Georgia Boy Cafe - Restaurant Impossible Update - Open or Closed?

Georgia Boy Cafe Restaurant Impossible

In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Georgia Boy Cafe in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Georgia Boy Cafe is owned by Chuck Holman and Montez Dorsey.

For Chuck, owning a restaurant has been his dream since I was 14 years old.

Whenever his siblings were outside playing, he would be in the kitchen cooking because cooking has always been his passion.

After graduating from High School, he got a job in a kitchen.

After working for about 18 and 1/2 years working for someone else, he felt it was time to unlock his dreams of owning a restaurant.

He used his savings for his dream, maxed out his credit card, turned to his family and some friends to borrow some money.

His total debt from opening the restaurant is about $400,000.

Montez joined Georgia Boy Cafe full time four years ago.

He chose to quit his job as a workforce analyst and work full time at the restaurant.

The first couple of years of opening things were going well at the restaurant.

The money was coming in as customers were coming in and they had great employees who cared about the business.

Suddenly, things just took a turn and the business suddenly declined.

Both the owners mothers worked in the restaurant but as the business started to decline, they each took their childrens side.

All the stress and anxiety just made everything worse at the restaurant.

At the moment it is like an endless cycle where a Monday argument will continue through to Thursday.

The owners are at the end of the line as far as business is concerned.

Robert arrives at the restaurant and saw a dark and dingy environment with leaks in the ceiling.

He isn’t impressed with all of the ornaments or the dated hostess stand, that belongs in a haunted house.

There is an empty refrigerator, dirty carpet and a disgusting smell at the restaurant.

He meets with the owners for a brief and to talk about the issues at the restaurant.

After eight years of owning the restaurant, Robert suggests they are failing because they don't care.

As they are talking a cockroach runs down the wall behind them and Robert kills it.

Chuck says he doesn’t think that Montez does his part and he thinks that he does too much.

The business has brought them so much stress and unhappiness after they bought it.

Robert is extremely disappointed that they don't have the figures of the revenue from the previous year.

They haven’t been able to pay themself a wage in the past year and they live on tips instead.

They are partners in life and business but currently their relationship is strained.

Robert tells them that he can fix the restaurant and their relationship is important.

Robert asks to see a service so that he can see for himself the issues at the restaurant.

The customers think that the restaurant is dark and dirty, the bench is ripped and the restaurant isn’t nice.

He goes into the kitchen and finds it is dirty.

There is also deadly black mould in the ice machine.

Robert thinks that they are breaking a number of health violations in the kitchen.

He shuts down the kitchen to customers as he doesn’t want anyone eating from the kitchen.

Despite what he has seen he asks Chuck to make some of the restaurants best selling items.

When the food arrives he isn’t impressed with the appearance, presentation or taste of the food.

Robert meets with the owners and talks about their relationship.

He asks them to clean the kitchen and think about their relationship.

Robert meets with his designer Cheryl to discuss ideas for the restaurant.

She wants to make it clean and ultra modern.

The staff are asked to help empty the restaurant ready for the design team to be able to get to work.

To deal with the issues with the owners Robert asks to meet with their mothers.

He meets with Chucks mother Mamie, Montezs mother Charlotte and a member of staff.

They both support their own and can see that it is isn’t working how it is going.

The design team are hard at work in the restaurant so Robert meets with the owners.

They do an exercise for Robert to see the extent of their relationship issues.

They both think that they know what is best for the restaurant.

Neither appreciates what the other one does for the restaurant.

Robert gives them homework to share five things that they would like the other to do to improve their relationship.

The next day, Robert returns and checks in with the design team.

Despite working all night on levelling and installing the floor they aren’t finished.

They are also behind on the revamp of the dining room but are starting on the area as Robert arrives.

Robert meets with Chuck and Montez and they talk through the lists they made for homework.

They talk through their differences and agree to settle them and move on from the past.

Robert is pleased with the progress that the owners have made but isn’t pleased with the progress of the design team.

The kitchen has now been cleaned and as Robert wasn’t able to see the service he shows them feedback from the internet.

Robert shows them some new menu items and gives them training on methods to speed up getting food out of the kitchen.

The owners and staff loved the session and feel ready for the relaunch.

Robert takes Montez and the new chicken dish down the street to promote the restaurant.

The design team have finished in the dining room and it is ready for the owners to see the changes.

The transformation is one of the most dramatic they have ever done on the show.

They are overwhelmed by the changes that the design team have made.

The pair love the new colours and are shocked with how much they have changed.

They break down in tears, feel that their passion for the restaurant is reignited and are excited for realunch.

On relaunch night, the customers are impressed with the new dishes on offer and enjoy the taste of the new dishes.

They also love the new decor, give great feedback and promise to return again.



What Happened Next at Georgia Boy Cafe?


A few weeks later, business is improving.

They have kept Robert's menu but with a few tweaks.

They have a new cleaning schedule that sees the kitchen cleaned nightly.

Chuck is now kitchen manager and they have hired staff to help in the kitchen.

Their relationship is slowly improving.

Georgia Boy Cafe closed in July 2014.

They planned to open another location but have yet to do so.

Reviews after the episode were very mixed with customers both loving and hating the food at the restaurant.

Georgia Boy Cafe was Restaurant Impossible season 7 episode 5 and aired on 20th November 2013.

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Coachlamp Restaurant - Restaurant Impossible Update - Open or Closed?

Coachlamp Restaurant and Pub Restaurant Impossible

In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Coachlamp Restaurant and Pub in Louisville, Kentucky.

Coachlamp Restaurant is owned by Bill and Gail Darling.

They have owned the restaurant for thirteen years.

Bill's education was in the engineering field.

His passion has always been in the restaurant business.

Thirteen years ago, Bill quit his career in the engineering field and decided to run the restaurant.

They bought the restaurant for $225,000 and they were busy at first.

There were periods when the restaurant was fully booked.

It has never been quiet as currently as it is.

During the week, business is terrible and it costs more to open than they are taking.

They have made many changes to try and turn the restaurant around.

They have tried to change the menu and even bring more chefs.

They have added a patio and advertised but still the restaurant is quiet.

They don’t know why because when he talks to customers who come and their feedback was great.

Roberts arrives and thinks that restaurant looks clean and the bar looks fine.

The only criticism that he has is that the environment seems very dark.

Robert met Bill and Gail to get some brief information about the restaurant.

The restaurant was bought in 2000 and they have struggled for a number of years.

They bought the business and the building for $225,000 with $278,000 invested in it.

With all the investment and losses they now are in $500,000 debt.

Gail is a social worker while Bill was in the engineering field.

He ventured into the business because it has always been his dream and he thinks that he is an excellent cook.

They don’t know why the restaurant is failing and neither does Robert as it is surrounded by homes and businesses.

He thinks that it should be thriving.

Gail thinks isolation may be a factor in the restaurant's failure but Robert isn’t sure this is the problem.

Robert looks at the price list and thinks that prices might be part of the problem.

The prices on both the restaurant and bar menus are quite high.

Robert asks them about the prices and they raised them due to the pressure.

Robert goes to a busy restaurant that is located a few doors down and speaks with the customers.

The fact the restaurant is so busy confirms to Robert that the location isn’t the issue at the restaurant.

They give their reasons for eating at the restaurant.

One customer says that the food is good as is the service but the prices are too high.

He also talks to the owners about the restaurants customers.

Robert had taken a copy of the Coachlamp menu with him and shows it to the customers.

They think that the prices are too high.

They also tell Robert that the restaurant isn’t popular in the area.

Robert returns to Coachlamp and speaks with Bill.

He gives him the feedback from the customers of the nearby restaurant.

Robert speaks with their daughter Brooke.

She says that they are failing as they have no idea what they are doing.

Brooke also thinks that they are serving the wrong type of food.

