Despite growing up in England, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is no stranger to the Grand Canyon State.
Ramsay filmed some iconic restaurant renovations here — including the Amy’s Baking Company episode of “Kitchen Nightmares” that will forever live in infamy — but he’s also gotten a taste of more than just Southwestern food. Ramsay rode a horse for the first time ever in northern Arizona. He also drove an ATV through the desert in Tucson while filming an episode of “Food Stars” in 2022.
Most recently, Ramsay visited the state in early 2025 to feature two metro Phoenix restaurants on his new show “Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service.”
Here’s a look at five restaurants Ramsay has visited in Arizona — and how they’re doing now.
Caffe Boa
In Episode 2 of “Secret Service,” which aired May 28, Ramsay visited Caffe Boa Ahwatukee, an Italian restaurant that opened in 1995 after the owners of Caffe Boa Tempe sold naming rights to a former business partner. The two restaurants are no longer affiliated.
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Patrick and Jenni Larson bought the Ahwatukee Foothills location with a business partner in 2021. The couple’s professional and personal struggles are chronicled with great drama in the episode.
The restaurant remains open, as of the time of writing.
Details: 5063 E. Elliot Road, Phoenix. 480-893-3331, skytab.com.
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Mrs. White’s Golden Rule Cafe
Mrs. White’s is the star of Episode 3 of “Secret Service,” which aired on June 4.
The Phoenix soul food restaurant opened in 1964 in the historically Black neighborhood of Eastlake Park. Founder Elizabeth White is still alive at 102 and has passed down the restaurant to first her son, and then her granddaughter Kianna White, who is the current manager.
The restaurant remains open, as of the time of writing.
Details: 808 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. 602-262-9256, mrswhitescafe.com.
Amy’s Baking Company
The 2013 “Kitchen Nightmares” episodes featuring this Scottsdale patisserie and Italian restaurant made history as the only time Ramsay has ever walked away from a restaurant.
Owners Amy and Salomon “Samy” Bouzaglo gained national attention by horrifying the internet with their behavior on the show, which included cussing at customers and confiscating worker tips. After the episode aired, the couple made a series of Facebook posts insulting critics in all-caps, which launched them into even further virality and sparked an article from Forbes about things business owners should never do on social media.
The physical location of Amy’s Baking Company closed in 2015, but Amy still operates an Instagram baking account under the same name.
Pizzeria Bianco
Named one of the best pizza spots in the United States by the New York Times, Pizzeria Bianco, run by iconic local chef Chris Bianco, is one of Phoenix’s most famous restaurants. Ramsay proclaimed himself a fan after eating there in 2023 while in town for Super Bowl LVII.
“Chris’ pizzeria — they say it’s the best in America and one of the best pizzas in the world, and I can absolutely vouch for that,” Ramsay told TastingTable. “It was brilliant.”
The restaurant remains open, as of the time of writing.
Details: 623 E. Adams St., Phoenix. 602-258-8300, pizzeriabianco.com.
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Rafter S Cattle Company
While technically not a restaurant, this cattle ranch near Kingman, Arizona, served Ramsay a memorable meal. The chef visited in 2019 to film an episode of “Gordon, Gino and Fred’s Road Trip,” a British travel and food show.
Rafter S owners Lori and Emmet Sturgill taught Ramsay and his two co-hosts to ride horses and rope cattle. Rafter S organized a meal for Ramsay that included rattlesnake, fried bull testicles and Arizona beef in foil, slow-cooked in a pit in the ground for a day.
The ranch is still operating, as of the time of writing.
