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NARRATOR: Tonight on "Mystery Diners,"
Pascal Berthoumieux, owner of Bistro Bordeaux
in Evanston, Illinois,
is concerned about his executive chef, Mark.
PASCAL: Recently, I've been hearing a few complaints,
and the food's been sent back.
There's been some anger-management problems.
You know, I need help.
Is Mark responsible for negative reviews?
CHARLES: So, does it taste like vinegar?
It really does.
NARRATOR: Or is someone else to blame?
Look at that.
[Bleep]
The Mystery Diners are making a reservation
in order to show Pascal what's really going on.
I'm furious right now.
Owning a restaurant isn't easy.
You can have great food, atmosphere, and customers,
but reckless employees...
You're being a jerk, man.
...can ruin everything.
That's where the Mystery Diners come in.
Charles Stiles has helped thousands of restaurants
find their problems and remove them.
He sends in his team of undercover operatives...
I'm Chris. I'm the new supply guy.
...to show restaurant owners
what really happens when they're not around.
MAN: You were stealing from me.
I want to go over there right now! I want to go over there right now!
This is my business!
That food is my life!
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
My name is Pascal Berthoumieux.
I'm the owner of Bistro Bordeaux
here in Evanston, just outside of Chicago, Illinois.
The bistro model is very much rooted in classic French fares.
When you walk in my restaurant,
I want you to feel like you just walked off the Champs-Elysées.
Some of the dishes you have to try are the bouillabaisse,
the escargot, the foie gras,
a duck confit leg with a pan-seared magret of breast.
Our charcuterie plates,
it's a combination of pâtés and cured meats.
It's all made in-house,
and I think that's what makes us very special.
And as successful as my restaurant has been,
I have to tell you,
I'm having some issues with my new executive chef.
He's a world-class chef,
but recently, I've been hearing a few complaints.
There's been some anger-management problems,
and the food's being sent back.
You know, when you see a pattern,
you always want to address it.
We have very high standards.
We're on top of the world today,
and I want to make sure it stays that way.
When you're on top,
you have to really take action if something is not right.
And I feel like, you know, that needs to be addressed.
CHARLES: Hey, Pascal!
PASCAL: Charles?
Yes, Charles Stiles, Mystery Diners.
Bienvenue.
This is Nicole.
Bon jour.
[ Speaking French ]
What part of France are you from?
I'm from the Southwest of France,
from the border region, right by the Atlantic coast.
From the shores of France to the shores of Lake Michigan.
Absolutely.
So, tell me a little bit about your restaurant.
Business has been great.
Very well-established in this part of town.
So far, so good, you know?
So, Pascal, it sounds like
you got a really successful restaurant.
Why'd you call my company?
I recently hired a new executive chef.
His name is Chef Mark. He's a world-class chef.
He's been doing an amazing so far,
but there is an inconsistency.
Too many dishes coming back in the kitchen,
and the feedback that I get from customers, complain,
and on top of that, we're hearing rumors
that he might be having some anger-management issue,
might be losing his temper.
Maybe those anger issues are related to the dishes
being sent back to the kitchen.
But at any rate, the executive chef
is the most important factor in any upscale restaurant.
They can make or break your reputation
and affect your longevity.
That's why I need you to help me.
Have you talked to your executive chef?
I've tried to talk to him, and it's hard for me
to pinpoint exactly where the problem comes from.
Something needs to be done, and I need help.
NARRATOR: For this sting,
"Mystery Diners" will be focusing on Mark,
a new executive chef who has been performing inconsistently.
One of the things I'd like to do is send in
an uncover Mystery Diner
a few days in advance as, like, a waiter.
And that way, they can kind of find out what's really going on
in the kitchen,
as well as what's going on in the front of your house.
Since I'm a connoisseur of French cuisine,
I'd like to come in and pose as a food critic.
This way, I can evaluate the service and taste the food,
and if there are any inconsistencies,
I can actually report back to you and Charles.
One of the other things we'll do
is we'll set up a control room somewhere nearby
where we can actually sit back and watch
everything that's going on inside your restaurant.
And that way, if something's taking place,
we'll see it, and we'll hear it.
That sounds great.
