What Happened To Love Bites From Kitchen Nightmares?

In the rebooted "Kitchen Nightmares," Season 8 gave us plenty of drama and ick-outs, but few episodes were as emotionally tough in the show's entire history as "Love Bites." Love Bites Cafe was a restaurant featured on the sixth episode, based in Saugerties, New York. The all-day dining establishment was an inheritance for Christopher Keff and his fiancé Tess Robinson. The two planned to hire a head chef, but plans changed, and Chris stepped into the role of head chef, with Tess leading front of house. That scenario created a toxic environment both for the restaurant and their relationship. 

In the episode, Gordon Ramsay was shocked to hear how Keff spoke to Robinson, involving highly aggressive language. That led Ramsay to say he'd never been to a restaurant as toxic as this one. Ramsay insisted that Keff take some time in therapy, noting that mental health is a huge problem in the restaurant industry. Ramsay also instructed Robinson to take some time away from the restaurant while he helped with the revamp. With a new design, concept, and menu from Ramsay, Keff left to reflect on his behavior toward his loved ones after a therapy appointment. At that time, things seemed hopeful for the Love Bites Cafe. 

Sadly, some things are too far gone for anyone to salvage, as was the case for Love Bites. In the follow-up portion of the episode, we learned that Keff and Robinson sold the restaurant just two months after filming, shutting down operations before the episode aired. In an Instagram post from the restaurant's page, the caption (presumably written by Tess) states, "This has been a hard post to think about, type and even post. Let us start off like we always do by saying you guys are the best and we love you! Our customers are friends and some have become like family. We wouldn't trade these last 6 years of serving you for anything! But the time has come and We are on to our next adventure, But know we are leaving you in very good hands!" 

The caption goes on to say, "We will miss you all and even though Chris and I will no longer be apart [sic] of the business at 69 partition street our recipes and imprint will live through the new cafe! We will be transitioning ownership in the near future. Thank you all for an amazing 6 years!!!" With the change ownership, there also came a change in name, as the restaurant located on 69 Partition Street is now known as The Town Café.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly why any business closes or sells. The sale of Love Bites felt a bit shocking even though Ramsay-rescued "Kitchen Nightmares" restaurants often close after filming. For one, the food at Love Bites didn't seem all that bad compared to some of the horror shows that have prompted Ramsay's infamous "Kitchen Nightmares" meltdowns in the past. The superstar chef even thought some of the food he tried on his first dining experience was decent if a bit sloppy. The cafe also had an exceptional 4.3/5 star rating on Yelp. So why did they ultimately decide to close doors? 

Based on what we understood from the episode, the engaged couple desperately needed time out of the restaurant and apart from each other in general. "We can't sacrifice our relationship for the restaurant. We need to heal together," Keff said in a post-filming testimonial. Ramsay ended his narration of the episode by saying that the two had decided to focus on repairing the relationship.