Here's What To Know About Leo's Italian Grill From Kitchen Nightmares

For many restaurateurs, the idea of world-famous chef and known grump Gordon Ramsay critiquing their establishments is nothing short of a "Kitchen Nightmare." Some restaurant owners, however, may be motivated to appear on Ramsay's infamous reality TV show in hopes that it will improve operations and spark ongoing success. Appearing on the ninth episode of "Kitchen Nightmares" Season 9, which airs on March 4, 2025, a restaurant known as Leo's Italian Grill in Cedar Creek, Texas believes that its appearance will help the establishment get back on track, both personally and professionally.

Despite its decidedly down-home roots, Leo's focuses its menu on Italian fare, albeit with a Southern twist. Leo Gaertner (who owns and operates the establishment with his wife Michelle) was introduced to the culinary profession in childhood by his grandfather and founded his own establishment after spending several years working in the industry. Sadness struck the Gaertner family, as well as patrons of Leo's Italian Grill, when son Leo Edward Gaertner III passed away at the young age of 27. While a tragedy of this magnitude is difficult to overcome, the Gaertners hope that Ramsay's intervention will not only benefit the restaurant, but help the family come to terms with their staggering loss.

A quick look at the menu for Leo's Italian Grill shows an array of beloved Italian dishes like lasagna, arancini, meatball subs, and tiramisu. As tempting as these selections are, Leo Gaertner makes sure to also pay homage to his Southern roots, as he expressed to the Texas paper Community Impact in August 2024. Gaertner explained, "Being out in the country, we added different things for different people. So we're not strictly Italian."

To this end, Gaertner highlighted the restaurant's steak selection, which, as of this writing, includes a ribeye with salsa verde and fried Texas gnocchi, a spin on the traditional potato-based dumpling preparation that can include ingredients like jalapeños, sweet corn, and beans (although what's included in Leo's specific Texas gnocchi recipe isn't listed in the menu). The establishment also features prime rib every Friday and Saturday, plus Memaw's mac and cheese on the kids' menu. Though these menu items sound perfectly tasty in theory, you'll have to tune in to Leo's "Kitchen Nightmares" episode to see if this is one of the rare times that Gordon Ramsay was actually impressed by food served on his shows (like when Ramsay asked a pastry chef for her carrot cake recipe).

Like many people who find themselves immersed in the restaurant industry, Leo Gaertner's culinary interests were ignited by a beloved family member. When Gaertner was just 10 years old, his grandfather introduced him to the joys of making homemade bread, which may explain why Leo's Italian Grill features homemade bread on its menu. At age 15, Gaertner secured his first job working a grill and soon found a position as a sous chef, according to his LinkedIn. Over the years, the founder of Leo's Italian Grill worked his way through different managerial positions until opening his own establishment in 2018.

Gaertner claims to have developed a passion for pasta and Italian cooking thanks to a master chef he worked with in his early career. Without this chef's influence, and without his grandfather's home baking lessons, there's a chance that Gaertner may not have been inspired to open his own restaurant. While his Italian skills will be under the microscope on his episode of "Kitchen Nightmares," it's worth noting that Ramsay has been criticized for his own pasta-cooking skills by none other than the Pasta Queen herself (aka Nadia Caterina Munno) for including dairy in his carbonara recipe.

Family plays a crucial role at Leo's Italian Grill, both for the customers who celebrate milestones at the establishment and the staff tasked with running the operation. Sadly, the family behind the restaurant experienced a stunning tragedy in the loss of Leo Edward Gaertner III, affectionately known as "Bump." The son of owners Leo and Michelle passed in 2022 and was celebrated in a Facebook post from Leo's Italian Grill, which stated, "Bump worked as a delivery driver as well as Head DMO [dish machine operator] at the restaurant and was a cherished member of the Leo's Family."

While the details of the tragedy are unclear, Gaertner III reportedly lived with DiGeorge syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that can impact the function of the immune system and heart, depending on the severity of the symptoms. There's no indication that Gaertner III succumbed to the effects of his disorder, but what is evident is that he was a beloved part of the community. As one Facebook commenter wrote, "I'm so sorry to hear this! He was awesome when he delivered!"