Robert takes him out the front of the restaurant.

Some passing potential customers say they thought the restaurant was closed.

They don’t have their sign or opening hours illuminated.

Due to this they had assumed the restaurant was closed.

Robert knows that they will have to work on making the curb appeal of the restaurant better.

He asks Bill to tell the kitchen to prepare the two of their bestselling items on the menu.

Robert tastes the dishes and is actually impressed with them.

Robert meets with his designers Taniya and Tom.

They discuss ideas for redecorating the restaurant.

Robert shows them the outside dining area, a hidden jewel of the restaurant.

Taniya is impressed with the outside space and thinks there is great potential in this area.

The staff help to empty the restaurant and outside area ready for the design team to get to work.

Robert meets with Bill and Gail.

He tells them that customers don’t want white tablecloths and expensive bottled beers.

He also tells Bill that he is stubborn.

He reveals that he has planned some market research with a focus group.

Robert speaks with the focus group with Bill and Gail listening from another room.

The group tell Robert exactly what they want from a restaurant in their area.

They say that they want casual dining and an outside garden dining area.

They return to the restaurant.

Robert feeds back to the designers what the group wanted from the restaurant.

Robert wants a cool and exciting grill space where people can feel comfortable.

Robert is worried that the owners may have taken the negative comments to heart.

He discusses his ideas that came from the focus group.

Robert realizes that Bill is too stubborn to accept his ideas.

Robert leaves for the day and is angry after their conversation.

The next day, Robert arrives and reflects on the previous day on the battle with the owners.

They admit they don’t know why the restaurant is failing.

Despite this they keep fighting Robert every step of the way.

Robert hopes that today they will listen to him and do what they need to do to get the restaurant back on track.

First, he checks in with the design team to see their progress overnight.

He was impressed with the work that they have done overnight.

Robert encourages them to keep working to meet the deadline.

The tinted windows have been replaced with clear glass so customers can see in the restaurant.

Taps have also been fitted to the bar so that they are able to serve draught beer.

Robert meets with the owners to see their frame of mind because he wasn’t sure how the first day had gone.

They have a productive talk and Robert can see that Bill wants the restaurant to succeed.

Robert takes the staff out to show off the fantastic desserts that are on offer at the restaurant.

They also promote their menu so that the locals can see everything on offer at the restaurant.

The feedback is positive and the locals say that they want to visit the restaurant and see everything on offer.

Robert heads back to the restaurant to show Bill and the kitchen staff two new dishes to add to the menu.

They enjoyed the session with Robert and love the taste of the new food when they try it.

The design team have finished in the dining room and it is time to reveal the new restaurant.

They are shown the new outdoor area and the inside of the restaurant in a double reveal.

The owners and their daughter are surprised at how much they have been able to do in so little time and with their budget.

On relaunch night, the customers love the new restaurant.

The food is a big hit with the customers with them enjoying the new dishes.

They enjoy the evening, give great feedback and promise to return to the restaurant.



What Happened Next at Coachlamp Restaurant and Pub?


A few weeks later, business is up 30%.

Beer and wine sales are 40% of all sales.

The locals are visiting the restaurant and they love the outdoor dining area.

Bill reveals that they will save $3000 a year by getting rid of the linen.

They briefly kept Roberts menu and the dishes are their top selling dishes.

They have sold over 900 glasses of beer and a number of barrels in a matter of weeks.

Reviews after the show were mostly positive.

They rebranded, renovated and relaunched the restaurant in 2015.

They did this as they were struggling to fill the restaurant.

The owners didn't think the menu was right for the locale and changed this within months.

It was rebranded as Brooke and Billy’s.

They offered even more casual dining and the prices were lower.

Brooke and Billy’s closed in 2021.

Coachlamp Restaurant and Pub was Restaurant Impossible season 7 episode 4.

The episode aired on 13th November 2013.

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Windsor 75 - Restaurant Impossible Update - Open or Closed?

Windsor 75 Restaurant Impossible

In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Windsor 75 in Windsor, Connecticut.

Windsor 75 is owned by George and Theresa Calos.

They have run the diner and restaurant for seven years.

It is their third attempt at owning a restaurant.

The first one was short-lived and the second one they owned for seventeen years.

The restaurant has always been George's dream because he doesn't know anything other than running a restaurant.

Theresa was petrified at opening another restaurant because she knows the sacrifices that the restaurant demands.

At some point along the line, she didn't want to continue, but knew it was the only thing that would make her husband happy.

She had no choice but to go along with it.

Since George purchased the restaurant, it's always been a struggle.

The stress of the restaurants has taken a toll on the family especially on their sons John and Georgie.

They've worked on and off at the restaurant for years.

The reason being that their father's idea of running a restaurant is entirely different from theirs.

As such, they have to take some time away from the restaurant.

Georgie says that it is his fathers way or the highway and he is strict.

George has a strong personality and his yelling has made many people leave the restaurant.

George has tried everything he thinks he can.

He's angry at not being able to turn things around and at the point of almost giving up.

Robert arrives at the restaurant and sees that there are leaks in the restaurant roof.

The handrails are battered and beaten up, chairs are ripped and the breakfast bar is chipped.

He thinks that the restaurant looks pathetic, is bland and he thinks nobody cares about it.

Robert asks the owners to meet for a brief about to hear more about the restaurant.

Theresa is working in the restaurant and does the payroll and deals with the figures.

Their son George is currently a cook at the restaurant and has been cooking there for the past three years.

Before working at this restaurant he was server in the previous restaurant since he was 15 years old.

George thinks that the restaurant is failing because the servers job is so complicated.

He thinks that the employees aren’t able to do the job as he expects it to be done.

George is always in the kitchen and lets the front of house run itself.

There is no one in change of the front of house currently.

Theresa is sad on a daily basis because there is no money in the bank.

They have no savings and she fought against the opening of another restaurant.

The family relationship is strained and the family issues get tangled with the work issues.

Problems at work have caused issues in the personal relationships and some problems have dragged on for years.

Georgie believes that he and his brother should have taken over the restaurant and let their parents retire.

Instead their father in charge, they are understaffed and they are behind their competitors.

Robert asks to see the service as he wants to see their food service and what they do on a typical day.

He observes that they have five different menus that customers can order from.

George says that this is because he thinks a diner should have everything available at all times.

Robert notices that the service is terrible.

The five servers are busy in the kitchen and no one is taking care of the guests at the front of house.

Robert knows it isn’t their fault as they appear to be doing what is supposed to be George’s role.

The servers appear to be preparing the food as well as serving the food to customers.

One server is preparing a salad and another is plating dishes instead of serving customers.

The staff aren’t trained to do these roles and it leads to the disappointment of customers.

The service has been a disaster and John appears in the middle of the chaotic service.

George is frustrated with Robert’s presence in the kitchen, tells him he shouldn’t talk to him before he leaves the restaurant.

Robert meets with his designers Cheryl and Tom to discuss ideas for renovating the dining room.

Cheryl wants to make the restaurant clean and modern.

He asks the staff to help clear the area ready for the design team to be able to get to work.

George returns to the restaurant and Robert makes himself available for them to be able to talk to him.

Robert has a hard time trying to get through to George but George says that he is open to learning more from Robert.

The next day, Robert arrives and checks in with the designers.

She has created new shutters for the bar so you can keep it open or block it off.

They made some progress overnight but the work ground to a halt after Tom and the crew got started.

They struggled with laying the new flooring and it has put the renovations behind.

Robert assembles the family in the courtyard to talk to them about the problems at the restaurant and with the family/

George has lost more than money at the restaurant, he has also lost his family.

After a productive meeting George accepts that it is his fault and he is ready to change.

He wants to rebuild the relationship and start afresh.

Robert shows George and Georgie how to make some new menu items.

He also shows them updated recipes for some of the dishes they already serve.

