Ellicott City featured on 'Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back'

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - A town that has survived two devastating floods is getting some much needed positive attention and a national spotlight thanks to a famous TV chef.

Ellicott City was featured on Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back Tuesday at 8 p.m. on FOX 5.

It’s a town that’s already been to hell and back, twice.

“I think people will be able to see not just throughout the nation, but the world about how Ellicott City has shown that we don’t stay down,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.

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Chef Gordon Ramsay and his film crew were spotted in the town’s historic district at the end of February, helping revive Phoenix Upper Main brewpub, Little Market Cafe and Jaxon Edwin Social House.

The episode promises to be Ramsay’s “biggest rescue yet.” Of course, no one would’ve thought that after all the work, the renovations and big time publicity, businesses in the town would be going through another crisis, this time along with the rest of the country.

”We had to lay off everybody,” said Mark Hemmis, who owns Phoenix Upper Main. “Right now we’re operating with a bare-bones crew. We are putting out food. We’re open Tuesday through Saturday.”

Like many in the town, Hemmis rebuilt his business twice, only to be forced to close again due to coronavirus.

Hemmis said he knows some restaurants across the country won’t make it through, but this town is one that knows how to hang on no matter what.

”We are uniquely qualified to handle this kind of closure,” Hemmis said. “This town is amazingly resilient. It has come back over and over and over again. And Ellicott city will thrive in the future.”

On Good Day DC on Tuesday, FOX 5’s Kevin McCarthy is talking to Chef Gordon Ramsay about the episode.