(keep reading to learn what happened)
Season: 3 | View All Season 3 Episodes
Original Episode Air Date: May 7, 2010
Fleming Address: 8511 SW 136th St Miami, FL 33156
Episode Recap
Fleming was a Miami, Florida restaurant featured on Season 3 of Kitchen Nightmares.
Though the Fleming Kitchen Nightmares episode aired in May 2010, the actual filming and visit from Gordon Ramsay took place much earlier in July 2009.
It was Kitchen Nightmares Season 3 Episode 10.
In this episode, Gordon visits a Miami-based Scandinavian restaurant called Fleming, which is owned by Andy and Suzanne Hall, a husband and wife duo.
The Fleming restaurant was once the most popular restaurant in Miami during the 1980s.
Today though, the clientele and décor are very dated, which has the restaurant struggling to survive.
That’s pretty much to be expected given that the Flemings Kitchen Nightmares episode exists.
Andy and Suzanne have hired a Cuban chef who has a hard time sticking to the Danish menu.
Andy and Suzanne are not the original owners, but they want to stick with the Danish theme of the restaurant.
As Gordon Ramsay sits for his meal, he notices many old-fashioned traditions the restaurant still follows.
One of those traditions is being served fresh vegetables with a dipping sauce before your meal.
The server lets him know that much has changed since the 1980s, including the customers.
Gordon orders a sampling of Danish dishes cooked by Orlando, the Cuban chef.
Gordon’s salmon dish has a bad taste, and a dead fly is on the plate.
Gordon also orders a duck dish that tastes as if it was made days ago.
It’s not all bad, though – Gordon is highly impressed with the foil swans used to present dessert.
That’s something, at least…
For the dinner service, Gordon Ramsay’s appearance draws in huge crowds.
However, all through dinner service, food is being sent back for being too bland.
It gets worse…
As Gordon Ramsay looks through the kitchen, he discovers rotting meat.
He ran out and removed the duck off of a customer’s fork.
He then shuts down the restaurant.
Andy, the owner, gives Gordon a hard time about this, and Gordon then gives him an ultimatum.
Either he will help them, or Fleming can continue the course it’s on (which is headed straight for failure city).
Gordon talks to the locals who say the restaurant was the crown jewel of Miami back in the day.
But since the new owners brought it, Fleming has gone downhill.
Simply put, it is not a popular location anymore.
Gordon tells the staff at Fleming how the locals feel about the restaurant.
He lets them know they all feel it doesn’t have the same appeal that it did in the 1980s.
Orlando says he wants to move away from the Danish menu, but Andy is too afraid.
He doesn’t want things to change.
Suzanne blames Andy as well and wants change.
Andy finally gives in and allows for some changes at Fleming.
Gordon introduces a new menu item, seared tuna.
Beyond thew new dishes, the renovations have given Fleming a more contemporary look, steering away from the pastel colors of the 1980s.
Fleming also hosts a swimsuit fashion show on the streets of Miami to drum up attention for the restaurant.
On relaunch night, Andy steps up and takes control of his staff.
Team members from the Miami Heat basketball team even show up for dinner and to help with publicity.
There are some hiccups…
At one point, Chef Orlando messes up the salads.
The oven then malfunctions, and a small fire starts.
Gordon quickly puts the fire out and dinner service quickly goes back on track.
After successful dinner service, Gordon Ramsay gifts Fleming a brand new oven.
So was the Kitchen Nightmares Fleming restaurant episode a long-term success?
Keep reading our update to learn what happened next and if this Miami, Florida restaurant is still open in 2025 and beyond.
Fleming Update - What Happened Next?
Now that we’ve recapped the Fleming Kitchen Nightmares episode, let’s talk about what happened to the restaurant after the cameras stopped filming and Gordon Ramsay and his crew left Miami, Florida.
At first, the restaurant was keeping with Gordon’s changes and things seemed to be going well.
However, soon after, the restaurant started to shift back to some of the pre-Gordon details.
