Momma Pearl's Cajun Kitchen - Restaurant Impossible Update

This week on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Colorado Springs, Colorado to makeover Momma Pearl's Cajun Kitchen. Momma Pearl's Cajun Kitchen is owned by Robert Brunet, who is also the chef.  He is on the verge of losing his business and his wife if he cannot shed his arrogant alter ego.  His over-the-top attitude has impacted his relationships with his family and staff and also makes Robert Irvine have second thoughts about helping him.  Robert needs to fix Robert's attitude in hopes of saving his restaurant and marriage.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Momma Pearl's Cajun Kitchen 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):

Kids Baking Championship Season 10

Photo - Food Network

Food Network's Kids Baking Championship season 10 airs on Monday nights at 8pm ET/PT. Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman are once again the mentors and the winning baker will receive a $25,000 prize and a feature in Food Network Magazine.  The twelve kid bakers competing are ages 8-11 (last year was 10-13) and are the youngest to ever compete on Kids Baking Championship.  They are listed below with their age and where they are from:

• Nadya Alborz (Knoxville, TN; age 10)
• Joseph Bostick (San Diego, CA; age 10)
• Lucia Calonge (Cincinnati, OH; age 10)
• Santiago Corso (Huntington Beach, CA; age 11)
• Caroline Gross (York, PA; age 10)
• Summer Haque (Yorba Linda, CA; age 10)
• Ellora Martinez (Yorba Linda, CA; age 9)
• Sarah Patel (Knoxville, TN; age 10)
• Riya Shah (Fort Meyers, FL; age 11)
• Finley Sheers (McLean, VA; age 10)
• Benjamin Steinhauser (Hillsborough, NJ; age 8)
• Ava-Leigh Wright (Atlanta, GA; age 10).

Season 10 of Kids Baking Championship will be ten episodes long with the winner being revealed on a double episode on Monday, February 21st.  I will do another post about the show before the season finale. Feel free to discuss this season in the comments section as several people have requested somewhere to comment on this season.

UPDATE - To see who won season 10 of Kids Baking Championship, visit this post. 

Holiday Baking Championship Winner Season 8

Photo - Food Network

Tonight at 8pm ET on Food Network is the two-hour season eight finale of Holiday Baking Championship where the winning baker will take home $25,000.  The four remaining contestants competing for the prize are Jose Marchan, Sabrina Coombs, Adam Monette, and Jody O'Sullivan.  One of the contestants will be eliminated during the first hour of the episode and the final three will compete during the second hour for the $25,000.

The episode description for tonight states, "Host Jesse Palmer kicks things off with a swanky Christmas open house for judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall and asks the bakers to create dessert charcuterie boards. Then, the bottom two bakers face off in a sudden elimination challenge of dueling holiday pinata desserts. In the final main heat, the competitors take on holiday party theme cakes and incorporate lights into their designs. The most successful cake maker becomes the Holiday Baking Champion and walks away with $25,000!"

I will update this post with the winner of Holiday Baking Championship season 8 after the episode airs and feel free to discuss this season in the comments.

Continue reading to see who won season 8 of Holiday Baking Championship....

Holiday Wars Season 3 Winner

Tonight at 9:30pm ET/PT is the season 3 finale of Holiday Wars where one team will take home the $25,000 prize. The final two teams remaining and competing for the prize are Bakers in Toyland (Vanessa Greeley, Justin McCarty and Jillian Hopke) and Dough Angels (Asia Coffee, Ramon Camacho and Jen Barney).

The episode description for the final episode states, "It's almost Christmas, and Santa's getting ready to deliver gifts all around the world, but he can't do it without a brand-new sleigh! With $25,000 at stake, the last two teams of cake and sugar artists must showcase the wildest, most-powerful modernization imaginable for Santa's new ride. At the end of the fast-paced bake-off judged by Maneet Chauhan, Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira, one team will be crowned Holiday Wars Champion and win the grand prize!"

I will update this post with the season three Holiday Wars winner after the episode airs and feel free to discuss this season/final episode in the comments.

Continue reading to see who won Holiday Wars season 3........

Buddy vs. Duff Holiday Winner

Sunday night at 8pm ET/PT on Food Network is the season finale of Buddy vs. Duff: Holiday.  This was a four episode season and Duff Goldman is currently leading Buddy Valastro by a score of 105 to 104.  They are competing for charity with Buddy Valastro competing for Toys for Tots and Duff Goldman competing for Off Their Plate.

The episode description for the finale states, "For their final battle, Buddy Valastro and Duff Goldman create their own magical winter wonderlands. The teams construct artic creatures and their habitats in displays of massive proportions, and the King of Holiday Cakes is crowned."

