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IRVINE: Next on "Restaurant Impossible"...
What is it like to be a 42-year-old guy
that your dad pays for everything?
It sucks.
I'm on my way to the Pier West restaurant
in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.
NEIL: It's got to stop.
Otherwise, you may as well just put a match to the place.
BRIAN: Chip is a terrible leader.
Okay, guys, guys...
IRVINE: There is chaos in the front of the house...
I'm living the dream.
...chaos in the back of the house.
I'm gonna wipe that smirk off his face in a minute.
I don't think that I'm entirely to blame.
You keep financing a failure.
Mistake, mistake, mistake. I'm done.
NARRATOR: Chef Robert Irvine has 2 days and $10,000
to do the impossible.
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
IRVINE: It's day 1 of my mission in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin,
and I'm on my way to the Pier West restaurant
to meet the Walmsley family --
***, the dad, and sons Brian and Chip.
Pier West is a complicated family business.
My father built this restaurant 11 years ago.
It's a beautiful location in a beautiful town.
And suddenly, they're like, "We have a restaurant.
Now what do we do with it?"
JEANNE: When *** purchased this property, I said,
"What schmuck wants to ever open a restaurant business?"
We are definitely not restaurant people.
IRVINE: After leasing his investment property
to a string of unsuccessful managers,
*** decided to give his son Chip a shot.
I thought it would be a good way to support my family.
When the decision was made to have Chip run the restaurant,
I screamed, "This is a terrible mistake."
I don't really have any background in restaurants.
My background is actually in the golf industry.
BRIAN: My dad has no restaurant experience.
My brother has no restaurant experience.
I'm the only member of our family, literally,
who has worked in a restaurant in any capacity.
IRVINE: Brian has his own career in California,
but he comes back to help Chip from time to time.
CHIP: It's been very difficult.
I've not turned a profit in the three years I've been here.
BRIAN: Chip is still in business because my dad bails him out
financially, every month, without fail.
[ Laughs ]
I've borrowed a lot of money from my father
to keep this place open.
This restaurant has put a giant rift in our family.
***: It's about pride. It's about emotion.
It's about money.
BRIAN: The losses are mounting.
I can't continue to give to a charity of the size of this one.
How far do you go, you know, to save somebody?
There's a lot going on with this restaurant and with the family.
I've got 2 days and $10,000 to fix that,
and the clock starts now.
Pretty nondescript.
Plain, off-colored cream paint.
I hate carpet, first and foremost.
It smells tremendously.
Hostess stand -- very bland.
It just says "college dining room."
Other than the beautiful scenery,
why would you come here?
Now I'm gonna meet the owners,
*** and his sons, Brian and Chip.
Let's see what they've got to say.
Good morning to you.
Well, thank you for allowing me to come into your restaurant.
Who does what here?
I'm the landlord.
What do you do, then?
Argue, predominantly with my dad and Chip.
So, what do you do now?
I have a job out in California.
I came back this summer to work with Chip.
How long you had the restaurant?
11 years.
Why did you buy the restaurant?
It was an investment for me.
How much you buy the building for?
The total investment is about $1.2 million.
How much you put into it since then?
Couple hundred thousand dollars.
$1.4 million.
What's your background?
I was a food-ingredient salesperson.
You thought that was gonna help you in this business?
Yes. At least it gave me some knowledge
about what was going on. Not enough.
What experience did you have in the restaurant business
before you started working here?
Just helping my dad when he owned the restaurant.
I put myself
through college and grad school in hospitality.
So, who's in control? Is it you or is it you?
It would be me, to some extent.
How long you been managing the restaurant?
Why am I here?
The reputation of this place sucks.
People's expectations are high.
Look at this place --
It's gorgeous, it's right on the lake.
Too bad my server can't ramble off anything off the menu.
Too bad they can't pair a wine with a steak.
Wow.
How many covers, roughly, on a Friday?
10 people.
What's your food cost?
Probably 50%.
What's your beverage cost?
I don't know the beverage cost.
You don't know a lot for a manager, do you?
No.
Are bills up to date?
There's some outstanding bills.
Probably around... $30,000.
Probably? Why don't you know?
Are you the manager?
Yes. $30,000 is --
What's funny?
Nothing.
I just get this really weird feeling about you just now,
that you don't care about this business.
Why am I getting that feeling?
