Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
No.
I'm not fixing that.
Fix it!
Next on "Restaurant Impossible,"
I'm at Mill Creek Bar-B-Q,
where a fractured family...
I should be getting treated a little bit better.
She doesn't do anything for her own daughter.
IRVINE: ...And an overwhelming debt...
I've borrowed over $40,000 from a friend,
over $26,000 in back taxes.
...Have got the owner completely distraught.
I can't even figure out
how to make my brain function properly when I'm here.
IRVINE: I've got to build him back up...
I believe in you. You've got to believe in you.
...Before his restaurant comes crashing down.
NARRATOR: Chef Robert Irvine has two days and $10,000
to do the impossible.
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
It's day 1 of my mission in Redlands, California
to help Lisette and Steve Brown
save their restaurant, Mill Creek Bar-B-Q and Burgers.
My husband, Steve, and I
opened up Mill Creek Bar-B-Q and Burgers about five years ago.
I grew up in the restaurant business.
My parents had a restaurant before I was ever even born.
I have absolutely zero restaurant experience.
I came from a plastics background.
This Mill Creek was supposed to be a sandwich version
of Lisette's dad's restaurant.
We looked at that and thought, "Wow, you know what?
"We can go open up
and do probably the same, if not better."
When we first opened, we did great.
We thought, "Wow, this is gonna go really good.
It's gonna be successful."
After the first year,
it just started getting
slower and slower and slower.
I don't really know where the people went.
IRVINE: The stress of a failing restaurant
is taking a toll on Lisette and Steve's family.
I have a 21-year-old daughter who also works side by side
with Steve and I here at the restaurant.
We have had a really tough relationship.
Um...
[ Voice breaking ] It's just --
It's really hard because I love her,
I love her to death, but we fight, fight.
I don't know what to do
because it's my wife's daughter, and Brooke does a great job.
Probably the most emotional that I get
is when I think about my kids.
How am I going to pay the bills?
I mean, this has to work.
There is no backup plan after this.
This is it.
So, we're hoping for a miracle.
Lisette and Steve have dug themself into a deep hole.
Some way, somehow,
I have to figure out how to dig them out of it.
This is a very different style restaurant.
Normally, when I walk in, it's a seated service.
Here, there's a corral-type thing
that sends people to the menu board.
They go up. They order their food.
They get their own beverages.
And they sit down and wait for food.
There's so much writing both here and on the front,
so I would be confused walking in
trying to figure out, what am I going to eat?
It's a square box that could be anywhere, any place.
Why are they failing?
I don't know, but I'm going to find out.
I'm going to ask Lisette and Steve what's going on.
Good morning.
We're good.
So, how old is the restaurant,
BOTH: Five years.
Experience in restaurants?
Well, I have five years, but I had none when we started.
Five years now.
I actually have experience working for my dad.
When you say experience, what does that mean, exactly?
Okay.
And I eventually managed his other restaurant.
Do you understand financials?
I did not do any of the financials over there, no.
Okay, so why did you buy a restaurant?
Well, because my dad was successful.
We thought, you know, we can take his recipes,
his name, and make it a smaller, much smaller venture.
How much money, five years ago,
did you put into this business to build it?
We ended up getting two different loans
for about $350,000.
We owe probably over $150,000-$200,000 still, on our loans.
We have a little bit paid down, but I've borrowed money.
I've borrowed over $40,000 from a friend.
$25,000 on credit cards.
We owe $25,000 to his parents, credit cards,
plus we borrowed money from his grandmother's 401(k),
How much is that?
Another $10,000 on that.
We owe over $26,000 in back taxes.
Every day, I think about it.
How did I get to where we got to?
And I just -- I start to panic like it's --
today's the last day and I, you know, what are we going to do?
Right.
So, you said you had a daughter.
He has three kids. I have one.
And then, since we've been married,
we have a 2-year-old daughter together.
I have a 21-year-old who works here with us.
Brooke.
Brooke. What does Brooke do?
She does the front counter.
She does my scheduling here for me and takes orders.
We've had a very rocky relationship.
Our personalities, they are -- they just clash.
Yeah.
Yep.
Do the guests hear? Do anybody else hear?
Yeah.
Obviously, you're upset. I get it.
We got to fix it.
I'm going to do a service.
I want you to, uh,
go and get yourself ready, give you five minutes.
I'm gonna bring in some people that have been here before,
some people that haven't been here before,
get some idea of the food.
Then I'm going to try the food.
I think the menu board is a little heavy on items.
The menu board is a little too much.
It's really busy. There's a lot going on when you first walk in.