The new dishes are tasty and will make them money.

After the session they taste the food and love the new menu items.

The design team have finished with the renovation of the restaurant.

The owners are looking forward to seeing the changes but admit that they are physically and mentally exhausted.

The new restaurant is revealed and they are amazed at what they have done at the restaurant.

They don’t think it looks like the same restaurant and they love the new colours.

On relaunch, the customers love the new look and atmosphere of the restaurant.

They also love the new food and the new menu on offer with many promising to return.



What Happened Next at Windsor 75?


A few months later, business is up 10%.

They have changed their opening hours and are now offering breakfast on weekends.

Long term customers aren't a fan of the new shortened menu but new customers like the menu.

The servers are no longer helping in the kitchen.

Johnny and Georgie still work at the restaurant.

The family relationships have also improved greatly.

Windsor 75 closed in August 2015.

Reviews after Roberts visit are mixed with customers both loving and hating the changes that he made.

Windsor 75 was Restaurant Impossible season 7 episode 3 and aired on 6th November 2013.

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Ducky's Restaurant - Restaurant Impossible Update - Open or Closed?

Ducky's Family Restaurant Restaurant Impossible

In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Ducky's Restaurant in Kokomo, Indiana.

Ducky's Restaurant is currently owned by Bill Duncan.

Bill’s mum and dad opened the restaurant more than 33 years ago.

It's a place that is well known to come and get home cooking, to feel comfortable and have fun.

Ducky's restaurant was profitable for several years after opening.

Bill's father's health started to decline and the business nosedived.

The financial status of the restaurant causes a lot of stress on Bill as they currently owe $230,000.

He has cried many times over the pain of not fulfilling what his Dad had left for him.

He struggles every day because he finds it so overwhelming.

According to his daughter Amanda, Bill will probably be forced to shut the restaurant's door in six to nine months.

She feels like if they are forced to close then a whole lifetime of memories will be gone.

Robert arrives at the restaurant and thinks that the restaurant looks old, untidy and outdated.

He asks the owners to meet him for a brief about the restaurant and to find out about the problems.

The restaurant earns up to $180,000 and has been open for 33 years.

It was Bill’s father who had the dream to build the restaurant and it became the plan for the family.

Robert questions whether Bill has the same passion for the restaurant that jis father had.

He wants to see a service with people who haven’t been to the restaurant before so he has invited some guests.

During the service, Robert is disappointed with the service that he sees.

One customer has ordered a dish and thinks it could be a chicken or tuna salad but isn’t sure what it is.

Server Lauren says it is a chicken salad and reveals that no one keeps to the recipes.

Robert goes into the kitchen and finds that the seal on the fridge is broken.

This means that the fridge won’t be operating at the correct temperature.

This is confirmed by checking with a thermometer.

The fridge is running at nearly 60 degrees, where the required standard is 40 degrees.

This means that any food stored in there could be unsafe to eat.

Robert orders them to throw away all the food that was stored within this fridge.

After being disappointed with the state of the kitchen and the service, Robert asks to taste the food.

Robert orders some of the best selling items from the menu.

He was disappointed by the taste of the items that he sampled, calling them all mush.

After the disappointing food he goes into the kitchen and finds that all of the food is prepared using frozen and canned items.

Robert meets with designers Taniya and Tom to discuss plans for renovating the restaurant.

Tom tells Taniya straight off that a wooden floor would take too long to lay.

Taniya wants to integrate the family history into the space to give it character.

He asks the staff to help empty the restaurant ready for the renovations to begin.

Robert asks Bill and the family to take one last look at the restaurant before the design team get to work.

The design team get to work on the restaurant and Robert calls the staff together for a staff meeting.

Robert gives them a card to write down the name of the person that they think is hurting the restaurant.

Bill's daughter Amanda, the restaurant manager, believes that Connie from the kitchen is responsible for the restaurant's current situation.

If given a choice, she would not hesitate to sack her.

On hearing this, Connie gets angry and packs a bag to leave the restaurant.

She is tired and fed up with being blamed for the situation at the restaurant.

They go after her and ask her to reconsider her decision.

She agrees that she will rethink and asks for a day off to decide what she will do.

Robert checks in with the design team and is impressed with the progress they have made during the day.

He encourages them to keep up the pace in order to be finished in time for the relaunch deadline.

The next day, Robert arrives and checks in with the design team.

He is surprised to hear that they needed to dig the kitchen floor up due to a damaged drain.

As a result the dining room doesn’t look like it has been touched overnight.

The design team starts to re-focus on the dining room whilst there is concrete laid in the kitchen.

Robert is unable to use the kitchen due to the wet concrete and is concerned at having no working kitchen.

After Robert sits with Connie, Amanda and Bill to discuss the events of the previous day.

They have a constructive talk and they all agree that they will change their attitudes.

Connie agrees to stay for a month so that they can see if they can carry on.

The drain has been replaced and the concrete is now dry.

The staff clean the kitchen up and it is ready to be used.

Robert wants to work with Connie and the kitchen staff.

He plans to introduce a menu of dishes created from fresh ingredients.

Connie is given a break and Amanda, Jason and Bill are given some cooking lessons.

They sample the dishes and Bill asks Robert to marry him!

They all enjoyed cooking with Robert and are more confident for the relaunch.

Robert asks the family to join him on a marketing mission for the restaurant.

They go downtown to promote the new menu to the younger generation to try and draw in more trade.

Back at the restaurant the design team have finished with the renovations.

The restaurant is revealed to the family and they are amazed at the work they have done on the restaurant.

The family all break down in tears at the changes that have been made.

They are glad to see the back of the tables covered in advertising and there is a picture of Bill’s mum and dad on the wall.

Robert adds another picture of Donald to the wall by the door.

On relaunch night, the customers love the new, refreshing environment.

They also love the new food and give excellent feedback.

Customers promise to return to the restaurant as they enjoyed the experience.



What Happened Next at Ducky's Family Restaurant?


A few months later, they have doubled their weekly sales.

They have hired additional staff and Amanda has stepped up in her role.

Connie and Jason are running back of house and they have kept the majority of Robert's changes.

They have returned to thicker cut fries but Robert's dishes remain popular.

They are still not using canned or frozen foods in their dishes.

Ducky's Family Restaurant closed in December 2013.

They closed as they were behind on their taxes and their debt was too high.

Ducky's Family Restaurant was Restaurant Impossible season 7 episode 2 and aired on 30th October 2013.

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Mama Campisi's Restaurant / Mama’s on the Hill - Restaurant Impossible Update - Open or Closed?

Mama Campisi's Restaurant Restaurant Impossible

In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Mama Campisi's Restaurant / Mama’s on the Hill in St. Louis, Missouri.

Mama Campisi's Restaurant is owned by Andrea and Lance Ervin.

Andrea has always been in the restaurant business her entire life.

One day she visited Mama Campisi for lunch and noticed it was for sale.

They contacted an agent and put an offer on it, which was accepted and the restaurant was hers.

Andrea loves her job and loved being around the restaurant until two years ago when she experienced a devastating blow.

She thought that the business was perfect, they had many customers and takings were good.

Cheques started bouncing to vendors and when they looked into the finances they were shocked.

Two employees were stealing money from her and they stole around $70,000.

The two employees were her most trusted, they had access to her home and had looked after her children.

After the theft she wasn’t the same and her personality changed.

As a result the restaurant became an issue in her marriage and her relationship with her children.

She now only has three or four months before she will have to close the restaurant.

The restaurant has become a chore for Andrea and she is always exhausted.

She is going through the motions. She comes in for the day and goes home to bed.

Robert arrives and is surprised to see an ATM in the restaurant.

He thinks that the ceiling and flooring look good but he doesn’t like the old world Italian style of the decor.

There is also no clear theme for the restaurant and it needs bringing back together.

