In this Restaurant Impossible episode, Robert Irvine visits Cosentino’s in Geneva, New York.
Cosentino’s is owned by Bill Cosentino.
Cosentino’s is a classic Italian, fine dining restaurant.
He opened the restaurant with his wife Nancy and his son Dominick.
The restaurant has been in the family since 1996.
Bill bought it from his mother in 2015.
His parents have owned restaurants since he was in high school and are well known in the area.
When they took over, the finances were really good.
Nancy thought they could handle it.
However, soon she realized that there had been a mistake and the numbers were wrong.
The restaurant was losing money and going downhill fast.
They are losing $10,000 a month.
A year after they took over, they had to take out a loan to keep the restaurant open.
They also took $50,000 out of Bill’s retirement fund.
The restaurant is tearing the family apart.
They’re serving terrible food, losing money and they don’t respect each other.
It’s stressful and hasn’t been good on their marriage.
They aren’t even nice to each other anymore.
Nancy feels like Bill doesn’t respect the work she does.
She just leaves because it is better than arguing in front of the staff.
Bill’s dad passed away seven years ago.
It’s important to Bill to continue his dad’s legacy.
Dominick wants to take over one day.
Nancy isn’t sure that they will be open long enough for that to happen.
Robert arrives at the restaurant and is not impressed.
There is a coatroom but it’s a mess.
There’s hardwood floors and carpet.
Robert thinks it is a very characterless restaurant.
He says it’s ugly and is not surprised that customers don’t return.
Robert calls Bill and Nancy into the restaurant.
Nancy has been in food and beverage services for years.
Their son Dominick is the cook.
Nancy looks after the books and manages the restaurant.
They paid $375,000 for the restaurant.
They didn’t have an accountant look at the books before they bought the restaurant.
They currently owe $400,000.
Nancy wasn’t thrilled about buying the restaurant because she knew they’d be working long hours.
She tells Robert that they argue a lot.
She says that Bill thinks she is a horrible manager, doesn’t do her job right and everything that’s wrong is her fault.
Bill admits he says this out of frustration.
Nancy only works there for Dominick.
Robert says he wants to see the service.
Nancy says it was hard to open up about how she feels.
Bill says it hurts to hear this because she never spoke to him about it.
At that time, New York only allowed 50% capacity.
Dominick tells Robert that he learned how to cook at the restaurant.
Robert thinks that the food doesn’t look appetizing.
They are rushing to make the food and serve it as fast as possible.
Nancy is doing everything, while Bill is only cleaning the menus.
Robert tells Bill that Nancy is far too busy to be useless.
He tells Nancy to take a break and he makes Bill pick up more work.
Nancy feels bad for her husband but she hopes he will see everything that she does.
Bill says he feels like he’s been kicked in the butt.
The servers are well trained and know how to handle a service.
Robert wants to try the food.
The fish is cooked nicely but has no taste.
The calamari tastes like rubber.
The sauce is overpowered and too spicy.
It tastes like it came out of a can.
The piccata is sad looking and doesn’t taste good.
The lasagna has a very bitter taste to it.
Robert says that overall the food is garbage.
Robert gives his opinion of the food to the family.
They get their red sauce from Bill’s brother’s restaurant.
Robert says that if they’re going to serve food like this then they should just close.
Robert says he feels bad for Dominick because he hasn’t been properly trained.
He’s got the passion but he doesn’t know how to cook properly.
Robert meets with his design team of Lynn and Tom to discuss the design concept.
The staff begins taking everything out of the restaurant.
Bill is emotional.
Robert makes a list of what Bill and Nancy do around the restaurant.
Robert wants them to come up with a way to split the tasks 50/50.
The next day, Nancy and Dominick are working on a new sauce.
Robert wants to try the sauce.
He says the sauce is good but is slightly bitter.
Robert says Dominick needs to perfect it.
Robert sits with Bill and Nancy.
Bill’s homework consisted of a lot of deep reflecting.
He tells Nancy that he loves her.
Bill admits that it’s hard for him to speak openly.
Bill says he needs to be willing to do more around the restaurant.
Robert says that if they work together and communicate well, then they will be successful.
Nancy says she hasn’t heard this from Bill in years.
She feels appreciated.
Robert has brought in a chef to help train Dominick.
They add honey to the sauce to help balance it out.
Robert tries the sauce again and he likes it much more.
Robert shows Dominick and Nancy better ways to make the foods he tried earlier.
They begin making the finishing touches to the restaurant.
Nancy is showing Bill how to use the computer.
Dominick, Nancy, and Bill have come such a long way.
Nancy didn’t think it was ever going to get better.
Bill admits that he needed to change and move forward.
Robert takes Bill and Nancy into the restaurant first.
Nancy has no words for how amazing the restaurant looks.
Bill says the transformation is unbelievable.
Robert brings in Dominick.
Robert tells Nancy that she is so vibrant today compared to yesterday.
They invite the customers in for the first time.
On relaunch, the customers love the new decor.
They also love the food.
Bill says he wishes his dad were here to see this.
What Happened Next at Cosentino's Ristorante?
Weeks later, sales have increased 30% and business is steady.
Nancy and Bill’s relationship is improving.
Bill loves his new role in the front of the house.
Dominick is doing great in the kitchen.
Nancy has started training him to become the general manager.
Cosentino's Ristorante is open.
Reviews are mostly positive with compliments to the food and service.
There are a few more negative reviews on service or off dishes.
Cosentino's Ristorante was Restaurant Impossible season 18 episode 6 and aired on 8th April 2021.
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