Buddy vs. Duff: Holiday has judges on site with each competing team - Gesine Prado and Elizabeth Falkner are with Buddy's team, and Stephanie Boswell and Valerie Gordon are with Duff's team.  With the score so close and the teams competing for charity, we will see if it ends up in a tie and both charities get some money.  

Buddy Valastro has won two seasons of Buddy vs. Duff and Duff Goldman has won one.  I will update this post with the winner of Buddy vs. Duff: Holiday after the episode airs.

Continue reading to see who won Buddy vs. Duff: Holiday.......

Throwdown Returns to Food Network

Photo - Instagram

Throwdown with Bobby Flay has been one of the longer running shows on Food Network with the show starting in 2006 and airing for nine seasons.  Throwdown will return to Food Network tonight at 9:30pm ET, but this time it will be Throwdown with Michael Symon.  The premise of the show is the same with Michael Symon and his longtime culinary director Katie Pickens challenging chefs around the country by cooking their signature dish to be judged in a blind taste test. 

I don't think the change to Michael Symon had anything to do with Bobby Flay's contract negotiations with Food Network because Bobby Flay's production company is producing the show. 

Bobby Flay also posted the following message on Instagram to promote the upcoming episode, "You OGs may remember Throwdown… a competition show on @foodnetwork that premiered in 2006 and put spotlight on some of the country’s best culinary talent. WELL I HAVE OFFICIALLY PASSED THE THROWDOWN BATON. Tomorrow, Tuesday, #ThrowdownWithMichael premieres on @foodnetwork at 9:30pm… featuring my friends @chefsymon, his right hand @pickens_katie… and some unsuspecting chefs he’s about to surprise on their own turf. Don’t miss it."

Bobby and Michael are good friends, but Bobby has said that he is rooting for the chefs he is competing against to win.  Michael also said he was driven to do the show to help promote other chefs and to get their name/restaurant some publicity.  

Will you be watching Throwdown with Michael Symon?

Bobby Flay Reaches Deal With Food Network

Photo - Food Network

Last month, it was reported that Bobby Flay would be leaving Food Network after he couldn't reach a deal for a new contract.  I did a post saying he was "supposedly" leaving as the report could have been used as a negotiating tactic and it seems like my hunch was correct.  According to Variety, Bobby Flay has reached a new three-year deal with Food Network although the financial terms were not announced.

Food Network's President Courtney White said this about the deal, "We are thrilled to continue Bobby Flay’s long-standing relationship with Food Network. He captivates our audience with his incredible culinary skill, fierce competitive spirit and his trademark ability to share a deep passion for food. Bobby generously invites viewers into his culinary world, sharing his #WeCook philosophy and inspiring everyone in the kitchen. Continuing this creative relationship with such an extraordinary talent is the perfect way to usher in the holidays."

Bobby Flay has been with Food Network since 1994, so this deal will take him into his 30th year on the channel. 

In other Food Network deal news, it was also recently announced that Anne Burrell has reached a multi-year deal with Food Network that includes at least two more cycles of Worst Cooks in America.  The next season of Worst Cooks in America begins in January and will have Anne Burrell going up against a new mentor in Cliff Crooks.

Holiday Baking Championship Season 8

Photo - Food Network

The eighth season of Holiday Baking Championship airs on Monday nights at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network.  This season is once again hosted by Jesse Palmer and the judges are Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman, and Carla Hall.  This year there are twelve bakers competing for a $25,000 prize and a feature in Food Network Magazine. Season eight of Holiday Baking Championship is eight episodes long. 

The bakers competing for the $25,000 prize on season eight are:

• Richard Akers-Barrows (pastry chef) - Dorchester, MA
• Sabrina Coombs (executive pastry chef) - Atlanta, GA
• Philippe Costa (home baker) - Seaside, CA
• Shayla Daniels (pastry chef) - Odessa, FL
• Neomie Eliezer (pastry chef) - Cherry Hill, NJ
• Jennifer Hood (dietician/home baker) - Winston-Salem, NC
• Grace Lapsys (pastry chef) - Albuquerque, NM
• Jose Marchan - Cleveland, OH
• Adam Monette (culinary arts instructor) - Saint Albans, VT
• Naomi Mwangi (bakery owner) - McKinney, TX
• Jody O’Sullivan (pastry chef/instructor) - Quincy, MA
• Marilyn Santos McNabb (pastry chef) - Chicago, IL

The Holiday Baking Championship season finale will air on Monday, December 20th and I will do another post about that episode before it airs.  Feel free to discuss season 8 of Holiday Baking Championship in the comments of this post. 

UPDATE - To see who who season 8 of Holiday Baking Championship, visit this post. 