There's stuff all over the walls.
There are big fans, and it's really busy.
What can I get for you today?
Taters.
STEVE: Oh, my God. We do not have enough slider buns.
Hey, can you bring some, uh, sandwich rolls, too?
I forgot to make bread, which is,
you know, that's one of the things that we're known for
in terms of our barbecue is our bread.
And, of course, I forgot to bring in a cook early.
So, um, yeah, I'm stuck.
So, I called my father-in-law.
This is typical. This is just me.
Because, like, I can't even figure out
how to make my brain function properly when I'm here
because it's just so overwhelming when you come here.
74, Judy.
Brewster Burger.
I had the double-stacked hamburger, plain,
just with their, uh, house-made thousand-island dressing.
The dressing, I can't really taste too much of it.
And it's kind of overdone a little bit, the burger.
It's kind of dry.
WOMAN: This is the Cowboy Breakfast.
I actually had to send it back because it was cold.
The original plate had tater tots on it that were really bad.
And this time, they delivered hash browns,
but they're really greasy.
And the the pancakes aren't bad, but they're really doughy.
It's really nasty.
Can you just hand me that?
IRVINE: What's her problem?
I don't have any clue what's wrong with her right now.
Brooke. What's the matter with your face?
Yeah.
What are you -- what are you upset about?
Nothing. I'm just working, busy.
Yeah.
Okay.
Smile? All right.
What's going on between you and your mum?
You argue a lot?
Why?
Um, I don't know.
She thinks I'm loud and obnoxious,
and I think the same about her.
So, when we work together, we clash a lot.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
If you don't want to work here, don't work here.
You either treat her with respect
and you treat her with respect, or don't work together.
Might help you a little bit.
I don't want to hug you.
LISETTE: Did you see that?
IRVINE: Wow.
[ Sniffles ]
[ Cries ]
I know I've done things wrong.
Then right them.
You're telling me you can't do it?
I'm saying right now, we can't do it.
There's no such thing as "can't."
Now do it.
IRVINE: I'm at Mill Creek Bar-B-Q in Redlands, California,
where there's more than just a restaurant that needs fixing.
I don't want to hug you.
LISETTE: Did you see that?
IRVINE: Wow.
[ Sniffles ]
[ Cries ]
IRVINE: So, what's going on?
I don't know. It just, it made me sad.
Come here.
Get in there, both of you.
I wasn't expecting her to cry, because she never cries.
All right, what's going on? What's going on?
I try to protect her feelings, no matter what.
When she yells at me and stuff,
I brush it off and just walk the other way.
BROOKE: I just feel like I work here.
I don't ever get paid on time,
like, where I know she doesn't have the money,
so I don't beg for the money all the time.
I feel like it's a favor to her.
I should be getting treated
a little bit better than what I am.
So, why are you disrespecting your daughter?
If she's taking an order
and I ask her,
do something or don't do it like that or whatever,
then she'll yell at me in front of the customers,
saying, "This is the way I'm gonna do it."
IRVINE: The problems at Mill Creek
may be much deeper than even I can fix.
Okay.
She'll drop everything for Steve or whatever he wants,
but won't do anything for her own daughter.
You get more love from your dad than you do your mom?
Oh, yeah. I -- I mean...
I have done so many things wrong.
And I know I've done things wrong.
Well, then right them.
Listen. You need to fix this.
Because if this is fixed, this will work.
If you don't fix this, just throw your keys down,
get the tax man to come and take it,
because it's not going to work. That's it.
Can I have a hug now?
[ Laughs ]
LISETTE: I am completely overwhelmed right now.
I've got this restaurant that I'm here 24/7
trying to keep it afloat.
I've got a relationship with Brooke that I need to repair.
And I'm just pulled in so many different directions,
I don't know which way to go.
And right now, it just seems really bleak.
It just seems there's no way out right now.
IRVINE: Well, obviously, there is a lot going on
in this restaurant, to say the least.
But now, I'm going to order some food.
You're gonna be number 83,
and we'll be right out with your order.
[ Laughing ] I know.
Here we go, half a chicken and the triple treat platter.
I'll be right out with the rest.
You're welcome.
So, half a chicken, barbecue sauce.
Looks like it's separated.
Ah.
Just takes like,
um, burned brown sugar, this barbecue sauce.
Here's the rest.
Thank you. Chicken wings.
IRVINE: No seasoning.
The barbecue sauce, again.
And if you're going to put barbecue sauce on wings,
it better be the best barbecue sauce on the planet.
This is the triple, uh, something platter.
