Kitchen Nightmares El Cantito: Gordon does not sing its praises, exclusive clip

Puerto Rican food brings bold, vibrant, flavors to the table. On Kitchen Nightmares El Cantito, this whole fried fish hits a flat note with Gordon Ramsay. Will the celebrated chef be able to find some highlights to turn this restaurant around?

According to FOX, Kitchen Nightmares El Cantito features the following:

"A sibling duo opened El Cantito, a Puerto Rican restaurant, five days before the COVID shutdown. However, they struggle to keep the business afloat with malfunctioning equipment, a small staff and pandemic-induced financial strain. They call Gordon Ramsay for help when the pressure becomes too much and the business is at risk of shuttering its doors in the all-new “El Cantito” episode of Kitchen Nightmares airing Monday, November 20 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX."

Throughout the new season of Kitchen Nightmares, the restaurants’ issues have been many. While there have been some shocking moments that people may wish to unsee, the reality is that some mistakes are ones that can be corrected. Properly executing a dish can be mastered; if the team is willing to make those changes.

In this exclusive Kitchen Nightmares El Cantito clip provided to FoodSided, the fish was not a fresh catch.

While the concept of presenting a whole fried fish is a wow factor, a poorly executed fried fish will sink the dining experience. Even before Gordon attempts to eat a bite, it is clear that the fish is improperly prepared. There can be an errant bone or two in a fish, but no one should have to pull off inedible parts.

The other issue with this fried fish is that the flavor is bland. With Puerto Rican food, people expect big, bold flavors. Whether it is mofongo or pernil, that first bite excites the palate. It should capture the culture, the vibe, and the history behind those dishes.

Although this restaurant might be a dream for the owners, one aspect may be beneficial when thinking about these dishes. If they would not be proud to serve them to their grandmother, maybe they should not serve them to their paying guests. Passing that family test might be harder than any restaurant critic.

Can the restaurant owners change their tune on Kitchen Nightmares El Cantito? Be sure to watch the new episode on FOX, Monday night at 8 p.m. ET. It can be streamed the next day on Hulu.