I had a lot of fire when I first started here,
and that's really gone out of me in the last three years.
How much you losing a month?
$10,000.
$10,000. Is that just a number you pull out of the air,
No, that's a real number.
When he can't pay bills,
you just give him money to keep going.
Is that correct?
That's the bottom line.
Why?
Because I'm trying to make this place oper--
Can you give me $200,000?
'Cause I need some spending money.
That's what you're doing.
I understand that.
***: My wife and I have been criticized
by everybody in the family on enabling Chip.
I don't regard it as enabling at all.
I regard it as he's my son.
I love him dearly.
No.
I live in a place that he owns.
So your dad pays for that, too.
Yes.
42.
What is it like to be a 42-year-old guy
that your dad pays for everything?
It sucks.
CHIP: I owe him $65,000 to $70,000
in money that he's loaned to me,
and on top of that,
I haven't been paying the rent in six months,
so I owe him $30,000 in back rent.
You keep financing a failure. He's a failure.
Sorry. You are, whether you like that or not.
I don't think that I'm entirely to blame.
Everybody's got a great opinion
of how this business could be perfect.
No help, though.
He lives in California,
and he lives in Florida most of the year, and I'm here.
I don't want to be right.
It's just we're here because they're wrong.
Chip is a terrible leader.
I've worked with Chip in running this restaurant,
and Chip doesn't like to listen to his little brother.
So, why aren't you running the restaurant?
The easiest thing to do is, as I say to them,
lead, follow, or get out of the way.
I can't lead -- it's Chip's business.
I respect that. He has a right to do it his way.
See, that's a bunch of crap.
Because the fact of the matter is that I welcome --
I mean, look -- He's a smart guy,
but he doesn't know everything.
I'm here every day.
He thinks he has all the answers,
and I have no opinion.
It's like a battle every day, and that's how it is.
But the principles I fight for --
Okay, okay, guys, guys...
I'm on your side for a little peace here.
If you're gonna help him, then you got to help him.
What you're doing, Brian, is giving him quote, quote, quote,
and walking out. That doesn't give him support.
Money is not support.
It keeps him up, but it's not support.
What you need to do is train him to be a leader.
So we got to fix the restaurant, get a good reputation back,
get people in here,
and make sure that this dynamic gets better.
Hopefully, at the end of it, you may have a restaurant.
And I said, "May."
That depends on you.
All right, we're gonna do a service.
I'm gonna see the food for myself and figure it out,
and then I'll come back to you with a plan, okay?
Thank you.
Wow! Ultimately, this restaurant needs a leader.
It's my job to fix the dynamic of the three people in charge
and make Chip successful.
That's what I'm gonna do.
There is chaos in the front of the house,
chaos in the back of the house.
I'm gonna wipe that smirk off his face in a minute.
I think he would love to change.
I mean, I would love to see him change, but...
You don't think he can.
No. Sorry, Chip.
IRVINE: I'm at Pier West restaurant in Wisconsin,
where a lakeside lodge is sinking,
and now I'm their last resort.
IRVINE: You keep financing a failure.
He's a failure. Sorry, you are.
I think when Robert came in
and nailed down some of the things that he saw as problems,
they were probably accurate.
However, I just think
that I kind of got thrown under the bus there a little bit.
Chip hasn't managed well, and it's time he start,
or he will have to be replaced.
CHIP: Robert's about to see a service,
and I don't think it's gonna go very well.
I think there's a lot of holes
that he hasn't even addressed yet.
IRVINE: No sooner do they let the customers in...
Who has 105?
No idea.
Hey, Zach, what tables do you have?
...the front of house is already overwhelmed.
They don't even know the tables. [ Chuckles ]
IRVINE: So, where is that going? Where is that going?
'Cause you look lost.
Why are you lost?
Why are you lost?
'Cause I don't know the tables.
IRVINE: Chip!
So, what do you notice about your servers right now?
Uh, they're kind of a little confused, it seems like.
Why do you think they're confused?
Well, I don't think that they really knew what section,
or if they had sections,
or if they were doing each table individually,
so they kind of got perplexed --
So, did anybody talk to them
No.
Mine.
Talk about lackadaisical, no leadership.
It's all here, and you can see it in the first five minutes.
Hi, Jess.
Oh, I'm living the dream. [ Chuckles ]
[ Indistinct conversations ]
IRVINE: *** is busy greeting guests.