Halloween Wars Season 11 Winner

Sunday night at 9pm ET on Food Network is the season 11 finale of Halloween Wars where the winning team will take home $25,000.  The prize has been $50,000 in the past, but it is $25,000 this season.  The two teams remaining are Ghosts with the Most (Lilian "Lily" Halabi, Kim Simons and Jewel Burgess) and Mischievous Monsters.

The episode description for the final episode states: "It's the spine-tingling finale of Halloween Wars! The final two teams go head-to-head for the $25,000 prize as they craft cakes that show what happens when two monsters square off in a duel. Zak Bagans shares his paranormal expertise, and judges Eddie Jackson, Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira choose the winner."


I will post the winner of Halloween Wars season 11 after the episode airs and you can discuss the episode/season in the comments.  I know a lot of people missed the pumpkin carving this year, but we will have to wait to see if it returns next season.

Continue reading to see who won season 11 of Halloween Wars.....

Halloween Baking Championship Winner Season 7

Monday night at 9pm ET on Food Network is the season seven finale of Halloween Baking Championship where the winning baker will take home $25,000.  The four remaining contestants competing for the prize are Renee Loranger, Adina Schaefer, Guillermo Salinas, and Megan Baker.  Renee was a fan-favorite from season six of Halloween Baking Championship who re-entered the competition during the season.  The final episode is a two-hour episode where a baker will go home during the first hour and the winner will be announced in the second hour.

The episode description for tonight states, "The four finalists face their fears when host John Henson challenges them to bake using a hated ingredient. The bakers must be brave, though, because the camp serial killer and judges Stephanie Boswell, Carla Hall and Zac Young will claim one more victim in a sudden death, leaving the final three to battle it out for $25,000 and the title of Halloween Baking Champion."

I will update this post with the winner after the episode airs and feel free to discuss this season in the comments.

Continue reading to see who won season 7 of Halloween Baking Championship.....

Bobby Flay Supposedly Leaving Food Network After 27 Years

Variety recently reported that Bobby Flay and Food Network are parting ways after his current contract expires at the end of the year.  They were negotiating a new contract and could not agree on financial terms due to both sides being far apart.  They apparently broke off negotiations and Bobby Flay will be leaving the company after 27 years if a new contract is not reached.

People later reported that Bobby Flay wanted a $100 million contract, though the amount of years were not known.  Guy Fieri reportedly signed a three-year $80 million deal with Food Network earlier in the year, which was probably used by Flay's representatives during negotiations. 

I don't think there is any bad blood between Bobby Flay and Food Network as he was still filming Beat Bobby Flay after the news of the negotiations falling apart.  So even if a new deal isn't reached, there will probably be new episodes of Beat Bobby Flay that will air after the year is over. 

Do you think a deal will eventually be reached or do you think Bobby Flay's time on Food Network is over?

UPDATE - A new three-year deal was reached to keep Bobby Flay on Food Network. (Link)

Halloween Wars Season 11

Halloween Wars season 11 airs Sundays at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network and has eight teams competing for a prize of $25,000. The prize for Halloween Wars has been $50,000 in the past, so they reduced the prize money for this year.  Also missing this year is the pumpkin carving, which has disappointed some fans.  The new host for this season is Zak Bagans and the judges are Shinmin Li, Eddie Jackson and Aarti Sequeira.  Jonathan Bennett not being the host has also disappointed some fans.  The season is seven episodes long with the finale airing on Sunday, October 31.

Brooke from this season has been answering fan's questions on Reddit and said the pumpkin carving wasn't there due to the filming schedule being impacted by COVID and they filmed at a time where pumpkins were not in season. (Link)

I will do another post for the season finale of Halloween Wars season 11, and feel free to discuss the season in the comments of this post.

To see who won Halloween Wars season 11, visit this post.

Halloween Baking Championship Season 7

 Halloween Baking Championship season 7 airs on Monday nights at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network and this season has ten bakers competing for a $25,000 prize. This season John Henson is back hosting and the judges are Stephanie Boswell, Carla Hall and Zac Young.  This season also pays tribute to 1980's classic slasher movies. 

This season there are ten contestants competing for the prize and they are listed below:

• Paul Allicock - Miami, FL 
• Megan Baker - Minneapolis, MN
• Wes Dills - Austin, TX
• Anirudh Mamtora - Cherry Hill, NJ
• Sherelle Morrison - Indian Land, SC
• Nicole Proske - Miami, FL
• Guillermo Salinas - Jackson, MS
• Adina Schaefer - Los Angeles, CA
• Steven Sechoka - Boston, MA
• Ashley Wong - Fremont, CA

Season 7 is seven episodes long with the winner being revealed on the finale Monday, October 25th.  I will do another post for the finale, but you can comment on this post to discuss the season.

