Mangia Mangia: Kitchen Nightmares & What Happened

The Kitchen Nightmares Episode

Mangia Mangia was featured on Season 7 of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, appearing in a two-part episode (Episodes 5 and 6) that aired in April 2014. The actual filming took place in mid-2013.

Owner Julie Watson had purchased what was originally a fast food restaurant with the dream of running her own Italian kitchen. But when Ramsay arrived, he found a restaurant in serious trouble — none of the six dishes he ordered impressed him, food was served on dirty plates, and most items were precooked and microwaved rather than made fresh.

What Gordon Ramsay Found

• Microwaved food: Most dishes were precooked and reheated in the microwave rather than prepared fresh — a major issue Ramsay immediately flagged.
• Kitchen problems: Dirty plates, poor food quality, and a reliance on shortcuts that undermined the Italian cuisine the restaurant claimed to serve.
• Management struggles: The head chef, Trevor Peterson, was dealing with personal issues that affected kitchen operations.
• Lack of fresh preparation: The restaurant had drifted far from the authentic Italian cooking it promised customers.

Ramsay's Makeover

True to form, Ramsay didn't hold back — but he also showed genuine compassion. He worked to improve the front-of-house dining experience, gave the kitchen a complete overhaul, and introduced a fresh menu that ditched the microwave entirely.

In one of the more memorable moments, Ramsay had a compassionate conversation with head chef Trevor Peterson about his personal struggles before helping replace him. A family day relaunch was successful, and for a brief moment, things looked promising.

Why It Closed

Despite Ramsay's efforts, the improvements didn't stick. Mangia Mangia closed in November 2014 — just five months after the episode aired on TV. At the time of closing, the restaurant had a 3-star rating on Yelp with mixed reviews.

According to reviewers, the restaurant reverted to old habits after the cameras left, with reports that microwaving returned because some customers complained about the speed of freshly prepared food. It's a pattern seen on many Kitchen Nightmares episodes — the changes require sustained commitment that proves difficult for some owners.

Where Are They Now?

• The building: 407 E Grace Ave is now a Jimmy John's sandwich shop, serving sandwiches out of the same drive-thru window that Ramsay wanted to close.
• Julie Watson (owner): Moved into real estate and is listed as an agent in the Woodland Park area.
• Trevor Peterson (chef): Got clean after the show, attended culinary school, and became a sous chef. In 2019 he posted that he had been clean for five and a half years — one of the genuine success stories to come out of the episode.

Where to Eat Italian (and More) in Woodland Park Today

While Woodland Park no longer has a dedicated Italian restaurant, the dining scene has evolved significantly since 2014. Today's top spots include:

• Red Diamond Gastro Pub — The best restaurant in town with creative New American cuisine and a 4.6-star rating.
• Boards & Barrels Bistro — Upscale charcuterie, craft cocktails, and house-made everything in the beautifully restored former Swiss Chalet building.
• Roy's Crew BBQ — Oklahoma-style BBQ ranked among the best in Colorado.
• The Donut Mill — The iconic Woodland Park bakery since 1962.

See all Woodland Park restaurants →