old one.
Now come on. Talk to me, julio.
- Chef, I-I lost interest, chef.
- Oh, my god, I can't believe this is happening.
- [bleep]
What is this?
Talk to me, julio.
[coughs]
- It's bad. - It's what?
- It's bad. It's ham.
- This is basic cleanliness.
This is dangerous.
Stop taking orders and ask those customers, politely,
To get the [bleep] out of here now.
Now! - I--
- Now, now, now! [clapping]
- Hello, guys.
Um, so we're having a bit of a problem,
And we're having everyone leave.
I'm so sorry about that.
Bye-bye, guys. Have a good one.
- All right. Thank you.
- You have dignity and respect and self-esteem.
- Yes. My mom taught me, yes.
- And none of that is being practiced
On a daily basis in here. - I did.
- What do you mean, "I did"? I'm talking about the present!
We're in the [bleep].
- I know. I know we [bleep].
- You can dig deeper,
And you can step up to the mark.
We can't do it without a fight.
My big question is, do you have it in you?
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
[sizzling]
- I'm in yonkers, new york.
I've had to shut down family-run restaurant
El cantito due to the kitchen's lack
Of hygiene and safety standards.
- I haven't lost it, deb. You know I--
- I know. I know you have it. - You know that I'm still here.
And I wanna make this place great, you know that.
- I know, and we're gonna make it great.
[moving piano music]
The reason why I put up that money is
Because I believe in you.
I ate your food all my life.
Our friends, our family, we know
That your food is good.
That is the reason why I trusted my money
Into your passion.
♪ ♪
- Debbie, julio, I...
I need to see you both here.
I feel that julio, he's bringing himself down,
The restaurant down, but more importantly,
His family down.
If you wanna play the big chef with your name on the jacket
And the big intro as you walk through the door, then step up.
You're not being true to yourself.
The way you're performing,
It's downright disrespectful to here.
I love puerto rico. I fell in love with that place.
And I reached out to a friend of mine.
I said, just-- just come and eat.
And trust me, she knows her puerto rican food,
Let me tell you, because she is a phenomenon.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
Please would you take your glasses
And your wig off, please?
This is-- - hola, mi gente.
- This is omi. - It's me under here.
- You'll recognize her from "next level chef."
- It's amazing to have omi in the restaurant.
- My god.
- Omi was present tonight,
Having dinner, my eyes and ears.
- This is crazy.
I actually attended to her, and I didn't realize.
Was that embarrassing a little bit?
Oh, my god.
- If you would describe tonight's experience,
How would you put that in your own words, omi?
- It's really tough because when I go and I eat our food,
I expect a level of excellence.
And there was just so many things that it was lacking.
So greasy.
If that is someone's first experience
Eating puerto rican food, would they come back?
[tense music]
♪ ♪
There is a level of excellence that we have to strive for.
[gentle music]
- Why has that love gone from your food?
Do you want this? - Hell yeah.
I wake up every morning wanting to cook with that passion
I've always done it for, since I was 14 years old, chef,
Cooking with my mom.
I love to cook.
- And if your mother was sat with omi tonight?
- She would be embarrassed.
- We have to get that fire back.
The fire was there, the first year.
We have to get it back,
And the first year was our toughest year.
- What she just said, that's how I want to hear you,
With that desire, and that fight, that spirit.
And that's the only thing that's gonna
Dig you out of this hole.
Now it's been a long day.
What I am gonna tell you is
That there are big changes coming.
I wanna say a special thank you to you and your girlfriends,
And would you come back tomorrow night?
Just give us 24 hours. - Absolutely.
- I appreciate it. I'll see you tomorrow.
Take care. Thanks. - Bye, mama. Gracias.
[dramatic music]
- I want you to take a moment, and to thank your sister
Like you've never done in the last three years,
Because she's always been there.
You need to think about stress, and how hard it is
Bringing two jobs into this business
To keep the lights on.
- Deb, I never get to talk, so I never tell you this.
But I appreciate you so... - I know.
- Much. - I know.
- And I'm proud of you.
And I know you believe in me. - I do.
- I'm sorry if I disappointed you,
And I'm sorry if I-- if I got too comfortable, or--
You mean so much to me.
- I know. - You know that, right?
- And you mean a whole lot to me.
We got this. We got this. We got it. We got it.
- When gordon told me that I cook like I don't care,
It stung, because it's true.
And I don't wanna disappoint my sister.
You know, she's my number one fan.
She's, like, my rock.
She--you know, she--she pushes me.
- Bring it back to that kitchen.
Bring it back.
[sizzling]
- Last night, I closed el cantito
And called out chef julio for his lack
Of hygiene and passion in the kitchen.