This is tough.
No taste. Tastes like it's been sitting in water.
The beans, oh, sorry, that's the chili.
[ Laughs ]
That's in some dire need of Robert Irvine help.
And this double baked potato, which is stone-cold,
it tastes like it was cooked a year ago.
Right here is why this restaurant is failing.
Cali Burger.
IRVINE: You know, the sad part about this is,
this burger is the best thing they've got.
The burger's seasoned nicely. It's cooked nicely.
The bread's good.
Avocado, the dressing's good.
I would come for that burger.
The rest, [scoffs] throw it away.
I'm done.
Steve!
IRVINE: Grab a chair.
You want to know why you're failing, right?
Yes.
This.
Burger was acceptable.
Good seasoning, the bread's good.
But if I wanted a hamburger,
Right.
This is supposed to be a barbecue place.
The barbecue sauce tastes burnt.
The chicken is dry.
Yes.
I thought it was beans to start with.
There's more beans than anything else.
The double-baked potato -- cold and no flavor.
So, as a barbecue joint, on a scale of 1 to 10,
in my opinion, you're a -5.
As a burger joint, you might get 3.
You said you were cooking, right?
Yep. I cook it. I smoke it.
Yep.
Nope.
You worked in a plastic company?
It shows.
Yes.
Well, that's good to know.
I, honestly --
People must just not tell us the truth.
[ Sighing ]
That's how I feel.
STEVE: He said, "Look at the table."
And I thought he was gonna at least say,
"This is pretty good, and that's all right."
But that was an across the board we suck, so -- well, I suck.
I'm trying to think
of how to make that crap into something great.
And this is good.
I make the bread here.
This is actually from my father-in-law today
because I forgot to have one of my cooks
Okay.
IRVINE: If Steve can't remember to bring in his cook,
how can he possibly manage a successful restaurant?
All right, you know what I need from you?
I need you to get excited.
I need some passion
because right now your head is in the gutter,
and you're like, "Oh, I'm failing, I'm failing,"
and I don't need that. I know you're failing.
Right.
I need some positivity.
Forget what I just said about the food.
It's true. Sorry, it sucks. I'll fix the food.
But I need the energy from you because that's what I thrive on.
All right? And that's what the people see.
I've got to figure it out, and I don't know how to figure it out.
This is -- when I don't know anything, I eat bread.
I don't know why.
[ Laughs ]
I'm completely lost, actually,
because I wasn't expecting that.
[ Voice breaking ] So, it's a little hard
because I, you know,
I put a lot of time and effort into it,
so it's difficult...
...but we go on.
And that's why you guys are here,
and that's what I'm holding out hope for, that it works.
[ Crying ]
So, now, I'm going to meet Cheryl, a designer,
and see what we can do with this place
and turn it into something really special.
Good.
This is a little confusing.
This is supposed to be a barbecue restaurant.
What I do love...
Me, too.
That's probably the only thing I like.
So, don't touch it. So, that's gonna save us money.
[ Laughs ]
"Annie Get Your Gun" is gone.
We look at the menu.
There's not only the clutter as you walk around here.
I do not like the corral fence.
It means, like, we're herding people, and I hate that.
Then, I look at this.
Remove this menu and do something cool up here.
Now, here's the thing.
I want to put more seats in here,
but I'm sure there's some law that says,
"Hey, you need, uh, another door, another something,"
because each state by state is different.
All right.
Lisette, Steve, bring all your staff in here.
Let's empty this place out
and see if we can make a new restaurant.
Ready.
Empty it, let's go. Everything outside.
Tables, chairs, outside. Quick as we can.
Everything goes.
STEVE: This just is surreal.
I'm excited.
I know I'm not showing it,
but that's because I'm sick to my stomach still.
LISETTE: It's overwhelming, and I'm just really excited
and can't wait to get it done.
Every single picture frame is screwed to the wall,
which is great,
but once you get up to the 10-foot ceiling height,
it's gonna be an issue.
A lot.
A million.
So, the ceiling's so high in this place,
I had to rent a lift, because there's no way to get up there.
I mean, we're only halfway up on the tall ladders.
And we're renting this lift
in order to paint the ceiling, take everything down,
but even working on that lift's gonna take twice as long.
By the way, that cost me 300 bucks. Worth the money, though.
Head on out the door when you're ready.
All right. Thank you.
Looking forward to it.
I know. It's all over.
Love you. We're going to be fine.
Well, now the O.K. Corral has, uh, finally been emptied.
Now, it's time to get to work.
[ Drills whirring ]
Hey, guys. What are you talking about?