Without any restaurant experience,
that's probably the best spot for him.
Can you expedite?
I don't know the menu.
But Brian, who supposedly has all the restaurant experience,
complains when he's asked to expedite at the window.
Do you have a food runner?
I'll get the tray set up,
but the server should run the food.
Are servers running their own food?
No, that's what I want you to help them with.
Chip's team should be expo'ing,
and I want to be able to watch how their team does,
not do their team's job.
Is there a sauce that goes with the amaretto shrimp?
MAN: It comes on top.
The menu has changed a thousand times,
and I've only been gone for eight months.
IRVINE: Since Brian doesn't know the menu...
Braedon, will you run some food for me, please?
111, Debbie. She can serve it.
111.
Here you go. Right there. Far right.
So it's the one on the window.
Should be, I guess. It's a good question.
...or the seating charts, things go downhill quickly.
And I'm looking for your mayo right now,
so hopefully I'll find you some mayo.
The first appetizer went out to the wrong table,
so my customer had to wait.
Now I took it out with no sour cream,
which we couldn't find in the restaurant.
IRVINE: The orders are coming out incorrectly.
Really?
All right, give it to me.
This was supposed to be no chili on the potato skins,
and they all have chili.
Table 105.
Okay.
That's 105?
Yep, got it, got it.
BRIAN: Thank you.
So I need one with no chili.
104 is over 50 minutes!
We got to get that order out now!
IRVINE: The ticket times are out of control.
We have an order that's now the ticket time's at 50 minutes.
Lunchtime orders are supposed to be 20 minutes, max.
Table's getting pissed.
I ordered a Swiss burger.
We waited for over 45 minutes.
I didn't really like that too much.
We ordered the potato skins. We had to send them back twice.
And when I got my steak, I had ordered it rare,
and it came back overcooked.
I've been here for about two hours and haven't had anything.
We're about to leave.
All these tables at once, we can't handle it.
Kitchen, servers, all of us --
nobody's handling it like it should be handled.
You can't really do your job out there
if it's not working in here.
IRVINE: There is chaos in the front of the house,
chaos in the back of the house.
It's absolutely ridiculous.
Yes! 104 went out!
I'm supposed to be in California living the dream.
This isn't it.
So, what about the relationship now that you have with Chip?
You know, I love Chip dearly.
He looks at life a little bit different.
In what way?
He thinks he's right.
He doesn't listen too well. And Brian --
He talks a good game. He blah blah blah, Mr. Brian,
but he really can't back it up.
I, uh -- I'd be inclined to agree with that.
Yeah.
What do you think the odds are of turning around?
Can it be a successful restaurant? Absolutely.
But who's gonna run that?
Well, thank you.
Yep.
Well, I've seen the service. I've seen the kitchen.
Gonna try the food for myself.
Menu.
You know, I really think that Chip has checked out.
And that smirk, the one that we'd like to wipe off his face
every two seconds 'cause he's kind of smug in his little self,
I'm gonna wipe that smirk off his face in a minute.
IRVINE: Chip.
Yes, sir.
What should I eat?
I can't recommend exactly anything
because I don't eat here normally.
This menu was created by one of the chefs that I had hired.
It wasn't really an inspiring menu to me, personally,
and I -- I'm not a fan of how the menu is.
In three years, Chip has gone through dozens of menus
and eight different chefs.
Neil is number nine.
I've been here for three weeks.
My other guys have been here for -- one's 10 hours,
the other one, four days, John less than a week.
Nobody knows the menu.
Let's try a mushroom, potato skin, shrimp,
french onion soup, the tuna, the ribs,
salmon Florentine, and fettuccine.
Okay.
Cheeseburger.
Salmon looks good.
Some of the dishes are actually executed well.
And it's nicely seared.
French onion soup.
Soup isn't bad.
It could do with some fresh herbs.
Chicken Marsala.
Got a good Marsala. It actually tastes very good.
But there are far too many processed foods.
We got a cheeseburger here with frozen fries, garbage cheese.
Ribs.
The meat tastes old, and it's jarred barbecue sauce.
The service sucks.
No management or leadership.
That's why this restaurant is failing.
[ Laughs ]
What?
Was it bad?
Chip needs to put the fire and the passion back in his belly,
hold his staff accountable, and put out good food consistently.
Otherwise, they will fail.
[ Laughs ]
What?
Was it bad?
