Format

Spanish broadcaster laSexta is preparing to launch a new prime-time format that reimagines the classic restaurant rescue show with an investigative twist. Titled Secret Service by Chicote, the program will see celebrity chef Alberto Chicote step into an unprecedented role: that of an undercover agent tasked with exposing the hidden realities of failing hospitality businesses.  The show brings to Spain the format behind FOX’s Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service, but adapts it to the local market through one of the country’s most recognizable culinary personalities. Known for his direct and often confrontational style in Pesadilla en la cocina, Chicote now abandons his visible presence—at least initially—to operate from the shadows.

At the core of the format is a simple but high-stakes premise: struggling restaurants are observed without their knowledge in order to reveal what really happens when no one is watching. Chicote infiltrates each establishment incognito, often during nighttime service, supported by advanced surveillance tools and a remote team that monitors operations in real time. The aim is to identify the root causes behind businesses on the brink of collapse—problems that are not always evident at first glance. These range from poor hygiene and food mismanagement in the kitchen to disorganized teams, toxic working environments, and leadership failures that undermine the entire operation. Each episode begins with the involvement of an internal informant—a staff member who secretly collaborates with the production. This anonymous “insider” provides access to the restaurant and helps ensure that the chef witnesses the genuine day-to-day dynamics of the business, rather than a version altered for the cameras.Once the investigation phase is complete, Chicote reveals his identity and confronts the team with the findings.