Now, I'd love to be one of those elitist snobs who can say I don't watch television; but, when I'm not at my computer, I'll have to confess that TV is one of my favorite past times.
And oddly enough, two shows in particular have caught my attention.
Robert Irvine enlisted in the Royal Navy at the age of fifteen and that's where he completed the lion's share of his culinary training. He's served as a chef on the Royal Yacht Britannia, he's offered his culinary talents to the White House and he was once a personal chef to actor Jean Claude Van Damme. His other accolades include being the head chef at the 78th annual Academy Awards in 2006, and he's the co-owner of two restaurants, Robert Irvine's 'Eat!' and Robert Irvine's 'Nosh'.
Now truthfully, I'd seen him in action a few times on the 'Food Network', but I didn't pay him any more attention than the other celebrated chefs on their shows. It wasn't until I sat down to watch an episode of Restaurant Impossible, that I knew there was something special about this guy and this show.
The challenge of rehabbing restaurants is not easy, especially when you've only got ten grand and two days to do it. And what's really special about this show is not only Robert's expertise in all things culinary, but the surprisingly high amounts of personal therapy he offers to people in the restaurants he rehabs.
The show has all the drama of a modern day soap opera without being syrupy and hyper-sentimentalized. And again, it's always nice to see that Robert's not only changing the decor of these eateries and updating their financial statements, but he's taking a vested interest in fixing the families associated with these places.
And who'd have known there was so much blood, sweat and tears involved in restaurant owning?
Before watching this show, I thought restaurant owners were all pretty flush financially. But now I realize that some owners are not only struggling to make payroll, some are surviving paycheck to paycheck just to keep the doors open.
Beyond Robert's technical expertise on how restaurants should be run, he's smart enough to know when to be hospitable or harsh. He can offer a warm hand on a shoulder or a boot in the behind where it's needed. That's the sign of someone who's mental capacities are firing on all cylinders.
And I never though I could get tethered to a show like this, but anytime it's on, I almost have to watch.
Jon Taffer was born and raised in Long Island, New York; therein lies the reason he's got less of a deft tact when it comes to dealing with clients.
I'm not saying Jon isn't as knowledgeable as Robert, but they're polar opposites style-wise.
On the show 'Bar Rescue', Jon comes off like a bull in a china shop as opposed to Robert's more genteel approach to problem solving; but it's not like Robert can't get down when he needs to, it's just his british etiquette maybe keeps him from flying off handles so freely.
Jon is the chairman of Taffer Dynamics, his consulting firm; and oddly enough, he majored in Political Science at Denver University. After tending bar in college to make ends meet, he says he fell in love with the business. Some time after that, he ran the infamous Troubador bar and music venue in Los Angeles, where he really got his managerial chops in order.
And even though again, he's got more of a blow-hard's style, he knows seemingly everything there is to know about the bar biz. And again, whenever his show is on and I can watch, it's veg-out time. I especially love the show's Sunday marathons; I know I shouldn't, but I could literally watch those all day.
What links these two programs, beyond their pursuits of helping clients orchestrate better menus, or changing their establishment's interior design are some pretty universal themes. Maybe ones that aren't that evident superficially.
And those themes are: second chances, fresh starts and ultimately, redemption.
That's why people are so eager to watch these programs, and are often baited back for more; it's because we've all needed at least one of these elements in our lives at one time or another.
And when you can fit these universal themes into an hour long show with commercials and a happy ending, it's nearly as nourishing as cooked food...served expertly on a silver platter.
Thanks for listening,
Lionel Drummond
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