20 years.
No.
Neil.
Why are we serving it?
Sir, I've been here for three weeks.
I'm giving you an out
'cause you've been here three weeks.
But the ribs taste old.
No, sir.
The tuna.
Why would we kill 20-dollar-a-pound tuna?
Oh, that was mine. That was my input.
I know you can cook.
Don't let people like him tell you how to do your job,
because you know how to do your job, right?
Yes, sir.
Yeah.
Why are you upset?
[ Voice breaking ] 'Cause it's not right.
It's not right.
You brought the guy in. Let him do his job.
'Cause he can cook.
Drives me nuts.
You're good.
[ Speaking indistinctly ]
You've got cooks here that can cook,
and they're not being allowed to do their job.
NEIL: I was upset because my hands are tied.
No one is helping me.
Everybody walks around this place like it's a freaking joke.
And it's got to stop. You know?
Otherwise, you may as well just put a match to the place.
Without the kitchen staff putting out great food
and the service doing great service,
this place has no chance.
Now I'm gonna meet Cheryl, my designer, to see
if we can figure out what to do with this bland space.
Hey, welcome. Welcome to Pier West.
Just look. It's a beautiful view.
CHERYL: Gorgeous.
But the first thing I see
when I walk in here is a service station.
Don't like it. Worse, and you know, is...
Carpet.
The moldy, smelly carpet.
I love the color of the wood and the columns here.
Let's work with what we have.
We get some energy, we get some life,
we get some vibrance
to bring that beautiful view into the restaurant.
I think we got a shot at making this work.
All right. I'm all about it.
All right, let's get these owners.
Everything out of the restaurant, please. Let's go.
Anything underneath can get rid of, too.
The hard part for me to figure out
is how to inject character and life into the space,
and I have no idea how I'm gonna do it.
IRVINE: Come on! Hurry up!
While Tom and the crew make some noise gutting the dining room...
...it's time I had a word with the front-of-house staff.
Service to me this morning
was probably the most horrific service I've ever seen
in 20 years in the food business.
It's ours.
Ours.
Why is that?
Improper training.
Improper training, okay.
Inexperience.
What is it that you need to be able to do your job?
I'll start with leadership.
There's no manager, no leader.
Yes.
Just like anything else, starts from the top.
I mean, it's hard to respect him
when he's not here and telling us what to do.
By a show of hands, who does respect Chip?
Put your hands up if you do.
If he's not giving you what you need, you can't respect him.
Everybody can do better, for sure.
Chip needs to step up or step out.
IRVINE: With day 1 slipping away,
I need to check in with my design team
to get a status on the dining room.
Hey, gu-- Whoa!
Like that floor.
Success.
I think that's the first time I've ever actually walked in
at the end of day 1 and I've seen a floor that's changed.
I know there's a lot more to go, but...
It's true, actually. I don't think we've ever --
Yeah.
It's a good chunk of the flooring.
Okay. So, this morning when I walked in here,
I asked for a plan, and what'd we come up with?
Well, we're gonna turn it into lakeside lux.
Luxury.
Okay, great. I love it.
A lot of woods, lot of contrast,
and with natural fibers.
The walls are going a silver-gray.
The service area.
What I was thinking of was getting 4x4 wood beams
and stacking them to create a divider.
Okay. Priorities for tonight.
We're gonna be painting.
We're gonna try to get
as many of the walls done as possible tonight.
Pendant chaise that we still have to upholster.
A lot, a lot of things to do.
I'll catch you later. Thank you.
Well, it's coming to the end of day 1,
so what I've done is have the family gather in the bar.
I'm gonna give them some homework.
I count one extra member of the family that I haven't met yet.
This is my dear wife, Jeanne.
Very nice to meet you, Jeanne.
Nice to meet you.
So, Jeannie, tell me what your feelings are
about this restaurant.
[ Laughs ]
"Loathe" is the first thing that comes to mind.
After that, I can go to hate, despise...
I think it's the nuttiest thing this person ever did.
When I walked in this morning,
I would totally agree with you.
It also created dissension
between certain factions of the family.
But do I think that it has a lot of potential?
Absolutely.
If you put somebody in that can control it.
Let's be honest here -- you want to kick back in Florida, right?
Brian, your career is obviously taking off,
and a restaurant is not in that plan, right?
Correct.
So, reality is, we're stuck with a restaurant
that's losing $10,000 a month.