NARRATOR: To carry out the sting,
cameras have been hidden at key locations
throughout Bistro Bordeaux.
Cameras one, two, three, and four have been set up
in the main dining room to give an overall perspective
of the restaurant and its customers.
Cameras five, six, and seven have been set up in the kitchen.
Camera eight has been set up by the expediting station.
Camera nine has been set up in the dishwashing area.
And camera 10 has been set up in the parking lot
to track any action that happens outside.
Mystery Diner Nicole
will be going undercover as a food critic,
and Jay will pose as a waiter-in-training.
What do you think of the control room?
That's some serious set-up.
Basically, every area of your restaurant is covered.
You can tell, we got your bar area,
your dining areas, all your kitchen areas.
That's some real espionage. Quite an experience.
That looks like your chef, Mark,
right there in the white jacket?
Yes, that's right, Mark.
The guy can cook, at the same time, you know,
there's still something that just doesn't click here.
Like I mentioned during our consultation, Pascal,
we have our undercover Mystery Diner, Jay,
that came to work a few days ago as a waiter.
He's actually been doing a great job
for what I've heard so far.
If he's out of a job,
maybe I can give him a chance, actually.
Since Pascal's having some issues
with his executive chef, Mark,
I was sent in as a waiter a few days ago
to see if I can help uncover what's going on.
So far, not much to report.
Who's this gentleman back here in the black?
Brian, our sous-chef.
He's really here to support the executive chef.
He's good at it, another great element in the kitchen.
Your chef, Mark, seems a little bit impatient.
Mark is very demanding, and I think Brian responds well.
So, it sounds like they've got a good relationship.
I would say so.
Okay, Pascal, since you're concerned about Chef Mark
and his anger issues,
why don't we send in our Mystery Diner, Jay,
and see what his attitude's like?
Okay, let's see.
Hey, Jay, I want you to go back there in the kitchen
and strike up a conversation with Mark, the executive chef,
and just see how he reacts to you.
Hey, chef, I just wanted to say hi.
I've heard great things.
I'm so excited to be -- to be here.
I'm Jay. I'm Jay.
I'm a new waiter, so --
Uh, do you have to study differently to be a French chef?
And that is not the way you build a team.
He knows that.
Looks like Mark really has a short fuse.
It's not what a kitchen should be,
and it's not what a family is about.
So, I'm not pleased to see that at all.
To me, that seems really suspicious.
I'm furious right now.
Look at that!
[Bleep]
NARRATOR: Pascal Berthoumieux,
owner of Bistro Bordeaux in Evanston, Illinois,
is concerned about his executive chef, Mark.
Too many dishes coming back in the kitchen.
Charles has set up a control room next to Bistro Bordeaux
where Pascal can watch what happens in his restaurant
with our hidden cameras.
Quite an experience.
Mystery Diner Jay is posing as a waiter-in-training,
and Nicole will go undercover as a food critic.
And after starting the sting,
Pascal watches as executive chef Mark loses control of his anger.
It's not what a kitchen should be,
and it's not what a family is about.
CHARLES: You know, a waiter asking questions,
that can be annoying, but I have to believe
something bigger's going on back there in the kitchen
to make Chef Mark blow up like that.
There's a lot of facet to being a great chef.
And it's not just, you know, cooking the food.
It's also managing others, and it's mentoring others.
This is the opposite of that.
Well, it sounds to me like Brian's got an issue with Mark.
Yeah, absolutely.
Your chef's out there greeting the customers.
Is that what you expect out of him?
Absolutely. We are known to be very friendly.
To have a chef go in the dining room and greet customers,
I feel it's a plus,
and that you don't see in too many restaurants,
so, I give him credit for that.
Well, your chef's out there greeting your customers.
I think now might be a good time.
We'll send Jay back into the kitchen,
have him talk to Brian
and see how Brian feels about your chef.
All right, let's try that, too.
Jay, I want you to head back to the kitchen
and talk to the sous-chef, Brian.
Hey, man, I'm Jay.
Look, I know I'm not supposed to be back here.
Oh, you mean chef?
Is he always in a bad mood?
How come?
Really?
You know, I got to tell you, Pascal.
