Get More From Robert
Robert Irvine's Top Recipes 25 Photos
Check out fan-favorite dishes, like cheesy lasagna, juicy pulled pork and sweet nachos, from Robert.
Before-and-After Reveals 17 Photos
Check out some of the most-awe-inspiring transformations.
Robert's Work, Revisited
Hear from past owners to find out how their businesses are today.
Mission: Demolition 11 Photos
It's no surprise that Robert is a pro at wielding a sledgehammer.
Robert Irvine Fan Gear
Episodes
See Episode GuideAmbush: Faded Star
Chef Robert Irvine heads to Starlite Restaurant and Pizza in West Orange, N.J. after receiving a plea from the owner Patty's son. Patty has worked there since she was 13 years old and considers it home, but hasn't made a profit in almost ten years despite cashing in her retirement and mortgaging her home. When Robert arrives, he finds an extremely dirty kitchen and an old-school staff that is completely unwilling to change, including Patty herself. Will Robert be able to return this beloved restaurant to its former glory, or will the Starlite shine no more?
Ambush: Beneath the Surface
For his next mission, Chef Robert Irvine responds to a call from Tamara, whose mother Raquel owns De Rican Chef in Virginia Beach, Va. Raquel wanted a restaurant that specialized in authentic Puerto Rican food and expanded her business with help from her son, Reuben, but they are barely making a profit and their relationship is suffering. As Robert tries to get to the bottom of their problems, Raquel drops a bombshell about why she has lost her passion, leading Robert to try to heal the family and restore Raquel's love for her special piece of home.
Barely Edible
Chef Robert makes his way to Edible's Restaurant & Pub in Horsham, Pa., to find a 26-year-old family restaurant suffering from a complete lack of inspiration and motivation. In order to fix this restaurant, Robert must spend precious time letting the family air their grievances and motivate them to take responsibility for their restaurant before he can tackle the inedible menu, dirty kitchen and drab decor.
Ambush: A Taxing Situation
Chef Robert Irvine receives a heartbreaking plea from Megan, who owns the BFE Bar and Grill in Waynesboro, Ga. with her husband, Mike. The restaurant is deep in debt and their family is suffering, but when Robert shows up, he also finds out that the state suspended their liquor license for not paying their taxes. Robert quickly learns he will have to pick and choose what to fix: their reputation is in the dumps, they're understaffed, and food service is painfully slow. It's a fight to the finish as he desperately tries to fix as much as he can and the owners try to pay back their taxes before the grand reopening.
Revved Up
Restaurant: Impossible goes hog wild in Albuquerque, N.M., at the Shade Tree Customs and Cafe where Chef Robert Irvine meets a handful of characters who opened a full service restaurant above their motorcycle repair shop. Robert must unravel the mystery of why this restaurant is failing and tackle the blah menu, while the design team is challenged with elevating the Shade Tree's decor without losing its motorcycle soul.
Holy Cow!
When Chef Robert Irvine talks to the staff at Country Cow Restaurant and Bar in Campton, N.H., he hears horror stories of the co-owners, a divorced couple, throwing pans in the kitchen and cursing throughout the dining room. But everyone is on their best behavior when Robert shows up, forcing Robert to consult the behind-the-scenes footage to uncover all the problems that needed to be fixed.
Bad Juju
The JuJu Bag in New Orleans is half cafe and half barber salon, and both are in desperate need of makeovers. Chef Robert Irvine has his hands full, with a cafe that looks like a cluttered living room, a kitchen without any commercial equipment, an owner who is stubborn despite her inexperience, and to top it all off -- a barbershop renovation!
Dog and Pony Show
Chef Robert Irvine arrives at the Dog & Pony Ale House in Renton, Wash., where he meets the owner, Kristen. Despite Kristen's whit and smarts, she's being overwhelmed by a vocal group of customers who cause her to buy equipment and change the menu on a whim, trust issues with her staff and hundreds of thousands in debt owed to the IRS. Robert will have to give Kristen the tools she needs to toughen up and turn this confused bar into a place worthy of all its patrons, before the Dog & Pony is shut down and Kristen loses everything.
