Silversmiths Kitchen Nightmares Update (The Runaway Girl) – Open or Closed in 2022?

Episode Recap

The Runaway Girl, later renamed Silversmiths, was a Sheffield, England restaurant featured on Ramsay’s Great British Nightmare, a one-off two-hour special that was broadcast in 2009 as part of The Great British Food Fight on Channel 4.

Owner Justin Rowntree opened The Runaway Girl in Sheffield, England.

It’s a tapas restaurant that also includes a bar and nightclub as part of the establishment.

At the beginning, Justin’s childhood best friend, Richie, worked as a chef in the kitchen as a favor to Justin.

However, Richie would eventually stay on with the restaurant after a request from Justin.

At the time of the visit from Gordon Ramsay and Kitchen Nightmares, The Runaway Girl is running a weekly deficit of £2,000.

The financial situation is so bad that Justin had to sell both of his houses to keep The Runaway Girl afloat.

Gordon is greeted outside by a promotion. The promotion offers two meals for £6.50, which seems incredibly cheap.

Gordon says the exterior looks like a lap-dancing bar, which doesn’t help with the “cheap” feeling.

Justin and Donna welcome Gordon.

Justin thinks the advertisement will have a positive impact on the restaurant.

He tells Gordon how the promotion was his idea. Gordon shows Justin the empty restaurant and says he doesn’t think the deal is making much of a difference. 

But maybe Gordon will be surprised by the food, so he orders some and takes a seat.

The master chef finds the Spanish tapas food greasy and bland.

The paella is rice and mushy, and the fish stew is frozen.

Gordon meets with Justin and both the head and the sous chef.

He tells the three of them he knows the food isn’t fresh.

Customers can’t eat inside the restaurant because it is also a nightclub atmosphere.

Richie, the chef and Justin’s friend, agrees with Gordon, and Justin gets very defensive.

Richie is sincere and willing to help in any way possible. 

The kitchen looks unused and spotless. Gordon figures the kitchen is spotless because everything is precooked.

Richie says he reheats dishes to keep costs down.

To further test things out, thirty locals are invited to Runaway Girl for dinner service. Customers are unimpressed. 

Many customers find the concept of the restaurant confusing.

Justin has live music, but customers don’t like it when they’re just trying to have a meal.

Justin is in denial and says he has done some things right. He gets very defensive.

The owner then shows Gordon comment cards from the restaurant and says no one complained about the food.

Gordon tells him to get real and that he has a huge ego.

Richie tells Justin to stop and to listen to Gordon.

Richie threatens to leave if Justin doesn’t get his act together.

Richie has wanted change for a long time and will stay with the restaurant as long as there is change. 

Gordon tells Justin the music doesn’t work as customers can’t talk with one another.

Justin is not happy but listens to Gordon and does it anyway.

There are many similar restaurants in the area, and The Runaway Girl needs a way to stand out.

Gordon cooks local venison from sausage and makes a sausage and mash dish with Richie and Justin.

Gordon revamps the restaurant and changes the name to Silversmiths since the building is a former silver smith.

Justin joyfully hugs Gordon; he loves the new decor.

He takes all the orders at once and is told by Gordon to slow down.

Customers are left waiting a long time for the food.

They state they love the food but were disappointed in the service.

As Gordon leaves, he wonders if Justin has what it takes. Gordon is unsure. 

So – was the Silversmiths Kitchen Nightmares episode a success? Let’s find out…