"The Restaurant" Reality Show Season 1

[bloviatrix]

What's with a restaurant critic reviewing a restaurant the second day it was open? 

Linda Stasi is not a resturant critic. I think she's the Post TV critic, formerly a gossip reporter.

Edit: Here's what Stasi wrote.

You're right about who she is. Apparently they invited her with the hope that she would add to the buzz of the show.

[tommy]

What in the hell was Rocco doing at that table with the blondes...

Well... I know what he was doing, but the #@$#@ Post critic was there... sigh

do you assume the Post critic saw that?

i don't think rocco is the only exec. chef/owner that isn't sweating in the kitchen.

Edited August 4, 2003 by tommy (log)

[tommy]

What's with a restaurant critic reviewing a restaurant the second day it was open? 

Linda Stasi is not a resturant critic. I think she's the Post TV critic, formerly a gossip reporter.

Edit: Here's what Stasi wrote.

not a bad article i suppose. i didn't realize that was zarela next to her. unless they didn't show zarela.

[zilla369]

I liked this episode least of the three so far. Rocco was portrayed (who knows if that's "reality") as uncaring and a poor manager. I especially disliked the part where he apologized to Topher's friends by saying "what can i say, he's a fuck-up." Who knows what really happened, but in any case, i can't imagine circumstances under which you would say that sentence to guests.

It all made me sort of sad. But i'm still watching. What does that say about me?

I was under the impression we'd see a lot more kitchen footage during this episode. Alas, this was not so.

[Blondie]

Ok, now that I've spoiled the surprise of Rocco reading Linda Stasi's "review" next week, here's her review of the show.

[Peter B Wolf]

Maybe 'Joe Blow America' finds this show real and 'that's reality'!

I can only hope people do not take this serious. It's not even entertaining.

It's plain stupid. Real people that have AMEX cards should boycott the card company and switch to something different. How in the world can a 'reputable'? Credit Card Company become a sponsor of trash?

[Lounge Lizard]

After the first episode I thought I would hate the show. It stared out very "scripted". After # 3 I think I may be hooked. Although there was some scripting tonight,Tophers phone call to Caroline, I am feeling for the most part that they arent acting too much. Could be I am wrong.

Love to here from some of the staff you have been posting but it seem to me that fault lies with just about everyone. Bad attitudes from servers going in and no support from managment. And why the all the food issues, was it really that bad? Did Rocco ever get into the kitchen? He comes off very poorly in tonights episode.

Oh the shifts I've had like Tophers tonight. "In the weeds"!

[tommy]

I especially disliked the part where he apologized to Topher's friends by saying "what can i say, he's a fuck-up."  Who knows what really happened, but in any case, i can't imagine circumstances under which you would say that sentence to guests.

i can. when you're making a joke. happens all the time. and i assume that's what happened there. people who are laid back and bust balls are often misunderstood by those who are uptight or take life too seriously. not that topher is like that, but, you know.

[Nick]

I can't believe the amount of whining that goes on on this show.  (And this is just from a 10 minute glimpse, folks, me having never seen it at all.)

And you guys managed to watch an entire hour, over several episodes?  You're all made of sterner stuff than I am.

Soba

Yeah, that guy Topher sure can whine. He would have lasted maybe 10 minutes before someone dropped him in the kitchens I worked in.

This'll be the last episode I watch. The content was bad enough, but it seemed like the last half hour was filled more with ads than "content" - and I'm not counting product placement.

[Peter B Wolf]

Good night, I'll read you all tomorrow.

[bloviatrix]

There were a couple of things that bothered me

1) Rocco couldn't get the pronunciation of Linda Staci's (pro- Stacey) name down. He kept calling her Stah-si, which is the name of the East German secret police. Hmm...

2) Why go out and buy a copy of the paper? There's something called the internet. He could have gone on-line and printed out a copy of the review.

3) That call was so scripted. They just happened to have camera's in Caroline's apartment?

4) That plug for Amex at the beginning when Rocco say's "we'll apply for a line of credit." Ugghh. Now I know why there was no commercial break until minute 20.

But, that said, this was first the episode I watched in full and I was riveted

Edited August 4, 2003 by bloviatrix (log)

[Lreda]

I especially disliked the part where he apologized to Topher's friends by saying "what can i say, he's a fuck-up."  Who knows what really happened, but in any case, i can't imagine circumstances under which you would say that sentence to guests.

i can. when you're making a joke. happens all the time. and i assume that's what happened there. people who are laid back and bust balls are often misunderstood by those who are uptight or take life too seriously. not that topher is like that, but, you know.

Tommy, sorry dude. We don't throw the wait staff under the bus when thing aren't working, at least owners who know what they're doing.

This episode reminded me of the " Jump the shark" episode of Happy Days.

This show is not how it works.

I'm Out

[tommy]

Tommy, sorry dude. We don't throw the wait staff under the bus when thing aren't working, at least owners who know what they're doing.

i'm not saying that he should have made that joke. but i am suggesting it came across to me as a light-hearted jab.

Edited August 4, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Lreda]

Tommy, sorry dude. We don't throw the wait staff under the bus when thing aren't working, at least owners who know what they're doing.

i'm not saying that he should have made that joke. but i am suggesting it came across to me as a light-hearted jab.