Treading Water
Gail, a successful businesswoman, purchased Bryant's Seafood World in Hueytown, Ala., expecting to seamlessly continue its 30 year tradition: But now, four years later, she desperately needs Chef Robert Irvine to intervene. Robert quickly realizes that she hasn't done anything to make the restaurant her own -- the menu, decor and the grime all pre-date her ownership. Two days may not be enough time for Robert to turn this neglected restaurant and passionless owner around.
Ambush: Out of Control
Sarah and Justin only opened SiP Bistro in Holly Springs, N.C. three years ago, but their business is already hurting. Though Sarah has a background in hotel and restaurant management, her husband, Justin, is demeaning to the entire staff and hasn't allowed his wife to take control or make decisions. On top of trying to mend their relationship and negotiate a healthy balance of control, Chef Robert Irvine and his team must also do a full dining room renovation and find a way to make the extremely small kitchen as efficient as possible.
The Writing on the Wall
Daniel is the owner and operator of a successful sawmill, and thought he would be able to run Big Jim's Bama Q in Hammondville, Ala., when he purchased it ten months ago. But his inexperience and naiveness in thinking he could sit back and cash in on the restaurant's reputation has instead left him seeking Chef Robert Irvine's help. Robert needs to find a way to make this restaurant distinctly Daniel's, and that means new food, a new look and new knowledge and passion to turn this dump into a barbecue destination.
Recipe for Disaster
Papa C's Eastside Cafe in Fairport, N.Y., might have the most explosive family that Chef Robert Irvine has ever faced. Working in close quarters, Sal and his three sons spend more time pointing fingers than doing their jobs, resulting in inches of grease and grime throughout the restaurant and a screaming match so bad, it ended in a fistfight! Before Robert can address the problems that led to the business faltering, he must first keep this family from completely imploding.
Going Down with the Ship
Three years ago, Gigi opened Gigi's Music Cafe in Sunrise, Fla., but now, her bad business decisions are bringing down the business and taking her daughter Semone with it. Chef Robert Irvine has his hands full, between the books being a complete mess, the lackluster service, the reliance on the microwave in the kitchen and an owner who doesn't seem to realize that her business is failing. An unexpected boat trip may be what Gigi needs to wake up and turn her sinking ship around.
Revved Up
Restaurant: Impossible goes hog wild in Albuquerque, N.M., at the Shade Tree Customs and Cafe where Chef Robert Irvine meets a handful of characters who opened a full service restaurant above their motorcycle repair shop. Robert must unravel the mystery of why this restaurant is failing and tackle the blah menu, while the design team is challenged with elevating the Shade Tree's decor without losing its motorcycle soul.
An Abundance of Emotions
Chef Robert visits Abudanza Ristorante in Wilbraham, Mass., and meets owner Lou, a proud man with years of restaurant and executive chef experience who is burned out from the job and the demands of caring for a sick child. Chef Robert works to address management issues and the restaurant makeover, but is so moved by Lou and his family that he leaves them with another much needed surprise.
Double Trouble
24-year-old Frankie is torn between his family's two Italian restaurants in Summerville, S.C., and he convinces Chef Robert Irvine to help him save both. Tackling twice the work without any extra time, Robert must get the family and the design team to focus on this double-sized mission.
Spicing Things Up
Chef Robert Irvine has his work cut out for him at Spicy Bar and Grill, a Vietnamese restaurant in Falls Church, Va. Between one owner with no culinary experience in the kitchen and the other letting the staff run wild, it's no wonder why they're $300,000 in debt. Robert has just two days to get these owners on a business track, find a new chef and turn the unprofessional servers into a real workforce.
Ambush: Eyes on the Surprise
Chef Robert Irvine receives a plea from Stephanie, the bar manager of the Copper Still CD Vodka Lounge and Eatery in Crestwood, Ill., which hasn't turned a profit since opening eight months ago. Owner Christina has put her heart and soul into the restaurant, but its failure has strained her marriage with her husband, Dominic. When Robert attempts a double ambush by showing up unannounced, Stephanie is furious she wasn't included and refuses to help. Robert must work alone to solve the financial problems, marital woes, and also deal with an unexpected theft.
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