Undercover Chef
Restaurateur and accomplished chef Mark Estee lends his expertise to restaurants on the brink of failure by going undercover to see what is really happening behind the scenes. Mark meets with down-on-their-luck owners to find out what they think is going wrong -- but what they don't know is that Mark and his team have installed hidden cameras and listening devices throughout the restaurant, and the undercover mission is already underway. Mark poses as a customer and a member of the kitchen staff to become a trusted insider and discover if the owner's suspicions are warranted, or if there is more than meets the eye. When he reveals his findings to the owner and staff, secrets and tensions reach their boiling point.
About The Show
Restaurateur and accomplished chef Mark Estee lends his expertise to restaurants on the brink of failure by going undercover to see what is really happening behind the scenes. Mark meets with down-on-their-luck owners to find out what they think is going wrong -- but what they don't know is that Mark and his team have installed hidden cameras and listening devices throughout the restaurant, and the undercover mission is already underway. Mark poses as a customer and a member of the kitchen staff to become a trusted insider and discover if the owner's suspicions are warranted, or if there is more than meets the eye. When he reveals his findings to the owner and staff, secrets and tensions reach their boiling point.
Episodes
S1 | E1
Getting Naughty at NautiFish
Executive chef and restaurateur Mark Estee knows that when a restaurant is in decline, there is often more to the issue than meets the eye. Mark heads to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri to meet with Rob Shields, the owner of NautiFish, a lakeside restaurant that is struggling to stay afloat. Mark sets up hidden cameras throughout the restaurant and goes undercover to reveal the shockingly naughty truth behind this restaurant's failure to thrive.
S1 | E2
Baked in Drama
After suffering through Hurricane Michael, Fatty Patty's, a once-popular bakery and breakfast joint in Panama City Beach, Fla., is on the brink of shuttering its doors for good. When Chef Mark Estee goes undercover to identify the source of the problem, he discovers that while the building has rebuilt, the quality of food has deteriorated, and the relationship between the owner, Renee Schaarschmidt, and her staff is in shambles. When simmering resentment boils over into a tear-filled confrontation, Mark must step in to prevent a tidal wave of emotions from threatening the restaurant's revival.
S1 | E3
Unlucky Charm
Chef Mark Estee travels to Pensacola, Fla., to help Patti and Warren Sonnen, the mother and son team behind O'Riley's, an Irish pub that is down on its luck after converting to a restaurant. While undercover, Mark finds a power struggle playing out behind the scenes and a staff on the brink of rebellion. With emotions high and livelihoods on the line, Mark steps in and hopes that someone will step up.
S1 | E4
Tension at the Tavern
Chef Mark Estee visits Saw Mill Tavern in Ardsley, N.Y., after a conflict between the owner, Charlie Amchir, and his head chef puts the future of the restaurant in jeopardy. Their volatile relationship negatively impacts the staff, as well as the food being served to customers. Then, just when it seems like Mark is making progress, he makes a shocking discovery that forces him to shut down the restaurant and consider aborting the mission entirely.