“That dog over there is eating off the table.” – Gordon Ramsay
The Hell on Wheels express rumbles into the heartland in this edition of Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back – Wichita, Kansas specifically.
There’s a fun spin in this one too, as Fetch Bistro is the first “pet friendly” restaurant that I’ve seen Gordon Ramsay get involved with over the different iterations of shows he’s involved with, including Kitchen Nightmares and Hotel Hell.
As part of the gimmick with this particular Gordon Ramsay show is that its producers install hidden cameras in the restaurant as part of a rouse of convincing restaurants that will be involved in a “traditional renovation show,” Ramsay and team will get to see what’s going on when the staff believes no one is watching them.
Fetch Bistro’s owners, Greg and Pamela Buss, then introduce themselves. No word on whether they’re related to the family that owns the Los Angeles Lakers. They also then quickly introduce us to their dogs – which look like labradoodles to me, perhaps – Solomon and Chuck.
Greg tells us that Fetch Bistro is the first pet friendly bistro in the state of Kansas. While they love bringing their dogs to the business they own each day, they also feel over their heads in this venture.
Sue, the kitchen manager/cook, relays that Pam and Greg are “very easygoing,” and part of that extends to letting “the dogs sit wherever they want,” which includes the restaurants chairs and booths. What’s worse, Robin, a hostess/server, says is that there are ends up being dog hair everywhere.
The problems extend to the back of the house too, where Tracy, a server, sees “no consistency.” Brian, a line cook, agrees, which ties in part to the fact that there’s no head chef, leading to “a very confusing place to work.”
Brian also assesses that the co-owner’s relationship feels more business-y than romantic, especially given the pressures of what is currently a failing restaurant.
Finances are in such a dire state that we see Greg talking to Pam about how they are currently $800 overdrawn at the bank and that his plan to simply to “figure it out later on in the week.”
Greg and Pam seem like hard working people with their hearts in the right place, so it’s touching when we see Pam teary eyed and crying during a quick montage.
With all of this happening, Ramsay gets into a goofy disguise – part of the whole thing with GR’s24HTHAB (how’s that for an acronym?) – this time as a midwestern goateed dog owner. Carly the dog stands in for this performance, with the idea that Ramsay will observe the goings on at Fetch Bistro incognito before leading out the lightning quick hell-and-back process.
By the way, I’m sparing you the onslaught of dog-related puns going on in this episode, Ramsay leaning into talking about how rough things are at Fetch Bistro, and so on.
When Ramsay sits down with a group of dog owners, he rightly points out that there’s no rules or protocols for what the deal is at Fetch Bistro: where dogs are supposed to sit, whether they’re allowed on or off leash, and so forth. And with this it’s kind of fun to see dogs from two different tables get into it a little bit while Ramsay is talking.
“That dog over there is eating off the table,” Ramsay observes. We soon learn that servers place the dog food right on the table, encouraging dogs to eat there.
We learn that there’s both a dog food and treat menu and a human-focused one that offers American classics like burgers and fries. Ramsay also rightly points out that the servers pet the dogs in the restaurant with ungloved hands that are also serving food to the humans.
When their table is served, Ramsay observes that the dog food looks more attractive than “bland, dry” chicken and salad that reminds him of “someone who’s been shot.” Even worse: there’s dog hair found on everything.
Ramsay’s conclusion: “This place is a mess.”
Now out of disguise, Ramsay summons the staff and gets the entire dining room’s attention. After announcing his experience an “embarrassment,” he has the entire crowd follow him to the Hell of Wheels tractor trailer-meets-mobile kitchen-meets outdoor theater (yes, it’s odd).
A massive screen then shows everyone hidden camera footage revealing bizarre things such as the kitchen literally having no recipes to follow in the meals they’re preparing (we later find out the kitchen staff is instructed to “read the menu description” and cook it to be that), disgusting cleanliness in the kitchen, and overall incompetence in the restaurant’s operations.
Ramsay tells Greg and Pamela that they have no structure and gets them to buy into his helping them. And with that, the 24-hour countdown clock kicks off to turn this dog friendly battleship around. He also invites the customers to come back to Fetch Bistro for relaunch night to see the changes that they are about to make.
