In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Steak N Stuff in Cottonwood, Arizona.
Steak N Stuff is owned by Mark.
He is the son of an executive chef and this is where he got most of his experience.
Mark runs it with his wife Susie, who he divorced and remarried once again in 2018.
After this they bought a restaurant which they run with Mark’s sons from his second marriage.
However they quickly saw they were in over their head as they were not making money.
They lost one of their sons and now they are in $275,000 debt.
They are now living on the edge not sure if they can make payroll every month.
Robert arrives and he hates the carpet, likes the bar and back tables.
He thinks that the space is big but ugly.
He meets with the owners, who tell him the space had been a sports bar previously.
They tell him their history and how they work together in the business.
Robert can tell Mark is frustrated.
They begin the service so Robert can observe them.
He sees they are understaffed and it takes them time to seat guests.
They are left standing outside.
The kitchen does not get any tickets and the bar is left empty.
When tickets come in, the kitchen is slow.
Mark is micromanaging his staff and son Blake.
Robert sees the food costs are way too high and the menu is priced too low to turn a good profit.
Not long after it has started Robert closes the service down, sending the customers away.
He orders some of the dishes from the menu.
They are bland and have no seasoning and the signature steak is too tough.
He only likes the ribs and the liver.
He brings in his design team of Tom and Lynn.
They like the look of the bar but everything else does not work.
The staff and volunteers empty the space out.
Robert chooses to talk to Blake, who Mark has called his right hand man in the kitchen.
Robert learns Mark had kidney cancer twice, which forced him to move back home.
He says Mark is constantly stressed and they hardly spend any time together anymore.
Blake is committed to helping his father make the restaurant successful and he has ideas to make it possible.
Robert talks to Mark and he gets emotional saying he does not want to dump the burden on Blake.
Robert brings in Blake and persuades them to talk together.
Robert stops by his team to hear their plan for the space.
After this, Blake presents to Mark and Robert the need to market their business to bring in a younger crowd to buy drinks.
He shows the potential income that could be made.
Robert gives Blake the assignment of creating 3 small bite-sized meals for Happy Hour.
Mark is given the assignment to hang out with Blake.
Mark and Blake go fishing in the evening.
The next day, Robert meets with the family.
Mark and Blake are happy at the time they spent together to reconnect.
Blake has come up with 13 items for Happy Hour.
Robert asks him to make one of the dishes for them.
Robert has taken Susie through the process of seating guests and serving.
Heleaves them and checks on his team who have done most of the work.
The walls have been made more rustic along with the floors.
Susie organises the front of house staff, showing them the new sections so seating and service is faster.
Robert and Mark head to the kitchen to taste Blake’s meal, a pulled steak quesadilla.
They love it and put it on the menu for the night.
Robert informs them he has hired a mixologist for the night.
They are taken through some signature cocktails by a master mixologist.
Robert takes them back to the kitchen to make 3 dishes to be added to the menu.
They are a Pan Seared Halibut, Blue Cheese Smothered Steak and Bratwurst Sandwich.
Two hours until the relaunch, the design team are behind schedule due to the large space they are working with.
They finish putting it all together by sunset and the family are gathered outside.
All three are led into the space and they are shocked to see the upscale steak house restaurant.
It is modern with rust, brick and a signature wall with an arbour in one area.
They get teary eyed and hug Tom and Lynn when they come in.
They share a family hug before letting the customers in.
Susie works with the servers to seat people quickly and efficiently.
Blake is working diligently in the kitchen with Mark stepping back.
On relaunch, the customers have nothing but compliments for the dishes.
They also love the decor and promise to return to the restaurant.
What Happened Next at Steak-N-Stuff?
After the show, Blake has taken on more responsibility in the kitchen.
His parents went on an overdue vacation.
The new bar menu is popular.
Blake and Mark spend time together once a week and are excited for the future of the business.
Steak N Stuff is open.
Reviews are mostly positive with the prime rib getting high praise.
Steak-N-Stuff is Restaurant Impossible season 21 episode 11 and aired on 8th July 2022.
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Next episode - Vinny's Little Italy
Previous episode - Texas Cowboy BBQ
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