Ep 17. Zocalo

In the seventeenth episode of the fourth season of Kitchen Nightmares USA, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay visits Zocalo, a Mexican restaurant in University City, Missouri. The restaurant is owned by Mexican-born couple Jorge and Vanessa Rodriguez, who bought the restaurant three years ago, hoping to make a living while sharing their love of food with their community.

Upon arrival, Ramsay is unimpressed with the run-down appearance of the building, dark decor, and a lackluster menu that fails to live up to the reputation Zocalo once held. However, Ramsay quickly discovers that these surface-level issues are just the tip of the iceberg.

Throughout his visit, Ramsay discovers that the Rodriguez's lack of experience in the restaurant industry has led to a variety of severe problems that have backed them into a corner. In underestimating the amount of work it would take to run a successful restaurant, they've not only found themselves struggling financially, but at odds with their employees and the community.

The restaurant's lack of organization quickly becomes apparent as Gordons' order takes over half an hour to come while he watches the kitchen and sees disorganization among the staff. The kitchen is also suffering from a lack of quality ingredients and poor management, resulting in subpar dishes that are far from appetizing.

Ramsay speaks with the staff and discovers a slew of issues with the restaurant. The front of the house is struggling with service issues, with waitstaff walking out on shifts due to conflicts with Jorge. The kitchen has multiple problems including, cross-contamination between meats and vegetables, freezer burn dishes being served, and using too much oil in cooking.

After a disastrous dinner service, Ramsay meets with the owners to discuss the issues he found while dining in their restaurant and working with their staff. Jorge and Vanessa are shocked by the difficult situation that they have found themselves in, and Ramsay encourages them to regain their confidence and take control of their business again. He implements new systems and processes in the kitchen and shows the owners how to improve their communication with their staff, so everyone is working towards the same goal.

As Ramsay continues working his magic over the course of the episode, the restaurant undergoes significant changes. With a new menu and new decor, Ramsay and the crew work on making the space more inviting and user-friendly. And, with a staff that is learning how to work together, there begins to be a more positive atmosphere in Zocalo.

By the end of the episode, the restaurant has been transformed; it's cleaner, organized, and ready to serve quality food. Ramsay has helped the staff gain the confidence they needed to work together as a team, and he's helped the owners reconnect with their dream of sharing their delicious food with their community. The real test is yet to come though, and audiences are left wondering if these changes will help save the struggling Mexican restaurant.