In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Copper Steer Steakhouse in Safford, Arizona.
Copper Steer Steakhouse is owned by Parrish and Maureen.
They have owned the steakhouse for 10 years after retiring from law enforcement.
It was Parrish’s dream to own a restaurant, despite having no experience.
He built it with his father and funded it with his wife, spending close to $500,000.
They had a loyal customer base but the restaurant is failing.
Robert arrives and isn’t impressed.
He thinks it is dark and dirty with a strong smell from the grill.
There are walls that block the space and make it seem smaller than it is.
Robert calls the owners for a brief about the restaurant.
He is impressed by the amount of hands-on building they have done at the restaurant.
He is shocked by the mandatory 15% gratuity they charged customers initially.
This led to customers not wanting to come back to the restaurant.
They removed it once they realised it was putting people off but customers still refused to come back.
Robert hears from the customers that are coming in for the service.
They complain about the forced tipping and delayed service.
They are also unhappy about the smoke from the grill in the middle of the restaurant.
Robert can see that Parrish is cutting large portions of meat.
These require longer to cook and keeps customers waiting.
There are also way too many items on the menu.
Parrish is frustrated and in turn frustrates his staff.
Robert orders some dishes and sees the steak is well cooked but under seasoned.
The side dishes are cold in the middle and the ribs he ordered take a long time to come.
The burger has no fat so it is dry and the salmon is over cooked.
All of the meat tastes alike because it is cooked on the same grill with the same spices.
Robert gives the couple feedback and then they tackle Parrish’s attitude.
Robert advises him on communicating better or he could lose his marriage as well as the business.
Robert meets with the design team of Luke and Tom.
They love the woodwork but will have to pull down some walls.
They also need to clean walls that are coated in soot before they can be painted.
The workers and volunteers empty out the space.
The team gets to work immediately as there is a lot to be done.
Robert goes through the financials and matches it to the menu items bought within 3 months.
Robert shows them their top dishes and the worst selling items.
He tells them they are losing money in keeping the ingredients to make those that aren’t selling.
He makes them understand they have too many items on their menu.
At the end of the first day, they are repainting and Tom has to wait for them to finish.
The next day, Robert checks in with the design team.
The progress is slower than he had hoped as they are still painting.
The mayor has provided help in the form of his construction company and he is on site.
Robert speaks with him and learns there is a mining community in the area.
Robert sits with the couple and head cook to formulate the new menu.
They will reduce portion sizes so they can balance their cost and pricing.
They will have a smaller grill in the restaurant to avoid the smoke issues.
Robert has invited families from the community to make some free burgers to win back their good will.
They made the burgers with Robert’s tips and the customers love the tasters.
Meanwhile the team are making progress in the space putting in the furnishings.
Robert decides to tackle the bad communication between Parrish and his team.
He is made to apologise to his wife and staff for being emotional and lashing out at them.
Robert takes them to the kitchen and demonstrates how to make their top three dishes better.
They love the taste and are excited that their customers are going to experience the new menu.
Robert joins his team to hurry them into finishing the final touches.
The couple are taken in first to see the new and improved space.
They are shocked to see it more open, brighter and warm with the white walls and the wood features.
Parrish is happy that the woodwork was kept so they can appreciate his father’s work.
Parrish’s father is brought in and he loves the changes that have been made.
On relaunch, the customers are let in.
They love the how open and bright the space is and no more smoke smell with the grill.
The orders roll in and Parrish does a good job of communicating better with his staff.
The customers love all the meals they are served and the community are eager to come back.
What Happened Next at Copper Steer Steakhouse?
Two months later, it is revealed that business has improved dramatically.
They hired new staff to cope with the demand.
Parrish and Maureen have been able to free up more time to spend with their kids.
The restaurant was up for sale at the time of the episode airing but was removed from sale shortly after.
Copper Steer Steakhouse is open.
After the show, reviews are mixed.
The negative comments focus mainly on service and the positive comments are on the food quality.
Copper Steer Steakhouse was Restaurant Impossible season 14 episode 4 and aired on 11th May 2019.
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