You got a $1.4 million into it.
You got a son with no knowledge, no passion.
My concern is, I can teach you what to do,
but if you decide to do all the things that you've been doing,
where does it leave us?
I think he would love to change.
I mean, I would love to see him change.
You don't think he can.
No. Sorry, Chip.
I disagree. I mean, I think
I could lead a good restaurant if I stop...
being the party guy, I guess. And, I mean --
Is that what you want? Do you want to stop doing that?
I don't really have a whole lot of interest in that,
but I think I'm still perceived that way
because that's how they want to perceive me
because it's easier for them.
Don't put the nails in the coffin
until you've given him a chance to get out of it.
I'm supporting you now.
If we give him a little benefit of the doubt,
let him hang himself or rise to glory.
I'm gonna give you some homework.
I want you to write an essay on why you think you can change
and what you need to change in yourself
All right.
Because I truly believe that you can do this.
I think there's more to you than you portray.
I think you could run this.
I just think you're beat up, fed up, and think you're lazy.
Now I'm gonna come to you.
You guys got to decide --
are you willing to give Chip another chance?
All right. I know today's been a long day,
a lot for you to kind of take in.
You know what I want.
Tonight, Jeannie and *** have to decide
if they're gonna fire their son Chip
or are they gonna give him a second chance
to make this place work.
CHIP: I feel pretty beat up.
I feel like a lot of stuff got brought out today
and laid out on the table.
I don't think I ever said that in front of Chip before
that I have zero faith in him,
but after all this time,
mistake, mistake, mistake, I'm sort of done.
There's a lot on the line here for me.
This is my last chance.
If I can't make this opportunity into a successful business,
then there's nothing else I can bring to the table.
Right now, everything is hanging in the balance with this family
and with this restaurant.
Who knows what tomorrow brings?
It's day 2 of my mission to help the Walmsley family --
***, Jeannie, Chip, and Brian --
at their restaurant, Pier West, in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.
I have a whole list of concerns and only one day to fix them.
Pier West is a complicated family business.
IRVINE: He can't pay bills.
You just give him money to keep going.
Who does respect Chip?
Put your hands up if you do.
Don't let people like him tell you how to do your job.
Will *** and Jeannie give Chip another chance?
I would love to see him change, but...
No.
This is the last chance for Chip, and he knows it.
I hope today he comes in with his belly full of fire,
wanting to learn, wanting to lead, and hungry.
He either succeeds or they fail.
Hey, good morning, guys.
Hey, Robert.
What do you think? Lakeside lux.
So, give me kind of a rundown of what did get done.
We started all the painting, but we're nowhere near done.
I can see.
I love the ceiling color.
It's almost like a charcoal gray with a little bit of brown.
The floor's good.
I love this. Got to be sanded.
I'm off to meet the family.
I gave them all homework yesterday and just lots to do.
We haven't done the menu yet,
and I haven't taught Chip anything.
It's gonna be one of them days,
so I'm relying on you to come up with the goods.
Okay.
We're gonna pull it together.
I'll see you later. Thank you.
I'm a little anxious this morning.
I had to do a lot of soul searching and say
"Am I prepared to take the reins here
and carry them into the future?"
My parents did have to decide
whether I can stay or leave here.
Last night, Robert asked us
to make some very, very difficult decisions.
I'm sure that they had a sleepless night last night,
and I'm sure that they had to do a lot soul searching, as well.
We don't know how Chip is going to feel
about the terms we've come up with or our decision.
Good morning.
How's everybody doing this morning?
Good. So, Chip, before we go into this,
I want to know right now,
are you wholeheartedly involved in this restaurant or not?
I'm completely ready to do this.
Okay.
***, Jeannie, are you willing to give Chip a final chance?
Yes.
Jeannie?
Good.
Brian, you're just here to support at this point.
Love it, love it, love it.
It's the role I was born to play.
Now we've got that out of the way,
Mm-hmm.
What you would change, why you would change it,
and what benefit would that have to this restaurant.
The floor is yours.
"While sitting here at home tonight,
"reflecting on the day's events, I actually feel rejuvenated,
"and that's something I haven't felt regarding the restaurant
"for a long, long time.
"I learned quite a bit.
"I had no idea the kitchen felt I was hindering them
"in any capacity.
"In all the menus I've written,
"I have never considered the science behind it.