We're talking about adding more seats.
Here's the deal. I checked with the building department.
They're only allowed to have 49 seats in here with one exit,
so they actually had too many seats.
So, we're going to have to go down in seating
with that one exit.
We cannot go down. We need the seating.
I know.
No, it would be an empty restaurant.
But the problem is the exit,
so we have to get a full exit with an emergency device,
So?
So, how are you going to do that?
It's really simple.
Are you telling me you can't do it?
I'm saying right now, we can't do it.
Hold that.
Oh, God.
There's no such thing as "can't."
Now do it.
Now you're putting a door in.
We have no choice. Okay.
Now that the window's broken,
the only way to get a new door in here is take out this mullion
and make a new door
that's going to have a new transom and a new side light.
And it's all gonna take a lot of time.
So, right now, this is priority number-one for me.
IRVINE: I've made a breakthrough in the restaurant.
Now, I'm hoping for one
in Lisette and Brooke's relationship.
When I arrived here, obviously some tensions.
So, what are your plans to fix,
over a period of time, obviously, what are your plans?
I would say probably just talk about more
instead of just holding it all in.
Let her know how I'm feeling when I'm feeling it,
so it doesn't just, like, overflow and, you know.
And better expressing feelings, rather than yelling at you,
trying to start calmly [Laughs] before it just gets worse.
It just makes be cry, 'cause I know
I haven't spent a lot of time with you.
If we can't stop in our busy day
and take time for each other --
I don't want to hear that excuse,
because you would make time if it was for Steve, right?
She feels that way.
And I'm taking that to heart. I hear it.
Just spend time with her, whatever.
Movies, mall, dinner.
Make time for each other. That's really important, okay?
Spend a little time and, uh, I appreciate your openness.
Thank you.
For sure.
[ Chuckles ]
IRVINE: After the chaotic service I witnessed this morning...
I saw you run around the kitchen like a headless chicken.
...I've asked the staff how the poor management
is affecting their performance.
I think it's just sometimes,
it's, like, so stressful in the back.
You go up to a customer,
and you're just, like, fed up with it,
and you don't give as good service as you could.
What is that stress?
Sometimes, it's, uh, Lisette.
Sometimes, it's just like
you're trying your hardest to do a good job.
And then, she comes in, and it's, like,
she's in a bad mood
and kind of don't feel, like, appreciated.
I'm sure.
Joseph?
Well, when I came here, they trained me one way.
I thought that was the one way it was gonna stick.
But then, when I work with the other people,
it's a totally different way of working.
And then, I'm stuck in the middle, like, "What do I do?"
It's confusing.
People will get angry, frustrated.
You're in a no-win situation.
I feel for you.
You're creating that.
IRVINE: Steve and Lisette need to give their staff
a clear-cut set of rules and guidelines
to improve the service at Mill Creek.
Has any of you read a booklet
called Standing Operating Procedure?
No.
Do you know what that means, standing operating procedure?
Do you know how long your hair should be,
your fingernails, your shoes?
IRVINE: Do you use your phone?
Of course they do. Why?
Because I'm lenient. I started in the very beginning.
Because you haven't made them accountable
Right. Mm-hmm.
They don't know, is it left, or is it right,
Right.
IRVINE: I believe that Steve and Lisette
can now see how their lack of leadership
is having a negative effect on their business
and can take steps to turn it around.
I'm gonna check in with my design team
and see what's happening in the restaurant.
So, we're going with urban country,
so it's gonna be cool, trendy,
but, again, we're gonna stay with a lot of the woods that they already have here.
Tom cut these pallets,
which we got for free -- very exciting --
and we're creating a banquette that goes all across the window.
We'll have the big harvest table in the middle.
And the idea is that we have 18-foot ceilings.
We want to take advantage of making sure
that everything in here is to the right scale.
Okay, and I notice that we are, uh,
painting that top piece black...
...which will make it a little bit cozier.
Wow, look at this. New door.
I must say, that looks amazing.
So, what was so difficult about this?
[ Laughs ]
The fact that you broke the window.
The thought of it was very difficult.
It's a door.
We can have more seats. This is the best solution.
I really appreciate it. Good job.
I'll see you later. Lots of work. Let's get on it.
Today has been absolutely exhausting.
The toughest part about today was seeing Steve cry.
It completely broke my heart.
I got my rear end kicked up one side and down the other.
And I just, I'm ready to go home, go to bed.
A lot went on today.
I mean, starting right off, Robert came in
and saw the interaction between Brooke and I,
and we both broke down and cried.