UPDATE - To see who won Halloween Baking Championship Season 7, visit this post. 

Clash of the Cones Winner - What is the Flavor?

Monday night at 9pm ET on Food Network is the season finale of Ben & Jerry's: Clash of the Cones where the winner will take home $20,000 and a featured spot in a Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop or event in the winner's hometown..  The finale three competitors competing for the prize are: Ryan Kurr (New Orleans, LA), Rabia Kamara (Richmond, VA), and Jessica Oloroso (Chicago, IL) and Ben & Jerry will be on this episode.

The episode description for the season finale states, "The final three ice cream masters meet the ultimate flavor gurus when Ben and Jerry join host Molly Yeh to reveal the last challenge. The competitors must follow the Ben & Jerry's mission to be creative, have fun and make great products. The best flavor wins its maker $20,000 and a featured spot in a Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop or event in the winner's hometown."

I will update this post with the winner of Clash of the Cones and reveal the winning flavor after the episode airs.

Continue reading to see who won Ben & Jerry's: Clash of the Cones and what the winning flavor was....

Buddy vs. Duff Winner Season 3

Sunday night at 8pm ET on Food Network is the two-hour season 3 finale of Buddy vs. Duff where a winner will be crowned. Up until this point, Buddy Valastro and Duff Goldman are "miraculously" tied.  With the current score being tied, whoever wins the final challenge will be the overall winner of season three. In the final episode, Buddy and Duff will be creating monster cakes and the episode description states:

"For the competition finale, Buddy Valastro and Duff Goldman create monster cakes. Team Buddy works on a radioactive dinosaur, and Team Duff makes a Frankenstein's monster cake of mismatched doll parts. Fifty esteemed cake artists judge their work and crown the season winner."

Duff Goldman won season 1 of Buddy vs. Duff and Buddy Valastro won season 2, so whoever wins season three will have the 2-1 advantage and bragging rights.  I will update this post with the winner of Buddy vs. Duff season 3 after the episode airs.

Continue reading to see who won season 3 of Buddy vs. Duff...

Fun Time Cafe - Restaurant Impossible Update

This week on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Joshua, Texas to makeover Fun Time Cafe. Fun Time Cafe is a failing Tex-Mex restaurant owned by Wayne and Carmen who are husband and wife.  They are serving sub-par food and the environment inside the restaurant is toxic.  The restaurant is also taking a toll on Carmen and Wayne's relationship.  Robert Irvine will need to clean up the restaurant and their relationship to help turn this restaurant around.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Fun Time Cafe 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):

From Across The Pond - Restaurant Impossible Update

This week on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Colleyville, Texas to makeover From Across the Pond. From Across the Pond is a British restaurant owned by expat Lee Herdman who has put everything he has into the restaurant.  Robert finds that Lee has lost all hope and needs to help Lee realize he is capable of turning his restaurant around. 

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about From Across the Pond 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):

Gaston's Bistro - Restaurant Impossible Update

On this week's Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Orland Park, Illinois to makeover Gaston's Bistro. Gaston's Bistro is owned by brothers Yaser and Nader Elkayyal and they are blaming their competition for their failures.  Robert Irvine needs to convince the owners that they need to accept reality and transform their business so they can avoid bankruptcy. 

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments, and reviews about Gaston's Bistro 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):



Positive Reviews:

• "I pass by this place everyday and today I finally had lunch here. Lemme tell ya it was really good. I had the Hunter's chicken and it was phenomenal! All of the food was definitely fresh and homemade to order, I couldn't get enough of the green beans and carrots even! Definitely CHECK THIS OUT!!!!"
• "This place is pretty good! My husband really loves the meatloaf which is pretty much the sole reason we stop in here. The rest of the menu is pretty typical stuff and the coffee is meh but they have some standout dishes that are worth stopping in for such as the meatloaf, the crab cakes and the feuillette au fromage. Outdoor patio is really nice too."
• "Wow!!! I stopped in today to grab lunch and couldn't be happier!! They just remodeled the interior - really nice seating area- the food was phenomenal and the service was fantastic! Portions were extremely generous and tasted just like homemade - Definitely recommend."
• "They just remodeled and it’s great! Lots of outdoor seating! The food is always good. I thought it was cute before but someone did a great job on this remodel."
• "I've been visiting this place since it first opened in the late 90's. My favorite sandwich is the turkey with cranberry. It never disappoints and I'm glad they kept it on the menu when Gaston sold out."
• "Fantastic service. Our server, Alyssa, and the owner were very welcoming, attentive and enthusiastic. The place looks great - newly renovated and very clean. Highly recommend the pasta!"