"I thought I was helping, and I see now that was not the case.
"I want nothing more
"than for Pier West to be all that it can be,
"for my family to realize that I'm not the lost child
"they have to keep pouring money, time, and stress into
"in order to just keep the doors open.
"I see this as my opportunity to prove to my family, my children,
"and all my friends in the community,
"as well as my employees, that I can succeed.
"I believe in myself, and I truly believe
"that with these tools Chef Irvine is providing me,
"I can prevail.
"I can't wait for people to have a great experience
"and an enjoyable time
and have good things to say about Pier West."
You really thought about that, huh?
I did.
Do you truly believe what you wrote there?
I do believe what I wrote.
A little tear in your eye, there, Jeannie.
[ Laughter ]
Well...
Do you believe that?
Sounds pretty good.
I'd love for Chip to turn around.
So, hey, if he sticks to what he wrote,
that'd be awesome, you know.
What about you, ***?
Well, I'm delighted to hear his words.
It's the delivery that makes a difference,
and I hope he delivers to the statement that he has made here.
The biggest challenge that I see
is for me to change kind of the things that I've done here
over the past three years.
And so, it's a little scary for me
because it's not gonna be an easy road.
Okay.
IRVINE: Although supportive of Chip's last try here as manager,
*** and Jeannie have prepared a backup plan, just in case.
So, you have created a contract.
Agreement, okay.
The agreement states our expectation
is that he'll deliver general-management duties
to effectively make this restaurant all it could be,
and we both know it's possible.
I went to an eighth-month timeline.
I wrote that Chip agrees to work on the premises
as many hours daily to get Pier West up to standards
established by Robert.
So your challenge, Chip, is to absolutely do
not what your mom and dad want but what Pier West requires.
Right.
And should you not do that,
"he will be required to remove himself from this position
without contest or complaint."
If you want to do it,
I'm gonna train you how to do it.
It was three against one yesterday.
That was yesterday. Today is today.
Agreed.
I'm on about building Chip, not destroying Chip.
Now it's up to him to prove me right or me wrong.
And we also are giving you the benefit of the doubt, Chip.
I agree.
So, now we've got that out of the way, Chip,
a lot of support behind you, including me.
Today's the day we reopen this restaurant,
and it's gonna be a success.
That is the first time I've been able to tell my parents
how I really felt about this place.
The agreement defines precisely
what Chip has to do to be successful,
and with the training that Robert is giving him,
we think he can be.
CHIP: My parents gave me eight months,
but I think if I meet all these expectations,
this restaurant will survive
much beyond eight months, anyway,
so I think that we're gonna be good to go.
I believe that Chip having to take some time
to write a letter,
him having Robert come and give him some guidance,
this is the first chance Chip has of being successful.
I wish you the best of luck.
Thank you. Good deal.
I will try to be supportive of him,
but if Chip does not follow these guidelines,
then it is ckkt!
IRVINE: And now it's time for "Trivia Impossible."
The answer after the break.
IRVINE: The answer is, "B," Mother's Day.
Well, obviously, there's a lot going on, but my next thing is,
I've got to go into the kitchen and create, with Chip and Neil,
a menu that I think
is gonna rock this restaurant back to success.
One of the biggest issues that you told me, Chip,
was you've gone through eight chefs since you've been here,
you've re-created menus.
You can make this restaurant successful.
I'm gonna show you a couple of ideas that will make great food,
give Neil here a better chance to be able to put food out fast.
Your guests get the food quickly, hot, and tasty.
I love ribs, okay?
When I tasted the ribs that you had yesterday,
I was not impressed.
That's an understatement.
So I'm gonna show you what I do with baby-back ribs.
My spice blend -- seafood seasoning, some cumin,
coriander, paprika, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Take plastic wrap, couple of bay leafs.
We wrap the ribs.
Have you ever wrapped ribs before in plastic?
No.
The plastic wrap locks in all the flavor,
and it cooks quickly.
Are you nervous?
Yeah, a little bit.
Plastic wrap does not melt in the oven --
only if you put it up to 400 degrees.
Jut like that -- look.
Sealed, sealed, sealed.
They go in the oven, 225 degrees, 2 hours,
and I've got some in the oven already.
I want to let them rest because there's moisture in there.
It cooks itself in the moisture.
Our fryer's hot. Fresh-cut.
Remember yesterday? That frozen bag?
