Old World Italian From Restaurant Impossible To Close

Photo - Food Network

Old World Italian, which was featured on season six of Restaurant Impossible, will be closing for good after September 7th according to WMBF.  Despite a lot of good reviews, the restaurant located at Murrells Inlet, SC just couldn't get enough customers to come into their restaurant.

Business was 'booming' after the show filmed in February, and once again when the show aired in April, however the owners claim this was one of the slowest summers ever.

Damaris Phillips Show Update

Photo - Food Network

It looks like we have a premiere date and time for Food Network Star winner Damaris Phillip's new show.  According to the Food Network Ad Sales website, Damaris's show has a working title of The Damaris Project rather than the name of her pilot of Eat, Date, Love.

It is pretty standard that the Food Network does not use the pilot name that is filmed during Food Network Star.  Last year, Justin Warner's pilot was Rebel with a Culinary Cause, and he had a working title of Justin's Excellent Adventure.  Then when his 1 hour show finally aired, it was called Rebel Eats.  So don't be surprised if The Damaris Project doesn't end up being the show name.

Guy's Grocery Games Premiere Date and Judges

Photo - Twitter

It was revealed earlier this month that Guy Fieri would be hosting a new show on the Food Network called Guy's Grocery Games.  Now, there is a little bit more information about the show as they have been filming in the recent weeks. 

The show's premiere date is set to be Sunday, October 20th at 8pm.  Also, they are filming 13 episodes of the show, so there will be no test-run pilot episode or 6-episode season (the first season of shows on the Food Network usually only get 6 episodes). 

As far as the judges on the show, it looks like there aren't set judges, and they will rotate.  By looking at Twitter, here are some of the confirmed judges that will be on Guy's Grocery Games:

Anna Maria's From Restaurant Impossible To Close

Anna Maria's in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, which was featured on season three of Restaurant Impossible, will be closing their restaurant this week according to WNEP.  The article doesn't have much information, but it states the owner says the closure was due to the family dealing with health issues.

You may remember Anna Maria's from being one of the filthiest Restaurant Impossible makeovers, which had Robert Irvine gagging in the kitchen and stopping food service during the episode.  The episode originally aired in February of 2012, and since its airing has received a lot of 1-star reviews, although the reviews of late have been a bit better.  A recent review from early August stated that there were only two tables there on a Saturday night, which doesn't sound good for business. 

While there may be health issues, I am sure business being down also had an impact on deciding to close the restaurant.  If something is profitable, you find ways to make it work.

This is the 7th restaurant to close out of 12 from Season 3 of Restaurant Impossible, leaving just 4 of the 12 open with the original owners.  The Restaurant Impossible Update Page has been updated to reflect this closing.

Restaurant Impossible - Aponte's Pizzeria Update

Tonight on the season 6 finale of Restaurant Impossible, Robert Irvine and crew are going to Mason, Ohio to makeover Aponte's Pizzeria Restaurant.  The owner Tony bought the restaurant eight years ago despite already being in debt.  Tony is from New Jersey and supposedly has the attitude and edge to prove it, so we will have to see if that causes any conflicts with Robert.  As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Aponte's Pizzeria to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant Impossible):

The Shed Closes Mobile Location Leaving People Angered

The Shed, which is the subject of the new Food Network show The Shed, abruptly closed their Mobile, Alabama location earlier this week.  Employees claim they came to work on Tuesday to a handwritten sign that said Closed, and directed customers to their Ocean Springs location.

The following day, a different sign was posted outside(pictured right), which was from the Revenue Division of Mobile County saying their was a tax lien on the property.  So, it looks like they didn't pay taxes and were forced to close.

That is not what has people angered though.  It is the news story (video of it is after the jump) that has an interview with Brad Orrison who doesn't seem to care about the employees he left without a job.  He was joking about them losing their job and happily stated "Ya gotta find another job!"

Food News - Robert Irvine Protein Bar and A Giada De Laurentiis Las Vegas Restaurant

Photo - PRNewswire

Robert Irvine teamed up with FortiFX to create a protein bar, which launched earlier this week.  The protein bar is baked and "delivers 30 grams of the highest quality protein blend, including whey – elements the body can use.  Low in sugar, these bars are also easy to digest."  Robert claims it is as good as anything he's ever made.  If you are interested in trying a free sample, head over to the website for the protein bar and sign up for one (Link). 

Let me know how you think it tastes if you get one.  Maybe it will be good, but only one way to find out.  I bet if Robert was fed his protein bar on Restaurant Impossible, he would spit it out in a napkin and freak out.

'Beat Bobby Flay' Pilot Airs Saturday Night On Food Network

Photo - Food Network

Beat Bobby Flay, which can be described as a new version of Throwdown, is scheduled to have its pilot episode air Saturday night at 9:00pm on the Food Network.  It will replay at midnight, and again on Tuesday August 27th at 11pm and 2am, but that may be it (Edit - another one Sat., Aug 31st, 4:30 ET).  So if you want to check it out, make sure to tune in at one of these times or set your DVR.  It is only a half hour long and is sandwiched between, you guessed it, countless reruns of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

The description of Beat Bobby Flay when the new series for 2013 were announced stated:

In order to beat Bobby Flay, you have to get to him first. This new series is the ultimate throwdown-showdown…. Three culinary masters, each with their own signature dish, a dish that they’d stake their reputations on, travel to New York for the chance to challenge Bobby Flay to a head-to-head cook-off of their specialty. But first, these contenders must battle it out to see who has the culinary prowess to ultimately go one-on-one against Bobby on his own turf. Produced by Rock Shrimp for Food Network

The description of the show on the Food Network site has been changed a bit, and it reveals a bit more about the show.

Sports Stars To Compete on 'Chopped'

According to TVGuide, there will be an upcoming new episode of Chopped that will feature 'Sports Stars.'  This episode is scheduled to air on Tuesday September 3rd at 10pm, and the athletes are competing for charity.  The 'Sports Stars' competing are: Danica Patrick (Auto Racing), Tiki Barber (former NFL running back for the New York Giants), Natalie Coughlin (Olympic Champion Swimmer), and Chuck Zito (I guess being an amateur boxer and martial artist makes him a "Sports Star"?)

The Food Network description states:

Four athletes who feel right at home in the kitchen battle it out for charity. The judges are presented with four salmon dishes to taste for the first course. In the second round chocolate-covered marshmallows seem to be the most stress-inducing ingredient. And figuring out how to transform olive oil cake is the challenge for dessert.

This will be a one episode special, and not a tournament like Chopped All-Stars or anything.


UPDATE - For those wondering who won, Tiki Barber was eliminated after the appetizer, Chuck Zito after the entree, and Natalie Coughlin after the dessert round making Danica Patrick the Chopped winner and winning $10,000 for her charity.

Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill New York Location To Close

At the end of May, Zagat spotted Bobby Flay's restaurant Mesa Grill on a real estate website that said the space was available.  This led people to believe that Mesa Grill's New York location would either be closing or moving.

When that story came out, Bobby Flay responded to Grubstreet, and said they were renegotiating the lease and this was just the landlord testing the market.  He also said a move to midtown was possible, but they didn't have a space yet, and that Mesa Grill would live on in New York one way or another.