Gordon Ramsay heads to Yonkers, N.Y., in the November 20 episode of Kitchen Nightmares season 8. El Cantito is struggling and Ramsay hopes he can turn things around. So, is El Cantito still open?
Thus far, Ramsay has had a stellar track record on Kitchen Nightmares season 8. He's been able to help several restaurants turn things around including Bel Aire Diner, Bask 46, In the Drink, Da Mimmo and The Juicy Box. Though he staged an intervention for the Love Bites Cafe, the owners made the difficult decision to sell the business over the summer.
Of all the restaurants featured so far this season, El Cantito's story is one that will likely resonate with many viewers in the food industry who have struggled since the pandemic. It's a very familiar tale and one that Ramsay is very familiar with.
Take a look at the episode description: "A sibling duo opened El Cantito, a Puerto Rican restaurant, five days before the COVID shutdown. However, they struggle to keep the business afloat with malfunctioning equipment, a small staff and pandemic-induced financial strain. They call Gordon Ramsay for help when the pressure becomes too much and the business is at risk of shuttering its doors."
We're happy to report that El Cantito is still in business. In fact, owners Julio Santana and Adelvi ("Debbie") Santana are hosting a Kitchen Nightmares viewing party at the restaurant to celebrate the episode's premiere.
An article in Lohud, their local paper, notes that one of the ways El Cantito tried to bring in new diners in the post-pandemic downturn included the introduction of drag shows, which were temporarily suspended because the restaurant didn't have a cabaret license on file. (Their license was reinstated earlier this month)
Some of El Cantito's menu items feature classic Puerto Rican dishes including empanadas, trifongo, pork chops and mofongo de yuca, a traditional Puerto Rican dish made with fried yuca, garlic and crushed chicharrones (pork cracklings). All of the recipes come from Julio and Adelvi's mother, Gloria, who passed away from breast cancer. The siblings sought to honor their late mother with the restaurant.
El Cantito features a 4.4-star rating on Google reviews, with many reviewers offering praise for the restaurant's authentic cuisine. "The first time I ate alcapurria I was a lil kid and eating it transported me to those days," wrote reviewer RamO Rivera.
During his visit, Ramsay made some changes to the restaurant's interior and helped the owners come up with a viable plan to manage business affairs. Ramsay also made a few changes to the menu to reduce the number of items offered, but Julio indicated that he's already brought many of the dishes back.
Kitchen Nightmares season 8 airs Mondays at 8 pm ET/PT on Fox, with new episodes available to stream the following day on Hulu.