Beautiful.
A handful of fries in there.
Oh, look at that. See how that broke off?
I don't think my ribs did that.
Take our barbecue sauce, which we made.
Nice and spicy. Nice and hot.
'Cause I'm looking for a caramelization.
Smoky, sizzly ribby ribbies.
And coleslaw.
[ Laughs ] Barbecue, creamy.
Those are good.
That's amazing.
It has the texture of the creaminess,
the freshness of the coleslaw.
Those are great ribs.
With comfort foods like ribs and dishes featuring local seafood,
Pier West's menu will be headed in the right direction.
Do you think that if we put this type of food that's simple,
that can be fast, fresh comfort food,
that we can sell this place or what?
Absolutely. That will give me some passion.
Ultimately, that's what is gonna take Pier West
to a whole different level.
You know what you're gonna do? Get cleaned up.
I've got a restaurant to fix, and I'll catch you shortly.
Thanks, guys.
Yes! Great food!
All right, man.
Yep.
I haven't tasted any food
coming out of this kitchen like that ever.
I have no fear that my staff can execute this new menu
and make this restaurant a success.
IRVINE: Chip is now fully committed to his restaurant,
but he must convince his staff
that, this time, he really means it.
So, your staff is assembled.
And off you go.
All right, well, thank you, guys, all for coming.
Obviously, we've all been down a long road together
that has brought us to this point.
I've made a lot of mistakes as manager over the years.
I take responsibility for what I've done,
and I don't want to be that guy.
I did a lot of soul searching last night.
I love this place.
My kids love going here, and I want it to succeed.
There's so many restaurants that would love this opportunity,
that would kill for it, and we got it.
I'm gonna be a better boss for all you guys.
I'm gonna lead by example.
If we set good standards,
this place is gonna be an amazing place,
and I'm excited about it.
You see the guy who stood before you --
Is he the same guy that was here yesterday?
No.
Do you think he's humbled?
Why are you -- You got a little --
That's okay.
Well, I'm happy for him.
I want him to get his stuff together
and do good for his family.
I know he's got potential.
And I'm here to support him.
I want to see this place do well.
[ Stammering, laughs ]
[ Laughter ]
I mean, we've all been through a lot here.
The emotion I saw out of Chip today really got me, too.
If he can move forward
and do the things that he says he's gonna do,
then everybody here wants to support him in that.
And I have faith in you, and I believe you can do this.
I think you have a little time with your staff.
I've got a lot to do. Thank you very much.
Everyone deserves a second chance,
so I'm really excited for Chip.
This is the last chance for all of us here.
So, we're all excited, ready for the new launch.
Are you guys all on board with me?
Yes!
Whoo!
So, here's the situation. I'm already on 4:36.
I'm supposed to open this restaurant -- heh -- 6:00,
an hour and a half from now.
I'm only starting to put up the first light shade.
This is ridiculous.
Anything on the floor like this, get a green kitchen pad.
Got to make sure it comes up.
So, I really wanted to add a personal touch to the design,
and I found these awesome vintage buoys and oars
that were literally downstairs.
They look totally cool, very expensive, and totally modern.
I think it really pulls the whole design together.
Time is money! Hurry up! Let's go!
So, it's quarter to 6:00. Way behind.
Tom is moving at the speed of light.
We got the servers cleaning.
We can start bringing in the tables.
We're getting there.
I just don't know if we're fast enough to open on time.
That's gonna be the key.
Let's go in here! Hurry up!
Let's get the tables in place,
wipe the tables down, and then we'll set them!
Tom really picked up the speed. We got these lights up.
Pick it up! I need some help!
Hour and a half, I got the 10 lights up I wanted to get up
plus 4 additional lights that Robert didn't even know about.
The place looks amazing, and I think the lights made it.
For years, Pier West was stuck in the muck and the mire.
Tonight, we're throwing ***, Jeannie, Chip, and Brian
a lifeline, giving them a fresh new start
with a beautiful, brand-new restaurant.
***: The last three years have been financially
and emotionally draining.
It's been stressful,
and I would like to think that it's over.
Right now, I'm feeling a little anxious.
Am I gonna be able to be the guy I need to be
in order to make this work?
Losing this would mean my family would be right --
that I was still the failure that they've looked at
and just say, "Oh, we gave Chip another chance, and he blew it."
This was a last-ditch effort.
