Kitchen Nightmares Bel Aire Diner: Siblings find a path to success

As the new season premiered, Kitchen Nightmares Bel Aire Diner sets the tone for the upcoming season. Putting aside the moments where everyone averted their eyes for the sake of their stomachs, the final outcome gave two brothers a path to sustaining a family legacy.

The classic American diner is a place where everyone and anyone feels welcome. Whether it is enjoying a stack of pancakes at midnight or ordering a steak at 10 a.m., that restaurant is a part of the community. Everyone knows that quick, good food will arrive at the table with a smile.

On the Kitchen Nightmares Bel Aire Diner episode, the restaurant’s struggled even before Gordon Ramsay ate the first bite of food. When handed the “War and Peace” of menus, the hundreds of dishes were indicative of a major issue. No restaurant should ever try to maintain such an expansive menu. It is not only impossible for the cooks, but it is a nightmare for the bottom line.

As the episode unfolded, the kitchen issues were clear. The cooks were not executing the menu. Why would any diner have coq au vin on the menu? How can a diner not be able to serve a satisfying grilled cheese? Gordon Ramsay should not find the piece of iceberg lettuce the most appetizing food on the plate.

The reality is that the Bel Aire Diner might have thought that the robust menu added to its appeal, but it is leading to its downfall. The trip through the basement walk-in showed that breakdown. Even without smell-o-vision, watching those scenes were stomach turning.

But, that scenario can happen when a restaurant loses its way. Working in that environment is hard. It takes people away from their family and takes dedication. When there are too many stresses, things fall through the cracks.

As seen on Kitchen Nightmares Bel Aire Diner, the dynamic between the two brothers was at the root of many problems. The tension between the two men could be seen in the lack of direction in the restaurant.

Putting the family back on track is just as important as paring down the menu to just one page. While food television fans might have wanted to know the secret to Gordon Ramsay’s fish and chips, the reality is that fixing the menu has no benefit if the people in the kitchen are at odds.

That sentiment seems to be the heart of Kitchen Nightmares returning to the FOX line-up. While there are shock and awe moments, it is just as much healing the people as it is fixing the food. As seen in the episode, there was just as much time spent on that concept as it was watching dinner service.

But, relationship intervention is only one part. For a restaurant to be successful, it must find a way to bring together everyone to execute good food on a consistent basis. In the world of social media, bad reviews can sink a restaurant faster than positive word of mouth.

The Bel Aire Diner is open in Astoria, Queens. It seems to be a mainstay in the community and people have varying views on the restaurant and its service.

Hungry for more Kitchen Nightmares? New episodes air on FOX Monday nights at 8 p.m. EST and can be streamed the next day on Hulu.