The Daily Star - Stay Tuned
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/121663
1 The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, April 12, 2013 A/Otsego Manor B/Ace Glass Co. 2x3 Irvine breathes new life into struggling restaurants TV Media R obert Irvine is all about giving second chances to failing eateries and their beleaguered owners. Since its premiere back in January 2011, "Restaurant: Impossible" has been on a mission to help struggling restaurateurs around the country. In each episode, Irvine drops in to assess the state of the business, then applies his knowhow to revamp the eateries and breathe new life into these Robert Irvine in "Restaurant: Impossible" Bookhout Funeral Home 2x2 establishments within a mere two days. And on Wednesday, April 17, Irvine and his "Impossible" crew are at it again with the season premiere of "Restaurant: Impossible" on the Food Network. In the premiere episode, Irvine is in Fishkill, N.Y.. to help owners Joe and Dena White with their restaurant. In the five years since they opened Joe Willy's Seafood House, the couple have found themselves drowning in debt, and the tension within the family has been growing as quickly as the bills have piled up. Given Joe's knowledge about buying seafood, Irvine is optimistic that there's a good foundation for the business -- but the family's dynamic might need just as much help as the business itself. Does this management consultant-style approach deliver the kind of results that desperate owners hope to see? Judging from interviews with owners who had previously appeared on the show, results appear to be mixed. On one hand, some business owners have praised the show for improving the menu and turning their fortunes around. However, a handful of owners have also had to close their doors once the glow of the national spotlight faded into distant memory. In nearly every case, an appearance on "Restaurant: Impossible" results in an immediate spike in diners. A lot of it comes from curious viewers who want to live the dining experience first-hand. But does the publicity translate into a long-term increase in traffic? Not always. In many cases, the restaurant's fortunes rest with the eatery's ultimate ability to expand its loyal base of regular customers. Once the initial buzz fades, owners can then fully assess the success (or failures) that come with Irvine's menu changes and his design team's decor transformation. And in a select few cases, too much change can prove just as damaging as none at all if it loses too many existing regulars without attracting new ones. Cooking this week SATURDAY A/Time to Travel 2x2 12:00 p.m. (12) Ciao Italia (48) Chopped (74) Monstersized Meals 12:30 p.m. (12) Lidia's Italy in America (74) Food Wars 1:00 p.m. (8) (12) America's Test Kitchen From Cook's Illustrated (48) Cupcake Wars (74) Food Paradise 1:30 p.m. (8) Cook's Country From America's Test Kitchen (12) Cooking With Julie Taboulie 2:00 p.m. (8) Simply Ming (12) Martha Stewart's Cooking School (74) Food Paradise 5:30 p.m. THURSDAY (48) Pioneer Woman 6:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. (48) Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (48) Paula's Home Cooking (74) Man v. Food (48) Barefoot Contessa 7:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. (74) Bizarre Foods America 2:30 p.m. TUESDAY 3:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. (8) The Mind of a Chef 12:30 p.m. 1:00 p.m. (34) Mad Hungry With Lucinda Scala Quinn (48) Semi-Homemade With Sandra Lee 1:30 p.m. (48) Paula's Home Cooking (48) Ten Dollar Dinners 4:00 p.m. (48) Barefoot Contessa. (48) Secrets of a Restaurant Chef 5:00 p.m. (34) Mad Hungry With Lucinda Scala (48) 30 Minute Meals 6:00 p.m. (48) Sandra's Money Saving Meals (48) Giada at Home (74) Extravagant Meals (48) Restaurant Stakeout (74) Food Paradise (48) Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (48) Iron Chef America (48) Chopped: All Stars SUNDAY 12:00 p.m. 12:30 p.m. 1:00 p.m. Quinn 1:30 p.m. (48) Ten Dollar Dinners 2:00 p.m. (48) Secrets of a Restaurant Chef 2:30 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. (48) Barefoot Contessa 5:00 p.m. (74) Bizarre Foods America (48) 30 Minute Meals (48) Paula's Best Dishes (74) Man v. Food (8) Martha Stewart's Cooking (48) Giada at Home (48) Trisha's Southern Kitchen (48) Barefoot Contessa (48) Chopped (48) Paula's Best Dishes (48) Sweet Genius 1:00 p.m. School 1:30 p.m. (8) Julia Child: Cooking With Master Chefs 2:00 p.m. (8) Cooking With Julie Taboulie 3:00 p.m. (48) Restaurant Stakeout 4:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. (48) Trisha's Southern Kitchen (74) Man v. Food FRIDAY 6:00 p.m. 9:30 a.m. (48) Chopped (48) Big Daddy's House 5:00 p.m. (74) Man v. Food 6:00 p.m. (74) Bizarre Foods America (3) The Rachael Ray Show (48) Challenge (48) Mystery Diners (48) Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (48) Chopped 7:00 p.m. (48) Chopped: All Stars MONDAY 12:00 p.m. (48) Paula's Best Dishes (74) Meatball Paradise 12:30 p.m. (48) Barefoot Contessa 1:00 p.m. (34) Mad Hungry With Lucinda Scala 7:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. WEDNESDAY 12:00 p.m. (48) Paula's Best Dishes 12:30 p.m. (48) Barefoot Contessa 1:00 p.m. (34) Mad Hungry With Lucinda Scala Quinn (48) Sandra's Money Saving Meals 1:30 p.m. 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. (2) The Rachael Ray Show (48) Good Eats 11:30 a.m. (48) Unwrapped 12:00 p.m. (48) Paula's Best Dishes 12:30 p.m. (48) Barefoot Contessa 1:00 p.m. (48) Semi-Homemade With Sandra Lee 1:30 p.m. (48) Ten Dollar Dinners (48) Mexican Made Easy (48) Secrets of a Restaurant Chef (48) Best Thing I Ever Made (48) Ten Dollar Dinners (48) 30 Minute Meals (48) Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (48) Secrets of a Restaurant Chef (48) Giada at Home (44) Playing With Fire (48) 30 Minute Meals (48) Barefoot Contessa (48) Mystery Diners (48) Giada at Home (74) Bizarre Foods America (48) Paula's Best Dishes (74) Man v. Food (48) Mystery Diners (48) Barefoot Contessa (48) Pioneer Woman (48) Paula's Best Dishes (48) Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Quinn (48) Sandra's Restaurant Remakes (74) Hamburger Paradise 1:30 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. 10:30 p.m. 11:00 p.m. (48) Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Oneonta Daily Star, NY: Food Apr 13, 2013 to Apr 19, 2013