Negative Reviews:

• "The only plus coming out of my experience at Gastons was the service. Waitress hustled. Unfortunately, the food was awful. Imitation butter on the toast. They advertise as a French/American cuisine but serve beef bacon, turkey sausage, turkey ham and awful potatoes. What happened to the pork in the american diet? Over priced for sure. Stay away."
• "Bad cook. Potatoes burnt. Links under cooked. Eggs over cooked. Terrible and waste of money. Owner needs to get new line cook."

*Reviews from Yelp, Google

Other News and Links:

• The Restaurant Impossible makeover for Gaston's Bistro happened in May 2021.
• Here is the Gaston's Bistro website and Facebook page.
• Gaston's Bistro offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and catering.
• In a local article, Yaser said the Restaurant Impossible experience was memorable and he is excited to see the episode.
• They are trying to hire at multiple positions at the restaurant according to their Facebook page.
• Here are the reviews for Gaston's Bistro from Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google.

Conclusion:

The reviews for Gaston's Bistro since the Restaurant Impossible visit have been mostly positive with people liking the food, service, and the new makeover. The few negative reviews were about the breakfast.  It seems like Gaston's Bistro has a lot or regulars that visited over the years and judging by the reviews, they all like the remodel.


*Visit Our Restaurant Impossible Update Page to see all Restaurant: Impossible updates, and which restaurants are open, closed, or have been sold. Also Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter

Mexican Village - Restaurant Impossible Update

 Tonight on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to makeover Mexican Village. Mexican Village is a Tex-Mex restaurant that is run by owner Abel who purchased it as a gift to his mother and grandfather.  The restaurant is drowning in debt and is causing his relationship with his children to deteriorate. The restaurant is supposedly losing $15,000 a month and Robert needs to get Abel to make some tough choices to save his restaurant and his family. 

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments, and reviews about Mexican Village 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):

BBQ Brawl Winner Season 2

Monday night at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network is the season two finale of BBQ Brawl  where there will be a double episode to determine the winner.  The final four contestants competing for the win are Erica Blaire Roby with Bobby Flay; Ara Malekian and David Sandusky with Michael Symon; and Brittani Bo Baker with Eddie Jackson.

The episode description states: "Team captains Bobby Flay, Michael Symon and Eddie Jackson challenge the remaining competitors to stretch their imaginations and make the BBQ of the future. One pitmaster is sent home while the other three move on to the finale, where they face a super-sized, all-day competition filled with high stakes and surprises. Judges Carson Kressley, Rodney Scott and Brooke Williamson award the grand prize and supreme BBQ bragging rights."

I will update this post after the episode airs with the winner of BBQ Brawl season 2.  

Continue reading to see who won season 2 of BBQ Brawl.....

A Pizza Melody - Restaurant Impossible Update

Tonight on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Las Vegas, Nevada to makeover A Pizza Melody. Owner's George and his husband Terry have put in almost $1 million trying to make the restaurant a success, but it has descended into chaos.  George's anger issues are negatively impacting the restaurant and Robert needs to help him make big personal changes in hopes of turning things around.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments, and reviews about A Pizza Melody 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):

On the Bayou - Restaurant Impossible Update

This week on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to makeover On the Bayou.  On the Bayou is owned by married couple Greg and Janice Johnson and the restaurant is causing them to constantly fight.  The restaurant is ruining their relationship and has put them in debt.  Robert needs to get them to accept their roles in the restaurant in hopes of saving their business and their relationship.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments, and reviews about On the Bayou 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):

Ship Inn - Restaurant Impossible Update

This week on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Exton, Pennsylvania to makeover Ship Inn. Ship Inn is a fine dining restaurant whose owner has an overbearing management style and is supposedly $895,000 in debt.  Robert needs to get Michael to embrace change and repair his relationships in hopes of turning the restaurant around.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Ship Inn 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):

Buddy vs. Duff Season 3 Discussion

Photo - Discovery

Season 3 of Buddy vs. Duff airs on Food Network at 9pm ET starting July 18th, 2021. This season will be eight episodes long with the finale being on Sunday, September 5th.  In this season, each of the bakers will take on the challenges in their home bakeries with Duff being on the West Coast in Los Angeles, CA and Buddy being on the East Coast in Hoboken, NJ. 

Buddy Valastro and Duff Goldman will be tested on what it means to be a true pastry artist and cake master as they build elaborate, enormous cakes that fit a theme each week.  Fifty professional cake artists from across the country will be judging the competition virtually. This season will also focus on Buddy overcoming a gruesome injury sustained to his dominant hand.

