Ramsay Goes Undercover: A Fresh Take That Borrows From an Old Playbook

Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service premiered on Fox May 21, marking the chef’s seventh show on the network and introducing what the celebrity chef describes as “his most intrepid adventure yet” as he “goes full MI6” with struggling restaurants.

The new format represents a significant departure from Ramsay’s traditional Kitchen Nightmares approach. Instead of walking through the front door, Ramsay gathers raw, unfiltered evidence with help from a secret source on the inside, conducting dramatic nighttime black light kitchen investigations before revealing his identity.

While the espionage elements and advanced surveillance technology create compelling television, the format raises questions about originality in an increasingly crowded restaurant rescue genre.

Ramsay’s Television Empire

Secret Service marks Ramsay’s seventh show currently on Fox, joining an extensive catalog that includes Hell’s Kitchen, MasterChef, MasterChef Junior, Kitchen Nightmares, Next Level Chef, and Food Stars. His television portfolio spans decades with major shows including the British documentary Boiling Point (1999), Hotel Hell (2012-2016), Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, 24 Hours to Hell and Back, The F Word, and numerous UK series like Gordon Behind Bars and Ultimate Cookery Course.

Fox had a Ramsay-led show on the air in 47 of 52 weeks in 2024 and has had one every week so far in 2025, demonstrating his unprecedented dominance in culinary television.

Technology Meets Tradition

The show features spy-themed graphics, sound effects, and an emphasis on revealing an insider who helps Gordon gather intelligence. The production utilizes state-of-the-art equipment and what Fox calls “cutting-edge spyware” to monitor restaurants before intervention.

The insider component stands out as particularly clever, providing Ramsay with access to internal restaurant politics and operational failures that external cameras cannot detect. This embedded approach offers a more comprehensive view of dysfunction than traditional surveillance methods.

This technological approach marks a clear evolution from Ramsay’s earlier shows. Kitchen Nightmares, which began in 2004, follows a straightforward format where Ramsay openly visits struggling establishments. His 2018 series “24 Hours to Hell and Back” introduced undercover elements with Ramsay first eating at restaurants in disguise, but Secret Service takes the covert concept much further.

Similar Shows in the Surveillance Genre

Secret Service joins a growing trend of restaurant surveillance programming. Food Network’s Mystery Diners (2012-2016) pioneered the undercover restaurant investigation format, using hidden cameras and actors to catch misbehaving employees for suspicious owners. Restaurant Stakeout followed a similar model with Willie Degel installing surveillance equipment to examine service problems from a control room.

While these shows focused primarily on employee misconduct, Secret Service takes the surveillance concept to restaurant rescue territory previously dominated by shows like Bar Rescue and Restaurant: Impossible. Robert Irvine’s Restaurant: Impossible (2011-2023) shared the makeover mission but used a straightforward approach – arriving openly with just two days and $10,000 to transform failing restaurants. The show briefly experimented with an “ambush” format where Irvine’s team showed up unannounced, but abandoned it due to permit issues with construction work.

The spy elements also echo Undercover Boss, though that format typically features company executives rather than outside experts.

The Bar Rescue Connection

Secret Service’s surveillance-heavy approach bears striking similarities to Bar Rescue’s format, where Jon Taffer’s team performs reconnaissance and surveillance on struggling bars using hidden cameras to determine operational weaknesses.

Bar Rescue has used hidden cameras and surveillance since its 2011 debut, with Taffer and his team watching kitchen and customer service areas through preinstalled equipment. The show’s recon phase typically involves mystery shoppers and surveillance teams gathering intelligence before Taffer’s dramatic entrance.

The restaurant rescue genre also includes Robert Irvine’s Restaurant: Impossible, which ran for 22 seasons until 2023. Unlike Secret Service’s covert approach, Restaurant: Impossible used a straightforward format where Irvine openly arrived with just two days and $10,000 to transform failing establishments. The show briefly experimented with an “ambush” format involving surprise visits, but abandoned it due to construction permit issues.

While Ramsay has historically been ahead of cooking show trends, Secret Service appears to borrow heavily from Taffer’s established surveillance playbook. However, the insider element represents genuine innovation, providing deeper access to restaurant dysfunction than Bar Rescue’s external observation methods. The undercover investigation and hidden cameras echo Bar Rescue’s format, but the embedded informant creates opportunities for more nuanced storytelling about workplace dynamics.

What Sets It Apart

Despite similarities to Bar Rescue, Secret Service does offer distinct elements. The show’s emphasis on black light investigations revealing “more filth and grossness than ever before” takes food safety concerns to new extremes.

The insider element represents the show’s most compelling innovation. Unlike Bar Rescue’s mystery shoppers who visit once, Secret Service embeds someone within the restaurant staff who provides ongoing intelligence about daily operations, management issues, and behind-the-scenes problems that external surveillance might miss. This insider access offers authentic insights into workplace dynamics and systemic issues that cameras alone cannot capture.

While some critics dismiss the insider reveal as manufactured drama, the concept provides genuine value by exposing internal conflicts and operational breakdowns that would otherwise remain hidden. The insider’s perspective adds depth beyond Taffer’s external observation approach.

Critics note that Secret Service focuses more on “digging through filth” compared to Kitchen Nightmares’ broader restaurant transformation approach, though this may appeal to viewers who enjoy the shock value of extreme kitchen conditions.

Mixed Reception

Early reviews suggest the spy theme feels forced. Viewers report that the show “tries to inject drama by hyping up and revealing an insider” but many “couldn’t care less” about this manufactured suspense.

The consensus appears to be that it maintains Kitchen Nightmares’ core appeal but “would be better without all the extra gimmicks”. Some question whether the elaborate spy setup adds value or simply creates additional production complexity when proven formats like Restaurant: Impossible succeeded with straightforward approaches.

Final Verdict

Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service succeeds as entertainment while borrowing recognizable elements from Bar Rescue’s surveillance methodology. The technological approach creates visual interest, though the format clearly draws from Taffer’s established playbook.

The insider element emerges as the show’s strongest innovation, providing authentic workplace insights that external surveillance cannot match. This embedded approach offers genuine value beyond the spy-themed gimmicks, revealing internal dynamics that drive restaurant failures.

The show works well for existing Ramsay fans who appreciate his expertise and confrontational style. While some spy elements feel forced, the insider component adds meaningful depth to restaurant diagnostics.

For a chef who built his television empire on pioneering formats, Secret Service represents both familiar territory and modest innovation. The surveillance approach may be borrowed, but the insider access creates opportunities for more comprehensive restaurant analysis than traditional formats allow.