[Robert Irvine] I've been here doing some other work two and a half hours away,
and yesterday people told me not to come here.
They said you're not good people.
-[shouting] Give me fries! -I'll give you fries when you find out what table 21 wants!
[Robert] This restaurant is a failure on every level.
Unfortunately, folks, we're outta food.
You gotta say something more than that, David.
You both are the complete antithesis of each other.
I don't know how you're together.
Well look, the reason I came is because I believe in second chances.
-Go on, hit it. -Time to move forward. Time to know I'm beautiful.
Know I'm worth it, and know that I can do it.
That's the first time that I've seen emotion from you.
I feel like I'm getting a second chance here.
[Robert] Everybody out now, please. Just go! Now.
Mmm... Wow, that's good.
Open your eyes.
-Oh, my God! -Holy... Ooh!
I'm headed to Lincoln, New Hampshire to meet owners David and Melissa
of the White Mountain Tavern.
You know, the beautiful thing about this area,
it's great for hiking, and skiing and seasonal weather.
I mean, such a beautiful scenic drive.
So it's kind of interesting, normally when I go to a restaurant,
I have absolutely zero clue about where I'm going, what I'm doing.
But on this one, I've had so many people telling me how bad this restaurant is.
It's not just the food, apparently, it's the owners, too.
Without trying to pre-judge, this is gonna be interesting.
Why does it have such a bad reputation?
And why are people telling me not to do this place?
I'm really intrigued what I'm gonna find, or what I'm gonna hear.
Charlie, I got a motzy, first course, and then a rib eye, medium.
I'm David Culhane,
Uh... Co-owner here of White Mountain Steak House and Tavern.
I co-own the restaurant with Melissa Lewis, who also happens to be my fiance.
We're mostly steaks, prime rib and seafood.
It's a good combination of casual and fine dining.
So, this is your Bahama.
My name is Melissa, and I co-own the White Mountain Tavern.
I run the bar and the front of house daily operations.
[David] We're in scenic Lincoln, New Hampshire,
in the heart a the White Mountains, beautiful place full a tourism.
I'm originally from a small town
just south a Boston, called Milton, Mass.
I would come up here with my brother and my father
for school vacation weeks, ski vacations.
We would always stay at this resort where the restaurant is.
It was just kinda like this magical place, you know, up in the mountains.
Always very good food, great service, it's been a very meaningful place to me.
Spending time with my father and brother, we'd look forward to coming and staying here,
going skiing, eating in the restaurant,
all year until, you know, we could make it up here.
And it's just a big staple of my childhood.
Hands, please!
Been in the restaurant business my whole life,
the vast majority waiting tables and bartending.
At some point early in the pandemic, I decided to take a vacation,
and I ended up booking a trip up here.
I was tryin' to take a walk down memory lane by coming here,
but the restaurant wasn't here,
it was abandoned, rundown, this room was just full of junk.
I honestly found it to be tragic.
You know, this place that was one a the centers of my childhood was gone.
I asked the front desk, "What happened to your restaurant?"
And next thing you know, he had me in touch with the hotel manager.
And he says, "We're lookin' to lease that space out,"
and here we are two-and-a-half years later.
We opened August 25th of 2020.
On day one, our former chef and I were the only two people working here at all.
He was doin' the cooking, I was bartending, waiting on all the tables.
It was a struggle, but we were just excited to be opening.
So, I met Melissa, uh... Pretty shortly after we opened here.
A mutual friend a both of ours sent her in to apply to be a bartender.
We just kinda hit it off right away.
[Melissa] We were engaged within two weeks.
He always made me laugh and have a good time together.
[David] Within, like, a month of Melissa and I getting engaged,
I realized that she was gonna be here to stay,
and really the best thing for this place would be if we ran it together.
So, Melissa and I are 50-50 co-partners.
[Melissa] To be honest, I didn't see it coming.
I never in my wildest dreams imagined I'd own a restaurant because I was born
with a silver spoon in my mouth, and I choked on it at about the age of 18.
I was set to inherit a construction company.
Unfortunately, I was victim of the opioid epidemic.
I was in college and I had an ovarian cyst rupture.
The pain medication that they had put me on for all of that,
like, caused a lot of problems in my life.
I started abusing them, a hundred of these, a hundred of these, a hundred of these.
It destroyed me, and I lost my family. I lost 'em.
My mom literally told me I could not come home
'cause she didn't want me around my siblings.
I don't think they will ever forgive me.
Makes me sick to my stomach.
I have been sober 12 years from opioids.
I feel I've come so far over the years.
I've... I've been at the bottom of the bottom,
and making the dumbest of decisions,
to now being able to proudly say I am a co-owner of a business.
And for the first, like, six months, I really enjoyed every day here.
Things just got stressful over time.
Sadly, the David I met and the David I know now are not exactly the same.
Rib eye, table 12, Melissa.
And, hey, what's up with all the dirty dishes in the service station?
-[Melissa] Um, why don't you fire me? -Like, you're the only one
workin' out there, like, come on. All right, table 12, please.
[Melissa] David was struggling with drinking
to the point that he would do stupid things on camera
in public that people would post online.
Oh, my God. You.
He's been doin' better for a few months,
but our image is damaged because of David's drinking.
Now, he's a stressaholic control freak.
We fight at work. We go home, we fight about work.
It's been really difficult.
We probably yell at each other on a daily basis here.
Hey, did you clean that beer cooler out yet?
It's, like, disgusting, and you've been standing around all night.
-There's nobody in here. -I'm standing around all night?
-You're standin' around, too! -You kidding me?
Melissa has a bit of a temper.
Very quick to break stuff in front a people and it's embarrassing.
She's definitely scared off clientele.
[Melissa] I've had anger issues for a long time.
I think it's all deep-seated, and related to issues from my past.
But things have gotten really bad.
They've been amplified in the last year by David.
Our relationship and the business has become toxic,
it's become unhealthy, it's become unhappy,
it's become every negative adjective you can think of.
It's just gotten very frustrating,
you know, we can't keep staff, finances are outta whack, the restaurant's struggling.
I would estimate that the restaurant right now is losing $3,000 a month.
So any issues that we have personally, are only, like, amplified by all a that.
It's kinda like fire and gasoline.
To be honest, I'm not even sure it's a relationship I wanna be in anymore.
There is no relationship anymore. It is just business.
[David] I would regret it, I think, if I walked away
from the restaurant and Melissa at this point.
But it definitely crosses my mind on a regular basis.
How much more can I really lose
without just, like, hitting total rock bottom, like, losing everything?
[Robert] Well, here we are, the White Mountain Tavern.
It looks like it's part of a resort, um... A hotel resort,
which is interesting because it should have built-in business right away.
Let's find out.
Well, as you enter the restaurant, you can hear this cavernous kinda sound.
To my right, looks like there is um... Some kind of bar with a fireplace.
And then, this must be the dining room.
I mean, just look at the size of the room, has no identity whatsoever,
with, uh... Fake plants, which drives me nuts.
They're just there gathering dust.
