I've been a fan of the long-running Food Network show Restaurant Imposible for many years. When I heard that the iconic Robert Irvine was going to be in town to tackle the challenges at the Benner Street Restaurant in Fountain Hill back in May of 2013, I was determined to become a volunteer on the set.
My husband and I had visited Benner Street years before with some elderly friends. Though the food was good, the age of our dinner partners pretty much defined Benner Street. The decor was very dated, and probably hadn't changed since the day the restaurant opened. It reminded me of visiting grandma's house with its display of antique wash basins, water pitchers and faded silk flowers. The 80's-inspired menu, like the decor, was outdated with its heavy cream-based sauces. We returned to Benner Street a few years later and were presented pretty much the same menu as before, which was quite disappointing, and we were never back.
Volunteering for the Restaurant Impossible makeover was easy. The crew, which is always
eager for help, immediately welcomed my daughter and I (my hubby even showed up a little later) to the team when we arrived on the afternoon of the first day of filming. After some legalities and a wrist band, they immediately set us to work alongside the other volunteers and professional carpenters and electricians. And, hard work it was.
The first day involved tearing out the old and scubbing what could be salvaged and reused, like the tables and chairs. Scraping off years of grime and spent chewing gum was no fun task. Then we stained and painted them to give them a fresh look. I stayed late to finish up the mirrored insets for use on the bar. Of course, as is the case with most Restaurant Impossible filmings, it started raining overnight, and we had to scramble to get our hard work protected from the elements. The overnight shift finished what was left and many volunteers returned the second day to start the rennovations and painting inside.
While builder/architect Tom Bury, founder of Division 9 Construction, was busy inside with the bar, designer Cheryl Torrenueva was hard at work in the design tent with window treatments, artwork, and clever new light fixtures. Cheryl's creativity and use of everyday objects in her designs really impressed me. The most memorable was how she used those round plastic plant liners you put under your houseplants. With a little white frosted spray paint, they became great light diffusers for the new lighting in the dining room. As an engineer, I would never have thought of using plant liners that way. Afterall, they're just plant liners. That's what they're used for, right?
Working with Robert Irvine was an experience. Yes, he's hard on the owners and the film crew. Yes, he demands a lot from the volunteers and team. Yes, he yells a lot. But, he's the hardest on himself. He sets high personal standards and then expects everyone involved to meet those standards. He never demands anything of anyone that he would not demand of himself. That impressed me and I respected him for it. He was never rude. He never yelled for no reason. He really has only 48 hours and $10,000 to get a job done, and his disciplined style ensures it does. My positive opinion of Robert only strengthened after meeting him again last fall at ArtsQuest in Bethlehem during his entertaining RI Live Show. Robert stayed until 1am after the show to sign autographs for everyone in the very long line. To me, that's a sign of a class act.
Restaurant Impossible's producers also take good care of their volunteers. They provided
everything from sunscreen, to beverages, to even lunch. And, before the big "reveal," Robert personally thanked everyone who helped make that episode of Restaurant Impossible possible. The entire experience was positive, and I would gladly volunteer again for another filming.
Unfortunately, only a year after the filming of the episode, the family issues at Benner Street were just too great to overcome, and Thom and Dorothy Williams decided to retire and sell the business in May. The new owners, Andy Brovina and his brother-in-law, Joshua Pudleiner, are transforming Benner Street into Saranda’s on Broadway, a more upscale, French-inspired bistro. The Morning Call recently had a sneak preview of Saranda's in August. While the decor, other than the chairs and some artwork, had not changed, the menu certainly had. The reviewer, Susan Gottshall, raved about the new fare. Prices are in line with the previous menu and "dinner for two, including tax and tip but no alcoholic beverages, totaled $102." Not cheap, but not out-of-range for the average diner seeking an "upscale" experience.
Saranda's closed at the end of October for ronnovations and according to their Facebook page will re-open soon. According to the Morning Call article, the "plans call for removing some walls, adding a fireplace to the dining room, adding outdoor dining and a fire pit behind the restaurant and installing a granite bar top." I'm looking forward to their re-opening.
The failure of Benner Street to remain a viable eatery is no reflection of Robert Irvine's abilities. Other nearby transformations at Mamma D's in Pipersville (Restaurant Impossible, Season 2), and Bella Luna, which was featured in an epsiode of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares shortly after Benner Street, have also closed. Overall, the large majority of establishments featured on Restaurant Impossible, which just recently filmed its 100th episode, are still open for business. According to Robert in this interview last year, after 69 episodes, he had only "lost" seven restaurants. An "unbiased" updated tally can be found at this link. Though the numbers presented may differ, when compared with the poor success rate in the industry, Robert obviously knows what he's doing. The problem is bad habits of owners, which are the number one reason these restaurants are failing, die hard. It's nearly impossible to turn around years of bad behavior in only a few days, and before long, many revert back to their ways. I commend Robert for what he does. It's not an easy task.