Ramsay’s Costa del Nightmare turns up the heat on Brits in Spain

The first episode of Ramsay’s Costa del Nightmare aired on Tuesday night

Gordon Ramsay is tired. Tired of the effing, the blinding, the shouting and the scolding. He’s so tired, in fact, that the latest iteration of his Kitchen Nightmares series – Ramsay’s Costa del Nightmare – is rumoured to be his last. And if Tuesday night’s pilot episode is anything to go by, he is going out with a bang…

“I don’t want to see Brits in Spain cooking s***,” began the typically outspoken Ramsay as he led viewers on a whistle-stop, sun-drenched tour of Spain’s most popular holiday destinations in the first of a four-part series that aired on Tuesday night.

Many businesses in Spain struggled to survive the latest economic downturn. Those that did survive were burnt by the recession, so at least one would hope that they were doing all they could to stay competitive, ahead of the game and open to new ideas? Not so, finds Ramsay.

With a small window of opportunity to impress and attract tourists who may only be in town for a few days, the celeb chef finds a number of establishments that, in his eyes, simply aren’t trying hard enough. The first target for his ire – and his unique brand of help, naturally – is the Mayfair restaurant in Fuengirola.

Run by Londoner Pat and her Spanish waiter husband Jack – the pair met nearly 50 years ago and have previously run a successful restaurant in London – the Mayfair is struggling: with debts, poor reviews and Jack’s rather unusual habit of hoarding his belongings in the restaurant.

“Who wants tapas with a side of tat?” muses Ramsay, exasperated. And thus, Ramsay embarked on his trademark tirade of expletive-laden direction, radically honest opinions, withering put downs and what looked suspiciously like a sizeable dollop of common sense.

Pat and Jack were undoubtedly in a rut. They possess sound business acumen and evident cooking ability, but had become mired in a mindset that refused to recognise that they were also part of the problem. Ramsay changed that, and things have begun to look up.

Ramsay was not impressed with the fare on offer along Fuengirola’s seafront

The remainder of the series is sure to make for equally compelling viewing, not least to see the jarring juxtaposition of world-famous, multi award-winning TV chef Ramsay rubbing shoulders with restaurateurs whose only ambition in life previously had been to open a nice café in a lovely, sunny part of the world. Nobody is looking for a Michelin star.

Ramsay sniffily dismisses the fare on offer along Fuengirola’s famous seafront promenade, saying he gets “embarrassed” when he reads menus offering gammon steak with chips and peas, Full Englishes and bangers and mash.

Far be it from me to write “NEWS FLASH, Ramsay – that’s what visitors to the Costa del Sol want!” because let’s wait and see what happens. Perhaps a more subtle, stylised offering, with better service, hygiene and revamped menus will go down a storm with both the regulars and the holidaymakers.

There are three more episodes to go, and things are only just beginning to heat up…

The next episode of Ramsay’s Costa del Nightmare airs on Channel 4 next Tuesday, September 30 at 9pm GMT (10pm in Spain).