Look at that ceiling, my goodness.
It is collapsing in some way, shape or form.
Lights, very, very different, some work, some don't.
Look at the state of the carpet. Carpet is disgustingly dirty.
Don't know what was goin' on here, but they didn't finish it whatever it was.
Somebody has taken this over that doesn't care,
or has no clue, whatsoever, or, uh... No money.
In my opinion, it's very sad.
David, Melissa! Come in the restaurant, please.
-Hi, how are you? -Good morning, how are you?
Good, Melissa.
-Melissa. -[Melissa] Nice to meet you.
David, pleasure to meet you.
[Robert] Take a seat.
First of all, thank you for, uh... Allowin' me to come here.
-[David] Thanks for coming. -Thank you for coming.
So, what type of food are you?
Steaks, seafood.
-So, there is a hotel attached to this? -That's correct.
Yeah, there's 92 rooms here.
You made a deal with the hotel, I presume, that owns it?
-Is that right? -Correct, yes. To lease the space from them.
And what's their occupancy in... In high season?
85 to 90% in the busiest several months.
-[Robert] Okay. -In the off-season, it's very low though, like, 10%.
-[David] Which we're in the middle of right now. -[Robert] Okay.
When did you get into this restaurant?
We opened in August of 2020.
-So, you got it through COVID? -Right at the beginning, yeah.
Why did you get into it in COVID?
So, I've been staying at this resort my entire life.
Like, my family would come up here for ski vacations once a year growing up.
-So, I always knew the property. -[Robert] Kay.
[David] They were renovating at the time, and they were storing just all kinds a stuff
in both this room, and the bar room, and they were a mess.
But I... I knew the potential a the space, 'cause I'd seen growing up what it used to be.
I did this because of how much I love this place.
Really just felt almost an obligation to try to restore it.
It was the childhood memories
and that... That hope of bringing back, you know, what used to be here.
Let's talk about you two.
Melissa and I have been engaged for just about two years.
Um... We met right after I had opened this restaurant myself.
I hired her as a bartender, and quickly made her a bar manager.
And then, things moved pretty quickly from there to making her a partner.
Have you ever been in a restaurant before?
[David] I have, uh... My whole adult life.
Since I was a teenager, I... I've worked pretty much every position.
Um... I started as a host, server, bartender, I've done some cooking here and there.
-I'm our interim chef right now, so... -You're the chef?
Yes, I'm not a chef by trade, but our former chef left us in July,
so I kinda took over, 'cause we had no choice.
Okay, so you've never run a restaurant, then?
-Never as a GM, no. -Okay.
And Melissa, what is your job?
Formally, I run the bar, but right now I run the front a the house.
Okay, so how much did you get into this restaurant for?
Approximately $45,000.
[Robert] Okay, where does that $45,000 come from?
Uh... Loans, well, merch and cash advances.
You mean credit card cash advances?
Yeah, it's a horrible, like, loan with a quick repayment time.
-And what is your interest rate? -Heh.
You don't wanna know, it's like 250% paid off over six months.
-So, we have to pay $44,000 back on $20,000... $28,000... -[David] 30, yeah, $30,000.
...in six months.
So, why on earth would you do that?
We... We were desperate. We didn't have a choice.
-It was that, or not be able to buy food and liquor... -[Melissa] Pay the food or--
...to stay open, so...
-What was your first year revenue? -[David] Uh... $220,000.
And what did it cost you to make $220,000?
[David] Pretty close to $220,000.
We've been losing money since we opened.
I'm tired of chasing the next bill, and getting another loan to pay the next bill.
And it's very tiring.
-So, any profit-- -So, how does that play with your stress?
-It has a very detrimental impact on all a that, yeah. -[Melissa] Relationship...
Doesn't exist as of now because of the stress
-of the restaurant. -Yeah, there's been...
There's been a lot of fighting just over everything,
from money to the stress of the restaurant.
It's just very difficult.
Do you argue in front of people?
-[David] Oh, absolutely, yeah. -Not lately because he's been in the back a the house.
We've lost a lotta staff because of...
That they didn't wanna hear the fighting and arguing all the time, and...
And there was some negative um... Backlash from the community.
Well, I have to be honest and transparent with you,
I've been here doing some other work two and a half hours away,
and yesterday people told me not to come here.
Well, I have to be honest and transparent with you,
I've been here doing some other work two and a half hours away,
and yesterday people told me not to come here.
-They said you're not good people... -[Melissa sobbing]
...the restaurant is not good, and why should we be here?
-And that was a true statement. -That, like, breaks my heart.
[Robert] But why do you have a bad reputation?
We wanted to donate some money to the local grade school for drug awareness,
I'm a recovering, um... Opiate addict.
-And how long have you been clean? -[Melissa] 12.
[Robert] 12, congratulations.
And so, it was something that I've thought
would be a great philanthropic way to get involved,
-and, um... David had a couple drinks, and posted it... -It was more than a couple.
Posted it on social media
-business page, and he said... -[David] In a brief, insensitive way.
...something very insensitive about being junkies in this town,
and everyone's a bunch a junkies.
-You wrote that? -I did. I screwed up, and I own it.
It really bothered me for a long time, and I have a lotta remorse for it.
I was really in a bad place when I made those posts.
Drinking only amplifies poor decision-making, and impulsivity.
It has been hard to undo that.
I know that at the time, you didn't understand the consequences of that post,
but I'm a local, and I've supported the community, and I've been a part of it.
And now, I just feel defeated, overwhelmed and sad.
So, you were an alcoholic, or you were heavy drinking?
-Or what... What was that? -I am, yeah.
-Yeah, I'm a recovering alcoholic. -Okay, and how's that going?
[David] Uh... Right now, pretty well.
I'm two months sober right now,
but it's been a challenge I've had to deal with for a very long time.
How long if you don't change your reputation, do you think you can stay?
A few months, at best, the absolute best.
Well look, the reason I came is because I... I believe in second chances.
All's I can tell you is this is a piss-poor excuse for a restaurant.
[Melissa] Uh-huh.
[Robert] So, we have to work twice as hard to get it back quickly.
Yeah.
Okay, people are gonna come in.
You're gonna run your service the way you normally do.
-And I'm just gonna watch. -Okay.
[Robert] Wow!
There's an awful lot a dynamics goin' on here.
[Melissa] I just wanna cry. I just wanna cry.
[Robert] Their restaurant needs a lotta help,
but apparently, so does their relationship.
And when you're fighting against the town that you live in,
they have to work twice as hard to gain the trust of the local community,
and it's gonna be tough.
[David] I think he's definitely gonna see us at our worst right now.
It's tough, but, I mean, I'm just gonna do my best
to, you know, suck it up and work through this.
Anybody hungry?
-Starvin'. -We all are.
Come on in, guys.
Thank you for coming, You guys follow me.
Either one of these tables works if, uh... You wanna grab a seat.
-How many? -[woman] Two.
[Melissa] Two? All right.
I have to get a couple more copies of the menu made,
so I have one at the moment, I apologize.
