In this Kitchen Nightmares episode, Gordon Ramsay visits Trobiano’s in Great Neck, New York.
Trobiano's is an Italian restaurant.
It is owned by Anthony Trobiano and his girlfriend Tiffany's parents Joe and Pat.
The restaurant has been open just three years.
It is struggling amidst competition from other Italian restaurants.
Anthony is a trained chef who attended culinary school.
He works as executive chef in the kitchen.
Pat works at the restaurant as a hostess and his girlfriend Tiffany is a server.
Trobiano’s took off in the beginning.
Anthony admits the quality dropped and they couldn’t keep up to demand.
Joe and Pat are tired of putting money in the business.
They are over stretched and $500,000 in debt.
They all work at the restaurant every day.
They argue constantly and are beginning to resent each other.
Gordon arrives at the restaurant.
He isn't impressed with the large notices he mistakes for a ‘For Sale’ sign.
Instead this is advertising a cheap Early Bird special.
The price of the special is so low that it is cheaper than fast food.
Anthony had the idea for the early bird special.
The special is barely keeping the restaurant afloat.
They sit down to talk about the problems.
Gordon discovers that Anthony has never worked in an Italian restaurant.
He says that he knows everything he needs.
Gordon questions whether he is arrogant, both Tiffany and her parents nod in agreement.
The family say it’s hard working together.
The restaurant has become known for their low priced meals.
The restaurant gets packed by 4.30 pm by the elderly for the early bird special.
Gordon arrives early to sample the menu.
He comments that he is the youngest diner in the restaurant.
Gordon notes the restaurant is just as old and drab as the clientele.
He asks about a salad which he is told is chopped.
This is possibly because it is easier to eat for the older diners.
He orders an egg plant tower and chicken wrapped shrimp.
He is recommended Salmon with spaghetti bolognese.
The egg plant tower is ghastly, cold and tasteless as the mozzarella isn't home made
He talks to an older female customer.
He finds out she had some eggplant parmesan in a takeaway box.
She won’t be back the next day and will eat the leftovers.
The chicken and shrimp come next.
The shrimp is hard and he is confused as to why shrimp is wrapped in chicken.
The salmon and pasta arrives and the salmon is dry.
He doesn’t want a replacement and there is far too much spaghetti.
Many diners ask for takeaway containers and leave with large portions of food.
At 7pm, all the early birds have left.
Their dinner service is extremely quiet.
Gordon uses the opportunity to talk to the staff about his feedback about his meal.
Gordon tells them they are essentially serving double entrées.
This is why they are losing so much money.
Finally, he tells Anthony that the food he tasted was horrible.
Anthony is defensive.
Gordon tells him he is supposed to taste every meal before it leaves the kitchen.
Gordon leaves then decides to return to do a kitchen inspection that night.
He finds the kitchen is filthy with dirt in and under the equipment, on the floor.
There are also plates stored close to the floor.
He finds mouse droppings behind some of the equipment.
Gordon shows them the state of the kitchen and Anthony insists they clean everyday.
He presses Anthony about the cleaning regime.
He tells him that the staff are meant to do it and he doesn't do any cleaning.
Anthony follows him outside.
He tells him he is committed to change and doesn’t want to be a failure.
Gordon tells him he has had it too easy and he needs to be humble.
Going back in, he gets everyone including Anthony to do a deep clean of the kitchen overnight.
The next day, Gordon takes them to farm to milk a cow.
He plans to teach them how to make fresh mozzarella.
They all have fun as a family and return to the restaurant.
They start the process of making mozarella.
Gordon shows them with just 45 minutes a day they can make their own fresh mozzarella.
For the evening service, the early bird special is cancelled.
Pasta and mozzarella specials are introduced to the menu.
The restaurant soon gets packed for dinner.
The specials are flying out of the kitchen.
Anthony is stressed that now the whole menu is available to the dining room.
He still doesn’t taste the dishes before they leave the kitchen.
The customers are sending food back that came from the main menu.
An hour into service and some customers haven’t received their food yet.
Food is left on the stove and the smoke alarm goes off to the applause of the customers.
The night ends as a disaster.
Gordon lets Anthony know his biggest failing is not tasting his food before sending it out.
The relaunch is the next day and they would need to do much better.
Gordon’s team worked all night to redecorate the restaurant.
The next morning the staff are shown a warmer restaurant.
There are Italian pictures on the wall and a new mozzarella bar.
The menu has been condensed.
It has been replaced with authentic dishes with smaller portions.
The staff sample the food and love the new dishes.
On relaunch night, the editor of Bon Appetit Magazine Barbara Fairchild is joining them for dinner.
The mozzarella bar is off to a great start.
Customers are saying they might fill up on the appetisers.
In the kitchen, Anthony is reminded often to taste his food.
However, he can’t read the orders on the tickets and his staff have to rewrite them.
Joe is keeping an eye out for the VIP while all this is going on.
A dish is sent back as the food is cold in the middle.
The Bon Appetit table comes in and orders almost everything on the menu.
The pressure is on and Anthony remembers to taste the food.
There is a great response from the Bon Appetit table.
They happily pass their plates around amongst themselves.
The relaunch is a success.
Gordon takes Anthony aside and gives him a ring to propose to Tiffany.
He does so in front of all the staff and customers and she accepts.
It is not the last of the surprises.
Gordon has arranged for them to get married there and then.
Tiffany and Anthony get changed into wedding attire.
The wedding is conducted with everyone in the restaurant in attendance.
What Happened Next at Trobiano's?
Trobiano's closed in October 2008.
Anthony became a Chef at Speranza Food Studio, which closed in 2011.
He is currently Executive Chef at Cirella's Restaurant and Bar in New York.
Anthony and Tiffany are still married.
They have three children together.
Trobiano's aired on September 25 2008, the episode was filmed in February 2008 and is Kitchen Nightmares season 2 episode 3.
Read About More Kitchen Nightmares
Previous episode - Giuseppi's
Next episode - Black Pearl