Season 1 of Buddy vs. Duff was very popular and controversial with a lot of people talking about the behavior of Buddy Valastro on the show. Buddy and Duff didn't really want to do another season after season 1, but here we are on season 3.  Duff won season one of Buddy vs. Duff, while Buddy won season two of the show. 

Feel free to discuss season three of Buddy vs. Duff in the comments and I will do another post for the finale.

UPDATE - To see who won season 3 of Buddy vs. Duff, visit this post. 

Soul Food in the Park - Restaurant Impossible Update

Tonight on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in York, Pennsylvania to makeover Soul Food in the Park. Soul Food in the Park is a soul food restaurant owned by a husband and wife team.  The wife Audra tries to cover up her lack of knowledge and confidence by yelling at her husband.  Robert will need to get Audra to control her anger issues to save both the restaurant and her marriage.  Also, the rundown building will need to be completely renovated. 

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Soul Food in the Park 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 Great Food Truck Race: All-Stars Winner

Sunday Night at at 9pm ET on Food Network is the season finale of The Great Food Truck Race: All-Stars where the winning team will take home $50,000.  The two remaining teams competing for the prize are Seoul Sausage (Ted Kim, Yong Kim, Han Hwang) from season three and The Lime Truck (Daniel Shemtob, Jesse Brockman, Mark Esposito) from season two of the show.

The final episode description states:

"The last two all-star food truck teams face off in a challenge with special ingredients from Chinatown. In the final taste challenge, the teams create a dish that represents their heart and soul as a food truck, stirring up deep emotions and pride. The teams compete for every last sale as the clock runs down, and in a thrilling elimination by the bay, host Tyler Florence crowns the winner of the all-star season!."

I will update this post with The Great Food Truck Race All-Stars winner after the episode airs.

Continue reading to see who won The Great Food Truck Race All-Stars......

Grille No. 13 - Restaurant Impossible Update

This week on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Waldorf, Maryland to makeover Grille No. 13. Grille No. 13 is an Irish pub owned by Katie Pierce who is supposedly $350,000 in debt and has no time to spend with her infant daughter.  Robert Irvine needs to teach Katie to work smarter to save her restaurant and to be able to spend more time with her family.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Grille No. 13 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):

Big Tom's Backyard Grill and Bar - Restaurant Impossible Update

Tonight on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Cleveland, Tennessee to makeover Big Tom's Backyard Grill and Bar.  Big Tom's Backyard Grill and Bar has turned from a dream into a nightmare and the owners Tom and Sabrina are letting it impact their marriage.  Tom is supposedly on the brink of another heart attack and Robert Irvine needs to get him to change his ways to improve both his relationship and his restaurant.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Big Tom's Backyard Grill and Bar 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):



Positive Reviews:

• "Very friendly. Good atmosphere. Would go back."
• "The food was good. I had the pulled chicken with bbq sauce. The service was good as well. Our waitress was fast and friendly"
• "Oh my this is now one of my go to when I am in East Tennessee. The fried pickles were cut just right and the ranch was so good . The serve was on point"
• "Really loved the food service was amazing and the live singing was amazing."
• "Went Thursday night. Was our first time here. Thought the inside was really cute. Other than the waitress being very quiet, she did a fantastic job. Didn't take too long for food to come out and was fresh and hot. I loved the sweet potatoes fries with the cinnamon sugar and side of cinnamon butter. Buffalo wings were a good size and very juicy. Try their juicy Lucy burger. Was really good also. I have no complaints."
• "Awesome place! Great service! Our waitress was great! Everyone was super nice and down to earth. I told the waitress to surprise me with what I got. I gave her some options and she didn't let me down. Food was exceptional! Will definitely be back!"
• "Outside deck is really nice. If you didn't know better you'd think you were on the beach! Very relaxing. Friendly staff with great service. Chicken fingers and fries were delicious."
• "Awesome place to go after a hard day's work and the waiters are always friendly, keep it up Tom!!!!"

Negative Reviews:

• "First visit to this establishment after being told how great it is. Order taken for 4 and 1 entree was delivered 15 minutes after and the others never showed up. Asked our waitress 45 min into wait where our food was and she went to check. Came back and was told they lost our order but she was gonna talk to Tom. She never came back so we asked hostess if we could speak to Tom. Tom very nice but made excuses for waitress and told us he would “discount” our food. Finally did receive all meals but had to ask for water and silverware. Our total bill was discounted $14 for 4 people after horrible service. However, kudos to Tom’s son who was very apologetic and came back several times to check on us. Not sure if I will come back anytime soon."
• "I was excited to try this place and was horribly disappointed. My sweet potato fries were burnt. The pizza was hard as a rock and cold. There was barely any cheese on the pizza or my husband's sandwich. I always find something positive about my experiences, but this is the first time I just can't."

