In 2013, Amy’s Baking Company became a household name after featuring on the 6th season of Kitchen Nightmares. The episode chronicled Ramsay’s endeavor to help Amy and Samy Bouzaglo. The episode was unique as it was the only instance in the UK and US versions of the show where Ramsay could not finish the restaurant’s transformation.
What Happened to Amy’s Baking Company?
Despite the negative publicity, Amy’s Baking Company reopened after the episode aired, with the owners claiming they had improved the food and service. However, the restaurant continued to struggle, and many customers reported that the issues highlighted in the show persisted.
In a desperate attempt to save their sinking ship, Amy and Samy started selling merchandise with catchphrases from the Kitchen Nightmares episode. In 2015, Amy’s Baking Company closed its doors for good, stating an issue with the landlord.
Where Are They Now?
After the closing down, Amy and Samy Bouzaglo briefly moved to California around 2016. Here Samy started a line of cannabis edibles, as per the New York Post. Samy, an Israeli citizen, was charged with criminal charges related to drugs and extortion, leading to his deportation to Israel in 2018.
They settled in Netanya, Israel, where Amy was baking, writing a cookbook and ran an Amazon kitchen-goods shop, and Samy was retired. In April 2022, Amy returned to the U.S. and officially filed for divorce, while Samy has remained in Israel. She now goes by her maiden name Amanda Bossingham. Her relationship status on Facebook is currently set as “It’s complicated”.
Public Reaction and Follow-Up Episode
The episode went viral, and the public reaction was overwhelmingly negative. Viewers criticized the owners for how they treated staff, food quality, and refusal to accept Ramsay’s help. The backlash online was intense, with many people leaving negative reviews and comments on the restaurant’s social media pages.
Amy and Samy responded to the criticism by posting a series of defensive messages on their Facebook page, further fueling the controversy. The couple later claimed that their social media accounts had been hacked, but the damage to their reputation was already done.
There was a follow-up episode titled ‘Return to Amy’s Baking Company’ in the season 7 premiere of Kitchen Nightmares. The episode revealed the couple’s interviews with media outlets and their audition tape for the reality TV show.
The Owners Backgrounds’
The owners had a unique background. Amy, a self-taught baker, and Samy, a businessman, opened their restaurant in 2006. Amy always dreamed of owning a restaurant, and her husband Samy invested $1 million to turn her dream into reality.
The couple had been grappling with negative online reviews and accusations about their behavior for two years before the episode aired. A situation Amy described as detrimental to the business.
The Kitchen Nightmares Episode
As Ramsay set foot in the restaurant, he was initially impressed by the kitchen’s cleanliness, organization, and Amy’s desserts. However, his delight quickly waned when he sampled the main dishes. A string of poorly cooked and confusingly flavored dishes were served. Samy failed to communicate customer feedback to Amy, revealing a lack of willingness to accept criticism.
The tipping point was when Ramsay discovered that Samy, who did most of the front-of-house work, took all tips intended for the servers. This led to a heated exchange between Ramsay and Samy, with Amy closing the restaurant in a huff and firing a server on the spot.
Gordon is baffled by Amy’s stubbornness. The next day, Gordon learns from former staff members that the owners were unwilling to listen to customer feedback. Amy remains in denial despite multiple attempts to address the issues, leading to heated arguments. Ultimately, Gordon decides he cannot help the couple and walks away.