Vinny? Dave? Do... We didn't print more menus?
[David] They're all in front.
-[Vinny] They'll have one per table. -Okay, can you help me
set some tables? There's a line out there.
May I borrow your menu for one moment?
-Oh, sure can. -Thank you.
[Robert] Service has just begun,
and already I see Melissa running out of the restaurant.
Not a great start.
Can you help me, please? I just need, like, 20 copies.
[Robert] So, what are we doing now?
Um... We are on the fly printing some menus
because I didn't have enough menus.
So, they're printing menus for us.
Makin' that drink?
-Kay. -Thank you.
Found some menus for ya.
-Uh... We've already ordered. -We already ordered.
-[Melissa] Oh, you did! I'm so sorry. -Yes.
-[woman 2] He took care of us. -[Melissa chuckling] You got it.
-Got more drinks? You got it. -[Vinny] Sure.
[Robert] The front of the house is clearly understaffed and overwhelmed.
But a restaurant this large needs a general manager
to calmly control the pace of service.
Instead, all I see is Melissa in complete disarray.
[Melissa exhaling] We'll be right with you guys, get ya sat.
[woman 3] Not a problem.
[Melissa] We've got a line, this is crazy.
Vinny, I don't know what to do. We need more people right now.
[exhaling]
[Robert] Why do you keep going to the bar?
I have to get the drinks from there.
I have to bring the slip over.
-So who's taking care of all these people? -Bring it to Melissa.
I know, it's supposed to be me,
but I have to drop the slip to when I make the drink... For her to make the drinks.
-She has a computer there, right? -Yeah.
-And it's supposed to-- -So, it prints, but it doesn't send it to the bar.
So, I gotta physically run it.
So far Melissa has been bartender, host,
and there's one server as she's sitting the whole room.
She's gonna completely crush the kitchen because there's only one guy.
That would be Dave.
Have you ever heard of the ship, Titanic?
Hey, I got a clam chowder first course, Kelly.
So you have now people that have been sitting there for 30 minutes,
but just ordered their food five minutes ago?
That's not good, I'm...
We're pretty understaffed wait staff-wise tonight, unfortunately.
How's everything?
[woman 4] They gave us mashed potatoes, so they're gonna come out with French fries.
[Melissa] Oh, my God. I am so sorry.
Okay, I'll just double check and make sure that they've got that.
Hey, genius! Since when does steak frites come with potatoes?
-Frites! -[David] Can I just get a side a fries on the fly?
-Alright, just... Just... Just give 'em that and tell 'em... -This is not it.
-...we'll send the fries out quick. -She didn't want it!
-She sent it back to me saying it's supposed... -Okay, yeah, Kelly...
-...to come with fries. Give me fries! -[David] I'll give you fries!
[shouting] When you find out what table 21 wants!
-[Melissa] I hear... this kid's hearin' me right. -I did...
I need two orders of fries on the fly.
-[crying] I don't wanna do this anymore. -[Vinny] Wow.
-No, I really don't. -There's no choice.
Just about to be out of everything.
I've got a few rib eyes left, but other than that, it's running pretty thin.
[Melissa] Oh, my God. No, no, no, no, we're not out of mashed potatoes.
Dave, are we really out of mashed potatoes?
I've got enough for the board, and that's it.
I'm leave... Like, I'm... This is...
[Robert] Not having enough staff or food, and Melissa's public displays of anger
are all signs of a deep dysfunction.
This is no way to run a business.
-Vinny, I'm outta rib eye, I'm out of everything. Yeah. -[Vinny] Yeah?
I suggest you close
because we're out of everything now except appetizers.
-We don't even have steaks? -We have nothing.
[Melissa] Okay, ladies and gentlemen,
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, we are out of food.
We're out of everything.
[sniffling] I am so embarrassed right now.
[Robert] Maybe you should get the chef/owner out here?
[Melissa] Yep, let's do that.
[Robert] This restaurant has so many problems,
but they all stem from the poor relationship between David and Melissa.
And that's gonna take a lotta work to fix.
Why don't we tell the people what's happening with your restaurant.
[David] I apologize. We're in our slow season, we're really low on products.
Yeah, you gotta say something more than that, David.
So, I'm sorry, I'm outta food and that's it.
-[grunting] I'm embarrassed and ashamed at this right now. -Really.
-Yeah, we... We messed up. -We didn't project... Project properly.
That's why we're here for help 'cause we obviously need help.
We don't know what we're doing.
There's the honest truth.
Who would come back based on today's experience? Put your hands up.
40 people now are not coming to your restaurant 'cause you had no food.
I did not know we had no food.
-That's-- -But he did.
-[exhaling] We did not communicate. -[Robert] Aren't you partners?
-You're 50% partner, right? -Yep.
Well, guys I'm sorry, I don't have any food. It's not my restaurant.
Okay, I've had enough. I've had enough.
So, I thank you all for coming.
-[David] No. -[Melissa] No, I'm done. I'm walking out.
I'm leaving. I'm not coming back.
[Robert] Thank you, everybody.
[Melissa sobbing]
[Robert shouting] Melissa!
-Here, put this on, put it on your shoulders. -[Melissa sniffling]
[Robert] Come over here.
[Robert exhaling]
What are you thinking right now?
[sniffling] I just feel like
the biggest thing I don't wanna feel like, and that's a failure.
Okay, but that's why I'm here, right?
I know. I know.
Failure in the restaurant, not in overcoming your addiction, right?
Correct.
Because of my addiction, and the mountains I had to climb,
and the battles I had to fight to get what I called a success.
Because I was able to do something that a lot of addicts don't do,
which is turn your life around, and now I have a business.
That is success.
But not...
-This is not success. -No, the restaurant is not good.
But in reality, if you work in harmony together,
the restaurant will make money.
And I will say when I started here, we were like, um...
Like, uh... You know, jingle and bell.
We worked very well together 'cause we had that energy, chemistry and vibe.
[sniffling] So, I know that it's there, but over time it's just changed.
But do you feel it's... It's you or it's him? Or both of you?
I feel like it's both of us.
Um... The way I feel about things has effected the way I treat him and speak to him.
So, you're demeaning him...
-[Melissa sniffling] Um... -...when you talk to him?
A little, yeah.
The reason I feel I do it, is because it's in response to him demeaning me,
and it's like tit for tat.
Does he ever get violent with you?
I've been a little bit more of an aggressor than him.
So, why do you stay?
I'm 38 and he's 30, and I told him...
I cannot start at zero again.
So, to get up and leave, I... What do I do?
-I'm here to help you, okay? -I know.
You gotta make a serious decision.
-Is this a good relationship for both of you to be in? -Yeah.
I'm gonna try the food.
Oh, well, I think I'm gonna try the food, if you've got any left.
Then, I'm gonna, uh... Get back with both of you.
-I've gotta lot to process. -Okay.
-All right. Okay. -[Melissa exhaling] Okay.
[Robert] There are major issues at play here
that will take a lot longer than two days to fix, but I'll certainly do my best.
Hello, how we doin' today, all right?