That was really tough.
I'm actually not even confident we're going to pull this off.
We're putting all our eggs in one basket
and praying and hoping for a miracle.
IRVINE: It's the end of a long and emotional day
at Mill Creek Bar-B-Q.
It was rough on Lisette and Steve
because I didn't sugar-coat anything
that they were doing wrong.
Now I'm gonna make a plan to make things right,
because tomorrow is their last chance to save this restaurant.
Well, it's day 2 of my mission,
and today's the day we make Mill Creek Bar-B-Q
one of the best restaurants in Redlands, California.
Yesterday, it was anything but.
There was a family fighting...
She'll drop everything for Steve,
but won't do anything for her own daughter.
IRVINE: ...Subpar food...
Right here is why this restaurant is failing.
...Cluttered decor...
"Annie Get your Gun" is gone.
...And a beaten-down owner.
I'm completely lost, actually.
IRVINE: I asked Steve to meet me early at the restaurant,
where I have a surprise for him
that I hope will help his business and boost his ego.
[ Laughs ] Not a lot.
Guess what? I told you, a little surprise.
This morning, we are going to a radio station.
I'm gonna talk about what we're doing with your restaurant
and see if we can't drum up some business.
JESSE: Classic hits, Kola 99.9.
Hey, good morning. It's 8:11 with Jesse and Irma.
We have a very special guest in the studio today.
Give it up for Chef Robert Irvine today.
Whoo!
And, uh, you've got Steve Brown from Mill Creek,
which is right down the street from the radio station.
IRMA: So, Steve, what makes you more nervous,
The chef.
Absolutely.
Uh, it's, uh, very difficult to,
uh, hear the stuff that I heard yesterday,
but I absolutely love the man, and, uh, I'm looking forward
to some knowledge and a better restaurant.
What exactly, Robert, is wrong with Mill Creek Bar-B-Q.
What's going on?
IRVINE: Well, you know, there's a few things.
There are some family dynamics.
Some of the food, uh, is not as good as it should be.
Real barbecue, I mean, good barbecue,
people drive from miles around to get to it.
And that's what we want to create here,
and that's what we're going to create here.
We want to help you as much as Chef Irvine is helping you.
We want to do our part, too, so we, maybe we can invite
some listeners to come out and taste the food?
I think it'd be great. Like, we get 100 listeners out.
No, 100's great.
You can sign some autographs.
[ Laughter ]
Yeah, you are gonna push the restaurant.
JESSE: This afternoon,
we're gonna give 100 listeners a chance to sample
the brand-new food at Mill Creek Bar-B-Q.
Check them out on the Food Network.
IRMA: Thank you, Chef Robert. Thank you, Steve Brown.
Thank you so much for being here today, Kola 99.9.
IRVINE: The radio station invited listeners
to sample food this afternoon.
That was great. I loved it.
I've got to get back to teach Steve
how to cook the new barbecue
and make sure Cheryl and Tom are making progress.
Morning, guys.
TOM: Hey, Robert.
It looks different. Overall concept?
Urban country.
So, we've got great sort of natural color palette
with a pop of green, the wood, the black and the white.
What's going on with this?
This is a cover that we made
to hide the electrical outlets...
...for these cord sets.
That's very cool. Where did you get the license plates from?
Well, those were on the corral.
They were everywhere.
We used every single license plate.
What's going on with this?
Well, we're actually gonna have four cord sets
coming from the existing wall sconce,
so it'll kind of be spread out in a line all across.
I'm not happy with that right now.
It's not finished.
We'll see what it looks like,
and, uh, we'll go from there.
We'll make it work. What else is going on?
We've been working on this mural that's gonna go wall-to-wall.
Fits from the base here all the way up to the top?
Up to the vent.
That's going to look really strange.
If we all agree it doesn't look good,
we could always still paint above it if I have to.
I still have the lift. We can do it.
All right, good, I like it. Lots to do.
All right. Thank you.
So, my strategy for fixing the Mill Creek Bar-B-Q
is really simple --
take what they already have, four or five items,
and enhance what they do with it.
Use some spices, sauces,
and the cooking techniques of brining and smoking.
I've asked Steve and his cook, Eddie, to join me.
Brisket, you already smoke brisket.
Right.
I'm gonna show you something a little different.
We're gonna release the oils in the spices.
Paprika, celery salts, garlic salts,
onion salts, coriander, star anise.
No, never.
No, of course you haven't.
Brown sugar,
white peppercorns, peppercorns,
Wow.
Fennel seeds, chili powder, cloves, curry powder.