Robert meets the owners for a brief to discuss the restaurant.

Lance says that he has another business that he runs so he is in and out of the restaurant.

They bought the building and business 9 years ago for $250,000.

They have put around $100,000 into the business and are currently $600,000 in debt.

There is a lot of competition in the area with 26 other restaurants.

The customers see their restaurant as the home of toasted ravioli and this is their USP.

The restaurant made $60,000 in their first year and five years later they were hitting $1million.

Two years ago there was a large theft from the restaurant by staff and the restaurant declined.

Andrea had to step away from the restaurant for health grounds and has had a hard time trusting anyone since.

She has little motivation for the restaurant and is just going through the motions.

She has kept the restaurant due to the current financial situation and she thinks she would be a failure if she loses it.

Lance is upset as they have five children and she isn’t able to be there for them as she should be.

Robert thinks that Andrea is showing depressive behavior as she is constantly crying and worrying about the restaurant.

He is concerned that even their high takings in the previous year isn’t enough to make her happy at the restaurant.

Robert asks to see the service to find out the issues at the restaurant.

Despite the toasted ravioli being their specialty there are numerous complaints on the dish from diners.

One diner says that the dish is dry and another says it isn’t the best they have ever had.

Robert meets Lauren, Andrea’s daughter who also works at the restaurant as a server.

She tells Robert that the relationship is strained between her and her mother and her other siblings.

Andrea doesn’t seem to want a relationship with them and this makes them sad.

Robert isn’t sure if it is just the stress of the restaurant and thinks that fixing the restaurant might not fix their relationships.

Robert sits down to sample the food and tries several items from the menu.

He wasn’t impressed especially with their signature dish, which looks and taste awful.

Robert discovers that 90% of the food that he tastes is either frozen or canned goods, which is more expensive than cooking from scratch.

Robert met with his designer Cheryl and the rest of the design team to discuss plans for the restaurant.

Cheryl thinks that the restaurant is dull and boring and wants to bring in a rustic Italian vibe.

She has acquired a number of free wooden pallets that she plans to use.

He asks the staff to help him removing the furniture from the restaurant so that the design team can get to work.

Robert asks the staff to meet him across the road to talk about the current state of the restaurant.

They say that Andrea doesn’t trust them after the theft and she tries to do it all herself, which grinds the restaurant to a halt.

Robert advises her to use a system of checks and balances that will double check the figures so she can believe in the staff again.

She also has to allow the staff to be able to do their jobs as there is no restaurant without them.

Robert asks the staff to write down one task that Andrea shouldn’t be doing and someone else should be doing.

Robert asks Andrea to get her books for him as he will be going over her finances to see if there is anything there that has been missed.

Robert is confused by the records as the income, profit and loss don’t match up to what they reported in their tax return.

It turns out they haven’t actually made the money that they thought they have in their last three years.

He can’t make anything match up with the computer at all so he advises Andrea to bring in an accountant.

They need to have accurate record keeping and a system that avoids further theft.

Robert tells Andrea that she should go home and spend time with the children.

Robert meets with the design team and is impressed with their progress so far but encourages them to work quickly.

The next day, Robert arrives at the restaurant and checks in with the design team.

They have made good progress overnight and they encourage them to finish in time for the deadline.

Robert meets with Andrea to show her how she can lift some of the weight from her shoulders by giving out jobs to other people.

She decides to distribute the jobs to others so she can move forward and enjoy being at the restaurant.

Robert shows Andrea some ways to control their food costs by controlling what they buy and the portion sizes.

By cutting food costs they will make more profit and it will help with her current financial situation.

Robert calls the family together as they are all hurting.

He hopes that in time the relationships can be repaired.

Andrea promises to change and sort things out.

Robert leaves the family to talk whilst he checks in with the design team.

After checking in with the design team he goes into the kitchen.

The kitchen staff are trained on some new dishes including a rabbit bolognese and some improved recipes, including their toasted ravioli.

The design team are finished and it is time to reveal the new restaurant to the family.

They are overwhelmed by the changes, feel blessed and see it as a new beginning.

On relaunch night, the customers love the new decor and the new atmosphere.

The food is a big hit and gets excellent feedback from the customers.

They also compliment the service too and promise to return.



What Happened Next at Mama Campisi's Restaurant / Mama’s on the Hill?


A few months later and business is up.

They were able to pay some of the vendors but then they needed to make repairs to the restaurant.

They have modified Roberts menu and returned some of their customer favourites.

They plan to upsell wine and they have returned to a more traditional toasted ravioli recipe.

Reviews are mostly positive with praise for the decor, service and dishes including the toasted ravioli and linguine.

Mama Campisi's Restaurant was Restaurant Impossible season 7 episode 1 and aired on 23rd October 2013.

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Aponte's Pizzeria - Restaurant Impossible Update - Open or Closed?

Aponte's Pizzeria Restaurant Impossible

In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Aponte's Pizzeria in Mason, Ohio.

Aponte's Pizzeria is owned by married couple Tony and Sommer Aponte.

Tony and Sommer have been together for fourteen years and married a year ago.

They have everything invested in the restaurant and it’s success.

Tony Aponte has been in the pizza business since he was eleven, when he worked in a New York pizza place.

Tony is from Jersey and says that he has bought Jersey with him to the restaurant.

The restaurant means a lot to Tony as is takes care of his family.

The family relies on the restaurant so he needs to work something out.

The restaurant isn’t doing well at all and some weeks they only serve five tables.

Sommer wants to see her husband success but they are falling deeper into debt.

There are currently in $250,000 of debt and he feels bad as he can’t take care of his family or his employees.

Tony’s three daughters Paige, Corinne and Reece have many good things to see about their father.

He feels that if the restaurant goes down it will take them down with him.

Robert arrives at the restaurant and it isn’t clear where the front of the restaurant is.

Inside the restaurant it looks old and the carpet is dirty with parts that have been torn away.

The chairs and tables are mismatched and the boot is ripped.

Robert meets with Tony and Sommer to hear more about the restaurant.

They have been in the business for eight years and Tony has been in the industry since he was eleven.

Sommer runs the front of house and also helps with serving food a few days a week.

The business started going downhill four years ago and Sommer thinks that it is because they haven’t changed their menu in 8 years.

Tony finds change hard and that is why nothing has been changed at the restaurant.

The restaurant is in $216,000 of debt and the debt is very high interest at 30%.

Sommer had no idea that the restaurant was in so much debt and at a high interest and is upset to hear it.

Tony thinks that he can’t just walk away from the restaurant as he thinks he would be too old to work at another restaurant.

There is money outstanding to the tax man and a loan shark and there is a lot of pressure on the owners.

Robert wants to see a service to find out the issues at the restaurant.

The customers have many complaints about the food and Robert tells Tony that he has to deal with them as he has caused them.

He doesn’t listen to any of the criticism that the diners have on the food.

Robert wants to try the food for himself to find out what it is like.

He orders a number of dishes including a Caesar salad, pasta dish, a cheese calzone and a pizza.

He wasn’t impressed with anything that he tried.

The sauce with the calzone has no flavour and tastes like a can and the calzone is soft.

The garlic knots are creasy and the pizza is bland.

Robert gives his feedback to Tony that the food is bland.

He doesn’t agree with most of what he says about the food and thinks his tastebuds are off.

Tony tells Robert that he uses the same bland sauce for most of his dishes.

He sticks by his food as he has made it that way for years.

Robert thinks that the food is a big problem as to why the restaurant is failing but also Tony refusing to change.

He tells him that he needs to decide if he is ready to change and let him know.

Robert meets with designer Cheryl to discuss the plans for renovating the restaurant.

Tony is given time to cool off and then he speaks with Robert.

He agrees that he will change and as he has agreed the deign team are able to get to work.

