Gordon Ramsay’s Touch: Why a Michigan Restaurant Closed After His TV Exposure

When celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s “Secret Service” team arrives at a restaurant, owners often anticipate a miraculous rejuvenation. However, for Firenze Restaurant & Pizzeria in Warren, Michigan, the celebrity intervention may have signaled its demise. This cherished Italian establishment, serving delectable dishes for over 60 years, permanently closed on June 21, shortly after Ramsay filmed episodes there. The restaurant, which first opened on July 10, 1964, was established by Maria and Pasquale Rocca, who aimed to deliver authentic Italian cuisine to suburban Detroit, as noted by the Detroit Free Press. Despite reopening after renovations touting an exciting new menu, patrons were taken aback as beloved items like fish and chips were relegated to weekly specials, while popular salads and bread vanished entirely, leading to disappointment voiced on social media. Critics have begun to associate such closures with what is dubbed the “Ramsay curse,” raising questions about the show's impact on struggling eateries.