I was going to skip over the scene where Ramsay reads scathing reviews of Fetch Bistro to the staff, but I must include one person who claims that their dog’s food was served with onions. Which is like the Dog Rule Book 101 thing you’re supposed to never feed dogs. I’m surprised that the onions weren’t served to Sport with a topping of chocolate fondue.
As the renovation crew gets to work, we learn that there’s an enclosed patio area outside that includes two unused bocce courts. It seems nearly criminal that the co-owners Buss had not yet figured out how to make this a dog-friendly space to this point.
Speaking of nearly criminal and maybe very close to the line of being unlawful: we learn that the kitchen uses the same ingredients to serve dogs as humans, and it’s all cooked in the same space. Ramsay is forced to point out that serving healthy portions of bacon and sausage and eggs to dogs is far too rich for their doggy constitutions. Pamela nods along cluelessly in learning this.
Meanwhile, the cooking stations are grungy with burned food and gunk.
“It’s just been a spiral thing… I don’t know how to explain it,” Sue says in explanation.
As it often does, things get even worse as Ramsay digs further into the refrigeration and food storage areas: rotten, slimy foods and a general vibe of disorganization and unprofessionalism.
After some of the staffers start squabbling about whose fault things are, Ramsay shuts them down and orders everyone to perform a top-to-bottom cleaning.
In a private chat, Sue tells Ramsay that to do her job effectively, she needs a lot more authority, and Ramsay asks he if she’s got what it takes to step into a head chef role.
Out at the mobile kitchen, meanwhile, the new menu that includes chicken and biscuits, burgers, and meatloaf is unveiled to the kitchen staff. Ramsay then leads Sue and team in a cooking lesson. “We’re gonna start off small and powerful,” he tells them.
And he means it, literally showing them how to cook and plate a cheeseburger properly.
With all of this going on, Ramsay shows Greg footage of how he’s been neglectful and cold with Pamela. You’re treating her like a server and not your wife, the British chef tells him. Soon after, Greg tearfully apologizes to her, and she tells him, “I need to hear that.”
The next morning, the new dishes – for both humans and doggies – are revealed to the full staff, and they visually look infinitely better than the food that we saw served to Ramsay and his table when he first arrived at Fetch Bistro.
Greg tells everyone that he’s realizing that he needs to be less of a micromanager and allow everyone to do their best work. This seems a bit odd given that the biggest problem was assessed to be the complete lack of structure at Fetch Bistro, but perhaps this move coupled with Sue stepping into the head chef position will do the trick.
The interior renovation is also revealed, which includes a brightly colored fresh-looking dining room and sparkling new state-of-the-art equipment in the kitchen. The biggest reveal though comes in the back patio, where the old bocce courts have been transformed into a cheerful-looking dog park area.
Perhaps the most important upgrade of all are easy to clean dog beds installed in the dining room – where the dogs will now be directed to for their meals.
When the 24-hour clock strikes zero, relaunch night kicks off and things go great in the early going. However, as is often the case, a snag happens when quality control of dishes getting fired out of the kitchen gets sloppy, forcing Ramsay to call out Sue and the kitchen crew to get their act together.
Fetch Bistro gets a vote of confidence from food blogger Eddy Brotmarkle, who says, “Before, it looked like a restaurant just for dogs. Now it looks like a restaurant that regular diners can come to and enjoy – it’s fun.”
“Stay together, stay united and make things work,” Ramsay tells Pamela and Greg Buss on the way out.
And on a touching note, Pamela tells the camera, “The most important thing is having my husband back.”
Some stats and info about Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back, “Fetch Bistro”
TV SHOW – Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back
SEASON/EPISODE – Season 1, Episode 6
NETWORK/STREAMING SERVICE – FOX
EPISODE DESCRIPTION – Gordon Ramsay visits La Serenata, a family-owned Mexican restaurant, where he and his team discover the owner has exhausted himself in trying to keep his father’s legacy afloat.
GENRE – Office Culture, Trashtastic TV, Reality TV, Food Shows
CAST – Gordon Ramsay