L-R: Gordon Ramsay and the restaurant staff in the “Botto's” episode of GORDON RAMSAY’S 24 HOURS TO HELL AND BACK airing Tuesday, Jan. 28 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. © 2020 FOX MEDIA LLC. CR: Jeff Neira / FOX.
Fox’s Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back visited Botto’s Italian Line Restaurant in Swedesboro, New Jersey. This marks the third week in a row that the show took place in New Jersey. Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back airs Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.
This week, Chef Ramsay and the crew will find two brothers who are constantly fighting, making the work difficult for their staff. The episode synopsis says that the crew will try to bring the restaurant back from the brink of closure within 24 hours.
Ramsay and team updated the interior of the restaurant and a fresh menu.
What Did Ramsay the Crew Change About the Restaurant?
Ramsay and the crew visited the restaurant back in October 2019 and left the restaurant with an updated look and feel.
First, Ramsay insisted on moving family photos that were previously scattered around the restaurant to one wall in the dining room. The move made room for a mural of the Italian countryside and a large black-and-white photo of Botto’s original sausage factory.
The entire dining room got an overhaul; the show’s budget did not cover new carpeting, so the Bottos paid for that themselves.
The previously large menu was overhauled. As he usually does on the show, Ramsay slimmed the menu down.
Botto’s Italian Line Restaurant is owned by Enrico Botto, Sr., his mom, Catherine Botto, and his brother, Robert Botto Jr. Robert serves as the general manager. Their other brothers, Domenic and Vincent Botto, run the family’s Italian sausage business.
Reviews Mention the Remodel Negatively
Since the remodel, the restaurant has less than 10 reviews on Yelp, but the majority of those reviews are three stars or less. Many mention the slimmed-down menu and prices.
In the first review after the remodel, user Lance H writes that they had a terrible experience.
“When we got there we were told they had a new menu and the kitchen was a little behind and we’d have about a 20 minute wait. 50 minutes later they finally told us a table was ready… Also their “new munu” is really a pared down version of their old menu so there’s no reason why the kitchen would be behind. I believe they have crammed more tables into the dining room and the kitchen can’t handle the extra volume. We won’t be going back.”
On the other hand, Yelp user Brad J writes that reviews prior to January 2020 should be ignored because of the makeover.
“The menu is paired down to one page and the service is attentive. The food was mouth watering and done correctly. I had the bruschetta as an appetizer and it was one of the best I have.”
User Kim J writes that they specifically didn’t like the “Ramsay-fied menu or remodel.” The user went to Botto’s regularly and did not like the new menu or changes to some food items.
Reviews on Trip Advisor echo reviews from Yelp. Many reviews on the site since the remodel mention that the food is good, but the menu is very small.
READ NEXT: Blend on Main Restaurant Gets Rescued by Gordon Ramsay
Comments
Botto’s Italian Line Restaurant in New Jersey is Rescued by Gordon Ramsay