Erick Jacquin returns to “Pesadelo na Cozinha” to rescue 12 struggling restaurants across Brazil, facing chaos, outdated menus and family drama.
The fiery French chef is back. The fifth season of “Pesadelo na Cozinha” premieres on February 20 at 8:40 p.m. on HBO Max and Discovery Home & Health. On free TV, it airs from February 24, Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. on Band, also available on Band.com.br and the Bandplay app.
This season, Jacquin travels through four Brazilian states — Bahia, Minas Gerais, Paraná, and São Paulo — to revive restaurants on the brink. “You think you’ve seen it all, but the worst is always yet to come,” he teases.
Across 12 episodes, Jacquin confronts dirty kitchens, disorganized teams, and owners who have lost their passion. Each case reveals layers of mismanagement, personal conflict, and emotional burnout. The mission: to save the business and those who built it.
High-pressure makeovers behind the scenes
According to director Gabriel Hein, the crew spent months scouting restaurants, completing each transformation in only 48 hours. Led by an architect and a team of 30 workers, the production delivers dramatic turnarounds amid tight deadlines and limited resources.
A Brazilian adaptation of the British hit “Kitchen Nightmares”, the show blends Jacquin’s explosive personality with empathy and insight. It reveals that saving a restaurant often means reinventing the people behind it.
Photo: Renato Pizzutto/Band
