Finn McCool’s Kitchen Nightmares Update – Still Open in 2023?

Episode Recap

Finn McCool’s was a Westhampton, New York restaurant featured on Season 1 of Kitchen Nightmares.

Though the Finn McCool’s Kitchen Nightmares episode aired in November 2007, the actual visit from Gordon Ramsay happened earlier in the year in March.

It was Kitchen Nightmares Season 1 Episode 7.

In this episode, Gordon Ramsay heads to Finn McCool’s restaurant in Westhampton, NY, which is obviously in the Hamptons.

The Finn McCool restaurant is owned by Buddy Mazzio, a retired policeman.

Because Finn McCool’s was located in Westhampton Beach, it had a very seasonal cliental.

During the summer months, the place would be packed with tourists visiting the Hamptons.

But during the winter months, things were pretty lean as Westhampton Beach had a permanent population of under 2,000 residents at that time.

The restaurant got its start after Buddy retired from his job in 2006, which means that it’s only been open for a very short time at the time of the Finn McCool’s Kitchen Nightmares episode.

He promptly opened up Finn McCool’s pretty much right as soon as his retirement went through.

Buddy’s son Brian was the head chef of the restaurant and Buddy’s other son Jason also worked in the restaurant.

Beyond that, Jason’s wife Melissa was a server, so this was definitely a family affair.

Gordon visited the restaurant in February, which is the low season in Westhampton Beach.

He was amazed by how empty the streets were and remarked that it was like a “funeral parlor”.

That’s not want you want to hear if you’re trying to build a successful hospitality business…

Gordon orders up some of Brian’s food but, as you’d expect, he’s not very satisfied.

The salmon was covered in balsamic vinegar and the shepherd’s pie was incredibly greasy.

So greasy, in fact, that Gordon had to run to the bathroom to throw up. That’s never a good sign if you’re a chef!

What’s more, the cleanliness and organization was also lacking.

For example, Francis, the sous chef, dropped a chicken wing on the floor.

He then just picked it up and put it in the fryer, claiming that the fryer would sterilize.

I guess that’s kind of true…but it’s still not what you want to see from a restaurant lol.

Gordon also asked other locals about their opinion of the Finn McCool’s restaurant, with some local firemen saying they didn’t like it because it only served fried food.

Gordon joked that Finn McCool’s wasn’t just a “kitchen nightmare”, but it was a “kitchen disaster.”

To fix the problem, Gordon Ramsay demanded a deep cleaning session from the whole family.

In addition to the cleaning, Gordon gave the restaurant a makeover to improve the ambiance and experience.

He also worked with Brian to create a brand new menu that will offer better food and help the restaurant work more effectively.

The new concept has a much more family-style approach, with more homey dishes including a chicken dish for the firemen.

To help relaunch the new Finn McCool’s restaurant, Gordon convinces local patrons to come back, along with the local paper’s food reviewer.

There are some bumpy spots during the relaunch with dishes taking long to cook, but the critic eventually gets her food and is generally impressed with it.

So was the Kitchen Nightmares Finn McCool’s episode a success? Keep reading our update to learn what happened next and if this Hamptons restaurant is still open in 2023 and beyond.