The staff help to empty the restaurant ready for the design team to get to work.

Tony and Sommer see the restaurant for the last time before the design team get to work.

As Robert had seen that Tony has a control issue he gathered the staff to talk to them about Tony.

The employees aren’t happy and don’t have much good to say about him and hope that he can change.

Robert thinks that Tony’s heart is in the right place and it is going to be hard work to get the restaurant back on track.

Before he starts work on the staff, Robert checks in with the designers.

He is impressed with their plans and encourages them to get to work as there is plenty of work that needs doing.

At the end of the day he meets with Tony and asks him to do some homework.

He is to make a list of four things that he will change about himself to make the restaurant better.

The next day Robert arrives at the restaurant ready to make more changes to the restaurant.

First, he checks in with the design team to check on their progress and is impressed at what they have done overnight.

Robert leaves the designers to talk to Tony and Sommer.

They talk about the homework that he set him and Tony tells Robert that he is ready to change how the restaurant runs.

Robert meets with the kitchen staff to teach them the new menu.

The new dishes are fast, simple and tasty.

Tony is stubborn and at first refuses to believe that Robert’s pizza is better than his.

To convince him that the pizza recipe Robert sets him a challenge.

They are both to cook a pizza with Robert using his recipes for dough and pizza sauce and Tony using his own recipes.

They take the pizzas downtown to the local firestation who will taste the pizza and pick the pizza they like best.

The fireman decide that they like Robert’s pizza better than Tony’s due to the spiciness of the sauce with a vote of 10 to Robert and 5 to Tony.

He is finally convinced of the changes that need to be made to the pizza recipe.

Tony talks to the staff and tells them about the new opening of the restaurant and what they will be offering.

The design team have finished with the renovation and it is time to reveal the new look to the family.

They love the new look of the restaurant and are very emotional about the changes.

On relaunch night, the customers love the new inviting environment.

The food is also a big hit with the customers who promise to return.



What Happened Next at Aponte's Pizzeria?


A few months later, Tony is adjusting to the changes at the restaurant.

There has been a 60% boost in sales and business is going well.

They have added a few of their old dishes onto the menu and have kept Robert's dishes.

The customers love the new decor and he is doing less micromanaging of the team.

Sales later declined and their debt was at an all time high.

Reviews were mixed with some complaints about the menu changes and increased prices.

Aponte's Pizzeria closed in November 2018.

They moved to another location and reopened as Tony's Pizzeria.

He also runs Aponte's as a catering company.

Reviews are positive of the new restaurant.

Aponte's Pizzeria was Restaurant Impossible season 6 episode 13 and aired on 25th August 2013.

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Benner Street Restaurant - Restaurant Impossible Update - Open or Closed?

Benner Street Restaurant Restaurant Impossible

In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Benner Street in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania,

Benner Street is owned by Thomas Williams and his wife Dorothy.

They bought the restaurant sixteen years ago when it came up for sale.

Thom has been in the restaurant industry for around 50 years.

The couple were working for other people when Thom decided one day that he wanted to own his own restaurant.

They have both been working at the restaurant every day ever since they bought it.

For many years the business did well and there would be a queue out of the door.

Over the last two years the restaurant has declined.

Dorothy thinks that Thom has lost his passion and his health is suffering as he is no longer as healthy as he was.

As the business declined so did their relationship and their marriage is suffering.

Thom thinks Dorothy is controlling as she wants everything to be perfect and controls all of the back of house operations.

Dorothy thinks that Thom no longer cares about the restaurant and doesn’t agree with the business decisions that she makes.

Thom has turned to alcohol to cope with the stresses of the restaurant and they argue when he drinks.

The constant fighting takes place during service and has alienated members of staff.

The fighting has also driven away customers as they argue in the restaurant.

Robert arrives at the restaurant and thinks that it looks dated and bland.

He doesn’t think it is a restaurant he would visit if he wasn’t there for the show.

Robert meets with the owners to learn more about the restaurant.

They bought the restaurant for $269,000 and they still owe around $210,000.

The restaurant has a second mortgage that is secured against their home.

Thom thinks that the restaurant is failing because Dorothy controls everything and does everyone’s job.

As a result she is doing lots of things but not doing them very well.

Dorothy says that she has had to take control of everything because Thom is not stepping up at the restaurant.

There is a lot of resentment between the couple about the restaurant.

Thom thinks that the restaurant can be fixed in two days but he isn’t sure about fixing their relationship in two days.

He thinks that it might be beyond saving.

Dorothy is upset by all that Thom has said and goes into the fridge to cool off.

Robert wants to observe a service to find out what the issues at the restaurant are.

To save money they have cut the menu down and don’t offer many drinks in the bar.

They even have less glassware to be able to cut costs.

Robert couldn’t find a problem with the service and the customers enjoy the food.

Robert did have issues with Dorothy’s controlling nature as she kept coming into the kitchen.

There was no reason for her to interfere as the issue was being dealt with by other members of staff.

She tells a waitress how to do her job and how to put a plate down in front of a customer.

Robert sent her back into the dining room and told her to stop micromanaging everyone.

She is unable to stop interfering and not letting the staff do their jobs.

Robert tells her to leave the restaurant as he is fed up of her behavior.

Dorothy’s daughter Tina confronts here about her control issues and how they contribute to the failure of the restaurant.

Robert sends them outside to talk about their issues, where there are lots of tears.

Next, Robert meets with the designers Cheryl and Tom to discuss ideas on the transformation of the restaurant.

The staff help to empty out the restaurant and remove the furniture.

Thom falls ill outside the restaurant due to the heat and his heart condition.

An ambulance is called to take Thom to the hospital.

Robert is concerned that he might not be coming out of the hospital again whilst he is at the restaurant.

Robert begins to question if the restaurant is the right place for the couple to be.

The mission to change the restaurant has changed for him and he isn’t sure how he can fix it.

Robert meets with his designers to see their progress so far and encourages them to meet the deadline.

The next day, Robert arrives at the restaurant and doesn’t know what the day holds.

He has many tough choices to make and he isn’t sure how to proceed.

Robert was told that Thom was sent home from the hospital the previous night.

He checks in with the design team and is impressed at the further progress they have made.

Although he wants to talk to Thom and Dorothy he has to keep moving on with the relaunch of the restaurant.

He wants to hear from the staff and they think there are many issues at the restaurant and not just the owners.

Robert finally meets with the owners and has some suggestions.

He suggests that they hire a cook to replace Thom so that he can take it easy.

Robert also thinks that maybe Tina should take over from Dorothy to stop her micromanagement.

Everyone has told Robert that Dorothy has control issues so he sets up an exercise.

It will test how well the staff are able to do their jobs without Dorothy interfering.

After the exercise Dorothy realizes that there is no need for her to micromanage the staff and can let them get on with their jobs.

She apologizes to the staff and promises to change.

Robert wants to update the menu and as Thom is sick he asks Chase and Scott to learn the new dishes.

They enjoy learning the new dishes and feel more ready for the relaunch.

Robert takes Dorothy and Tina around the local area to promote the restaurant.

Between the local hospital and college there are 50,000 employees and potential diners.

Robert brings in the family to see the new restaurant and they are impressed with the new decor.

On relaunch night, the customers love the new decor and food and promise to return to the restaurant.



What Happened Next at Benner Street Restaurant?


A few months later, business was up 40%.

People love the new decor and the menu is now a mix of Robert's dishes and some returned customer favourites.

Dorothy and Thom still argue and she is still expecting perfection but is getting on better with staff.

Thoms health has not improved and he is taking more time away from the restaurant.

Reviews after the show were mostly positive.

Benner Street Restaurant closed in May 2014 as Dorothy and Thom decided to retire.

The restaurant reopened as Saranda's on Broadway with new owners, new management, new food and new staff.

