Gordon Ramsay’s new TV show, ‘Secret Service,’ spies on DC restaurant

Pete Gouskos has been serving Greek cuisine on Connecticut Avenue in the Chevy Chase neighborhood of Northwest D.C. at The Parthenon since 1989. Not much has changed at the restaurant since then, until now — thanks to a new Fox TV series starring celebrity chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay.

“Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service,” which premieres Wednesday at 9 p.m., is different from Ramsay’s other TV offerings. Instead of the world-renowned chef busting through the front door, he has cameras placed throughout the restaurant allowing him to observe “the good, the bad and the ugly.”

“We got a phone call here, and (the producers) asked us if we’d be interested in national TV exposure,” said Michael Harrison, who is not only the restaurant’s manager, but also Gouskos’ son.

During the call, Harrison was told by the producers that they would come in and make changes to the restaurant and there would be a celebrity host.

“My first question was, ‘Who’s paying for it all?’” Harrison said. “And, they were like, ‘We cover it all.’”

Gouskos told his son he was up for the experience, but was worried that the host would be Gordon Ramsay.

Harrison, who told WTOP he’s wanted to make changes at The Parthenon for quite a while, was partly excited and partly nervous.

When Harrison would bring up changes he wanted to make, his father reminded him that he has been running the restaurant for over 30 years, which Harrison admits is impressive in the restaurant business. But he noted that he has been on staff there since he was 15 years old.

When the day finally came where Gouskos came face to face with Ramsay, it was up to employee and family member Chris Vondas to break the news.

“I saw him walk through the door, I was thinking we were screwed,” Vondas said. “I go, ‘Hey Pete, Mr. Ramsay wants to speak with you.’ You should have seen his face.”

Vondas told WTOP he didn’t think that was Gouskos’ best day.

During his time there, Ramsay talked to Vondas about the restaurant’s social media presence and strategy. Vondas described the famous celebrity chef as a “cool dude.”

While a lot of the changes Ramsay wanted to make were in line with what Harrison wanted to do, Harrison said it was still hard for him to watch his father be humbled in such a public way.

But Vondas said he saw it differently.

“Oh, Mike’s having a great time,” Vondas said. “I think a lot of things Mike’s been shot down about over the years kind of got brought to life.”

The changes Ramsay brought to the 36-year-old restaurant were tightening the menu, throwing out the table cloths, replacing plates, bowls, knives, cutting boards, tables, chairs and adding a fresh coat of paint, along with art and decorations.

Harrison said he believes it gives the restaurant a fresher look, and pointed out the chairs alone cost $300 a piece. There are 80 of them in the restaurant, along with over 20 new tables.

“(Ramsay) said they spent like $35,000 on plates,” Harrison said.

He estimated the amount the show’s producers put somewhere between $100,000 and $120,000 into The Parthenon.

Asked if his father was happy about the amount of money spent to improve his restaurant, Harrison said, “How can you not be?”

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