*Reviews from Google

Other News and Links:

• The Restaurant Impossible makeover happened in February 2021. 
• Here is the Big Tom's Backyard Grill and Bar website and Facebook page. 
• Big Tom's kept most of their menu and added dishes suggested by Robert Irvine. (Link)
• Here are the reviews for Big Tom's Backyard Grill and Bar from Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google.
• The restaurant takes the time to respond to reviews online.

Conclusion:

The reviews for Big Tom's Backyard Grill and Bar have been mostly positive since the Restaurant Impossible makeover with people liking the food, service, and atmosphere.  Big Tom's has kept most of their menu and also has added the dishes recommended by Robert Irvine.


*Visit Our Restaurant Impossible Update Page to see all Restaurant: Impossible updates, and which restaurants are open, closed, or have been sold. Also Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter

J's Restaurant - Restaurant Impossible Update

This week on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Waveland, Mississippi to makeover J's Restaurant.  J's Restaurant is owned by friends Louis Fouquet and Jeff Bui and they are months away from losing everything including their 40-year friendship.  Robert has to fix their relationship and teach them how to run a restaurant if they want to continue their business and friendship.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about J's Restaurant 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):

Deraney's Two City Tavern - Restaurant Impossible Update

On this week's Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Barnesville, Georgia to makeover Deraney's Two City Tavern. Deraney's Two City Tavern is a small-town restaurant and owner Christopher Deraney is in jeopardy in losing his home, his restaurant, and his reputation.  To turn the restaurant around Robert plans to improve Christopher's work ethic and also get him to make amends to his staff and the community.  

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Deraney's Two City Tavern 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):

BBQ Brawl Season 2

Photo - Food Network

BBQ Brawl is returning for a second season on Food Network and airs Monday nights at 9pm ET/PT.  This season features Bobby Flay, Michael Symon, and Eddie Jackson each mentoring/coaching a team of four pitmasters.  The twelve pitmasters competing on the show are:

• Ara Malekian
• Brendan Lamb
• Brittani Bo Baker
• Christina Fitzgerald
• Christopher Prieto
• David Sandusky
• Erica Blaire Roby
• Lu Holter
• Max Hardy
• Megan Day
• Taylor Carroll
• Terry Matthews

The judges on this season are Rodney Scott, Brooke Williamson, and Carson Kressley.  BBQ Brawl season two will be 10 episodes long with the season finale being on Monday, August 9th during a double-episode finale. 

Season 1 of BBQ Brawl aired in 2019 and featured Bobby Flay vs. Michael Symon during a four-episode season that was won by Lee Ann Whippen.  This season enters Eddie Jackson and additional competitors meaning it will be a longer season.  

I will do another post for the finale and you can discuss this season in the comments.

To see who won season 2 of BBQ Brawl, see this post. 

UPDATE 2024 - Sadly Max Hardy, who appeared on this season, passed away at the age of 40 in 2024.

The Great Food Truck Race: All Stars

Photo - Food Network

Airing on Sunday's at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network is The Great Food Truck Race: All Stars season where seven trucks have returned to compete for a $50,000 prize.  The seven trucks competing are:

• Aloha Plate – Lanai City, Hawaii (Lanai Tabura, Adam Tabura, Shawn Felipe)
• The Lime Truck – Irvine, California (Daniel Shemtob, Jesse Brockman, Mark Esposito)
• The Middle Feast – Los Angeles, California (Tommy Marudi, Daniella Marudi, Gabriel Villagrana)
• Mystikka Masala – Santa Monica, California (Andrew Pettke, Navin Hariprasad, Doug Long)
• NOLA Creations – Shreveport, Louisiana (Darrell Johnson, Aunna Johnson, Terrell Gaskin)
• Seoul Sausage – Los Angeles, California (Ted Kim, Yong Kim, Han Hwang)
• Waffle Love – Provo, Utah (Adam Terry, Jared Terry, Steve Terry)

This season is in the Bay Area and the season finale is scheduled on Sunday, July 18th where the $50,000 prize winner will be revealed. 

Feel free to discuss this season in the comments and I will have another post for the finale.