And this is all for the rub.
Allspice. Fresh allspice.
What is that?
Allspice, wow.
I like to mix it all so that we get a rounded flavor.
And basically, all's we're doing is toasting,
letting the oils come out.
Smell the anise, the allspice.
See, it's starting to change color a little bit, you see?
When it gets to that point,
you got to stop, take it off.
Right, watch. Brisket, yum, right?
[ Whistles ]
When you rub whatever it is you're going to smoke,
you want to make sure that every piece of it gets covered,
because that's the flavor.
You do this today.
And then, tomorrow, you take it out of the smoker
so it sits for 8-12 hours, gives you a lot of flavor.
A little right, chicken wings.
Here's what we've done with this.
Last night, we made a brine --
vinegar, water, sugar.
Put our chicken wings in and left them over night.
What that does, absorbs the flavor of all that brine,
keep the chicken wings moist.
Into a pan. In the oven.
Now, we're gonna serve them with three different sauces,
a sweet chili, spicy; a peanut, crunchy and sweet;
or a teriyaki, a little salty.
So, chicken wings, nice and golden-brown.
Honey, okay.
Lemon juice.
And basically, just before we put them on the plate,
I'm just gonna glaze them a little bit.
Boop, boop.
Imagine that on the table with three of them sauces.
All right.
Ooh, ooh.
Oh.
Oh, my God. That has absolutely a ton of flavor.
That is outstanding.
I got to tell you, it makes me want to dance.
It does.
And remember, 3:00,
we are gonna see 100 people at that radio station.
They're gonna get a taste
of the new Mill Creek restaurant that nobody has ever had yet.
All right.
Yes, absolutely.
I can't hear you!
I'm so excited!
All right, yeah. See you later.
This morning, Robert came in
and was looking at the light feature.
But unfortunately, because there was only one cord up,
it didn't look amazing.
But I'm actually just starting to work it out.
We're doing every single light bulb at different heights.
We're going for a really designer look.
IRVINE: Well, not only have we got
some interesting things going on in the restaurant,
but I've done some digging,
looking through the P&L for this restaurant,
and have found some amazing information
that I want to share with Lisette and Steve.
Hello.
[ Laughs ]
The reason I brought you here is,
obviously, when we look at the restaurant overall,
we look at not only the food, the service, the cleanliness,
but I also would look at the costs which you incur to see,
are you handling product correctly?
Where are you buying it? Where is it going?
The systems in place for accounting for that.
Yesterday when I arrived, you told me the food cost was, what?
30 something, right?
Would it kind of shock you if I told you
that it is 67%?
Holy cow, yes.
I'm gonna show you something and put clarity to this.
So, I take one product, okay, your burgers.
Two months of purchases.
IRVINE: Steve bought enough beef to make 2,888 patties,
but they only sold 664.
Your revenue was $3,313.
With the amount of beef he purchased,
they should have made $11,000 more.
But you don't have any burgers left, right?
No.
The burgers are too big, and their prices are too low.
You just threw away...
That's a lot of money.
And now, it's time for Trivia Impossible.
The answer after the break.
IRVINE: The answer is...
You just threw away...
That's a lot of money.
Mm-hmm.
Our people.
But now it's gone up in smoke.
What are you feeling right now?
Because you look sad.
Oh, feeling pretty [bleep]
We can't go back on the past, okay?
I'm gonna give you solutions
to make sure it doesn't happen in the future.
I sort of had my head spun around just now.
I'm shocked to see the food-cost number.
Seeing that we had $11,000 in potential revenue
just on the burgers alone is crazy.
This is not rocket science.
Okay.
Go and grab a cup of coffee.
STEVE: All right.
LISETTE: The part that killed me is
Steve's just completely beating himself up.
I don't want him to be sad about it.
I want him to grow from it
and implement it, and we'll move on.
It seems overwhelming right now.
Yeah. I'm the problem of the whole deal,
and that's why it's hard to --
[Sighs]
[ Voice breaking ] You know, it's just hard
because I've let so many people down.
Listen, the mistakes, now you understand where they are.
You don't have what-ifs anymore,
because you're gonna know
exactly what to do in the future.
You've got to be there for the team.
All right.
You got to own the team. You own the team.
I'm ready to own the team.
I'm ready to take over,
and this thing's gonna run totally different.
We're following all this stuff.
I want you to do me a favor.
I want you to run to the truck and run back.
Yeah, run.
Faster?
Geez, I'm 45 years old.
When you get here, I want 10 push-ups.
I'll do them with you. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go.
10. Let's go.
One, two, three, come on.