Well, I hope it's better than what we started at, right?
And because service ended so early,
the kitchen was able to save enough food for me to try a few items.
-Um... Why don't we do the New England clam chowder. -[Vinny] Okay.
-The rib eye, steak frites, medium-rare. -[Vinny] Okay.
Lasagna.
[David] Homemade lasagna, chicken tenders.
Take a seat. Oh.
Start with the clam chowder.
Wow! That is not homemade.
-That is out... Right out of a bag. -[David] Correct.
Yeah, it's disgusting.
Steak frites, I mean, I asked for medium-rare.
-You just killed it. -It's overcooked.
The rib eye...
Hmm... The steak is seasoned really nicely.
-[mouthing] Oh. -[Robert] Um...
I think the problem with both meats, the grill marks
are so bitter because the grill's not being cleaned.
It leaves a very bitter aftertaste in your mouth.
Chicken tenders...
Frozen.
Homemade lasagna.
That has zero taste at all.
This restaurant is a failure on every level.
It's just abysmal, it's not good at all.
[Robert] This restaurant is a failure on every level.
It's just abysmal, it's not good at all.
-I'm not a chef by trade, I did this because... -[Robert] I can tell that.
...we... We wouldn't have been able to keep operating.
Our chef left, and I got thrown into this position,
unfortunately, and it's not my forte.
What concerns me more, is none a this works
with the two of you that are toxic.
So, why are you still together?
-'Cause it doesn't have to be. It doesn't have to be toxic. -What created that?
It was you're... You're drinking.
Because when you drink, you don't have any inhibitions, you don't care.
You say the meanest things and you don't understand the consequences.
[David] I never denied that I have a serious issue with alcohol,
and they effect my life negatively in a lotta ways, but right now, I am sober.
You sleep in the same house, but you don't have any relationship.
[David] We used to, when we first met, for awhile.
-For a long time. -[Robert] So, what's changed? But what has changed?
The stress of the restaurant makes me not even able to feel I... I have a personal life.
It controls... It controls my life.
All those things that have happened, okay,
-I can't change those. -Right.
But if you're gonna have a restaurant that's gonna stand out,
all this drama would have to stop.
Otherwise, no matter what I do, you know, you got no chance of success.
-Right. -[Robert] All right.
Go grab yourself a cup a coffee, I'm gonna meet with my designers,
and builder and figure out what I think this should be.
Sounds good.
-Whoa! Some dirty carpet in here. -Chairs and chairs.
[Lynn Kegan] Hey, hey! How's it goin'? Wow, a banquet hall.
Exactly, welcome to the White Mountain Tavern.
As you saw when you walked in to the right, the bar,
and then there's this vast, cavernous dining room
that ran out of food before we could serve anybody, literally.
So, let's talk about the things I don't like,
the carpet, the couches, the tabletops, none of the lighting works.
-I hate this. -[Lynn chuckling] Take it all out, huh?
Did I say I hate that?
-[Tom Bury] Yeah. -[Lynn] Yeah, you did.
-[Robert] Tom, big issue for you, look above you. -[Tom] I know.
[Lynn] Oh, man.
Well, it's a big problem because you wanna do the floor,
-and I see the ceiling, and-- -But it's there, and it's over there.
-[Tom] I know, but... -What is this? A dance floor?
This was, um... Come here, put your hands up.
-This was this. -Oh.
-[Robert singing] Dun-nah-nah-nah-nah-nah. -Dun-dah-dah.
-Nice! It... Oh. -[Robert] This was a dance floor.
[Tom] It makes it feel more like a banquet hall
-with having this random placed. -[Lynn] Yeah.
I really want mountain, warmth, you know, I could s--
-Rustic, tavern vibe, kinda? -[Robert] Tavern vibe.
-Gives me a lot of way I can go with food. -[Lynn] Yeah.
-Right. -And the structure really will be good for that,
the angled ceiling, the columns.
[Robert] But the only thing that is good in here are probably the chairs.
[Lynn] Yeah, it has no style, it has no flavor.
-So, that's where we are, guys. -[Lynn] Okay.
It's gonna need a lotta furniture, and a lotta work.
-Let's get 'er torn apart, right? -Yeah.
-Let's get all the chairs out. -[Robert shouting] All right.
[shouting] Dave, Melissa, come in here and bring your staff!
I want all the tables emptied. Let's go!
-[Tom] All the chairs out first! -[Lynn] So, bring 'em out!
Come on, in and out with chairs!
[Robert shouting] Come on, let's go! Pick it up! Pick it up!
[Tom] This restaurant's massive.
Painting the ceiling and doing the floor at the same time in one day, basically,
I don't know how we're gonna work this out.
Somehow, I gotta break the space up to really make it feel cozy.
Not sure how I'm gonna do it, but we'll figure it out.
[Tom] Uh... That table can go out.
This is a very exciting time, actually, because change is good...
and where we're at is not, so let's hope for the best, right?
I'm a little scared, nervous, excited, all at the same time.
Some of this stuff was here when I was a kid, so in that sense, it... It kinda hurts.
Like, the nostalgia of seein' it will be gone.
[Lynn shouting] All right, everybody out!
-Wow! -Five minutes to empty what was, your life.
Some of it had sentimental value to me,
and, uh... It was kinda difficult watching 'em being ripped off and taken out.
-But, I know it was necessary. -[Robert] Okay.
I'm happy to see everything gone.
[Robert] It's so funny.
-You both are the complete antithesis of each other. -[Melissa laughing]
I don't know how you're together.
[David chuckling] Well, it's a miracle, I suppose.
-I don't think she would call it a miracle, right, Melissa? -[Melissa] No.
I think the last few months have changed a lotta things, and it's more of a burden
than anything, but I'm hoping that changes.
-Okay. -[Melissa] I am hopeful.
Well, great, take one last look around.
-Um... Won't be back in here 'til tomorrow. -Wow.
-[Robert] Head on out the door. -[Melissa] All righty.
[Robert] So, here's where we are.
There's a lot wrong with the restaurant,
and there's an awful lot wrong with the both of them.
Somehow, we have to get to the bottom of it.
I know that we can do amazing things too create a space that's fun,
but it's gonna take a lotta work, and a lot of imagination,
and it starts now.
[Robert] I'm in Lincoln, New Hampshire, the White Mountain Tavern,
where owners, David and Melissa have fallen on hard times
with both a failing restaurant, and an extremely chaotic relationship.
Their staffing issues, and their reputation in the community
are both major problems.
I'm starting to understand where Melissa is coming from,
but David's still a mystery to me, and that's a big problem.
I'm in a bit of a dilemma.
It's easy for me to fix the restaurant.
What I can't teach you is how to get on with each other,
and if that's not possible, then we have to look at it... It... In a different angle.
I mean, obviously, I see what direction things look like they're going in today.
I disagree that that's necessarily how they have to go if...
The right... The proper changes are made, and the proper
-production is achieved. -[Robert] But the perfect change...
-I think that we can overcome. -But it's not about the proper changes in the restaurant.
It's about you guys.
