La Lanterna (S02E01)

La Lanterna, located in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, is the setting for the first episode. The restaurant, owned and operated by 28-year-old Alex, serves modern Italian dishes, aiming to bring a slice of Little Italy to this historic garden city. His best friend Gavin manages the front of house, while Alex’s ex-air hostess girlfriend, Emily, assists. Unfortunately, Alex is struggling with empty tables, malfunctioning kitchen equipment, and a pricey menu that lacks authenticity. Having re-mortgaged his house to fund the venture, he’s now facing a loss of £1,000 each week. Despite driving an expensive car with the plate A1CHEF, he’s exhausted and nearly out of resources. With everything at stake, can tough love and a no-nonsense approach from Ramsay help resurrect La Lanterna, or is its closure inevitable?