Le Deck Kitchen Nightmares Update – Open or Closed in 2022? (Costa del Nightmares)

Episode Recap

Le Deck was a Capbreton, France restaurant featured on Gordon Ramsay’s special Costa del Nightmares series, which originally aired in the UK. Though the Le Deck Kitchen Nightmares episode aired in September 2014, the actual filming and visit from Gordon Ramsay took place much earlier in 2014. It was Episode 2 of Costa del Nightmares.

Le Deck is located in Capbreton in the Southwest of France, not too far from the border with Spain.

The restaurant is located right near the water, which gives it a great spot and should set it up for success.

However, the fact that Le Deck is being featured on Gordon Ramsay’s special Costa del Nightmares series should give you an idea that Le Deck is not maximizing its great location.

The owners are Tim and Debbie Wall, who were married six years ago.

The couple owned three successful restaurants in the Alps and wanted to re-create their success on the coast.

They chose the beach after they began having children and wanted to live closer to the ocean. I can’t say I disagree here – I would love to do the same thing!

They tried to emulate the same success as their other restaurants. However, you can’t automatically translate what works in the mountains into working by the beach.

The restaurant opened three years ago, and Tim invested over £1,000,000 into the business.

They are currently losing £50,000 annually, which is why they so desperately need help from Gordon Ramsay and the Kitchen Nightmares crew.

They offer many international dishes to cater to the surfers who visit the area from around the world. Debbie says the restaurant has become their priority, where it should be their family. 

Gordon arrives in a vintage British sports car, but no one is in the restaurant when he comes.

The place is empty, and there is no one to greet him.

The general manager finds Gordon and shows him around.

The head chef Steve and other workers live upstairs on mattresses.

The staff is given one hour before dinner service to eat, and they eat an expensive steak dinner. Not a bad gig if you can get it, right?

The owner, Tim, defends the staff eating expensive meals.

He walks off when Gordon begins to question him about it. Gordon orders food off their vast menu.

The fruits de mer en croûte that Gordon orders is very greasy.

The Le Deck burger is served cold and raw in the middle.

The mussels are dirty, the prawns smell bad, and the scallops are old. 

Overall, Gordon just doesn’t have a good experience with the food, which is pretty par for the course with Kitchen Nightmares (though there have been a few restaurants where he liked some of the food).

Gordon invites sixty patrons to the dinner service.

However, the diners are left waiting almost an hour for their dishes because Le Deck’s chefs can’t keep up with the demand.

The head chef says that the menu is all Tim’s idea and not his.

The kitchen runs out of food, and Steve says that they need to stop taking orders.

They must borrow meat from another restaurant.

Tim allows in more customers after Le Deck runs out of food. 

Gordon goes to Debbie and Tim’s house to discuss their finances. Tim says he never really thinks about money. Gordon believes he may be having a midlife crisis. 

Steve admits he lost his passion for cooking.

The team preps, and Gordon takes Steve to a local fish market to buy fresh fish.

Steve and the other kitchen staff have a challenge cooking a meal from fresh fish.

The dishes are a hit and run out during the evening dinner service. 

Tim admits he is a control freak, and Gordon challenges the staff to come up with four oyster dishes and four drinks to accompany them.

The customers love the new restaurant, and the re-launch is a success.

Before Gordon leaves, he reminds them the restaurant will close if they don’t stick with his changes. 

So – did the restaurant follow his advice and what happened to Le Deck after Costa del Nightmares? Let’s find out…