Benner Street Restaurant was Restaurant Impossible season 6 episode 12 and aired on 28th July 2013.

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Edibles / Hurley's American Grille - Restaurant Impossible Update - Open or Closed?

Edibles Restaurant & Pub Restaurant Impossible

In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Edibles Restaurant & Pub in Horsham, Pennsylvania.

Edibles is owned by John and Butzy Hurley.

John and his wife have worked at the restaurant for the last 26 years.

They made good money for several years until the last five or six years.

The couple used to enjoy going to the restaurant but business has declined dramatically.

Now they find going to the restaurant overwhelming and they are working without a break.

John has reached a point that he thinks that he wants to do something else with his life besides working in the restaurant.

He works between 60-70 hours a week starting in the early morning.

He does everything he can including picking up cigarette butts in the parking lot.

John is always walking through the front door with the aim of getting something done.

Butzy hopes that Robert because she wants a better life than she has currently and wants to be happy again.

Robert arrives at the restaurant and doesn’t think the signage for the restaurant is inviting and doesn’t make him want to eat there.

The restaurant has an attached bar next door but he can see that this is in good shape.

He decides to only focus on the restaurant.

As he enters the restaurant he notices that the walls are dirty as are the fans and the tiles.

There is also a stuffed animals claw machine and an ice cream freezer.

He also notices that the restaurant is carpeted, something that Robert hates in a restaurant.

The table and chairs have also seen better days and the restaurant is generally bland and boring.

Robert meets the owners to talk about the restaurant and the issues.

They tell Robert that many other family members also work in the restaurant.

John’s son John Jnr is a cook in the back, their daughter Jennifer is a waitress and his nephew works as a server.

When business was booming they were taking $1,300,000 a month.

The business started to decline in 2008 and they dropped to $1,000,000 a month.

John Snr oversees the restaurant all day and after the day he is exhausted.

He is exhausted when he wakes up and goes to bed exhausted.

Butzy waits tables and takes care of the bar during the day as she has a five year old to look after.

She looks after her grandson who was in prison for drug offences.

John Jnr is working 50-60 hours a week and isn’t getting paid as they can’t afford to pay him.

Jenny is a full time teacher and works in the restaurant two to three times a week to help out.

John Snr loves his family but he is always working so he isn’t able to spend time with the family.

Jennifer thinks they are failing as there is no leader and the staff are all family.

Robert wants to observe a dinner service so that he can see the restaurant in action.

Robert thinks that the kitchen is very clean and one of the cleanest he has seen so far on the show.

They also have a great set of equipment that is also clean so he can’t see yet why the restaurant is failing.

Robert orders some items from the menu but he is disappointed.

Both the appearance and the taste of the food is very poor.

Robert goes into the kitchen to meet the chef because the food was so poor.

John Jnr says that since he has returned from prison a few months ago he has tried to make changes but his father doesn’t let him.

Robert meets with his designers Lynn and Tom and they discuss ideas for the restaurant.

He describes the restaurant to Lynn as a vanilla box with tables and chairs in.

He tells Lynn that the hates the carpet and that you can see the cleaning materials.

The staff help them to empty the restaurant ready for the design team to get to work.

Robert calls the staff together for a meeting so that they can get all of the issues out in the air.

The first issue raised is John Snr’s lack of leadership as he says he will tackle issues but doesn’t.

A lot of the time when he speaks the staff don’t listen to him.

Robert tells him that if he is going to run the restaurant he will need to take charge and let the staff do their jobs.

They also need to be able to respect him and the fact that they don’t pay John Jnr is seen as an issue.

Robert tells John Snr that he needs to figure out a plan because he needs a front of house manager and someone to manage the kitchen.

He is asked to sit down and sort out who is going to fill each role and what their responsibilities are going to be.

Robert doesn’t really like the name of the restaurant so he goes to meet locals to how they feel about the name.

He records the interactions with the locals with the plan to play it back to the owners later.

At the end of the day Robert checks in with the design team and is impressed with their progress.

Lynn has a rustic theme planned with plastic panels that look like metal and they have put flooring on the walls.

This will be the back for a room long banquet along one wall.

He talks to them to tell them that they may need to lose $1,300 of the design budget to change the restaurant name, if he can get the owners on board.

The next day, Robert arrives and checks in with the design team and is impressed of the progress they made overnight.

Robert goes into the kitchen to show the owners the new menu that they will be serving.

The kitchen staff taste the food and think that it is fantastic.

Robert speaks with the accountant who handles the books for the restaurant and confirms that them finances are a mess.

Robert calls the staff together to tell them about the finances.

He discovered that the restaurant should have taken $1.3million last year but due to John’s mismanagement they only took $701,000.

Robert doesn’t know where the missing money is.

He thinks either someone could be stealing, they could be overserving portions or they are undercharging for the food.

Robert suggests that they need a POS system to be able to keep a better track of the money.

John Snr is reluctant to use one because of his lack of computer knowledge.

Robert thinks that other staff members need to step up and will give them roles with more responsibility.

This will allow John Snr to be able to take time off from the restaurant.

One of the biggest changes is the restaurants name and he has added new signage to the restaurant.

Robert reveals the new name to the owners, Hurley’s American Grille.

Robert is ready to reveal the restaurant to the owners and they love the new charming look to the restaurant.

They love the walls and think it looks incredible with many tears and happy smiles.

The relaunch is a new start for them and he is confident they can succeed.

On relaunch night, the customers love the new food and decor and promise to return.



What Happened Next at Edibles Restaurant & Pub / Hurley's American Grille?


A few months later, John Snr reported that the first two weeks were great.

They have more expenses as they have had to hire more staff.

The new name has been popular and the new food and decor is a hit with diners.

Some regulars miss some of the old menu and he plans to bring back updated versions of the dishes.

The smoker is being used regularly for pulled pork and chicken.

Edibles / Hurley's American Grille closed in December 2014.

They announced the closure on Facebook.

The site was purchased with the intention of building a new shopping centre in it's place.

Reviews after the show were mostly positive with praise for both the food and service.

Edibles Restaurant & Pub was Restaurant Impossible season 6 episode 11 and aired on 21st July 2013.

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Kalico Kitchen - Restaurant Impossible Update - Open or Closed?

Kalico Kitchen Restaurant Restaurant Impossible

In this Restaurant Impossible, Robert Irvine visits Kalico Kitchen in Douglas, Michigan.

Kalico Kitchen is owned by Catherine Wilt, the longtime owner of Kalico Kitchen.

Catherine Wilt has owned and run Kalico kitchen for the last thirty five years.

Four years ago, Catherine stepped out of business because of health issues and turned it over to her son, niece, and nephew.

A year ago, when she returned to the restaurant she found out that the restaurant was $446,000 in debt.

Donny believed that it's all her mother's fault that the restaurant is failing.

Donny thinks that it is so because she consistently talks down to people.

She also fires them without reason and hasn’t given full control of management to him.

Donny has put thirty years of his life into the restaurant.

If it fails, he will have absolutely nothing to fall back on because he doesn't have money, a house or a car of his own.

Catherine believes that the restaurant's been a blessing and at the same time a curse.

She feels like it is taking away her family.

Robert arrives at the restaurant and finds that there is dust everywhere including on the ceiling fans.

The decor is also falling apart with holes in walls and broken window frames.

He meets Catherine and Donny for a brief about the restaurant.

She originally bought the restaurant for $120,000 and currently owes about $460,000.

She has lost her truck and will probably lose her house, which is tied to the restaurant.

Robert discovers that Catherine and Donny can't even look at each other and that is a concern.

Robert wants to observe a service to find out what the issues are at the restaurant.

It doesn’t take him long to see that the dining room is being managed poorly.

He goes into the kitchen and sees that the kitchen equipment is caked in dirt.

The fryer is caked in grime as are the fryers and there is also dust everywhere in there.

