Kitchen Nightmares Episode 5.08 Levanti's Italian Restaurant

Chef Ramsay heads to Beaver, Pennsylvania, and finds a brother-and-sister team at war in Levanti's Italian Restaurant. Dino Fratangeli opened the establishment in 1998 using his father's life savings. He was not prepared for the immediate success of the business, so his sister, Tina, sold her own flower shop business and went to work helping Dino. But when another restaurant opened down the street, things went south quickly for the brother and sister.

The staff does not think the competition is to blame - they contend the problem lies with Tina and Dino themselves. They say the food is horrible, the brother and sister don't know what they're doing, and they can't get along. They play the blame game, pointing fingers at each other over who's responsible for the failure of their restaurant.

The worst part is that their dad, Tony, has been bankrolling the place, and if it fails he stands to lose $250,000. But his kids are keeping him in the dark about how bad the situation has gotten.

When Chef Ramsay arrives, he sits with the siblings to assess the problem. They immediately erupt into a heated argument. The restaurant is clearly destroying their relationship.

The dining room is filthy, and unfortunately the food is not much better. Gordon discovers bad olive oil, frozen ingredients and month-old dessert samples. When he says it's the worst Italian food he's ever eaten, Dino refuses to believe there's anything wrong with what they serve.

Frustrated, Chef Ramsay goes to have a talk with Tony. Gordon admits he's afraid he won't be able get past the animosity between his children, but he promises to try to help.

As that evening's dinner service begins, Chef Ramsay is not the only one observing the performance. Tony is also in the kitchen for the first time in several months. Despite the chaos, they somehow manage to get food to the diners, but most of it comes back immediately.

When Gordon finds rotten chicken and moldy sauce is being served to the customers, he shuts down the restaurant. Tony is embarrassed and angry with his children for wasting his life savings. Gordon begs the dad to get involved and force his kids to step up. He encourages Tony to take over and show them who's boss. The father confronts Dino and Tina, who apologize for letting him down and vow to make good.

Chef Ramsay informs the siblings that, based on research, the area needs an American bistro, and that is the cuisine they will be serving at the relaunch. Gordon's team transforms the restaurant overnight into a modern and appealing space and equips them with a brand-new kitchen. He also brings in two consultants, a chef and a manager, who will train the staff and set up the dining room.

Before they open for business, Tony tells his children that if they don't deliver, he will shut the place down. At dinner service that night customers are impressed with the new look. But when Dino has trouble keeping up in the kitchen, some diners wait almost an hour for their food. The consultants kick in and get the kitchen back on track, and Dino promises to listen to them and learn everything he can.

In the following weeks, Dino and Tina continue training with their consultants. And with the brother and sister working as a team, Tony can rest easy knowing they are in control and that Levanti's future is bright.