What is it you're not understanding about your relationship?
I don't think this is about our relationship.
-I think it's about this business. -It is. Absolutely, it is.
It's the most important thing in a business.
Because if this is harmonious, than the business is really easy,
but you can't even talk to each other in a respectful way about small issues.
I just don't want things to continue the way they are 'cause I'm not happy.
Yeah, it would be a lot easier for me to walk away
to get all the burden I felt off me.
My thing is that that's the easy way out. That's running.
I don't wanna do that anymore. I've been doin' that my whole life.
It feels as though I have somethin' to prove here.
What do you mean you've been running all your life.
I don't know, I just feel like I've been running from something,
hence, the drinking, and the destructive behavior and the poor decision-making.
There's a reason you have that behavior, right?
-And you have to find that out... -Yeah.
...because it doesn't stop just because you didn't do it recently.
He has childhood issues.
What are you thinkin' of when she says that?
-What do you know? -I... I... I agree with her.
You know, it was physical abuse, verbal abuse.
So, that's why comin' here with your dad meant so much to you.
Yes.
-[Robert] 'Cause it was a good time, right... -Right.
-...which negated the bad stuff, right? -Yes.
That's... I never really thought of it that way, but... But yes.
-Do you... -I think that's where a lot
of the anger derives from, though.
What do they call it, like, unresolved trauma?
It obviously still bothers you 'cause I can see that,
and there's nothing wrong with that.
But there's nothing wrong with showing emotion either because see what she just did?
That's the first time that's happened in awhile.
Because I want you to feel comfortable.
That's called relationships.
Deepest, darkest moments are when she's supposed to be there, and vice versa for you.
-Do you understand that? -Yes.
Well, I don't think I did, but I'm starting to. I want to.
That's the first time that I've seen emotion from you,
and I need to understand who you are to be able to help you.
So tonight, homework, this is what I want you to do.
I want you to write him a letter that says why you fell in love with him...
-[David] Okay. -Okay.
-...what went wrong, and what you need to fix it. -[Melissa] Okay.
-[Robert] Vice versa. -Okay.
Then, I want you to work together collectively on one thing.
-Oh. -How are we gonna attack the local community,
and get 'em back on our side?
I don't think it's something that can be done overnight, obviously.
-[Melissa] ...Enough of that. -It's... It's something that's gonna take a lotta time.
There are a lotta, lotta great people in this town,
and that's what really hurts me the most about what I did.
Is... 'Cause I know I tied everyone in together and just said...to everybody,
and there's no excuse at all for what I did.
-Okay, how do we fix that now... -[David] Yeah.
...in a very strategic way, and then figure out where is this?
Is this personal? Is it personal business? Or is it just business?
-Okay, that's your homework. -[Melissa] Okay.
I know today's been a long day.
-Tomorrow's even longer. -[Melissa] Oh.
Um... We open tomorrow night, so, that's a lot of homework.
-Get it done, and I will see you tomorrow. -Okay.
-Okay, thank you. -Okay.
I feel a sense a relief now. Just getting a lotta stuff off my chest.
Also, feeling a little anxious
because I think that it will be challenging to fulfill Robert's assignments.
Particularly, writing a letter that I'm gonna have to read in front of him to Melissa.
[Melissa] In all honesty, I have to figure out what's best for me and the business.
And as much as David may not want to accept it,
the business starts with our relationship.
It's definitely going to be difficult.
Hey, hey, hey! Wow! Ha-ha-ha-ha. What a mess.
-[Lynn chuckling] Literally destroyed this place. -[Robert] Wow!
So, thought process?
[Tom] We're gonna take the White Mountain Tavern
from feeling like an old hotel banquet hall,
and really turn it into a rustic mountain tavern.
The first thing I'm gonna do, is build a faux fireplace
right in the middle of the space to break it up.
And we're gonna add some LED candles, and a new seating area
to really bring in the ambiance.
We're gonna rip out all the existing carpet,
and bring in a new, wood-look flooring.
We're gonna paint the entire ceiling white,
and bring in all new glass, black and gold chandeliers to really light up the space.
We're gonna repurpose their existing chairs,
and bring in all new tabletops.
Lastly, we're gonna add some shutter details to the wall,
and a hand-painted mural that looks like stone.
When we're done, the White Mountain Tavern's gonna be all set,
and ready for guests in any season.
-[Robert] Wow. -And we're gonna be pushing the envelope tomorrow...
-Just to get the floor. -...barely making it.
[exhaling] All right. Well, hey, keep pluggin' at it. Later.
-Okay, see our teamwork, we'll get it done. -Thanks, Robert.
All right, back on this fireplace.
[Robert] Well, today's been probably
one of the messiest relationships we've ever come across,
and obviously, the restaurant is just as bad.
This could be the one that is Impossible, not from a restaurant standpoint,
but from a relationship standpoint, and I hope we can figure it out.
It's gonna be a long night.
[floor stripping machine whirring]
[Robert] Well, I have to tell you it was very long night for me last night.
But it's the beginnin' of day two,
and I don't know what I'm walkin' into this morning.
Here's my big dilemma right now.
David is still heavily involved in the relationship,
but I think Melissa's a little cold on that at the moment.
She wants to focus on the restaurant.
So, ha-ha, I don't know what's happening.
-Good morning! -[Melissa] Good morning.
So, how did you sleep, both of you?
-Pretty well, yeah, yeah. -Uh... Decent, decent.
Okay, so let's start with the first, uh... Piece of homework,
which was your letter.
My sweet Melissa, two years ago I met you, and my life was forever changed.
I know that we have been through a lot together,
and at times, it has been easy to forget everything that has made me fall in love with you.
When you first walked through the door of this restaurant, I was instantly drawn to you.
I saw a beautiful, sweet, shy girl.
You opened up quickly to me,
and we shared secrets, stories, fears, and everything in between.
I admired your big heart, and your ambitious nature.
We made a great team both at home and at work.
You made me feel invincible and alive.
We have been through a lot,
and I am deeply sorry I ever let things become toxic between us.
I pray that we can become what we once were, again.
[Robert] Okay, Melissa.
And this is from the heart.
David, I've written and rewritten this letter so many times, my hand hurts.
I fell in love with you
because you made me feel wanted, appreciated and valued.
I looked forward to working and being with you, and we just complimented each other.
You believed me and genuinely made me happy.
It took awhile for that to slowly evolve into this mess that we are in now.
Over the last 6 to 12 months, you have become a shell of the person I met.
It's like I became your enemy.
I don't know how to fix things.
I think the business and relationships separately need so much work
that we won't be able to put the required effort into both simultaneously.
I am not saying to break up, I am saying maybe focusing on what we do best,
which was this restaurant.
And not worry so much about our relationship,
and let that fall into place naturally.
I don't want to feel like we lose the business
if we don't succeed in our personal relationship.
How do you feel about what you just heard?
It's a lotta stuff that I was already aware of, just that I haven't wanted to accept.
I suppose, just like Melissa said, you focus on fixing this first.
If you can work together without the screaming,
there could be a possibility for the relationship to work, right?