I mean, this was just like a miracle that came along,
because if this hadn't occurred, it really was.
I mean, I was -- ckkt! -- close the shop.
Adios, Chip, and, you know...
Don't give her a hatchet.
Ha! I mean, that was it.
No, I'm done.
I definitely want to show them
that I can do what they thought I couldn't do.
You think this will do it?
Yes.
How are we all doing?
Let me squeeze in here.
I truly believe what is in there is the future for Chip,
and I truly believe that he is capable of doing it.
Come up the steps.
Are you ready to see your new restaurant?
***: We're ready.
Open your eyes.
Oh, my goodness!
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Oh, wow.
They covered the lights.
Oh, that's beautiful.
IRVINE: We covered your existing lights
to give us a feeling of luxury.
It really softens the effect quite a bit.
JEANNE: They painted the ceiling.
Wow.
Somebody had vision.
Look at this. It's like a corral.
[ Chuckles ]
IRVINE: The corral is to hide the doors and the servers
doing what they do.
The wooden floor.
That nasty, old carpet is gone. It's all new floor.
It's so classy, though. It's classy cool.
Chip, you haven't said anything.
You walked in the door and you haven't said anything.
I'm just overwhelmed. I mean, I love it in here.
I think it looks awesome.
I hated it before, and I love how it looks right now.
This is the exact start that I'm looking for.
It's perfect.
Chip, if you can't make this place work now,
it isn't gonna happen.
So, I mean -- hoo! This is like a gold platter.
I mean, it doesn't get any better than this.
Trust me.
Chip, Robert there gave you a restaurant.
Take it, run with it, and be successful.
I think you can be.
I think I can, too.
Those people that made that vision come to life --
my designer Cheryl and my builder Tom.
Awesome.
Give me a hug!
Oh, I'm Jeannie.
You've been an inspiration to me, and I appreciate it.
So, thanks a lot. Thanks.
I know you can do this if you want to do it.
I can. Thank you.
There are a lot of people out there
that are waiting to see your restaurant.
I would like you to let the people in.
All right. Thank you.
[ Laughing ]
Chipper!
Welcome to the new Pier West.
Come on inside.
This is a big change for Pier West.
This is much more contemporary.
I really like the chandeliers. I think they're beautiful.
I love the touches of nautical.
From the walls, the lanterns, the baskets --
I mean, this is something you'd see in the West Coast area,
not around here.
The restaurant is done. Our customers are here.
I love what they've done with the place.
It's classy, it's cool, it's casual.
Try this food today, man. It's unbelievable.
It is doing great.
I can't keep a smile off my face.
I've never seen this many people here.
They all seem to really love the dining room.
It was dark and dingy before.
It's really been opened up a lot.
I know that they're gonna have a great meal.
We're about to get rocked in this kitchen.
Watch what happens in the next five minutes.
I've been cooking for 20 years, and this is the first time
that I've ever had a brand-new restaurant
and a brand-new menu in place for us to work with.
And I'm excited for this.
I feel confident that we can get through this,
and we will get through this.
MAN: One skirt steak, medium rare.
See, Neil's got it. The food's coming out.
The staff are doing a great job.
Order in, food out.
This is the best service we've ever had, I think, here.
It only took 15 minutes to receive the food.
We ordered the smoked trout dip tonight.
I've never had anything like it before. Very good.
I had the half order of the ribs.
They're really tender. Phenomenal.
The food's coming out of the kitchen really fast.
It's making my job a lot easier.
I'm making money, and it's gonna be great.
I just hope it keeps up all season.
It's gonna be a wonderful summer here at Pier West.
The new Pier West.
The new Pier West.
Our new hangout.
I'm just really excited
for what's happening in here right now.
My staff is rejuvenated.
I'm definitely rejuvenated.
I definitely feel like we're gonna be able to make this work.
I really do believe that he has the enthusiasm
and the passion right now to make this place successful.
Super proud of my dad because it takes a lot of hard work
to do what you guys did
and just how nice it is to see him know what he's doing
and know what's going on,
and just I'm proud to be his son at this moment.
CHIP: This place is gonna shine.
I think it's gonna be like this all the time.
I definitely have my fire back. I feel great right now.
Before I arrived, the business at Pier West was headed south.
But the bad reputation, bad food, and bad service
is all a thing of the past.
The future is now in Chip's hands.
This ship is ready to sail.