So the Restaurant was finally back. This review took me a bit, because I had to get a tape of the show. Apparently, the show has not been doing well, and so they dumped all the episodes to Saturdays, and other random nights.

By Colleen Harris
Reality Reel Media
06.05.04

So I can’t even really remember what happened last. Rocco was about to be kicked form the Restaurant, but when we see him now, he’s there, at the crack of dawn. He’s cooking some sauce, but not really working well, because Mamma says it’s bad.

And I guess the rest of life is not going well. We get to see some training led by part of the wait staff, and Carol, from Jeffery’s “team.” Somehow, I think this will go bad. People look like they are somewhat listening, and Carol keeps pushing them to listen, to make the restaurant more efficient. Ya know, if you were not running all these stupid trainings, maybe it would all be costing less. Carol’s not happy, and sends Sarah in to talk to the people so she can rake Al, the waiter doing all the talking, over the coals. Sarah talks about how people are going to be held accountable for their jobs Laurent watches this all, knowing it’s bad, and goes to Rocco. He tells Rocco he has to be in the place, even if he doesn’t want to. That staff needs him there. So Rocco calls Jeffery, and sets up a meeting.

Meantime, this had me in stitches. Carol, wanting to save money, and be so efficient, goes out and gets the new barstools—at around 100 bucks a pop. Totally what I would be spending money on if they are really that much in the whole.

Rocco and Jeffery meet, with Mamma there, and I can already tell it’s going to be bad. Jeffery gives his line about the restaurant losing money, Rocco says Jeffery never tells him anything—wait, is this a new episode? So after more, Rocco leaves, and Jeffery tells Mamma she has to fix Rocco. Mamma tells Jeffery he talks down to people, and that he should be acting more mature.

Rocco goes on a rant, talking to the staff and saying that they will try to work through the conflict with out making people chose sides. He then walks around trying to make everyone happy, but complains a whole lot, and never listens. Jeffery finally shows up with those finical statements, and Rocco’s got to leave. Seriously, this is SOO getting out of hand. And yet, I can’t help but watch.

Oh, but it gets better. Dinner rush, and Tony is down in the kitchen, working with the fire. Something about adding flavor to stuff. But the line cook left in charge botches it all, and a fire breaks out. This is never a good thing. Tony gets it out, after chopping a wall down, at the same time Rocco comes back. He handles it all well, and calms down the guests as well. Somehow, I think Jeffery would have made people more nervous.

And if it could not get any more like a train wreck, Rocco overhears this table, all therapists, and goes to talk to them about his problems with Jeffery. So they then call Jeffery over, for some impromptu therapy. But it looks like it will work, cause at the end, they both walk away smiling. I never thought that would happen.