I'm really kind of surprised to see how Brian
is being so critical of Mark behind his back.
He's undermining your chef.
There's something very unhealthy
about the way Brian is acting right now.
Jay, I want you to ask Brian why he's not the chef.
You look like you got it under control.
Why don't you take over?
You think so?
Wow.
Thanks, I appreciate that.
That's a two-faced conversation.
That's poison for the kitchen.
Quite frankly, Charles, I think Brian is being a [bleep]
Here comes Chef Mark.
Let's see how Brian treats him to his face.
I feel like it's two different persons.
I'm shocked.
I mean, clearly, he's got some issues.
From what we've seen, we should really be keeping an eye
on your sous-chef, Brian, as well.
All right, excellent.
Is that dish supposed to be fishy?
No.
Croque madame is just like a nice, French name
for, like, a ham and cheese sandwich.
It's pretty hard to screw that up.
To me, that seems really suspicious
he would say it tasted like that.
You got your customers, like you said,
sending their food orders back.
It's not pretty when the food comes back.
I am just speechless just to witness this on camera.
I can't even imagine what the chef is thinking right now.
You know, he did the right thing to get out of the kitchen.
Either he should be ashamed of himself,
or something is really wrong.
You're sitting here, back here watching the sous-chef, Brian,
calling the chef out.
I mean, he's basically making Mark look like a fool.
I know you told me before
there was a lot of mistakes and a lot of hostility.
I'm starting to wonder
if maybe some of that hostility's coming from Brian.
It's obvious that there's definitely something
very dysfunctional the way they interact, both of them.
He's trying to keep the kitchen staff on his side.
He's clearly got an agenda.
He's trying to get your staff against your chef.
I just -- I can't even believe that this is happening,
you know, in my restaurant.
Where is he going?
Now there's no one supervising the kitchen.
Unbelievable!
While your real chef is outside, upset, cooling down,
your sous-chef is going out there,
posing as your executive chef.
I can't believe this [bleep]
We call that in French an imposter.
Does vinegar go into bouillabaisse?
It doesn't. I'd like to see what he's gonna do with it.
Be careful tasting that bouillabaisse.
I've seen enough of this [bleep]
NARRATOR: With the help of hidden cameras
and undercover Mystery Diners,
Pascal Berthoumieux, owner of Bistro Bordeaux,
has learned that Executive Chef Mark
is verbally abusive to his staff.
But he has also learned that sous-chef Brian
is bad-mouthing Mark to the entire kitchen staff...
He's trying to get your staff against your chef.
I can't believe this [bleep]
...and introducing himself to guests as the head chef.
What's going on in this place?
A good sous-chef is someone that wants to act like a chef,
but that doesn't mean, you know,
you want to walk around the dining room
and pretend you are the executive chef.
You have to earn it. You have to work hard.
This is not how you get to it.
You know, Pascal, it's obvious that Brian is very two-faced.
What I'd like you to do is call Chef Mark
and let him know that you caught wind
that a food critic's
gonna be coming into your restaurant tonight,
and we'll find out
if Brian will work with the chef as a team member,
or if he'll do something to compromise the meal.
Let's try that.
[ Cellphone rings ]
Listen, there's a food critic coming in tonight.
She's an attractive female
coming in alone in her early 30s.
Thank you.
All right, Nicole. Go ahead and come on in.
NICOLE: Since Pascal's concerned that there are some serious issues,
for this sting, I'll be going undercover as a food critic.
This way, I'll be able to see how Brian and Mark work together
when the pressure is really on them.
All right, it looks like your hostess is spreading the word
about the food critic arriving.
I think this is, like, a defined moment here.
What's really good here? I like seafood.
You know what? I think I'm gonna go ahead
and take your recommendation on that.
Great, thank you.
Okay, it looks like Chef Mark is preparing Nicole's dish.
CHARLES: What was that that he just pulled off the shelf?
Vinegar.
Does vinegar go into bouillabaisse?
It doesn't. I'd like to see what he's gonna do with it.
Look at that!
[Bleep] Oh, my God.
He just poured the vinegar in the bouillabaisse.
He did, yes, he did.
