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"The Restaurant" Reality Show Season 1

bpearis

By bpearis
in Food Media & Arts

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Gerry Dawes

Gerry Dawes

Posted
Posted

"I would agree with Mr. Ripert's point of view about the first couple episodes."

Of course, Eric Ripert and Anthony Bourdain both appeared in cameos as guests on The Restaurant.

NHCountryGirl

NHCountryGirl

Posted
Posted
undefinedWhat happened on screen wasn't funny or real looking anymore.... to see incompetence, cold food, people falling on slick floors, overt favoritism, good people so frustrated they were compelled to quit, Mama get sick, ... 

To play devil's advocate, maybe it was just a little too real! I know I've seen all of those things happen at one time or another in my history in the restaurant world. ( And, even, unfortunately the bathroom trysts.) :wub:

Maybe most of us are irate at that exposure, 'cause we know better. Every restaurant suffers growing pains. Of course, with Rocco's supposed stellar background and experience he should already have "been there, done that".

Think everyone expected or would have liked a more highly evolved representation.

But, that's entertainment (according to TV, anyway).

I think Zenial said it best - going for the lowest common denominator!

daysee8

daysee8

Posted
Posted
Every restaurant suffers growing pains. Of course, with Rocco's supposed stellar background and experience he should already have "been there, done that".

Stupid question girl here ... had Rocco actually "been there, done that" before? I have always been of the impression that at UP he was executive chef, and then was an "owner" in title only. What he seemed to suck at on this show was the HR responsibilites of a GM. From what current employees say, all of that is back in Laurent's hands now. So did he suck at it because he just sucks at it, or because he'd never done it before, doesn't do it well, and had producers saying "Don't let that person quit, we need her".

Callipygos

Callipygos

Posted
Posted
Admittedly, this is like complaining that the aerosol cheese didn't quite complement the Funyuns.

I just want to say, this made me do a spit take across my computer.

Albeit a gleeful one.

NHCountryGirl

NHCountryGirl

Posted
Posted

Yeah, Rocco has defintely "been there done that" at least according to his biography.

A brief synopsis from memory (didn't take notes)Graduate of CIA, time in Europe, a couple of years in Boston, several spots in NY.

CIA teaches all about kitchen safety, staff handling etc as well as how to cook. Any experienced chef has to be both familiar with and manage many HR issues.

Most of those cited from madziast's post would directly fall under executive chef duties - cold food, slippery kitchen floor, and especially incompetent staff. Chef is responsible for BOH staff, and usually complains vehemently if there are any FOH staff that lack in competence. They don't want them screwing up the orders and their food.

The blatant favoritism, good workers suffering frustration, overall miscommunication, even payroll glitches - anyone who has had years of experience at several restauarnts, would have encountered all of that at some point, either as a victim, perpatrator or innocent observer.

Disclaimer here: If anyone out there is the one in a million who has worked in an establishment where none of this has happened - well, I don't believe it. All of this is "life in the REAL restaurant world" ,like it or not!

I still give Rocco credit, though for stepping up there and giving it a shot. Can't help it, the whole deal intrigues me! :cool:

TrishCT

TrishCT

Posted
Posted
undefinedWhat happened on screen wasn't funny or real looking anymore.... to see incompetence, cold food, people falling on slick floors, overt favoritism, good people so frustrated they were compelled to quit, Mama get sick, ... 

To play devil's advocate, maybe it was just a little too real! I know I've seen all of those things happen at one time or another in my history in the restaurant world. ( And, even, unfortunately the bathroom trysts.) :wub:

Maybe most of us are irate at that exposure, 'cause we know better. Every restaurant suffers growing pains. Of course, with Rocco's supposed stellar background and experience he should already have "been there, done that".

Think everyone expected or would have liked a more highly evolved representation.

But, that's entertainment (according to TV, anyway).

I think Zenial said it best - going for the lowest common denominator!

Several of the "real" things appeared scripted or manipulated, not real.

Bux

Bux

Posted
Posted
Several of the "real" things appeared scripted or manipulated, not real.

Even the real people came across as scripted and from central casting whether they were playing themselves or a fictional character. That's what makes it so easy for many not to treat them as real people with real feelings. It's like Seinfeld--Jerry played Jerry, but George was played by a guy named Jason.

Robert Buxbaum

WorldTable

Recent WorldTable posts include: comments about reporting on Michelin stars in The NY Times, the NJ proposal to ban foie gras, Michael Ruhlman's comments in blogs about the NJ proposal and Bill Buford's New Yorker article on the Food Network.

My mailbox is full. You may contact me via worldtable.com.

madziast

madziast

Posted
Posted

"Nicely made?" 

I've had a whisky sour with gatorade that was better made.

:laugh: and "very realistic", ha ha ha.

wait, whiskey and gatorade???? !!! :blink:

Alcohol is a misunderstood vitamin.

P.G. Wodehouse

Peckish

Peckish

Posted
Posted

Geeeezzzz.

Do you y'all have jobs?

The show be ovah.

It was a show. Some people laughed, some cried, some cooked.

When the curtain falls on your particular drama, are ya going to be thinkin' bout Rocco's and it's IMPORT?

