"The Restaurant" Reality Show Season 1

[tan319]

Nice post, Holly.

Will you tell me when this show airs?

Sounds interesting!

[Holly Moore]

Nice post, Holly.

Will you tell me when this show airs?

Sounds interesting!

As long as you asked,

The show is called "We Can Make You Talk, The History of Interrogation in the 20th Century." We are about a third of the show. They use our (Team Delta's) actual interrogtion of volunteer prisoners to demonstrate techniques and approaches after they have been discussed documentry style.

The show airs this winter on the History Channel.

[Coop]

Is Chowdorow Big Foot from Kitchen Confidential? If not who is?

[Jason Perlow]

Is Chowdorow Big Foot from Kitchen Confidential? If not who is?

That thought also came to my mind, but I think he's too young to be Bigfoot.

[Lady T]

As TV, the show was okay, I guess, but maybe I've spent too much time around the construction trades: I kept thinking about how long it takes to negotiate a lease in NYC, and how long it takes to get a building permit in NYC, and how long it takes to get a demolition-and-buildout job done in NYC (particularly with an expensive union crew, the only kind you dare use for safety's sake!), and that must have been why I kept yelling at the screen: "You can't DO that!"

I simply can't call this a "reality" show.

[zilla369]

This just in...Chef Dispirito's appearing on Leno tomorrow night (Tuesday 7/22).

[jhlurie]

This just in...Chef Dispirito's appearing on Leno tomorrow night (Tuesday 7/22).

I guess he won't be overseeing the kitchen that night, eh? (no you don't have to reply back with the fact that he rarely does anyway... we've covered that...)

[jhlurie]

Hey look... He's on "The Restaurant" and stuff, but you can still call his agent! Wheeeeee!

[Neil Borscht]

I'd like to know to what extent the owners of Commune were involved in the episode. It certainly seemed to me that they went out of the way to show the Commune awning, logo and such.

They also didn't mind showing the demolition of Commune or insinuating that they were evicted based on poor property maintenance.

I live in Atlanta where we have a Commune as well and I couldn't help thinking how negative the portrayal was.

Did I view this correctly?

Could Commune have benefited publicity wise and been paid for this?

nb

[Jason Perlow]

Hey look... He's on "The Restaurant" and stuff, but you can still call his agent!  Wheeeeee!

This is the dude that drank the bucket of wine spit.

[Eat_eat_eat]

I don't know Rocco personally, but I have to say the guy's getting knocked around here a little unfairly. There's not many chefs/restauranteurs that would turn down doing a show like this.

I agree. I know nothing about opening a restaurant so I was looking forward to the show. I like it very much so far.

But I am not sure if I want to eat spaghetti and meatballs at Rocco's instead of a tried and true neighborhood joint.

[tommy]

But I am not sure if I want to eat spaghetti and meatballs at Rocco's instead of a tried and true neighborhood joint.

those meatballs might very well be the same meatballs that he ate growing up which inspired him to greatness. and the wine list is probably pretty damned good as well.

[azlee]

What was Rocco's other place besides UP ? I heard him state that Rocco's is his 3rd restaurant.

I believe the reference was to Tuscan formerly Tuscan Steak on 3rd Ave in midtown where Rocco recently signed on to revamp the menu. I don't believe Rocco had an ownership interest in Dava.

[jhlurie]

There's not many chefs/restauranteurs that would turn down doing a show like this.

I'm not so sure of that.

I don't know Rocco personally, but I have to say the guy's getting knocked around here a little unfairly.

On the other hand, he went into this with eyes open, presumably. Could you watch one reality show for more than five minutes and be convinced that most people come out looking good? I have to hope Rocco signed the dotted line knowing this. And his gambit has probably worked--haven't most of the TV critics claimed to have loved this thing?

Me, I'm not sure if these critics have seen "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"--a show I was fully prepared to hate, but didn't. But "The Restaurant"? I'm just not interested in what they are showing so far, and I'm not loving the way its setup, the in-your-face product placement, the people its showing us, and the show-biz-ification of the whole restauranting process. Cutting on Rocco's hat is just a side benefit, for fun.

