"Overwhelmingly positive" — Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service participant Steve Wilson opens up about post-show publicity

Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service star Gordon Ramsay gave a complete makeover to Steve Wilson's restaurant, Wilson's Secret Sauce, in episode 6 of the series. He not only improved the condition of the establishment but also helped the restaurant live up to its reputation. In an interview with Foobooz published on June 25, 2025, Steve opened up about his experience with Gordon and post-show publicity, saying:

"The publicity I’ve received since word got out about Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Sauce has been … overwhelmingly positive. There's been so much support."

The participant added that he had "a million views" on his Facebook page in only 90 days. While reflecting on how the show helped his business, Steve mentioned that customers who had never heard of his restaurant started flocking to the place after they saw stories about the celebrity chef being there.

Steve also expressed his gratitude to the celebrity chef for helping him turn his business around and resolve all the other managerial and inventory issues he faced at Wilson's Secret Sauce. Although the experience of working alongside Gordon was challenging, Steve appreciated how everything turned out.

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Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service participant Steve reveals how many items the celebrity chef removed from their menu

When asked about the process of participating in Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service, Steve recalled that he received "an email one day," asking him if he wanted to take part in "some new Gordon Ramsay show." He discussed the offer with everybody at his restaurant and eventually agreed.

Episode 6 of Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service showed Gordon critiquing Steve, as the former pointed out the overwhelming number of pre-cooked briskets stored in the smoker and the walk-in refrigerator. While Gordon criticized the owner for overspending on inventory, Steve seemed unsure about how to tackle the situation.

Despite the tension, Steve said in the interview that his experience working with Gordon was "great." He understood that Gordon had a job to accomplish. However, his initial encounter was not as pleasant as he thought it would be.

"When I met him, he looked at me as someone who was probably ready to fight. And instead, I cried. I broke. I’m under so much pressure every day," he stated.

The Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service participant added that he wanted his family to be proud of what they had accomplished.

When asked about the most significant changes Gordon made at the restaurant, Steve mentioned that it was reducing the number of items on the menu. In the episode, Gordon had discovered that despite being a barbecue restaurant, the place served a variety of other items, which he deemed unnecessary. Consequently, he worked on redesigning the menu altogether.

"I had 73 items. We went down to 13," Steve shared.

However, Wilson's Secret Sauce had increased its menu items to 25 after the show. Steve shared that many customers came looking for the old items on the menu, and although it was difficult to tackle the situation, he understood why the change was necessary.

The burger, in particular, was an item Steve did not want to take off the menu; however, he realized that preparing 10 to 15 burgers at a time could divide their attention from cooking the core dishes of their restaurant.

Despite the makeover, his business encountered challenges, such as receiving negative reviews online. Steve said that whenever he received a negative review, he tried to find the fault on their end and correct it. However, he hoped that customers would call him and share their grievances, instead of leaving comments on Google and Yelp.

In the end, despite the turnaround, Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service participant advised others not to open a restaurant.

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Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service airs every Wednesday at 9 pm ET only on FOX.