Robert looks around and sees that the whole kitchen is filthy.

He sees a number of health violations that would see the kitchen shut down if they were inspected.

He asks the cook Christopher when he last cleaned in the kitchen and he says it was last cleaned last summer.

Based on what he has seen Robert shuts down the kitchen and will no longer serve any food.

Robert says that it is one of the worst kitchen and dining room that he has ever seen and doesn’t want to taste the food.

General Manager Scott says that they are doing the best that they can and says he can’t afford to have it cleaned properly.

Scott says that he cleans but there is no evidence of much cleaning.

Catherine is ashamed of what Robert found in the kitchen.

Robert asks the staff to gather for a staff meeting to hear what issues that they have.

All of the staff say that they have an issue with the way that Catherine talks down to them.

Robert asks the staff to clean the kitchen and tells them that it is going to be a tough two days.

In the kitchen Tom discovers that the grease has seeped under the kitchen tiles.

Robert meets with his designers Taniya and Tom to discuss the changes that are to be made to the restaurant.

Robert asks the staff to help empty the restaurant ready for the design team to be able to get to work.

Robert asks the staff to come upstairs one by one where he records things that Catherin has said to them during their time at the restaurant.

When the dining room is emptied he invited Catherine and Donny in to see the empty restaurant.

They share a hug and Donny says that it is the first time that they have hugged in around a year.

The restaurant has a buffet service.

Robert wants to find out if it is worth keeping it in place so he looks into it’s takings.

The buffet only makes them around $50,000.

If they were to replace it with 12 seats they could make around $108,000.

This would help pay down the debt that they owe.

After this, Robert checks in with the design team to check on their progress.

He encourages them to work as fast as they can to complete the transformation.

Robert meets with Catherine and plays the clips that the staff members recorded earlier.

She feels terrible and is remorseful for the awful things that she has said to members of staff at the restaurant.

Catherine promises to do her best to resolve the issue and tells her a good first step would be an apology letter.

Robert returns the next day and hopes that attitudes are ready to change at the restaurant.

The previous day Robert discovered that the kitchen tiles were rotten and needed replacing.

The job to replace them however took longer than planned and they are still wet.

Until they have dried Robert is unable to put the kitchen equipment back into the kitchen.

This will lead to delays in being able to prep for the relaunch service.

While he waits for the floor to dry he checks in with Catherine to see if she did the homework he had asked her.

She has written an apology letter for the staff and is ready to read it to the members of staff.

Before this Robert briefly checks in with the design team to see their progress in the dining room.

He is impressed but encourages them to speed up to be finished in time for relaunch.

Catherine addressed her staff but she doesn’t really apologize for her actions.

Robert notices the sudden quietness when he asked them to confront Catherine about her insulting tones.

Catherine is eventually given a second chance after she apologizes to all of the staff members.

She promises not to talk to the staff in the same manner ever again.

Robert tells his crew and the staff to return the kitchen equipment now that the floor is dry.

For marketing, Robert talks a couple of the staff to talk about the new restaurant downtown.

Since Robert was unable to try Donny's food the previous day, he asks him to prepare a quick and simple dish.

Robert tastes the dish and it confirms that Donny cooks well.

He called some other cooks to join them and he trains them to prepare the dishes on the new menu.

The food now has a new and unique, spicy taste that the customers will love.

Robert invites the family in to see the completed dining room and they love the new design.

On relaunch night, the chefs do an excellent of sending the food out to customers quickly.

The customers love the new decor and food, with clean plates being returned to the kitchen.

The customers also promise to return to the restaurant.



What Happened Next at Kalico Kitchen?


Three months later, business has increased ten fold to $2000-3000 a day.

The kitchen staff are now making sure to clean the restaurant and the staff are happier.

They have started to return some of the old favourites to the menu in an updated form.

Unfortunately the relationships between Catherine and Donny and with the staff have not improved.

Kalico Kitchen closed in December 2013.

They closed after the restaurant was put into foreclosure and seized by the bank.

They also owed other $10,000 to utilities and they also owed rent.

They had recently failed a health inspection after one of the cooks reported concerns to the health department, which led to them being closed down.

Reviews after the show filmed are mostly poor with complaints on both the food and service.

Kalico Kitchen was Restaurant Impossible season 6 episode 10 and aired on 14th July 2013.

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Angelo's Family Restaurant - Restaurant Impossible Update - Open or Closed?

Angelo's Family Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant Impossible

In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Angelo's Family Restaurant in Woodstock, Illinois.

Angelo's Family Restaurant is owned by Angelo Paloumbis, who took over the restaurant from his father and uncle.

Angelo’s father and uncle opened the restaurant more than forty years ago.

Angelo aka Big Angelo took over the restaurant fourteen years ago.

He bought in his first cousin Angelo Mourelatos aka Little Angelo to help at the restaurant.

Little Angelo doesn’t work full time in the restaurant and helps out when he can.

Everything was going well until about two years ago when it began to go downhill.

They started losing customers and money despite Angelo cashing out his retirement account to support the restaurant.

Big Angelo is supposed to be running the restaurant but the family get involved and take over.

Little Angelo thinks that his cousin needs to listen more and if he did things would change.

Big Angelo is overwhelmed and fed up of the restaurant and everything feels like a mountain.

He thinks it would embarrassing for the restaurant to fail on his watch.

Robert arrives and thinks that the restaurant is very outdated.

The carpet smells and the bamboo chairs are outdated.

Robert thinks that the restaurant looks bland and is a generic style restaurant.

Robert meets with the cousins to discuss the issues at the restaurant.

They say that the restaurant started to go downhill around three years ago and further declined 18 months ago.

The restaurant costs $60,000 to run each month, they are making $50,000 and losing $10,000 a month.

Little Angelo thinks that the restaurant is struggling as his cousin is overwhelmed and doesn’t implement changes they discuss.

They both agree that the problem is how the restaurant is run.

It is a family run restaurant but all of the family get involved and take over the running of the restaurant from them.

Big Angelo thinks that the staff and family members are disrespectful about him behind his back.

He constantly feels undermined but he hasn’t done anything to reprimand them about it.

The cousins leave to prepare for the service that Robert wants to observe.

The menu is huge and Robert is surprised that the kitchen would be able to cook it all.

The kitchen is overwhelmed and Big Angelo wants to help out but the kitchen needs a leader instead of another cook.

There is no organization in the kitchen and Big Angelo is overwhelmed.

Rather than taking charge of the kitchen he breaks down as he is unhappy with the service.

Robert meets with Mariana, who is Big Angelos wife and they married recently.

The situation at the restaurant hurts her too as he spends a lot of time at the restaurant.

He is neglecting his relationship due to his long hours.

She breaks down in tears and this gives Robert the motivation to turn the restaurant around.

Robert samples the food and isn’t impressed with any of it except for a wrap.

He says that it is garbage and that it isn’t even diner food.

Robert says that the menu is far too huge and it takes a week to decide what to eat and the food costs are too high.

They meet after the disappointing service to discuss how the service went.

Robert meets with designer Lynn and Tom and they discuss ideas for revamping the restaurant.

The staff help to empty the restaurant of furniture before they can get to work on the restaurant.

Robert calls the servers to meet to discuss the issues at the restaurant.

The staff say that there is a lack of leadership and that Angelo does not listen to them.

They think that Angelo has an excuse for everything and they don’t get anywhere.

They say that they also don’t have the tools to be able to do their job properly.

At the end of the staff meeting, Robert wants to talk to the cousins to clear the air.

Big Angelo has had his eyes opened to the fact that he needs to step up.

He needs to treat the staff with more dignity and respect.

It was a wake up call that he needs to decide if he wants to lead the restaurant or to step down.

Robert checks in with the design team to see their progress and he is impressed with how much progress they have made.

