Behind the Scenes of Restaurant: Impossible, White House Edition

On a special episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and first lady Michelle Obama teamed up to make a difference for Horton's Kids, a children's community center in Washington, D.C.

Save Collection
Related To:
Summer Healthy Kid-Friendly Robert Irvine

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Photo By: Anders Krusberg ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

Official Business

At Horton's Kids, a children's community center that provides many services such as serving after-school meals in one of Washington, D.C.'s neediest neighborhoods, Robert accepts his toughest mission yet from first lady Michelle Obama. The first lady's challenge is threefold: Give Horton's Kids a dining room, update their kitchen and create a community garden for them.

Limited Square Footage

Brenda Chamberlain, executive director of Horton's Kids, walks Robert through the organization's overcrowded 600-square-foot space that is used to counsel and feed more than 100 people every day.

Kitchen: Impossible

Robert meets with Tom Bury and Cheryl Torrenueva, his building and design team leaders, to discuss the best strategy for transforming the cramped kitchen into a functional, enjoyable space.

Breaking Down Walls

By usurping the adjacent apartment and demolishing the wall that connects it to the Horton's Kids unit, Robert's teams will have enough room to construct a sizeable dining room and an open kitchen.

Pizza Makeover

Midway through the project, Mrs. Obama adds one last mission: She asks Robert to prepare healthy dishes to get the kids excited about eating the vegetables they'll soon grow in their own community garden. Robert makes a kid-friendly favorite, pizza, with smart swap-outs like whole-wheat crust, fresh tomatoes, veggie toppings and low-fat Parmesan cheese.

Cauliflower Converts

At first unsure of potentially bland cauliflower, children from Horton's Kids were pleasantly surprised at how tasty it could be when pureed with a bit of Parmesan cheese.

Ground-Grown Meals

Robert brings in friend and farmer Lee Jones to lead the planting of a Horton's Kids produce garden, complete with tomatoes, radishes, lettuce and more.

A Common Purpose

Robert and the first lady come together to promote childhood healthy eating and the importance of access to fresh, good-for-you foods.

Kid-Friendly Garden

Farmer Lee was sure to keep the plant beds to a reasonably small size, so that little arms can reach the center plants without stepping into the soil.

The Big Reveal

Michelle Obama joins Brenda Chamberlain as she sees the made-over space for the first time and tells of the potential such a renovation affords the organization: "With the help of our amazing volunteers and donors, the new space will soon allow us to serve many more children."

Family-Style Dining

Providing tables and many seats was of the utmost importance. Before the renovation, children had to eat their meals outside no matter the weather because of inadequate space. With the collapsible tables and hang-able chairs that Robert's team brought in, the expanded space can easily transform to meet the needs of various programs outside of meal times.

Style and Purpose

Robert was sure to construct an expansive kitchen to give Horton's Kids the resources to lead cooking classes with ease.

Eager Excitement

The children of Horton's Kids can't wait to explore their new space — and, of course, they're thrilled to meet the first lady.

Nutritious and Delicious

For their first meal in the new Horton's Kids, the kids and Mrs. Obama enjoy a healthy menu prepared by Robert. It included homemade pasta sauce with carrots, tomatoes and garlic, lean chicken and cauliflower-laced mashed potatoes.

Mission Accomplished

Horton's Kids and the first lady agree: Robert and his team deserve a "humongous A+" for their hard work that led to the incredible transformation.

More from:

Restaurant: Impossible

Next Up

Behind the Scenes of Dinner: Impossible 15 Photos

Behind the Scenes of Holiday: Impossible 14 Photos

Top 20 Most-Memorable Restaurant: Impossible Missions 21 Photos

Robert Irvine's Most-Impressive Restaurant: Impossible Renovations 10 Photos

Unforgettable Moments in Construction on Restaurant: Impossible 11 Photos

Restaurant: Impossible's Best Before-and-After Bar Transformations 17 Photos

Restaurant: Impossible's Best Before-and-After Diner Transformations 21 Photos

The Best Before-and-After Reveals from Restaurant: Impossible 17 Photos

Before-and-After Highlights of Robert Irvine's Restaurant: Impossible Ambushes 33 Photos

A Look Back at Robert Irvine's Restaurant: Impossible Missions with a Cause 16 Photos

We Recommend

Mouthwatering Grilled Main Dishes 85 Photos

Healthy Dinners in 40 Minutes or Less 104 Photos

Our Favorite Memorial Day Dessert Recipes 24 Photos

Our Best Grilled Chicken Recipes 65 Photos

Our Best Cauliflower Recipes 21 Photos

Our 50 Most-Popular Healthy Recipes 50 Photos