[ Laughing ]
All right, get up.
The fire you have when you run
is what you need in a restaurant.
And that was silly, but I wanted to get you excited.
I want to get you like this.
You can do anything you want to do,
and believe me, I believe in you.
You're right.
Because if you believe in you, sky's the limit.
All right?
[ Laughs ]
One more hug, though.
Yeah.
Ain't going nowhere.
STEVE: You know, the man truly cares about us as people.
When you have Robert Irvine stand there and tell you,
"I have confidence in you,"
I mean, it puts a smile on my face.
Because of the ceiling-height issue, to save time,
we laminated the wall covering over plywood panels
and put them up as if they were artwork.
Now, it's a focal wall when you walk in the restaurant.
It looks great.
And we didn't have to work up here where it's hot.
That's not good.
There's a lot of head shaking going on.
I'm not happy.
With what?
That top piece. Don't like it. It needs to be painted.
And the lights, I don't like the lights.
They look unfinished.
Stop, stop, stop.
I don't like it.
No.
I want it painted, and I want the lights fixed.
It doesn't make sense. How are we going to paint it?
We're never going to finish this wall.
Gabe, how long is it gonna take you
to paint that top piece?
If I grab my guys, we can get done in five minutes.
No way.
Five minutes?
The man is telling me five minutes.
That's it. Get your guys. Start painting.
I told you I don't like it.
I've said my peace. Fix the lights.
I don't like them, either.
What don't you like about the lights?
It looks like it's unfinished.
It's not. It's supposed to look industrial.
Listen, I trust you as a designer, but I don't like it.
Paint that. Fix that.
Make it happen. End of story.
Thank you.
Fix it!
I'm in no rush. Great.
His requests are ridiculous.
At this point, we need to finish this restaurant.
And now, he's slowing us down.
He wants to open the restaurant late?
That's fine. That's not gonna be my fault.
And I like those lights. I'm not changing them.
I want it to look special. I want it to look modern.
But I want it to look finished.
Cheryl, Tom can cry, and they can be mad at me,
but, oh well, they'll get over it.
I'm not crying. I'm just -- I'm right.
IRVINE: While my team gets the design back on track,
I have to get our marketing trip underway.
STEVE: Done.
Now, listen,
100 people, some of which have been here, some of which haven't.
They're gonna get a chance to try this for the first time.
IRVINE: So, we're back to the radio station now.
Hopefully, we can bring back Mill Creek's old customers
and entice some new.
How are you?
We've got some food from Mill Creek Bar-B-Q,
the brand-new menu ready to try out here.
Great!
First of all, thank you for coming out.
Mill Creek?
[ Cheering ]
At 6:00 tonight,
there will be a brand-new restaurant, brand-new food.
This is a pulled pork
rubbed with a very special rub with a vinegar slaw.
You get to eat that first, all right?
It's got a really good taste and a really good bite with the coleslaw.
Never been to Mill Creek Bar-B-Q,
but I would definitely go.
This pulled pork with this coleslaw is wonderful.
The pulled pork's fantastic.
Tangier than it used to be.
I'm really excited for them.
IRVINE: A lot of people showed up at the radio station,
a lot of great comments.
I know the food's gonna be good.
I know the service is gonna be awesome.
And now, we put all them together
in a great new restaurant.
The sky's the limit.
That's what I'm happy about.
Come on, guys.
Everything off the floor.
Pick up something. Move it this way.
I want it swept.
I want it mopped, and I want it clean.
So, it's already 5:10.
We're putting the finishing touches on,
but there is still a lot to be done.
Before, above the, uh, that wall paper here,
I made them paint it.
It looks much better.
We changed the light fixtures.
We got bigger, uh, bulbs.
Can it be done?
I'm hoping so, but lots to do.
These last five years have been really rough on us.
Right now, everything is on the line.
This -- this has to work.
You know, Robert told me you've got to put
the "I somehow screwed this up" behind you.
And I have carried that for a long time,
and that's where a lot of the tears came from.
Having Robert tell me he has total confidence
that I can do this, that really helped.
I am so excited, so nervous to see what's going on in there.
I got to prove Robert right, that the faith he has in me,
I can put out there and make this restaurant successful.
Yesterday, this restaurant was at the back of the pack.
But now, it has the chance to be the top of the line.
And I'm excited to bring Steve and Lisette to show them
their brand-new restaurant and give them a brand-new start.
Hello.
Walk this way. Keep your eyes closed.
Just listen to me. Walk.