-So... are you in for the business? -Absolutely.
-Are you in for the business? -Yes.
Everything else, you figure out the rest.
-Right now, I just care about the business, okay? -Sure, okay.
The second piece I asked you was, how do we bring together the community to say,
"Hey, listen, we messed up, we know we're messed up,
but hey, give us a second chance."
We came up with it together.
So, make a video message for social media apologizing.
We also understand that the process will take time,
and the damage done by the post will not easily be reversed,
and that some locals will never forgive us.
-[Robert] I think you have to be openly honest... -[Melissa] Yes.
-...with your addiction... -[Melissa] Oh, yeah.
-...with you alcoholism. -[David] Yep.
Because I think that then allows the people that you offended
to realize that... That you're human.
-You accept your faults. -Right.
-[Melissa] Mmm-hmm. -[Robert] You accept responsibility...
-Yeah. Yep. -because that will go a long way.
-All right? -[David] I agree.
But I also think we need to focus on the future.
And that's something I'd like to... May I touch base on that?
I feel like our problem's we have not had a GM figure, or a manager figure.
Someone overseeing all the departments,
making sure not everyone's just wandering around aimlessly.
And I think that's the role I needed to transition into if we're gonna be successful.
But then, if you're not in the kitchen,
and you had chefs before what happened to them?
They were sick of my antics with all the drinking, and we parted ways.
But recently, they... They've come to know that I'm doing better,
and they want to give us another chance.
You find your... Your chefs, get 'em in the kitchen.
I'm gonna meet my designer, when I finish with them
I will come in the kitchen to meet your chefs.
-I wanna test them myself. -Okay.
-Okay? -Okay, thank you.
[Robert] I know David isn't happy about the state of their relationship.
But he's willing to work on their professional partnership,
and he's being proactive to make the restaurant run more smoothly.
That's a major sign of growth.
-[Robert] Good morning! -[Tom] Hey.
-How's everybody doing? -Tired, but, yeah. Getting there.
Well, I gotta tell you. The mantle on that looks really cool.
And Tom handmade that, it was just a post. He chopped it all up,
it really looks like an old vintage piece of wood.
We're putting a lot of detail into it
-Yeah. -because it's the centerpiece.
[Robert] But now you made me a believer.
[Lynn] He's starting a good example
'cause this is also not only a hearth,
it's kind of a seating area 'cause there will also be chairs around here,
-which will make this the focal point. -[Robert] Yeah.
One question I do have, one thing I hated yesterday...
-[Lynn] Fake plants? -[Tom] These come out. These planters come right out.
[Lynn] And then instead of the tacky fake plants,
I can get some vintage lanterns or something.
Just something looks cool.
I gotta tell you, I love this space now.
I didn't love this space yesterday.
-Cool. All right. -[Robert] Lots to do.
-Back to it. -Thanks, Robert.
[Robert] If Dave is gonna step up to the general manager's role,
I need to make sure the kitchen is in capable hands.
So I wanna test David's former cooks
to make sure they're up to the task.
-[Alan] Hey, what's going on? -[David] Good to see you.
-[David] Yeah. -[Amy] Mmm.
-So, who are these folks? -Robert, these are my friends, Amy and Alan.
-Alan, Amy. All right. -Pleasure to meet you.
I've got a couple things I would like you to do.
Kinda my test. Head on inside that tent there.
Get out this snow, thank you.
-[Robert] All right. -Hey.
So, welcome. I know you worked here before,
and I'm gonna put you on the spot a little bit.
Why did you leave?
-Uh, Dave. [laughs] -It's okay, no, I can take it.
We like to party like everybody else,
but we have a limit.
And you need to be in on time.
And as far as management was going,
he wasn't doing so good back then.
But we always loved him and, and, uh,
so we wanna give him another chance.
The food I had yesterday, he's not a chef
by any way, shape, or form.
Run out of food, nobody can get fed.
[Amy] Yep.
[Robert] So, all's I want you to do,
take half the onion and slice it,
-[Amy] Mmm-hmm. -take the other half and make a small dice,
-make me and omelette of anything you want. -[Amy] Okay.
-Okay. Okay. -All right, I'll leave you for five minutes, I come back.
-Joy. [laughs] -[David] You guys got this.
Wanna put some of the mushrooms in?
Yes, I did, yeah.
You gotta saute them first.
[Amy] Got salt and pepper?
[Robert] I'm not looking for elite-level skills with Amy and Alan,
because the menu I'm gonna create will focus on simple, delicious food.
But I do want to see competent cooks
who can execute calmly and efficiently in the kitchen.
[Alan] Plated.
-So what we got? -[Alan] An omelette.
-It's an omelette. -Okay, pass the omelette.
-[Robert] That's great, seriously. -All right, thank you.
I have to say David got a big challenge ahead of him.
We've now decided that David is gonna be the general manager.
So, you two, start in the kitchen,
let's get going. Tonight we open.
That's a much-needed win for David and the restaurant.
-[Robert] All right, young lady, I need you. -[Melissa] All righty.
[Robert] Melissa's anger issues are a major problem
since they're often flared up in front of customers at the restaurant.
But we cannot afford to lose more business because of it.
So I'm introducing her to a better way to let it all out.
-You're probably wondering why I brought you out here. -Yes.
-This is a gift from me to you. -Oh, God.
[gasps] Oh!
-[Robert] All right. -All right.
-So, you're probably wondering why I brought you out here. -Yes.
-This is a gift from me to you. -Oh, God.
[gasps] Oh!
I've wanted one of these my whole life.
[Robert] Every time you feel that you wanna take out some aggression,
-[laughs] -you can come out here if it's warm enough,
or you can do it in your office.
And you can have at it.
Whoo! That makes me feel good.
Every time you wanna punch something,
you have to think of a thought that you wanna get out,
something that is bugging you.
Our POS system's a POS!
I hate the crocks of liquor!
I'm not making any money!
My car needs an oil change.
-[Robert] Go on, hit it. -Time to move forward,
time to know I'm beautiful
and know I'm worth it, and know that I can do it.
Hit it like you mean it!
What are you thinking right now?
I feel better.
-When you vocalize something that's bothering you, -Yeah.
it helps.
I can't be making scenes in front of customers.
So I get to get my release
without making a fool of myself
or damaging things further.
If you don't handle yourself correctly,
-nobody will respect you. -Correct.
-Because you're in control of your own emotions. -Yeah.
The minute somebody does this,
-they own your emotions. -Yeah. Yes, they do.
I knew the purpose behind it,
I knew where he was headed with it.
And this is a very healthy way to direct my anger.
This is the first genuine smile I've had in probably two years.
-Remain strong here. Anything else... -Fall in place.
[Melissa] The days of me causing scenes in the restaurant
are behind me, it's time to grow up,
take responsibility for my actions,
and punch this when I need to.
I think it'll do wonders.
-Come here. -Thank you so much.
[Robert] Melissa seems to be in a good place.
Construction is moving along,
but I need to turn my attention to David.
