If you were a fan of the series Kitchen Nightmare, which aired for seven seasons on Fox from 2007 through to 2014, and even if you weren’t, you’ve probably heard of Amy’s Baking Company. It was the subject of the most memorable episode of the series given the combative owners who often yelled at customers (and Chef Gordon Ramsay!), refused to listen to any reason, and seemed downright delusional. It was so bad that Ramsay walked out, not being able to help them.
This wasn’t the end of the story, though. A battle continued as customers lashed out at the owners, Amy and Samy Bouzaglo, on social media, calling them out for their bad behavior. The angry owners, meanwhile, alleged that the people commenting weren’t actual diners, but people planted by the show. Angry, all-caps replies calling alleged diners losers and morons were posted, and the couple later said their account was hacked and it wasn’t them. It was the most entertaining episode of the series and sparked controversy that lasted for months to come after the episode aired. So who and what is Amy’s Baking Company, which has since closed down? Here are some facts you probably didn’t know about it.
It’s The Only Restaurant To Not Receive Help On the Series
While Gordon Ramsay has threatened many a time to walk out on stubborn owners who refused to listen, or disgusting kitchens that seemed beyond hope, both parties have always calmed down enough for the kitchen overhaul to take place. Not in this case.
Amy’s Baking Company is the only restaurant, in both the U.S. and U.K. versions of the show, that did not complete the transformation. Ramsay was so turned off by the owners and their attitudes towards customers and staff, and their inability to accept criticism, that he simply walked out.
There Was a Follow Up Episode
The season 7 premiere was a follow-up episode called “Return to Amy’s Baking Company;” the initial episode was the season 6 finale. It featured interviews with staff at media outlets like Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, and Reddit that picked up on the viral social media debacle in the aftermath of the initial episode.
It also included bonus footage, like Samy suggesting that women belong in the kitchen, and Amy revealing that because the kitchen was small, and she was often bumping into people, she did not want men around as it could get uncomfortable. The episode also revealed the owner’s audition tape, where they were asking for the help they very clearly did not want when it got there.
The Kitchen Was Clean
Usually, with restaurants that Ramsay visits on the series, the kitchens are absolute nightmares (hence the name of the show). He has found everything from rotting meat, poultry, and produce, to expired foods, cross-contamination, rats, roaches, droppings, mold – you name it. Unlike many of the others, however, Amy’s Baking Company was actually quite clean.
Ramsay was impressed by the cleanliness and organization of the kitchen. Though he did discover that some items that the owners claimed to be fresh actually came in frozen. But if that was the worst of it, this restaurant was miles ahead of others that have appeared on the series.
Samy Took The Wait Staff Tips
Ramsay discovered during the episode that none of the waitresses were able to keep their own tips. Instead, owner Samy took them, saying they were his because he did a lot of the front-of-the-house work. One waitress, meanwhile, explained that he also messed up a lot of the orders, which caused them grief.
But Samy declared that the wait staff made an hourly wage and that was enough. Ramsay called him out on this, revealing the truth to diners who all replied with the expected disdain.
They Fired A LOT of People
During an interview with a former staffer, the woman revealed to Ramsay that she saw at least 50 people get fired during the year-and-a-half that she worked there. While it sounds like a ridiculous number, when Ramsay presented this figure to Samy, he said it was actually closer to 100 people who had been fired.
Even during the episode, Amy fired a server for what appeared to be no valid reason, calling her a “poisonous little viper,” leaving the poor girl to depart in tears.
The Police Were Called During Taping
A dissatisfied diner got into an argument with Samy during the taping that looked like it could have escalated into an altercation. The man reportedly mistakenly thought everything was simply being put on for the show. He later found out from the producer that it was actually all real.
9-1-1 was called, and police arrived on the scene. They concluded that all was fine. Nonetheless, it showed that while we might think a lot of “reality TV” is far from real, sometimes things happen that are totally and completely in-the-moment.
The Restaurant Became a Tourist Attraction
For a small-time after the episode aired, the restaurant became a sort of tourist attraction, bringing tons of people by to see the owners in real life, and if they were really as they were portrayed.
Located in a shopping center in Scottsdale, Arizona, it was easy for lots of foot traffic to go by. Even cars would pass by and try to take photos. And a lot of people wanted to try the food as well, to see if it was actually any good.
Their Social Media Responses Were a Good Lesson in Business
After Samy and Amy replied angrily to people who were insulting them and the restaurant on social media sites like Facebook, as well as review sites like Yelp, and other online platforms like Reddit, the situation became a perfect example for businesses on how not to react to negative customer comments.
Forbes Magazine even wrote a feature article about it, highlighting six things a company should never do on social media, using Amy’s Baking Company and their outreach as an example. Interestingly, once their replies went viral, the owners claimed their account was hacked and they weren’t really the ones writing those vulgar things. Suuuuure.
The Restaurant Closed in September 2015
Amy’s Baking Company remained open for quite sometime after the episode aired in 2013. The owners planned a “grand re-opening” in May 2013, and the special follow-up episode of the show aired in April 2014. It discussed the events of the episode, what happened after, and included clips of interviews with the owners by a local reporter.
The restaurant closed months later, but Amy claimed that it had nothing to do with the show, but rather issues with the former landlord. Another restaurant opened in its place, called B&R Restaurant, but that later closed as well. The location has been reported to be an Aikido school.
The Owners Appear to be Living in Israel Now
The latest updates suggest that Amy and Samy may have moved to Israel since closing the restaurant. Amy had initially noted she would continue baking and make instructional baking videos.
It seems they live in a large condo, and Amy is still baking, posting lots of pictures to her Instagram account. She also self-published a cookbook called Baking With Amy and was, at one point, running a special-order cake business.