It's been a tough two days -- I know it has --
but hopefully what you see in front of you
will be worth the pain that you've gone through,
and the last five years will disappear, okay?
Yes.
Open your eyes.
My God.
Yes.
Open your eyes.
Oh...
my God.
Wow.
Oh, my gosh. It's so amazing.
Oh, my...
Look at the wall. Oh, they left the wood.
I love the "Mill Creek."
Oh, look at the lighting.
Oh, my...
It's beautiful.
Isn't that awesome?
I wanted more seating.
We couldn't put more seating unless there was an exit door,
so we can add more seats, make more revenue.
Oh, my gosh.
Look at the benches.
Look at the -- Oh, my God, the chairs.
Unbelievable.
Look at the chalkboard over here.
How adorable is this?
IRVINE: Yesterday, there was menu boards on the windows.
Menu's up here.
So overwhelming.
LISETTE: Oh, my gosh.
I would never, in a million years, have thought of this.
And then, you've got bench seating over here.
So cute.
Oh, my God.
[ Voice breaking ] Oh, my God.
Thank you. Thank you, it's -- I don't know.
It's way more than I thought. I'm excited.
Thank you so much.
I'm not gonna let you down.
Whoo.
Oh, you're welcome.
I just can't wait, you know,
to get back at it and make this work.
And I appreciate everything you've done,
because the last five years have been so difficult,
you know, with...[Sighs]
I know.
Oh, my God.
I'm overwhelmed right now. I mean...
I want to bring in Brooke.
This is a moment that I want to give you together.
She's already seen the restaurant.
Don't cry.
I love you, too.
Two people that are instrumental in everything I do --
my designer, Cheryl, and my builder, Tom.
Come on in, guys.
[ Laughs ] You're welcome.
LISETTE: Thank you. Thank you so much.
Thank you.
IRVINE: Mill Creek is alive and kicking
in a brand-new, brand-new space.
I know there's a lot of people that want to come and try the food.
You ready to let them in?
We're ready to let them in.
Oh, my God.
LISETTE: It's amazing.
So, welcome to the new Mill Creek.
Welcome to the new Mill Creek. Are you guys ready to see it?
Ready.
Yeah!
Oh, my God. All right, let's go.
Who's next? I can take you right over here.
Thai peanuts?
Thai peanuts, curry. Curry, got you.
Okay, you're gonna be number four. We'll bring everything out to you.
BROOKE: This is crazy.
I've never had a nonstop line like this.
It's insane.
I think the place is amazing,
and I think it's gonna do really good in the future.
Before, when I walked into Mill Creek, it was kind of country
and just kind of, uh, like a western theme.
This is a little more classier. I like it.
I think it's gonna bring business in for them.
MAN: The thing I noticed first when I walked in was the menu.
The first time I came in here, I was overwhelmed by the choices.
The best thing, though, is the license-plate wall.
They took the old license plates and made it a piece of art.
The lights are really neat. I love them.
And I especially like the chandelier with the 2x4s
and the framing of the picture frames.
It's really neat.
I ordered the brisket
because I'm a guy that likes to eat high-protein food.
And let me tell you,
it was tender,
and most importantly, the flavor was incredible.
I ordered the roasted chicken.
It had that real marinated taste to it. It was amazing.
I would definitely come back here.
It's real taste of authentic barbecue
right here in California.
WOMAN: I ordered the chicken wings with a sweet-chili sauce.
The sauce is kind of sweet at first, but then,
towards the end, you get kind of, like,
a smoky kick at the end, so it was very good.
I ordered the ribs, and they're really good.
They're nice and tender, a lot of flavor,
and the barbecue sauce is really good, too.
We'll definitely come back.
STEVE: This is just such a breath of fresh air.
I've got a fresh start, and I'm excited.
I'm truly excited.
We are not gonna fail any more, I promise.
We can make a profit. We can be successful.
When I walked in and saw my mom, I started to cry
just because she was so happy, and Steve was so happy,
and that made me so happy for them.
I think the place is amazing.
It's 100% better than even in my wildest dreams.
It's better than I ever anticipated.
STEVE: I am gonna look forward to coming to work every day.
Damn, I already want to go home, go to bed, get up, come tomorrow.
I mean, yeah, so, I'm excited.
When I arrived here yesterday, there was so many problems,
I felt like I was going up Mill Creek without a paddle.
Average food, atrocious decor,
and two owners that were trying their best,
but without the knowledge of how to truly run a restaurant.
After some family squabbles, lots of tears,
and some renewed enthusiasm,
Steve and Lisette should do absolutely swimmingly.
Good luck, guys.