For example, while they did keep Gordon’s menu, they also returned some previous dishes that had been liked by regular customers.
Most notably, they brought back the dessert bar and started serving soup and salad with every mean again.
I think that’s fair, as long as they kept Gordon’s menu as well.
However, the changes would not help the restaurant last as it would close soon after the episode aired.
Is Fleming still open after Kitchen Nightmares?
Fleming closed in October 2010, about five months after the Fleming Kitchen Nightmares episode aired and slightly over a year after Gordon’s actual visit.
As of 2023, Fleming remains closed.
The old Fleming Miami Florida location is now occupied by a gym called Orangetheory Fitness Pinecrest, so there won’t be any food served at that location after the Flemings Miami Kitchen Nightmares episode.
Here’s what the old Flemings Miami location looks like in the most recent picture from Google Maps street view:
Note – there is a different restaurant named Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse that is still open in 2023.
However, that Fleming’s restaurant has no connection to the Fleming Kitchen Nightmares episode.
Why did Fleming close after Kitchen Nightmares?
One reason that Fleming closed is that the regular customers didn’t like Gordon Ramsay’s new menu.
Additionally, the owner of Fleming, Andy, said that he spent very little time with Gordon, so it seems like he didn’t actually get much of a chance to learn from Gordon’s expertise.
Was the Fleming Kitchen Nightmares episode fake?
Because Gordon Ramsay spent such little time with the Fleming owner, there were some accusations that the Fleming Kitchen Nightmares episode was fake.
To add more fuel to the fire, a writer for the Miami Herald said that the was at the filming and the Kitchen Nightmares producers were prodding the people at the restaurant to complain.
Here’s a link to the Miami Herald article. And here’s a relevant excerpt:
Once inside the restaurant, 8511 SW 136th St., the producers made it clear exactly what we needed to do to be on TV:
Complain, volubly and bitterly.
“If you have something to say about the food or the service,” a producer instructed, “give us a signal so we can bring the camera to the table.
Once we’re there, don’t look directly at the camera, but speak in a loud voice so the microphone will pick you up clearly.”
…
“Insights from a Michelin chef, what could that hurt?” he says.
“But what was really disappointing was the amount of time you get with him.
It’s actually no time, off-camera.
What you’ll see on the show is what we got.
The whole thing is about their TV show, not about cooking or the restaurant business.”
Is that evidence of a fake episode or just normal reality TV producing style? Well, you’ll have to decide.
Personally, I think that’s just how reality TV works, but I could see how some people would feel that the Fleming Kitchen Nightmares episode was fake.
What happened to Andy Hall from Fleming?
Andy Hall was the Fleming Danish restaurant owner, along with his wife Suzanne.
After Flemings closed, Andy got a job working as the Associate Director of Resident Dining at Chartwells, which seems to have been where he’s stay since then.
You can connect on Andy’s LinkedIn page.
Final thoughts on the Fleming restaurant in Miami
Overall, Fleming did not have a very succesful experience on Kitchen Nightmares, as the restaurant closed only around a year after the visit from Gordon Ramsay (and just five months after the episode aired on TV).
There were also accusations that the episode was fake, as Andy said that he really didn’t interact with Gordon Ramsay that much.
As of 2023, the old Flemings Miami Florida location is occupied by a gym, so there will be no more Danish food at that location, at least for now.
Andy Hall, the Fleming owner, now works in a dining company that works with educational institutions.
If you want to see updates for some other nearby Florida Kitchen Nightmares episodes, you can check out our updates for Le Bistro in Lighthouse Point and Anna Vincenzo’s in Boca Raton.
And if you want to share your thoughts on the Fleming episode, you can do so using the comments section below.
Thanks for reading!
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Last updated: 2023-04-16 10:21
What happened to all of those updates in the kitchen? Everything new, plus the redecorating of the restaurant. Did they just sell it?
I would guess all of the equipment was sold at some point given that the location is a gym now and would have no use for it.
They said they are gone because of people dun like the new menu , i think its more like an excuse , i do not believe a new menu will kill a place in only few months especially its arranged by Gordon’s team.