Nope

[Blondie]

I especially disliked the part where he apologized to Topher's friends by saying "what can i say, he's a fuck-up."  Who knows what really happened, but in any case, i can't imagine circumstances under which you would say that sentence to guests.

i can. when you're making a joke. happens all the time. and i assume that's what happened there. people who are laid back and bust balls are often misunderstood by those who are uptight or take life too seriously. not that topher is like that, but, you know.

You beat me to it. I assumed Rocco knew they were Topher's friends and was trying to make light of the situation. Rocco seems to have an offbeat sense of humor, which was a welcome relief from the whining and problems.

I have heard Stasi pronounced "stah-zi" before. Of course, I may have just heard Howard Stern mispronounce it

Edited August 4, 2003 by Blondie (log)

[Lreda]

I especially disliked the part where he apologized to Topher's friends by saying "what can i say, he's a fuck-up."  Who knows what really happened, but in any case, i can't imagine circumstances under which you would say that sentence to guests.

i can. when you're making a joke. happens all the time. and i assume that's what happened there. people who are laid back and bust balls are often misunderstood by those who are uptight or take life too seriously. not that topher is like that, but, you know.

You beat me to it. I assumed Rocco knew they were Topher's friends and was trying to make light of the situation. Rocco seems to have an offbeat sense of humor, which was a welcome relief from the whining and problems.

I have heard Stasi pronounced "stah-zi" before. Of course, I may have just heard Howard Stern mispronounce it

Stasi is actually humorous in the Post and I read her review when it came out. She didn't like the food, service or atmosphere. She liked Rocco though. She didn't beat him bad.

How does this dude sleep at night. This shit has to eat at you.

Ugggghhh!!

[Blondie]

Stasi is actually humorous in the Post and I read her review when it came out. She didn't like the food, service or atmosphere. She liked Rocco though. She didn't beat him bad.

She actually did like the food:

The Italian food is very good however (being a certified Italian I know good Italian food), even if our first course was served piping cold.

[Jason Perlow]

I have heard Stasi pronounced "stah-zi" before. Of course, I may have just heard Howard Stern mispronounce it

Thats the correct pronunciation, if you are referring to the former East German Secret Police, their equivalent to the KGB. A nefarious and frightening organization to say the least.

[Blondie]

I have heard Stasi pronounced "stah-zi" before. Of course, I may have just heard Howard Stern mispronounce it

Thats the correct pronunciation, if you are referring to the former East German Secret Police, their equivalent to the KGB. A nefarious and frightening organization to say the least.

Thanks for the history lesson, but I know who the Stasi were .

To be clear, I have heard her called Linda Stah-zi, but now that I think about it Howard Stern was likely taking the piss pronouncing it that way. I met her years ago, when she invited herself to join a group I was with (my date was newsworthy and the target of her journalistic interest). I've long since forgotten how she pronounced her name.

[tan319]

I thought tonight really made Rocco look like an ass.

When I helped open a place in NYC, my chef went out to tables to say hi too, but you can bet his ass was in the kitchen busting his butt, and our's too.

If he would have gotten complaints like this, he would have thrown everyone out the door. I realize that this show has more then likely been edited to provide maximum drama and conflict, but this isn't going to ever reflect very well on any of them.

And I don't think Topher's treatment was cool, under any circumstance's. he actually held up pretty well, considering how screwed up everything was for him.

I have so much respect for Dispirito as the chef of UP, but it's really being tested by this farce.

Of course, that doesn't mean I'm going to stop watching it though

[robert40]

I now know why I admire Thomas Keller so much!!

[KatieLoeb]

I watched this tonight just to see what the fuss was about. All I can say is, thank God for Deep Pocket Amex Corporate Sponsorship. Rocco's is a nightmare, both from the employee and the guest perspective. Most of the staff there wouldn't last ten minutes anywhere I've ever worked. Miss Cutesy Ditz waitress says to the owner about mise-ing the silverware "I'm just not good at that stuff" In my Universe - "Oh really - then get the fuck out of my restaurant because you obviously don't GET IT". Of course, in this parallel Universe, she gets away with it because said owner thinks she has a "great personality". Whiny, self-serving primadonnas that get even less support from the self-martyred primadonnas that run the place. The Maitre'd dissappears to go sing with the customers while there's a line of people forming out the front door??? See 'ya! Ohmigod. I've never seen more incompetence more highly rewarded in my entire life. The food service is a mess because no standards have been set, and no guidance has been given to the staff. The only time management sticks together is when they're doing something punitive to a staff member who was covering their royal worthless asses. I'm utterly disgusted. It's a shame that the "huddled masses yearning to eat in the latest cool place" will keep this pathetic excuse for a professional establishment open far longer than it deserves.

[MPB]

Roccco's a product placement whore!

[Bux]

Umm...is it just my imagination, or does this read rather stunningly like a press release?

Rhetorical question, I presume.

[MPB]

I do want to say for all of the people who have worked in "successful" restaurants........Do you think a reality show would be interesting if the owners and staff were professional???!!! The reason why it is so entertaining is because most food professionals would never open a restaurant the way Roccos did.......I was stressed out just watching them!! SO scary. But extremely entertaining!