This is obviously for a food critic
that is our Mystery Diner.
He doesn't know that,
and Brian's probably the reason why
that sandwich tasted fishy.
Order up!
NICOLE: Thank you.
Oh, my God.
So, does it taste like vinegar?
It really does.
Flag down a waiter and send your order back.
It tastes vinegary.
Now where's Brian going?
Brian!
Are you the executive chef?
Well, it's obvious what's going on now.
Brian is deliberately sabotaging Mark so you'll fire him,
and he can step into the executive-chef position.
I'm about to lose it.
Brian!
He sabotaged that meal!
Charles, this guy is sick. He's twisted.
Unbelievable! It's a nightmare.
I need to get rid of this guy ASAP.
Okay, go down there and bring them both back up here.
I've seen enough of this [bleep]
PASCAL: The fact that Brian would, like, sabotage a dish
for a food critic is, to me, insane.
He violated my trust, and I can't forgive him for that.
Chef! Brian! Brian, please, follow me.
Please, right now. Both of you, come on, let's go.
[Bleep]
What's going on? What is all this?
Did you get a new security system?
I tried to add something to it
to make it somewhat flavorful.
I wouldn't even let you cook food for my dog.
NARRATOR: After conducting an undercover sting operation
at Bistro Bordeaux in Evanston, Illinois,
the Mystery Diners have revealed that sous-chef Brian
is bad-mouthing Executive Chef Mark to the kitchen staff...
I'm furious right now.
...introducing himself to guests as the head chef.
We call that in French an imposter.
And worst of all, sabotaging Chef Mark
and serving tainted food
to a Mystery Diner posing as a food critic.
[Bleep]
What's going on? What is all this?
Did you get a new security system?
Really? A new security system?
CHARLES: Let me tell you what's going on.
My name's Charles Stiles.
I'm with a company called Mystery Diners.
So, does that ring a bell to you?
Yes, it does, actually.
The chef is having a lot of problems,
and I'm glad that this is coming out in the light.
Are you nuts? What the hell's wrong with you?
Am I nuts?
Chef, I can't protect you any longer.
You're [bleep] delusional!
No, this is [bleep]
Let me tell you something, Initially, Pascal
was really concerned with you, Mark,
because you got some anger issues.
What we found tonight is not what he was expecting to find.
The real problem I saw tonight was you.
That's right.
Pascal, please listen to me.
I go above and beyond everything we need to do
to make sure that the back of the house --
You are full of [bleep]
Let me tell you what's been going on.
You've been bad-mouthing him every time he turns his back,
to all of the staff,
and then on top of that, you're sabotaging his meals.
Take a look at this board over here.
You recognize Jay? You recognize Nicole?
They both work for me.
Nicole was the food critic
that you sabotaged her food by pouring vinegar on it.
You've got a twisted agenda.
It didn't taste right.
I tried to add something to it
to make it somewhat flavorful,
and I couldn't do anything with it.
I watched you put ingredients in food that didn't belong.
I wouldn't even let you cook food for my dog.
Brian, do you know what would have happened
if Nicole would have been a real food critic?
You think you're gonna just, like, you know,
make your dreams come true by sabotaging the food?
You're out of your [bleep] mind.
You need to go. You're fired.
That's [bleep]
BRIAN: I can't believe what just happened.
I deserve to be his executive chef.
The time I invested in this company,
absolutely ended up with nothing, absolutely nothing.
I'm sorry, you know, about all of this.
Oh, Pascal.
It's been a tough night for you,
but you need to work on your anger management, okay?
Thank you. I'm gonna get back to work now.
That's okay, chef. Thank you.
Pascal, I know it was hard to watch all that,
but at the end of the day, you've got that issue taken care of.
And from what I saw, you've got a really good team.
I'm so grateful, you know, Charles came in
and helped me with this issue.
I mean, I found out that, actually, I had a great chef,
and I got to got rid of a problem in my restaurant.
NARRATOR: Since being fired,
Brian has yet to be rehired as a sous-chef.
Without anyone sabotaging his food,
Chef Mark is no longer having anger issues at work,
and Pascal is happy to report that he's once again
receiving positive reviews at Bistro Bordeaux.