The next day, Robert still has much left to tackle including the menu, redesign and staffing issues.

Robert is also worried about the weather as there has been high winds and torrential rain.

First, he checks in with the design team and a lot of progress has been made overnight.

He meets with Big Angelo to see his thoughts from yesterday.

He says that he is committed and is ready to step up to lead the restaurant.

Robert takes Big Angelo to a local High School to show that even though they serve vast numbers of people they have a small menu.

Big Angelo realizes that he needs to cut down the huge menu to a smaller one.

He also uses the time to do market research on students that have come to the restaurant with their families.

Many of the students have visited the restaurant and more than three quarters of them say that they received poor food or service.

As the design team finish up in the dining room Robert meets with the kitchen staff.

He is to teach them the new menu items that he believes can turn the restaurant around and will be cooked from fresh.

Robert shows them a lamb burger and a pork loin with an orzo salad.

The new dishes are simple, delicious, quick and have low food costs so they are profitable.

Angelo is ecstatic about cooking from fresh and no longer using frozen ingredients.

The last thing is for Big Angelo to talk to the staff before the relaunch.

The servers are waiting for him to address them.

He puts different staff in charge of different areas of the restaurant.

The new restaurant Is unveiled to the family and they are over the moon at the changes.

A credit card system has also been added so they can take card payments.

On relaunch night, the customers love the refreshing atmosphere and enjoyed the food.



What Happened Next at Angelo's Family Restaurant?


A few months later, business was up 20% and they were making 10% profit.

They have had bookings of large parties due to the new open space.

The menu was changed to include some of their old classic dishes as well as Roberts dishes.

Angelo's Family Restaurant closed in December 2013 after being sold.

The changes made on the show made them fall out of love with the restaurant.

They felt it wasn't theirs anymore and the changes weren't popular with regulars.

Reviews were mixed and some customers did not like the new chairs from the redesign.

Others did not like that they did not continue and renovate the bathrooms.

The new owner renovated the restaurant, readding more booths and putting the original counter back in.

Angelo's Family Restaurant was Restaurant Impossible season 6 episode 9 and aired on 23rd June 2013.

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Pier West Restaurant - Restaurant Impossible Update - Open or Closed?

Pier West Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant Impossible

In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Pier West Restaurant in Twin Lake, Wisconsin.

Pier West Restaurant was opened by Woody Walmsley who built the restaurant eleven years ago.

After leasing the property to a string of unsuccessful managers, Woody decided to give his son Chip a shot.

Brian, Woody's second son, felt that this was a big mistake.

Chip doesn't have any restaurant experience and Brian works in California.

Brian comes in from time to time to help with the restaurant.

Since taking over the restaurant Woody hasn’t made a profit in three years.

Chip has only been able to stay in business as Woody is supporting him financially.

He has borrowed a lot of money from his father in order to be able to keep the restaurant open.

As a result a giant rift has built up in the family and it is effecting their relationship.

Robert arrives at the restaurant and discovers that the decor is bland and non-descript.

He hates the carpet, bland hostess smell and the plain coloured walls.

There is also a disgusting smell from the carpet and he thinks it looks like a college dining room.

The scenery surrounding the restaurant is beautiful and he thinks it is the only reason to come to the restaurant.

Robert meets with Wood, Brian and Chip to learn more about the restaurant.

Woody says that the has invested roughly $1,200,000 in the restaurant.

Chip doesn’t have any experience in running a restaurant.

The only restaurant experience he has is helping out his father since he owned the restaurant.

Brian has put himself through high school and college, focusing on hospitality.

Chip has been in control of the business and managing the restaurant for three years.

The reputation of the restaurant amongst the locals are poor.

They only had 10 covers on a Friday night service and their food costs are currently 50%.

The restaurant isn’t up to date with the bills and there is $30,000 owing.

When Chip first took over the restaurant he had a lot of fire but he has lost his passion over the last three years.

The restaurant is currently losing $10,000 a month and his father gives him money despite criticism from other family members.

Chip is 42 years old and still lives in a home that Woody owns.

Brian thinks that Chip is a terrible leader as he doesn’t want to listen or take advice from others.

Robert promises to train Chip to be a good leader, fix the restaurant and gain a good reputation.

He also promises to get customers in and improve the family relationships.

Robert wants to observe a dinner service to find out the problems at the restaurant.

As soon as they let customers into the restaurant the front of house is overwhelmed.

During the service, server Kim looks lost and confused as she doesn’t know the table numbers.

Another server has to point out to her where the food is supposed to be going.

Woody is busy greeting guests as he doesn’t have much experience in the restaurant.

Despite his experience Brian complains when he is asked to expedite at the window.

Brian claims that Chip and the family have made numerous menu changes.

They have hired numerous chefs and that he stepped away for eight months.

As Brian doesn’t know the menu he isn’t much use expediting as he doesn’t know what the food is.

This leads to confusion in the kitchen and orders are sent out incorrectly.

The ticket times are out of control and there is chaos in both the front and back of house.

After seeing the service and how the kitchen operates he wants to sample the food for himself.

The current head chef Neil is their ninth chef and has only been there for three weeks.

The rest of the cooks have only been there for four days so nobody really knows the menu.

Robert samples the food and some of it was executed well and tasted fine.

The French onion soup needs some herbs but the chicken marsala is good.

He is concerned that there are far too many processed foods.

The fries are frozen and they don’t cook the ribs long enough, they are old and covered in bottled barbecue sauce.

The service is poor and there is no management or leadership, which is why the restaurant is failing.

Robert thinks that Neil is a good cook but that he isn’t allowed to do his job properly.

There is no one helping him out and everyone walks around like it is a joke.

Without the food being consistent and the service being excellent, customers would not return to the restaurant.

Robert meets with designers Cheryl and Tom to see what can be done in the bland dining room.

They share ideas and Robert asks the staff to help empty the restaurant so that they can get to work.

Robert calls a meeting with the front of house staff and they complain about the lack of leadership.

They also admit that they have no respect for Chip as he doesn’t give them what they need.

The staff want him to step up or to leave and get in proper management.

Robert checks in with the design team and is happy with the progress that they have made so far.

Robert gathers the family together and Woody’s wife Jeanine has also arrived.

Woody’s parents are doubtful that Chip is able to run the restaurant but Robert thinks he could be successful.

He gives Chip some homework to be done overnight.

He asks Chip to write an essay about what he can change in himself in order for him to be able to run the restaurant.

The next day, Robert arrives at the restaurant and checks in with the design team.

He is impressed with their progress so far.

Robert meets with the family to talk about the homework he set on the previous day.

He reads his essay to his parents and they agree to give him a second chance at running the restaurant.

They decide to give him eight months to turn the restaurant around.

If he doesn’t turn the restaurant around then he has to step aside and give up running the restaurant.

Roberts next task is to work with Chip and Neil to create a new menu.

They love preparing the new dishes that are fast and simple.

The recipe for the ribs is updated using a dry rub and wrapping them before cooking low and slow.

Chip begins to regain his passion for the restaurant after the session and tasting the new rib dish.

Chip calls the staff together for a staff meeting where he shows them that he wants to turn around the restaurant.

The staff are all happy and invigorated after the meeting.

The design team have finished in the dining room and the new look is revealed.

They love the new look of the restaurant.

On relaunch night, the customers love the new food and look of the restaurant.



What Happened Next at Pier West Restaurant?


A few months later, sales were up 25% and the customers love the new decor.

They kept Roberts menu and added a childrens menu.

Chip and his father are getting along better and they have regular staff meetings.

Pier West Restaurant closed in January 2014.

They closed after shutting for the winter season and not reopening.

Reviews after Restaurant Impossible are either very negative or very positive.

Pier West Restaurant was Restaurant Impossible season 6 episode 8 and aired on 16th June 2013.

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