[azlee]

As TV, the show was okay, I guess, but maybe I've spent too much time around the construction trades:  I kept thinking about how long it takes to negotiate a lease in NYC, and how long it takes to get a building permit in NYC, and how long it takes to get a demolition-and-buildout job done in NYC (particularly with an expensive union crew, the only kind you dare use for safety's sake!), and that must have been why I kept yelling at the screen:  "You can't DO that!"

I simply can't call this a "reality" show.

In the end they used space, for which Chodorow already held a lease and already had building permits. He had another restaurant slated to go in that space. The amazing part is that they could pass inspections in so short a time. It would seem that the builder was under some pressure from Chodorow to use all his influence to "make it so" with the governmental powers that be, as far as bulding inspections. I wonder how they got aorund the health inspectors considering the rodent problem and bringing in the food before construction had been finished.

NBC underwrote some of the opening costs and all the product placement will also make up some of the cost. Even if Rocco's fails Chodorow will make money and has proven his ability to do an extremely short opening in NYC which is a truly herculean feat.

[tommy]

i think that rocco has a reputation for being a pretty damned nice guy. i can't see this show changing many peoples opinions. just a thought.

[Lreda]

But I am not sure if I want to eat spaghetti and meatballs at Rocco's instead of a tried and true neighborhood joint.

those meatballs might very well be the same meatballs that he ate growing up which inspired him to greatness. and the wine list is probably pretty damned good as well.

Tommy,

This is pretty obvious. We must go. I think a visit here for wine and meatballs at the bar is in order. A few of us are going to Blue Smoke in the late afternoon. We could fit this in.

I could use a few laughs. Maybe Mama will be there.

We could ask The Rock...

Edited July 21, 2003 by Lreda (log)

[tommy]

Tommy,

This is pretty obvious. We must go. I think a visit here for wine and meatballs at the bar is in order. A few of us are going to Blue Smoke in the late afternoon. We could fit this in.

I could use a few laughs. Maybe Mama will be there.

is the bar big enough for walk-ins? name the day. i'm pretty excited to try this place actually. well actually i'm pretty excited to try *every* new place.

[Lreda]

Looks like the bars big enough, though I couldn't tell cause it wasn't effin finished on TV. I'll give you a time schedule tomorrow as far as where we'll be on Thursday.

[Bux]

Hey look... He's on "The Restaurant" and stuff, but you can still call his agent!  Wheeeeee!

Hey look, he's an actor not a waiter. He was "cast for NBC's unscripted drama television show, 'The Restaurant.'" That's quite different from being hired to be a waiter in a restaurant. Is this a show that resulted from filming a restaurant being opened or a restaurant that's the result of a TV series? Is it the kind of restaurant that will make diners eager to see a rerun of the show or a show that will make views eager to eat in the restaurant?

[Bux]

The amazing part is that they could pass inspections in so short a time. It would seem that the builder was under some pressure from Chodorow to use all his influence to "make it so" with the governmental powers that be, as far as bulding inspections. I wonder how they got aorund the health inspectors considering the rodent problem and bringing in the food before construction had been finished.

On the other hand, did they need a restaurant license to hold what amounted to a preopening party that was, I'm sure, by invitation. If this was a private party and there was no charge for the food, I doubt they needed to pass inspections. Once again I suspect we were only seeing a staged event.

[footrot_flats]

Third restaurant=Rocco's in Sag Harbor??

[zenial]

The amount of work from the day before to the day of opening was amazing. Everything was inspected properly, it all just happened so fast that there was not enough footage of the whole process. As far as hiring actors as staff that is somewhat the case. I was one of the actor/waiters that was hired, however I along with 95% of the rest of the staff is very expirenced. They did hire a few ditz's to spice but most of us have been waiting for years inculding Gideon who yes is the quy that drank the spit bucket. But it wasn't a spit bucket there was a seprate bucket for spit he drank the pither of wine that was not tasted which probably didn't have taht much spit in it, but it was a shit load of wine.

Later

[GordonCooks]

The impossible show we'd all like to see but never will:

"Getting a NY Liquor license in 6 weeks"

[abbeynormal]

According to the New York Post this morning, the reservation line at Rocco's is going gangbusters following Sunday night's episode.