Kitchen Nightmares Episode 5.15 Chappy's

Nashville, Tennessee, is the home of country music and also Chappy's restaurant, a Cajun eatery owned by John "Chappy" Chapman and his wife Starr. The couple opened their first eatery in Mississippi, and it was a huge overnight success. But when it was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina, the duo was forced to relocate to Nashville.

Chappy believes the local customers have a problem with New Orleans cuisine, but T.J., the server, says that the owner is the issue. And to top it all off, the décor is out of date. Starr admits that for Chappy's to be saved, they need her husband to change.

When Chef Ramsay arrives he chats with the restaurateur, who stands by his food, rating it a ten. Starr tells him the menu needs to be downsized but says she believes the meals are excellent, although the recipes should be "modernized and revamped."

Upon tasting the fried green tomatoes, Gordon finds them to be bland. When he is served his next dish, he declares, "It looks like Chappy took a crappy in my gumbo." And he offers an even harsher critique for the steak and lobster rocket.

After enduring the flavorless Cajun cuisine, Chef Ramsay heads to the kitchen looking for an explanation. He asks the staff to step out and tells Chappy that he's a joke. He asks the proprietor if he's given up.

At dinner service that night, Chef Ramsay is surprised to see that they fry beef and fish in the same pan - a no-no for the pescatarian customer who has placed the order.

Things go from bad to worse in what may be the filthiest fridge Gordon's ever seen. He calls the owners in to examine the moldy mess and tells Chappy that he's now shown every chef in the world how not to cook.

Chef Ramsay implores Starr to understand that they cannot continue in this fashion. The concerned wife begs her husband to show Gordon that he still loves to cook and wants to make his restaurant work.

The following day, Gordon gathers the staff to uncover any other major issues. He asks them to share their criticisms with their boss. When faced with their feedback, the owner acknowledges that he has slacked off for quite some time and will change.

Next, in an effort to better understand the locals, Gordon puts Chappy and Starr in a surveillance vehicle so they can secretly listen to unfiltered feedback. They are distraught to learn that people feel their food is overpriced and not authentic Cajun.

After setting Chappy, hopefully, on the right path, Chef Ramsay spends the night renovating the restaurant. The new décor is comfortable, modern, warm and inviting.

The menu overhaul is even more extensive. The number of available items has been reduced from 100 dishes to 22. Chef Ramsay has brought in Chris Fox to work with Chappy's team to implement the standards.

At relaunch that night, the owner struggles with the new menu as customers grow impatient. But when Chris steps in as head chef, food starts to make its way out to the dining room.

At the end of the night, the only person who seems unhappy is Chappy. Gordon urges him to hire a qualified head chef for the long term and makes Starr promise not to let her husband go backward.

Not long after Chef Ramsay leaves, in spite of positive feedback about the changes, Chappy goes back to his old ways. The majority of his original dishes are back, and so is the uncertainty of the future of this Nashville restaurant.