Overnight, my team have renovated the restaurant,
Ready for today's relaunch.
I've invited julio and his sister back to see
The changes, and hopefully
Reignite their passion for their cuisine
And the restaurant.
- Wow!
- Welcome to the grand reopening
Of el cantito.
- Wow. - Take it in.
We have a brand-new air conditioning system.
- It's amazing.
- And then to the tropical colors.
- Mar chiquita! - Mar chiquita.
That was my mother's playground.
She used to always tell us stories about being there.
- Home, sweet home, my darling.
- It's like you're walking into a little café
On the beach in manatí.
- Opposite that beautiful place is one more.
- Ay, mami! [laughs]
- Amazing surprise. - Wow.
That's her, her kitchen.
- If you ever needed any inspiration...
- Absolutely. - Take a glance.
This is the lady that deserves the pride of place, agreed?
- Yeah. Yeah.
My mom's picture, it reminds me we do have
That puerto rico in us, that fire.
- It's the first point of reference,
And personally, the only reference we need.
- Seeing that picture, to me, she said, "you got this."
To him, she was like, "you better get it together."
- Let this be our compass.
- Thank you so much.
- There's one more thing I'd like to show you.
It's called a kitchen. Follow me.
[both laugh] - go ahead.
[emotional music]
- I've placed everything back,
So you've got a lot more space to work.
- The rotisserie. - My god!
- I can't even speak... - Yeah.
- How happy I am right now... - This is incredible.
- How relieved and... - Oh, my god.
- Refreshed I feel.
- We have a new refrigerated salad bar,
Fully equipped.
- Thank you. - If you as much as touch
Any of this and reposition it...
- I will-- - no, I will.
- Promise me you will call me.
- [laughs]
- This is amazing. This is so amazing.
We definitely got this.
♪ ♪
- Come and take a seat.
[uplifting music]
We've gone back to the beginning
With mama's recipes.
We've updated her recipes with fresh ingredients.
The food is now light, bright, with minimal grease.
And we've written mum's recipes down.
[both laugh] some delicious appetizers.
We've got a beautiful, crispy...
All: Bacalaítos.
- Crunchy, crispy, and that beautiful salt cod
Running through the middle. - Wow.
- Next to that, we have a beautiful ceviche.
Just look at the vibrancy and the colors
Running through there.
- Amazing.
- Then we've got mofongo,
And it's served with a chicken broth,
Very traditional.
This was your dream, so you have to commit to that dream.
- Absolutely.
- My mother used to always say it.
She was like, "I want to give you guys this."
And this is that and more.
I won't have to work my extra job.
And this is where I belong. - Mm-hmm. I agree.
- My heart feels overjoyed.
This is her recipes. This is el cantito cafe.
This is what I wanted to open.
Bacalaítos. Yep. On point. On point.
- I am super excited
To cook my mom's recipes in this amazing kitchen.
Both: Hey, chef. - How's it going?
- How are you?
- How are you feeling? - I'm good.
- Now that julio has all the equipment needed
For success...
Okay.
I'm giving him a crash course
In the culinary arts to get him ready for service.
First of all, just open up. Just let the knife do the work.
God, look how moist that is. How beautiful is that?
Plus a little drizzle of the lime.
And then we just take our kosher salt,
And we give that a little season.
Dressing on the side. And that is it.
Bang. To the window.
- Ramsay, he gives me, like, these little tips.
It's really good. It's a very good feeling.
I haven't felt like this in a really long time.
- The only thing I need is the voice.
Let's bring that passion and communicate, yes?
- Yes, chef. - Good luck.
Let's go, my man.
It's time to open the restaurant doors.
[upbeat music]
- Hi. Welcome. - We gotta go.
For tonight's relaunch, I've invited a host of guests,
Including omi, who agreed
To give el cantito a second chance.
- So what would we like to try?
- I really, really want to try the chillo frito.
- Chillo? Okay, sure.
- We got this. - I'm good?
- We got this.
- This is a whole new julio.
He seems a little bit more enthusiastic.
- We're live. First order in.
I want to hear it. Let's go. - Yes. All right.
- Tonight, julio is gonna find that passion,
The desire, the hunger.
He owes it not just to his mum,
But to his sister.
Okay. Call it out, please. - All right. Chef, b3.
We have baca-- two bacalaítos...
- Perfect. - Two chicharrones,
Ceviche, one ceviche.
- Excellent.
- Salud, salud, salud. - Cheers.
- Okay. 30 seconds out.
- Check on the chicharron.
How much longer, chef? - 30 seconds.
- Okay. - That's nice.
[bell rings] bing.
- Enjoy.
- It's like, crispy, but then it just melts
In your mouth right after.