And about the “prodding the people at the restaurant to complain” , yes i think we all know that those extra diner suddenly show up at the night to fill up the place are hired as how the show did in every episode but i also do not believe they are forced to complain about the food quality and long waiting time, after we all see how bad the food looks and rotten ingredients inside the fridge. Also it is illegal and Gordon’s team will get sued if they did something like that.
What law is there that addresses reality tv? All reality tv is staged to some degree. These shows need ratings. They all embellish. It’s entertainment;not true reality.
I heard Orangetheory serves great energy bars so there’s still food being served at the location.
If you can call energy bars food…
Andy looked like a total dumb-azz and a loser. When he came out on the fashion show like he thought he was some incredible hunk, I can see why his restaurant was going down the tubes and he had no clue.
Hello, I had a suspicion that this episode wasn’t real because the episode was just over too quickly and the only reason I think this happened was because the owners were friendly and understood Gorden’s criticism and that is very bad for a reality show when the owners don’t insult or yell at Gorden Ramsey.
Another reason why a Michelin starred chef like Gorden Ramsey can’t save at least half the restaurants?
The answer is very clear and simple. Gorden Ramsey only consults the owners very briefly. The main point is in the decoration of the dining room and not in consulting the owners and seeing what they need. The shocking moment for me was when celebrity chef Gorden Ramsey overlooked the broken kitchen appliances and then did a reopening with broken kitchen appliances!!
The final reason Gorden Ramsey doesn’t really care about the owners is a new show:
“24 Hours To Hell And Back”. It just doesn’t make sense to help a restaurant within 24 hours because the restaurant owners and staff need time to learn from Chef Ramsey. For everyone’s understanding of how people are supposed to learn when they are tired and how many skills can be taught to them in those 24 hours. My conclusion is that celebrity chef Gorden Ramsey has lost that willpower to help people and only cares about decorating the dining room so TV viewers can see that Gorden Ramsey has done a lot for the owners of the restaurant.
The UK KN show Ramsay would cook with the chefs and teach them in person, and it was less BS.
The US show was totally dumbed down for fighting / screaming, and Ramsay rarely cooked in the kitchen.
Yep, I loved the UK version. You saw more planning, cooking, marketing of the restaurant. The US is more confrontational.
First of all, his name is Ramsay, and that episode is not fake. It was not over any more quickly than any other episode. It doesn’t matter how many Michelin stars he has, most of the restaurants go back to their old menus and their old ways, and also they wait much too long before getting help. They’re already so deep in debt that nothing can save them. The main point is not the decoration, it’s the outdated food, and he does consult with the owners. It doesn’t take weeks to discover what’s wrong – you only have to order some dishes and taste the food, and look around at the anachronistic decor. What do you mean he doesn’t care? Do you expect him to spend months with them and try to solve their personal problems? He’s there to try to fix the restaurant, and that’s what he does. If they don’t keep up with the changes, that’s not his fault.
He’s there to make a TV show.
It really doesn’t matter if the places survive or not, it’s about making an entertaining show that brings in the money for the producers, of which Gordon is one.
KN is most definitely faked to some degree. There’s even a link in this very catch-up of highlighting as much.
Very well said!!!
The halls need to file a lawsuit against the show for defamation of their reputation.
The show actually played a large roll in the restaurants demise, they could have possibly stayed afloat with business as usual.
The show was absolutely detrimental to the business and I believe they would of had a chance of winning a suit had it been brought in a timely fashion.
I’m pretty sure they have to sign a waiver to appear on the show. After all, it is completely voluntary.
Oceana was able to get them to stop airing the episodes, but I don’t think they got any damages.
https://realitytvupdates.com/kitchen-nightmares/oceana-grill/
Really? These people reach out to Chef for his help! They know what they are getting in to. If they don’t want bad product or bad cleanliness shown then they should have followed health code rules and did their jobs in the first place. They get thousands of free stuff. Sometimes they get a free chef for a month or two.
