What happened to Zeke’s after Kitchen Nightmares: Still open or Closed?

Zeke’s Seafood Restaurant was featured on Kitchen Nightmares in 2011 and Gordon Ramsay tried to save it from closing down. But what happened to it after the cameras stopped rolling?

Zeke’s was New Orleans’ favorite seafood restaurant specializing in Creole food for years. When the restaurant founder died, though, it was passed down to a new owner, and things changed slightly.

The new owners tried to cut costs by purchasing frozen food instead of fresh organic food, and soon people were complaining about the drop in the food quality and taste.

The restaurant had been a staple of the neighborhood and people worried that it would close down. So, Kitchen Nightmares and Gordan Ramsay were called in to help the struggling restaurant.

Gordan Ramsay couldn’t save Zeke’s restaurant

Chef Ramsay stepped up to save the place, he redid the dining area and even introduced new dishes to Zeke’s menu.

However, even that wasn’t enough to keep the restaurant going. Restaurants that get revamped on Kitchen Nightmares mostly revert to their normal routines which leads to closures. The demolition of La Gondola from Kitchen Nightmares Season 3 was also announced in 2024, to the disappointment of many fans.

During the 2011 episode, the employees hinted at the fact that the new owners cared more about the restaurant’s profit rather than its legacy. Viewers speculated that there was a high chance that became Zeke’s downfall.

In 2012, Zeke’s owners sold the restaurant to someone who demolished it to build something new entirely. Since the closure, the staff of Zeke’s moved on to better adventures.

Daryll and Ellen opened LUCA Eats in New Orleans in 2016, whereas Porter and Luke opened their own restaurant in January 2013.