In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits La Casa Bianca in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.
La Casa Bianca is owned by Paul Liscio.
The show was contacted by his daughter Megan.
Paul has owned the restaurant for 20 years and the restaurant is his life.
She thinks that her father needs help and the restaurant is close to closure.
The team plan to send in their people as a delivery service and secretly record the restaurant.
Robert and his camera will be in the back of the truck and come out when it is time.
When they arrive, Paul is not there and the restaurant is not open.
They learn that they had an event the night before.
The restaurant will not be open until dinner time.
They hatch another plan to get Meghan to call her father to get him to the restaurant.
She will say that the alarm of the restaurant went off and he needs to come in to check on it.
Paul comes in and they tell him he has a delivery.
Robert surprises him from the back of the truck.
They get in the restaurant and the power is out because Paul missed a payment.
Paul has to rectify it so the team can set up as they have lost a lot of time.
Paul uses his rent money to pay the electric bill.
They have a party of 65 people coming in the night so more money should come in.
Paul has a culinary background and Robert sits with him to learn about it and his history.
Paul is separated and got into the restaurant business to help people.
They made $1m a year for 13 years.
A partner backed out 7 years ago and business declined.
Paul wanted the restaurant to be a family business.
Meghan worked with him until three years ago.
He was devastated when she left as it was not her dream to work in the restaurant industry.
He is in debt of $100,000 and he does not want to walk away.
Robert is shown the dining room and the kitchen.
It is dirty and worn out with old pans, dirty work tops and equipment and open fresh produce.
Robert is disgusted and refuses to eat from the kitchen.
Paul has to cancel the event for the evening as it is not safe to cook anything.
Robert brings in his design team of Tom and Lynn to discuss what they will be doing.
They start removing items from the restaurant, ready to get started on the renovation.
Robert decides Paul needs to reconnect with his daughter, who seems to be a missing piece.
Robert has her make a video message and asks her to fly down to see her father.
She is unsure as she has school and work.
Robert meets with Paul once again and shows him the video message of his daughter.
She explains why she called Robert and how she still wants him in her life even though they left on bad terms.
Paul explains he is not mad at her and realised how bad he treated her.
The next day, Megan arrives having made up her mind and jumped on a plane.
She gets to speak with Robert before he heads to the restaurant.
She explains her passion was children and she is in school for that.
Megan explains that Paul did not leave the boss/employee relationship at the restaurant which frustrated her.
The work is progressing in the restaurant.
A damaged wall has been fixed and there is a new design for the space.
Robert takes Paul to see his daughter.
They are happy to see each other, both are moved to tears.
Paul is thankful to see his daughter again.
Robert leaves them to catch up together and checks on the progress of the design team.
The floor has replaced and the wall covering has been completed,.
In the next r room is a mural of shapes of buildings from Italy.
In the kitchen the cleaning has been done and there is new equipment.
Paul is brought in to make two dishes for Robert using the new pans.
Paul is so happy that he sings while he cooks the dishes.
Robert walks in on him and notices his demeanour has changed completely from the day before.
Robert tries the food Paul makes and he is excited, loving the taste.
He helps upgrade one of the dishes and demonstrates how to make the dish faster.
Robert shows him one more dish to add to the menu.
A few hours later, the design team have finished in the restaurant.
Paula and Megan are taken into the newly renovated restaurant.
It has been given a modern spin on an Italian restaurant.
There are blacks and whites and a big pizza cutter as a centre piece.
The leaning tower of Pisa mural is a chalk board that they can write on.
They love all that the design team have done.
On relaunch, customers are let in to see the new space.
They love the new look and the food.
Paul is happily cooking and singing while working.
What Happened Next at La Casa Bianca?
Two months later, it is revealed Paul and Megan’s relationship is getting better and business was getting better.
La Casa Bianca closed in March 2016.
They were looking for a new location but don't appear to have reopened.
Reviews after the show were mostly very positive.
La Casa Bianca was Restaurant Impossible season 12 episode 8 and aired on 17th December 2015.
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