The premiere of Gordon Ramsay’s latest culinary reality show, “Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service,” is coming to FOX tonight (Wednesday, May 21) at 9:00pm ET. “Secret Service” will see the world-renowned chef visit, inspect, and rescue struggling restaurants across the U.S., starting with The Parthenon, a Greek restaurant in the Chevy Chase neighborhood of Washington D.C..
What is Gordon Ramsay’s ‘Secret Service’ About?
In the official series description, FOX explains that “Secret Service” will see Ramsay, “venture into struggling restaurants under the cover of night. With the help of a secret source on the inside, he’ll gather raw, unfiltered evidence and get a 360-degree view of the major issues facing each restaurant. The insider will not only remain a secret to the staff, but will also help Ramsay infiltrate the restaurant after-hours for a dramatic nighttime black light investigation that reveals more filth and grossness than ever before.”
With the evidence he needs in hand, Ramsay will then reveal his identity to the restaurateurs as he “takes drastic measures to transform not only the restaurant, but also the staff.”
Ramsay’s First Target: D.C.’s The Parthenon Restaurant
The first of these restaurateurs will be Pete Gouskos, owner of The Parthenon, a restaurant in northwest Washington D.C. that has been dishing up Greek-style cuisine since 1989. Despite being in business for more than 30 years, local news outlet WTOP, reported that “not much has changed” at The Parthenon since it opened.
In an interview with WTOP, Gouskos’ son, Michael Harrision, who is also the manager of The Parthenon, opened up about his family’s experience on “Secret Service.”
“We got a phone call here and (the producers) asked us if we’d be interested in national TV exposure,” revealed Harrison.
The details of the offer remained a mystery to Harrison, with producers only revealing the basics: they’d come in and make changes to the restaurant, all expenses paid, with the help of an unnamed celebrity host.
The manager remembered telling his father about the offer, with Gouskos saying he’d be up for the experience, though he did express anxieties that Ramsay might be revealed as the show’s mystery host.
Chris Vondas, an employee and family member at The Parthenon, recalled the moment when Gouskos and Ramsay came face-to-face for the first time.
“I saw [Ramsay] walk through the door, I was thinking we were screwed,” Vondas told WTOP. “I go, ‘Hey Pete, Mr. Ramsay wants to speak with you.’ You should have seen his face.”
Despite his apprehensions, Vondas eventually came to consider Ramsay a “cool guy” after bonding with the chef as they discussed a new social media strategy for The Parthenon.
Harrison similarly revealed some of the other changes Ramsay made to his father’s restaurant, including a new menu, linens, cutlery, dishware, furniture and, of course, a fully redesigned interior. All in all, Harrison estimated the cost of Ramsay’s “Secret Service” makeover at somewhere between $100,000 and $120,000.
“[Ramsay] said they spent like $35,000 on plates,” added Harrison.
The premiere episode of “Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service,” featuring The Parthenon restaurant, will debut tonight (Wednesday,May 21) at 9:00pm ET on FOX.
