Bothameboutasteak?

Rocco was oddly nervous through the whole thing. He had no idea how NBC was going to portray him. And although he seems to be making out in that area okay....(with the exception of doing the Tarantella with Mama while a waiter is at the hospital), the impending "threat" of "not making it" is ludicrous. C'mon now....you're Rocco Dispirito. If the restaurant fails....who gives a f**k? You have already propelled yourself to fame beyond tons of chefs with way more talent.

Oh Johnny....it indeed was ridiculous. I don't know if you heard one of the cooks say "Cover the fish"...but that is exactly what we did. And served it! We had lamb and fish on the grill when the fire broke out....about ten orders. Had to throw a lot out , but kept quite a few.

LOL! Yes they could have gotten a better meal at Olive Garden. Unfortunately, they didn't show that Daniel Boulud and Eric Ripert etc. were ther on Opening Night as well and got lots of camera time. I guess NBC thought Gideon was more entertaining.

The Restaurant is now really busy. 260 covers last night. That area of Manhattan is called The Flatiron District, and Union Pacific (Rocco's other restaurant), is right around the corner. It is a pretty busy area, but the previous chef, Matthew Kenney, who owned Commune has opened and closed several restaurants in the past 6 years. As a matter of fact, the first space that Rocco was whining about in the show that he originally wanted, was also a space previously owned and operated by the same Matthew Kenney. The 6 week deadline was all about creating Drama, as well as staffing the restaurant with inexperienced people. People are getting paid, but the pay sucks. If Rocco's is still operating in December, it will only be because of the publicity from the show, which will stop airing in september. The food has remained the same. There is not much you can do with Veal Parmigiana and meatballs. This food tastes like well made Italian -American fare that you get in any local pizzeria. Decent, but I wouldn't pay more than 8 bucks for Veal Parm anywhere.

The aforementioned fight took place in the kitchen and continued through the door into the dining room. The sous chef was indeed of larger physical stature than the manager. I said "second class citizen" because it is a chef driven restaurant. The kitchen staff is simply held in a higher regard. Arguments are constant and in the end, it's the kitchen who wins. Just sharing my personal experience here. Rocco's did indeed average 50 covers per night in the last 2 weeks before the show aired. A different story now of course, but what's true is true. I have no reason to lie, I work there for chrissakes.

I am not going to get into a pissing match with this waiter. I refuse. As far as Restaurant Daniel's FOH/BOH issues...because it is a chef driven restaurant, the waitstaff is treated like second class citizens. I have seen a manager and a sous chef fistfighting on the floor there. Le Cirque is run solely by sirio Maccioni. The waiters and the cooks are irrelevant there...it is all about the paparazzi and Page six. The chef submits a menu, and sirio vetoes it. The waiters fight with the cooks but in the end, it's everyone against the big boss. I can and have envisioned the BOH and FOH working in tandem. I have managed and chefed at only 3 and 4 star restaurants. All with the exception of Rocco's.

I have the summer off. My regular job begins again in september. And actually, it is difficult since 9/11 to find a line cook job because of all of the closings.

Many FOH staff were fired. Furthermore, many left once "the cameras had left the building". There was also a dearth of diners once the show had wrapped. Of course now there will be an interest, but if this place isn't shuttered by December, I'll hang up my whites. Rocco's has been averaging about 50 covers per night. Horrendous for such a huge restaurant with high overhead. (Food cost is nil though).

Glad to hear that Matthew.....our waitstaff was hired strictly on the basis of how much drama potential they could cough up. (spit up)... Hopefully NBC will air how they had no idea what they were serving on a nightly basis... and as far as the "experience" that was previously mentioned by someone else here, puhleeze. Come on now. They bitched and moaned nonstop about their lack of tips when the cooks hadn't received a paycheck in 3 weeks.

No, I'll stay right here thanks. Jeez, are you a waiter? How come you're not on an audition?

Norm as far as restaurants I am sure....how many TV shows feature waiters? (Thank God).

Hey all....I am also on the TV show "The Restaurant"...as a line cook. Oh the things we can share with you all. To set a few things straight: 1. There is not a more shameless breed than the waitstaff hired at this place. "Oh!! The camera!! Me Me Me Me!!!! Guests are here? Whatever..." 2. Rocco Dispirito never once picked up a pan in the kitchen. Not one time. Not once. Opening night with the fire, NBC made sure he was filmed running around with the fire extinguisher. The man never cooked a goddamned thing. 3. The food blows. Tony walks around mashing plated dishes with a Peltex saying,"This is not a French restaurant". And the best cooks left because nobody was getting paid and the food sucked. Lots of Drama though, and like NBC told us.."The only real people are in the kitchen". No shit.