'Restaurant Impossible': Robert Irvine saves diner struggling to reopen with slimmed-down crew amid pandemic
Chef Robert Irvine arrived in Columbia, Missouri, with a slimmed-down crew of 12 to help McLanks Family Restaurant reopen safely after they shut down prematurely to ensure the safety of staffers (especially son Jeff, who is asthmatic and therefore, high risk for Covid-19) and consumers. Owner Sheila Lankford and her five adult children run the restaurant but there were hiccups.
When Robert first visited them, he found out that the family had been arguing amongst themselves, and that impacted the workplace environment, which resulted in a dip in restaurant sales. The chef swooped in to help them navigate personal relationships, understand one another better and work in harmony. As they ironed out differences, Sheila witness growth in her restaurant, which continued for a few months before they had to temporarily close the dining. The McLanks was surviving with takeouts and deliveries, but that was not enough. The restaurant went from making "thousands of dollars a day to hundreds of dollars a day."
"After the show left, the business was booming. Our business had increased by more than a 150%. Bills were getting paid, we didn't have any rent, we weren't behind in rent, and the kids were actually able to get paid for the time that they were here. It was great. It was like we were running a successful business," Sheila revealed, adding that the business was at its breaking point.
Robert promised Sheila that he and his team would work extra hard to ensure that the restaurant is back on track and she can be a proud business owner and single mom again. She cried as she nodded and called him her "saving grace."
The host-chef worked with his team and the kids to do-up the yard at the front of the restaurant, added faux grass, and threw in a few picnic tables, completely transforming the look and feel of the restaurant. He even listed the safety instructions — hand sanitizers in place, gloves, masks and temperature checks — so that the diners felt safe coming into the place.
In a nutshell, it was an emotional episode for both Robert and Sheila, who did all they could to breathe life into the McLanks Family Restaurant. Catch all the new episodes of 'Restaurant Impossible: Back in Business' on Food Network every Thursday at 9/8c. For more information, check your local listings.