Review – Restaurant: Impossible
I know what everyone thought when they first heard that Food Network was spinning off Dinner: Impossible with a new show called Restaurant: Impossible. I thought the same thing, “Oh, they’re ripping of Kitchen Nightmares.”
Think about it, an intimidating English chef goes into struggling restaurants in an attempt to turn them around. That’s Kitchen Nightmares – the Fox reality show starring super chef Gordon Ramsay. It’s also the tag-line for Restaurant: Impossible. The only real difference I have seen between the two is that Restaurant: Impossible host Robert Irvine has a support team to help him out and a noticeable lack of bleeps.
I don’t have a problem with Ramsay or any other chef dropping any words they want in the heat of a rush. Goodness knows I do it. I do have a problem with Fox telling Ramsay to do it just for shock value. That’s bush league. That’s why I have always preferred Ramsay’s BBC shows to his American ones.
Well there is no issue with that from Robert Irvine. He brings the same intensity and passion to the task as Ramsay but without all of the pretend anger. The formula for Restaurant: Impossible is simple – Robert takes a look at the operation and fixes it. These fixes include retooling menus, retraining or releasing employees and overhauling the decor. In the end Irvine has given the owners the best possible chance to succeed.
My opinion: I like it. I like it a lot. My only complaint is that I can’t remember when it comes on so I end up stumbling on it half way through each time. That’s not Food Network’s fault; it’s mine. So I think I’ll make myself a reminder. . .
Don’t forget!
Restaurant: Impossible
Wednesdays at 10pm/9c on Food Network.
“Worst Cooks in America” Shake-up
When I first saw that Dinner Impossible star Robert Irvine was replacing Beau MacMillan as Anne Burrell’s foil on Worst Cooks in America I thought it was just a chemistry thing. But it appears MacMillan’s departure was predicated on some legal issues he is having in Arizona. Check this out from Scottsdale Arizona News:
According to police documents, Food Network star Beau James MacMillan, 38, of Scottsdale, was arrested Sunday afternoon on a warrant for failure to appear, a misdemeanor.
The report says MacMillan was stopped by Scottsdale PD on 21900 North Pima Rd. at 12:55 p.m. on February 7 for fail to stop correctly at the traffic signal while turning southbound on to Pima Rd. from Pinnacle Peak Rd.
The report says police checked the license status of MacMillan which returned “Restricted – to and from work only” out of Arizona. Beau MacMillan told the officer that he was on his way to work at the Sanctuary Resort. The officer performed a wants and warrant check for MacMillan and he had a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest for failing to appear in the Scottsdale City Court.