What import?

Hordes of boys and girls go to work and produce food. They do it as exactingly as they can everyday; day in, day out. They do so because it is their job. It is what they profess to BE. Cooks.

As do I. Rocco has nothing on me. (abourdain would agree)

This is a profession.

herbacidal

herbacidal

Posted
Posted
ok i guess this thread's a wrap.

as you were, everybody.

As others have said...I will miss this thread far more than I will miss the show.

=R=

The first show I saw was the one where the cooks left, the next to last show I believe.

I was enjoying this thread for weeks beforehand.

Herb aka "herbacidal"

Tom is not my friend.

jhlurie

jhlurie

Posted
Posted
ok i guess this thread's a wrap.

as you were, everybody.

No... now we talk about how bad the show was instead of how bad it is.

Also:

- how The Restaurant 2 could be better... or worse.

- how the cast members are trying to extend their "fifteen minutes"

- Rocco sightings

- how this has affected The Rock's show biz career... er... I mean his credibility as a Chef

- how funny it is that the "Queer Eye" guys were invited to the VMAs and Rocco seemingly wasn't

Jon Lurie, aka "jhlurie"

tommy

tommy

Posted
Posted
ok i guess this thread's a wrap.

as you were, everybody.

No... now we talk about how bad the show was instead of how bad it is.

yeah, i have a few tivo'd and i haven't seen them yet. i guess it's not over for everyone.

tommy:eats.com
TrishCT

TrishCT

Posted
Posted
ok i guess this thread's a wrap.

as you were, everybody.

No... now we talk about how bad the show was instead of how bad it is.

yeah, i have a few tivo'd and i haven't seen them yet. i guess it's not over for everyone.

We have to at least get to post 1500...

herbacidal

herbacidal

Posted
Posted

- how funny it is that the "Queer Eye" guys were invited to the VMAs and Rocco seemingly wasn't

yea, i was wondering about that.

maybe he decided to skip and just go to the after parties.

Herb aka "herbacidal"

Tom is not my friend.

daysee8

daysee8

Posted
Posted
ok i guess this thread's a wrap.

as you were, everybody.

No... now we talk about how bad the show was instead of how bad it is.

Also:

- how The Restaurant 2 could be better... or worse.

- how the cast members are trying to extend their "fifteen minutes"

- Rocco sightings

- how this has affected The Rock's show biz career... er... I mean his credibility as a Chef

- how funny it is that the "Queer Eye" guys were invited to the VMAs and Rocco seemingly wasn't

The Restaurant 2 could be better if they do the show as they originally said they would, and film people coming to a restaurant, and show what they do. They screwed it up, IMO, by trying to manipulate it too much. Oh, it'd also be better by having a production company pay for it rather than advertisers.

Rocco was invited to the VMAs. He was the "green room caterer". MTV's site has pictures from it ... one referring to his girlfriend as "Yet another of Rocco DiSpirito's women". Most of the rest of the pictures are the empty room. Guess that word has even gotten out to the music world that the food is cold.

madziast

madziast

Posted
Posted

- how funny it is that the "Queer Eye" guys were invited to the VMAs and Rocco seemingly wasn't

yea, i was wondering about that.

maybe he decided to skip and just go to the after parties.

what's the point if madonna didn't go to her own party? i do wonder what chris rock would make of the restaurant biz, given the chance...

the fab five were peeing in their pants to be part of the awards, cute! loved those guys and hope they don't lose their charm and enthusiasm

Alcohol is a misunderstood vitamin.

P.G. Wodehouse

tommy

tommy

Posted
Posted
The Restaurant 2 could be better if they do the show as they originally said they would, and film people coming to a restaurant, and show what they do.

where did they say that? hmm.

tommy:eats.com
jess mebane

jess mebane

Posted
Posted

Rocco was invited to the VMAs.  He was the "green room caterer".  MTV's site has pictures from it ... one referring to his girlfriend as "Yet another of Rocco DiSpirito's women".  Most of the rest of the pictures are the empty room.  Guess that word has even gotten out to the music world that the food is cold.

puhleaze, shug.....cold food in the MTV green room? All that is to be consumed at the VMAs is found in the loo, or Courtney Love's purse.

tommy

tommy

Posted
Posted
Rocco was invited to the VMAs.  He was the "green room caterer".  MTV's site has pictures from it ... one referring to his girlfriend as "Yet another of Rocco DiSpirito's women".  Most of the rest of the pictures are the empty room.  Guess that word has even gotten out to the music world that the food is cold.

where's that link. i can hardly wait.

tommy:eats.com
daysee8

daysee8

Posted
Posted
The Restaurant 2 could be better if they do the show as they originally said they would, and film people coming to a restaurant, and show what they do.

where did they say that? hmm.

The original press about Burnett's idea for the show talked about how it'd be the first show where a person could watch one week, and be on the next. They were just going to have cameras in a restaurant to show the things that happened naturally with both the staff and the patrons. The idea was that there's a lot of drama there, just show it. As the idea got bigger and bigger, they threw in the whole "open a restaurant in six weeks" mess.

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