BEAVER (KDKA) — Levanti’s Italian Restaurant in Beaver had fallen on hard times when it invited irascible TV chef Gordon Ramsay to supervise a makeover.

During taping of a “Kitchen Nightmares” episode in early June, Chef Ramsay shared a menu of suggestions.

“It needs to embed itself in the community again,” Ramsay said.

When asked if there was hope for Levanti’s, he said, “You know what; right now we’re making some major changes. There’s always hope.”

The restaurant, now known as Levanti’s American Bistro, will be front and center when “Kitchen Nightmares” airs Friday night on Fox. Earlier in the week, we stopped by to check out the makeover.

Tina Fratangeli-Hamill manages her father’s restaurant. She talked about those stressful days in June.

“Chef Ramsay was really, really tough on you,” she said. “Lots of crying. Lots of things flying.”

Frequent visitor Pam Mallon sees an improvement in the ambience.

“It was a little dark, a little closed,” she said. “And now it’s open. I love the colors, the design.”

Tina’s brother and co-manager, Tito Fratangeli, says Ramsay had them update their menu, and hire new chefs. Fratangeli says Ramsay also threw in some new appliances.

“A brand new grill, and six-burner stove with two ovens, a brand new fryer, a wonderful convection oven,” said Fratangeli.

But was it worth all the aggravation?

“I think in the beginning, I had different thoughts about it. But absolutely,” Fratangeli said.

His sister sums it up: “He basically gave us a new lease on life here.”

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