Gordon received help to start his career, he is only trying to give it back. That he gives at all is a blessing. But hey no good deed goes unpunished I guess.
Exactly. He is not responsible if their restaurant fails. They know he’s going to inspect the kitchen and the freezer and everything, and if they can’t be bothered cleaning everything, they shouldn’t be surprised when he closes the kitchen. All their nasty habits are shown on TV and then they blame Chef Ramsay when their restaurant closes.
Don’t make me laugh!! That is the most ridiculous comment I have read on here
The real problem was that the owners did not take the hint to pivot away from the food business and into a different business at which they were better qualified: making and selling foil swans.
Stendhal, your comments are the best. I want to have your baby.
Stendhal, you are such a wonderful wit. I want to be yours and squirt out your little brownies.
Sure, the producers are in it to make a compelling program that will suck in viewers, and there should be no problem with that, unless you think this is a charity. In a nutshell, he gave them a new up-to-date menu, remodeled the front of house and gave them new state-of-the-art equipment in the kitchen. That is one heck of a commitment to the restaurant and owners and gives them the opportunity to start off on the right foot. The fact that the old (and I do mean “OLD”) customers didn’t like the new menu was the first clue that they were on the right track. Most of those customers will be passed on in the next few years, and that is no way to have a sustainable business model. I’m an old-timer myself, but I’m not so delusional to believe that my business alone could sustain a thriving, rejuvenated business.
gordon ramsey would never ever agree to making a fake program. to those who havent read his books and watched other shows of his.would you honestly believe gordon would allow cooked food to raw. no he wouldnt. get over yourselves. hes not a liar or a faker. the restaurant failed because it was useless. old folks never liked change.they caused it to fail.
The show is faked.
You think that by reading Gordon’s books, you are going to learn the truth? Let’s just say that KN is fake, he’s not going to admit it in a book, is he? It’s his show, with his name, made using his company, that he is an Executive Producer on, and he will protect that asset.
You need to look at sources not under the Gordon Ramsay brand for the truth.
Gordon lies, he outright lies in this very episode.
At the end, with the new kitchen equipment, Gordon says that he just had to make an emergency call (after the oven caught on fire) to get a new oven, grill and fryer. He also says that the equipment has been tailor-made.
Both of those claims cannot be true.
If it was an emergency call, then there are several questions.
First, what major catering supplier is open late at night? This was after service and after the restaurant had closed, remember?
Second, what major catering equipment supplier already has the measurements for an establishment to make tailor-made equipment for them that late at night?
Third, what major catering equipment supplier can make a tailor-made oven, a tailor-made grill and a tailor-made fryer in a few minutes and have them delivered?
If that equipment was tailor-made, then the catering supplier would have already had to have the measurements so that they could tailor-make the equipment. Then, that tailor-made equipment would take several weeks to build to the specifications needed. Then they would have to be safety-tested before they could even be delivered, never mind fitted.
Ergo, either Gordon was lying about him just making an emergency call, the equipment was made weeks before filming, and it was always going to be delivered. Or the equipment isn’t tailor-made and it is off-the-rack stuff. Even if it is off-the-rack, no catering supplier is open that late at night ready to deliver three brand-new pieces of kitchen equipment.
Gordon is lying, no matter which way to look at it.
Is the production company stretching the truth? Are scenes being edited to maximize drama? Is anyone stupid enough to believe a reality television show is the equivalent of hiring a restaurant consultant? The bottom line is that none of that really matters.
These people weren’t strong armed into appearing on Kitchen Nightmares. The show had been on for years, and to think these owners were completely naive to what would happen is ridiculous. They chose to have their failing business be renovated by a reality television show. They had to have at least a minimal awareness of how Kitchen Nightmares, or reality shows in general, operate. To complain about “manufactured drama” and post–show editing is beyond absurd. If you didn’t want that, then hire a consultant or seek aid outside of television cameras.
An overwhelming majority of these restaurants were doomed to fail. Gordon gave them a wealth of resources in return for entertainment. If they failed still, that’s on them.