-[Robert] Hey. -Hey, Robert. What's going on?
-[Robert] Let's take a little, a little walk. -Sure.
[Robert] Some of David's happiest childhood memories
come from eating at the White Mountain Tavern.
But if this restaurant has any chance at a successful future,
I need him laser-focused on creating that
same magical dining experience
for the next generation.
So, remember all those great times you had.
Here's what this restaurant represents to you.
And you may not think so at the moment, but...
...that's everything good that you had in your life in there.
-It is. -And recently it's not been that good to you.
We have to flip the switch, right?
I'd like to be honest with you, right?
Because I think it's really important.
This childhood that you had, there are other kids out there...
...that are going through the same thing now. Right?
Them seeing you change your life
go from, you know, the low point to a high point,
is gonna give them hope.
And you could be saving so many kids from a miserable life.
That's all I wanna do, honestly.
But then you gotta come to grips
-with that horrible life with you. -Sure.
Because this restaurant, if you run it right,
not only will you make money, you will make a lot of people happy.
Um, I know that Melissa is more interested in the restaurant
than a relationship right now.
You do the right things and you treat her
like she wrote in that letter, I think you could work it out.
But that's gonna take time.
If you have this can-do attitude...
...and care...
...there's nothing you cannot achieve in this restaurant.
Nothing.
-That's your happy place. -Sure is.
Then make it happy. For both of you.
And the guests who walk in that door.
Okay?
[David] Sitting down and having a talk with Robert was nice.
It did remind me a lot of the reason I go out into this venture.
I did not have the best childhood
and I know a lot of other children don't,
and I just want them to be able to have the same type of escape
that I did coming up here.
And, you know, even though my relationship
with Melisa is disappointing, I understand
fixing the business is our top priority,
and we have to get that straightened out
if we're gonna make this successful.
[Robert] If you serve food like that, they will come
from hundreds of miles.
Oh, that's good.
[Robert] At the White Mountain Tavern
in Lincoln, New Hampshire,
owners David and Melissa are taking good steps
to begin repairing their personal relationship.
But the most important step to the health of their business
is repairing their reputation in their local community.
-Hi, my name is Melissa. -And I'm David.
And we own the White Mountain Tavern in Lincoln, New Hampshire.
We're putting this video up to the local community
apologizing for the words that were used
on social media that...
...were extremely hurtful.
As I have 12 years' sobriety from opioids,
David himself has a...
...problem with alcohol.
Yeah, I made a huge mistake approximately eight months ago
and said something I truly did not mean.
And for that, I'm genuinely sorry.
I'd also like to apologize to Melissa,
um, she had a great idea to raise money for this cause
and unfortunately not only did I spoil that,
but I also offended everybody in the process.
So I'm very sorry, Melissa.
I accept your apology.
We would love if the community would
see us for the people we really are
and come and give us a chance.
Thank you, everybody, for taking the time to watch this video.
And we truly look forward to maybe seeing you one day
at the White Mountain Tavern here in Lincoln.
[Robert] I'm really proud of David for owning his mistakes
and beginning the hard work of rebuilding a healthy reputation
for himself and the business.
Now it's time to show David and his new head chef Amy
some amazing dishes.
So, first one I'm gonna do is really simple.
It's gonna be a clam chowder cheese fries.
Why? Because they're great the bar
and they're great as an appetizer.
And why? Because the servers should upsell.
Cheese curds, and then something really special.
-[David] Is that bacon in there? -[Amy] Oh, wow.
-That looks good. Wow. -[Robert] This is clam chowder.
-[Robert] Bacon... Exactly. -[Amy] It's like a poutine.
[Robert] It's our take on a poutine.
[David] That looks incredible, huh?
-That is beautiful. -It is, I love the presentation.
-[Amy] Me, too. -[Robert] Dig in, help yourself.
[Robert] Remember yesterday? Your clam chowder
was straight out of a bag, this is not.
-Oh, that's good. -[Amy] That's fabulous.
-Here's the fun thing about this. -[David] Wow.
[Robert] Costs me $1.90 to make.
We're gonna sell it for $12,
-[Amy] Wow. -giving you a 16% food cost,
which means you get $10.10 in your pocket every time you sell it.
-[David] I love it. -[Robert] Isn't it great?
[David] It really is, Chef.
The next dish I wanna make you is really simple, monkfish.
Watch. Listen.
[sizzling]
[Robert] What do you hear?
Sizzles.
[Robert] Corn and jalapenos.
Into that, chorizo.
-[David] Smells delicious. -[Amy] Mmm-hmm.
[Robert] Spinach.
Watch. Pasta puree.
[Amy] Color's amazing, love the color.
-[David] Beautiful presentation. - [Amy] Yes.
-[Robert] Crispy prosciutto. -[Amy] Oh, crunchy, crunchy in there, yeah.
-[Robert] Little more of the brown butter. -[Amy] Love it.
[Amy] Wow, fabulous.
[Robert] Try it.
[David] Mmm.
Well done filet.
-Wow. -[Robert] That is what you should be serving
in this restaurant, and I guarantee
if you serve food like that in your restaurant,
they will come from hundreds of miles.
-Sounds good to me. -Oh, my goodness.
All right, what makes it even better is this.
It costs us $3.44 to make it,
we're gonna sell it for $20.
Gives us a 17% food cost,
$16.56 in our pocket
every day, all day.
-Oh, man, this is so good. -[Robert] Isn't that good?
Unbelievable.
All right, so let's do something a little bit different.
Just move that over there.
I'm gonna show you what I truly believe
you should be serving today.
This is a top sirloin, or baseball steak.
This is better than filet, believe me.
-It's a third of the price, right? -And a third of the price.
I learned some stuff watching your show.
Here's what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna take this beautiful
nicely seasoned baseball steak.
I'm not gonna...
-...move it back and forth. -[Amy] Okay.
But what I am gonna do is something really cool,
some lobster tail.
Gonna add a little bit of sauce.
[David] Now what kind of sauce is that, Chef?
[Robert] This is Thermidor,
which is very tight. Now watch.
[David] Little surf and turf action.
[Amy] Oh, yeah. And that goes in the oven.
[Robert] Watch what I'm gonna do.
Got mushrooms.
Saute those mushrooms with asparagus.
[Robert] Thanks. I'm gonna start.
Mashed potatoes...
...asparagus, mushrooms.
-[David] Very nice. -[Amy] Yum.
[Robert] This is sauce americaine.
Go for it.
-Mmm, so good. -Good, huh?
[Robert] Here's the fun part.
Costs us $7.22 to make that plate,
we're selling it for $32...
giving us $24.78 into our pocket.
-High-five. -[laughs]
[Robert] You're gonna do it, you're gonna rock it.
All right, good, I'm gonna check in with my design team,
-good job, enjoy. -Whoo-hoo!
I'm so psyched. This is gonna be so great.
[Robert] While it's all hands on deck working to finish the restaurant,
it's great to see David and Melissa working together
to help get the word out,
and to continue establishing new reputation for the restaurant
and for themselves.