- How are they?
- Wow, that's amazing. - Oh, my god.
The seasoning is so flavorful.
- Okay. Good, so--
I love the fact you're crossing tables off.
- The party has arrived, girl. - Yes!
- Now we're filling up.
- So two baca and two chicharron,
And one ceviche.
- What's next, please? - Uh--
- Bloody hell.
- How's everything, guys?
- Yes, let me check on that, yes.
Um, julio, there's something missing from 21,
A mofongo with chicken.
- I-I gave you the mofongo and the chicken there.
- That was for 24. - Uh...
- Julio, all good? - Yes. Yes, chef.
- What's going next? - We are working on b3.
- You can't just keep on guessing what he wants.
He needs to talk to you. You know that, right?
- Um, tasha-- - yes, chef. Sorry.
- You're finishing my order, right?
- Yes, I'm-- - okay.
- Take it, mami.
- We're in the middle of service now, and he's sort of
Starting to shut down a little bit.
He gets so overwhelmed too easy.
What--what's happened to him?
- Yes, I mean, he is the [bleep] wet lettuce man.
[bleep]
[sizzling]
- Don't put it up there. Don't put it up there.
It's not done yet. It's not done yet.
- I'm in yonkers,
Where the restaurant el cantito is relaunching.
- Put in the chicken now.
- Halfway through service,
Chef julio is having problems.
- Oh, [bleep]. 26.
[bell rings]
- Where's the crackling from here?
Remember the crackling on top?
No, no, just leave it. Bring the crackling.
- Give me one second. Let me--let me get my--hold on.
I started to break down. I started to--
To shut down, and you know, I'm done.
- Hey, I'm here to help. Both: Okay.
- Crackling. Think about it, yes?
- All right. - 'member what I said to y'all
About stepping up? - Yes.
- Okay. Let's go. Come on. Yeah?
- And he calmed me right then and there.
I was like, "oh, okay."
Six mofongos with pernil for table 22 and 25.
And we went right back into that rhythm.
After that, you're gonna work with b3.
We got this. - All right.
- 21.
- Hey, how does it feel to be talking?
It feels good? - Feels good. It feels very g--
- Good. Welcome back. - Thank you.
- Let's go. - [laughs]
- Ceviche was-- - everything's been so good.
- Oh, good, good, good. Thank you so much, guys.
Appreciate your compliments.
I'm elated.
This is the feeling that I wanted
To have when I opened my doors,
The dining room full,
Clicking of the utensils on the plates.
This is el cantito cafe.
That dining room is on fire! [bell dings]
- I'm super excited because I have a system that works.
I feel like, "oh, my god, I can breathe! I'm good!"
[chatter]
- Right. Well done.
You have a absolute jewel here--
Stunning restaurant, beautiful family,
Great food, lovely atmosphere, okay?
Look after each other... - Absolutely.
- And look after the restaurant, okay?
- Mm-hmm. - Don't let her down.
- No. - 'cause if you do,
You'll hear from me.
- Oh, I know. - Again.
My time is done.
- Thank you.
- Good luck.
I see a bright, successful future for el cantito.
You can feel in the room the energy and the love,
And my mom's legacy being out there.
- Come here, you. - Thank you.
- Oh, my god.
- This has been an experience that I never even dreamed of.
And I truly, truly, from the bottom of my heart,
Appreciate gordon ramsay for saving our restaurant.
[sweet music]
♪ ♪
- [exhales] what a week.
Honestly, when I first arrived,
I found a puerto rican restaurant
That had drifted so far from its island roots,
The owners had lost their passion
And their love for food.
But I promise you now,
Debbie and julio have everything they need
To sail this restaurant into the sunset.
But my only worry is, if julio decides to slip back
To his old ways again, el cantito could sink forever.
- I'm ready to plate the-- the ceviche, chef.
- With a fresh start and a revitalized menu...
[bell dings]
Julio's passion for cooking has returned...
- Chicken is done.
- And so have the customers.
- There's a lot of people out there.
- Debbie is committed to keeping julio
And el cantito on the right course,
To create a lasting family legacy in their community.
Next time on "kitchen nightmares"...
- Just a few more minutes, okay?
We're just waiting on your food, okay?
He said it's overcooked. - At the end of the day,
I could give two [bleep].
- Going to sleep at night,
Thinking about the debt that I'm in--
I'm struggling! - So go get another job too.
Kelly and I do have a toxic relationship.
- I don't know how to fix it. - Come here.
It's cold in the middle, just another reason
To confirm that you don't give a [bleep].
- You know what he's gonna do? He's gonna go to the bank.
He's gonna take all the money. I won't have any money.
- You're robbing her!
[dramatic music]