![Celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge (right) and Ccooks at Corrigans owner Andrew Johns (left) in the kitchen during the filming of Kitchen Nightmares. Picture supplied. Celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge (right) and Ccooks at Corrigans owner Andrew Johns (left) in the kitchen during the filming of Kitchen Nightmares. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156570134/aa18b826-4a9a-49bc-be59-32514a552dd6.jpg/r0_347_6000_3734_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A Batehaven restaurant will be broadcast into living rooms right across the country on a Channel 7 reality program.
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Ccooks at Corrigans features on the program Kitchen Nightmares - a series made famous by Gordon Ramsay, where a celebrity chef visits a struggling restaurant and provides assistance and advice.
Restaurant owner Andrew Johns said spending a week with the camera crew, producers and production team, including celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge, was surreal.
"It's like a fake world," he said.
"You are trying to do your everyday duties and serve customers and a producer will come over and ask you to do something."
Mr Johns and his staff wore microphones from 6am to 10pm for seven days straight during filming, and he had to continuously remind himself he was being recorded.
"You fall into gaps where you forget it's there," he said.
![Celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge (left) and Ccooks at Corrigans owner Andrew Johns (right) during the filming of Kitchen Nightmares. Picture supplied. Celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge (left) and Ccooks at Corrigans owner Andrew Johns (right) during the filming of Kitchen Nightmares. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156570134/1b99bcab-293f-44c7-bcc7-c8c0cc760ca7.jpg/r0_0_4769_7144_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A wonderful opportunity
When Mr Johns received the phone call from Channel 7 producers asking about filming at his restaurant, he hung up, thinking it was a scam.
When they called back a second time, he didn't think twice about the opportunity.
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He said yes to the program because he saw a small opportunity to get some publicity, an opportunity to get assistance increasing the product line and a chance to improve his head chef's morale.
However Mr Johns' said the show provided wonderful help.
"It gave us a wake up call," he said.
"We should put more effort into sourcing fresh products and sourcing it locally.
"The food quality is going to go up."
He has since taken the advice onboard, introducing a new locally-sourced menu.
![Restaurant to feature on Kitchen Nightmares Restaurant to feature on Kitchen Nightmares](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156570134/13c191c5-f8fa-427d-844a-198d45ce3551.jpg/r0_313_6000_3688_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Copping it
The Kitchen Nightmare format often involves the celebrity chef shouting at restaurant owners and workers.
Mr Fassnidge's didn't hold back in criticising Mr Johns.
"This restaurant is a prime example of someone with a huge f***ing ego allowing their power to overrule common sense," Mr Fassnidge said.
"Andrew is not utilising what is right under his nose: a great resort and location, and an amazing chef. Andrew is misusing all his assets but it's completely oblivious that it's all his fault."
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Mr Johns said copping the blame didn't phase him.
"There was an element of feeling patronised," he said.
"They have to overexaggerate some traits.
"They need to make TV.
"But I could see the outcome of them coming down was going to be positive."
The Kitchen Nightmares episode featuring Ccooks at Corrigans is on Channel 7 at 7:30pm on Wednesday November 2.
![Celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge did not hold back in criticising restaurant owner Andrew Johns. Picture supplied. Celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge did not hold back in criticising restaurant owner Andrew Johns. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156570134/0681e0a6-a8a9-4e5f-a052-32ae445d3342.jpg/r0_0_8027_4513_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)