I thought we could put these flyers up on each door,
so that everybody staying here is aware
that there is a full bar and restaurant on property.
I love it. No, that's a brilliant idea.
[Melissa] Let's go ahead and put these on.
You really like it? You think it's a good idea?
-[David] Proud of you. -Well, that, I, I'll take that.
[Melissa] It's really easy, we just print them out on the card stock
and punch the, uh...
-[David] No, it's a great marketing strategy. -...the design out, so.
[Melissa] That looks good.
[Robert] Here it is, 5:00 in the afternoon,
and you can see, right, look over here where Chris is re-staining
what was original and these are new,
so they look almost identical.
We have brand new lights.
We can see we're starting to pick up the flooring right now
so we can sweep them up for polish.
At the same time with painting and aging,
we have the, uh, trestles here.
Everything you see here is new.
There's a lot to do.
It's kinda crazy right now.
[Lynn] Just set them, we'll grab them, like, just line them up.
[Robert] I need chairs, chairs, chairs. Where's the menus?
Everybody up now, please.
[David] I feel like I'm getting a second chance here.
My relationship with Melissa's evolved significantly since yesterday,
we've been learning how to communicate better and respect each other
in a way that we haven't been able to do in a long time.
There's a lot of work to be done
but I certainly feel like with Robert's tools,
I'll be able to accomplish my goal of re-establishing myself in this town
and getting this business back on track.
[Melissa] Over the two days I saw a change in David.
I just feel a lot more confident
that this is something I can do.
We have decided to push through this and finish what we started,
and I think that if the business can be successful,
we have a chance to make the relationship work.
I'm excited to focus on
everything being better for the future.
[Robert] Okay, it's that time. Ladies in the front.
-This way. Hands on shoulders. -Oh, this way.
Keep your eyes closed from this point forward,
I'm gonna get you out of the cold.
Close your eyes now, do not open them until I tell you.
-Close your eyes. -[Melissa] They're closed.
[Robert] Walk.
Let me open the door so you don't hit that.
Walk.
Keep your eyes tightly closed,
-I've got you. -[Melissa] Okay.
Stop.
So, I know the last two days have been, um, pretty intense.
I think you've learnt a lot,
not only about the business but also about yourselves...
...and putting the restaurant first and foremost.
Are you ready to see the brand-new
-White Mountain Tavern? -Hell yeah.
Open your eyes.
Are you ready to see
the brand-new White Mountain Tavern?
-Hell yeah. -[Melissa] Yes.
Open your eyes.
-[gasps] Oh, my God! -Holy... whoo!
-Wow. -Are we in the same place?
-[Melissa] Oh, my goodness. -[David] Look at the tables.
-[David] That is not what I expected. -[Melissa] At all.
[David] Thousand times better.
Oh, this is such a cool little sitting area.
-[Melissa] Oh, my gosh. -[David] I'm speechless.
[Melissa] This is not the same room.
[David] The lights, I didn't even notice that.
[Robert] You have 2,300 square feet of new flooring.
-This is unbelievable. -This is incredible.
[Robert] Yesterday you had holes all over the place, now you don't have holes.
[Melissa] The whole place looks good.
-[David laughs] -[Melissa] Oh, my God.
[Melissa] I'm, I did not think this was possible.
[David] Thanks, man.
This is beautiful.
-[David] I love you. -I love you, too.
[Robert] Isn't that much nicer than fighting?
-[David] Yeah. -Yeah.
[Robert] All right, we got a lot of people waiting outside.
-Let's bring them in. -[Robert] Off you go.
Come on in,
-and enjoy the brand-new White Mountain Tavern! -Come on in, everybody.
[Melissa] We are excited for everybody to be here.
It's an amazing transformation. I love the new sign.
I think they're gonna do fantastic.
I can't wait to come here in my snowmobile.
[woman] I really, really like the fireplace,
I'm a sucker for fireplaces.
It's so nice and it feels homey in here.
[David] Where are you folks from?
Dover in New Hampshire?
-Yeah. -Awesome, yeah, I love the sea coast.
[David] I'm so glad you could make it up.
-[woman] Happy to be here. -My pleasure, I'll check on you later on.
[woman] Thanks.
[Robert] Tonight, I wanna see David and Melissa handle a busy service
in a cohesive and peaceful way.
I actually have a bunch of drinks to make,
-so I will catch up with you later. Okay. -See you in a bit.
[Robert] Melissa needs to manage the tavern bar calmly
and efficiently, so the guests aren't waiting for drinks.
-Great, so table 15, correct? -[woman] Yes.
[Melissa] All right, you're welcome.
I got it.
So, table 14, I'll just put these on your table.
[David] How's it going back here?
[Melissa] Doing really good, actually.
Good, good. You're doing a great job.
You need a hand or anything, or...
Uh, nope, we got it. We are killing it.
-[David] Awesome, keep it up. -Thank you.
[Robert] I'm also looking for David to manage the restaurant,
making sure guests are being taken care of,
and appreciate it.
[David] I heard through the grapevine that
you weren't too thrilled with my posts,
and I just wanted to let you know I'm sincerely sorry for that.
You guys coming here and giving us a second chance,
it means the world to us.
Make sure you put plenty of sauce on them steakies, steakies, steakies, eh?
-[Alan] Table 10 right there. -[Amy] Table 18.
[waitress] Got it.
I think the chowder fries are delicious.
They came out nice and hot.
It's a clever take on the North Country in New Hampshire
kind of comfort food.
I think that the surf and turf is happily delicious,
steak was cooked perfectly.
I made the right choice, but I don't think I could've made a wrong one tonight.
Amy, Alan, everybody is loving everything out there.
-This is so exciting. -[David] You two give me a hug, come here.
[Robert] This is a restaurant and it's thriving.
Why? Because Melissa is doing her job,
David is doing his job.
At the end of the day, is restaurant is only as good as its owners.
How's everything going?
Really well, everyone seems to be really happy.
[Melissa] You're actually doing a really good job.
-Thank you, thank you. You are, too. -This is beautiful.
It's been a long time since I had fun in here.
Melissa's crushing it, we're not fighting, we're not arguing.
We're just, you know, making a good team,
and I envision a whole lot of success.
And it's gonna be a lot of work to make that happen,
but we're gonna give it our best for sure.
[Melissa] This is what a restaurant should sound like,
look like, feel like.
I am so excited to see the future of the restaurant.
[Robert] Question. Would you come back
based on your experience today?
Put your hands up.
-[all applauding] -That's a lot of people.
-[woman] Congratulations. -Thank you. Thank you very much.
[Robert] That's the first step in the long process of healing
to give this, and hopefully success.
Restaurant: Impossible does seem possible,
putting people together in communities that we love.
[John] This sucks, that sucks.
-[woman] Doing okay? -[John] No.
[John] I go to work, and I'm doing everything.
I feel burnt out, which sucks.
I just lost the energy.
So, what does that mean?
[Robert] John seemed like a very tormented man.
I am here to help.
All right, come on, let's go, let's go!
Is this what you want? Because I am spending