Turnpike's Rest Stop - Restaurant Impossible Update

Tonight on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Springhill, Florida to makeover Turnpike's Rest Stop. Turnpike's Rest Stop is known for its large sandwiches and these sandwiches are part of the reason they are in financial trouble.  The restaurant is family-owned, and the owner and her daughter have communication issues which is negatively impacting the restaurant.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Turnpike's Rest Stop 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):

Best Baker in America Winner Season 4

Photo - Instagram

Tonight at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network is the season 4 finale of Best Baker in America, where the winner will receive a $25,000 prize.  This will be a two-hour finale with back-to-back episodes. The five remaining bakers competing for the prize are Caitlyn Cox, Clarice Lam, Michele Pompei, Jackie Joseph, and Katrina Tayo.  The episode description for the two episodes from Food Network states:

"In the semifinal, host Carla Hall challenges the bakers to get creative with Nevada's famous Basque cake using Southwest chile peppers as the featured flavor. Then they must turn flan and biscochitos, the official state cookie of New Mexico, into one highly original and decadent dessert. In the final, the bakers have to turn California's chiffon cake into a tsunami cake with lemons and avocado, and judges Gesine Prado and Jason Smith join Carla to choose the competition's winner after seeing -- and tasting -- the bakers' 2-foot-tall Hawaiian dessert showpieces."

Also, here is a more detailed description of the final episode:

"The pressure peaks in the Best Baker in America finale as host Carla Hall challenges the bakers to turn California's famous chiffon cake into the hottest cake sensation -- a tsunami cake -- featuring lemons and avocados, ingredients commonly associated with the Golden State. In the final bake-off, the competitors are baking to win as they each build a 2-foot-tall Hawaiian-themed dessert showpiece featuring lilikoi (passionfruit), haupia (coconut custard), malasada (Hawaiian doughnuts) and intricate chocolate work. Finally, Carla and judges Gesine Prado and Jason Smith decide which baker has earned the title of Best Baker in America!"

I will update this post after the episode airs with the season 4 winner of Best Baker in America and you can discuss the episode in the comments.

Continue reading to see the winner of Best Baker in America season 4......

Z Fish House - Restaurant Impossible Update

Tonight on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Loudon, Tennessee to makeover Z Fish House.  Z Fish House was opened by New York native Ed Ziems in 2015.  The restaurant is struggling, and Robert Irvine needs to get Ed to rediscover his passion and lead his staff and restaurant to success.  

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Z Fish House 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):

Worst Cooks in America: Best of the Worst Winner

Tonight at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network is the season 22 finale of Worst Cooks in America: Best of the Worst where the winner will take home a $25,000 prize and bragging rights for their mentor.  There are four contestants remaining competing for the prize. The final four contestants are Sadie Manda (season 17) and Stephanie James (season 21) representing Anne Burrell's team and Domaine Javier (season 20) and Lulu Boykin (season 17) representing Michael Symon's team.



The episode description states, "To start off their final week in boot camp, the remaining recruits go grocery shopping for ingredients to create dishes using everything they've learned. Then chefs Anne Burrell and Michael Symon teach their final two recruits how to make a three-course, restaurant-quality meal. For the last challenge, the two finalists put all their skills to the test in order to impress a panel of culinary experts. Judges Einat Admony, Cliff Crooks and Sohla El-Waylly evaluate the recruits' dishes in a blind taste test and choose the winner of the $25,000 prize."


I will update this post with the winner once the episode airs and feel free to discuss the episode/season in the comments.

Continue reading to see who won season 22 of Worst Cooks in America: Best of the Worst......

Mr. B's Southern Kitchen - Restaurant Impossible Update

Tonight on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Tampa, Florida to makeover Mr. B's Southern Kitchen. Mr. B's Southern Kitchen is a struggling Southern restaurant and the struggle has caused sibling owners to feud.  Their failing restaurant is ruining their relationship and Robert Irvine needs to fix the restaurant as well as their relationship.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Mr. B's Southern Kitchen 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 Anchor - Restaurant Impossible Update

Tonight on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Louisville, Tennessee to makeover The Anchor. The Anchor is a restaurant located on the water and there is tension between the owner and his daughter.  She used to work at the restaurant but ended up going to work for another restaurant due to the tension. Robert needs to fix their relationship and the restaurant in order to turn things around.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about The Anchor 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):

Burnt Offerings - Restaurant Impossible Update

Tonight on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Las Vegas, Nevada to makeover Burnt Offerings.  Burnt Offerings is owned by a Russian immigrant who has an American dream of success through her restaurant. Alexandra is supposedly a half million dollars in debt and her strictly kosher protocols may be holding the restaurant back. Robert Irvine needs to find ways to raise revenue and cut costs to help save the restaurant and keep Alexandra's dream alive.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Burnt Offerings 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):

Polaris Street Cafe - Restaurant Impossible Update

Tonight on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Las Vegas, Nevada to makeover Polaris Street Cafe. Polaris Street Cafe is owned by Julissa who is trying to save her deceased husband's restaurant.  The restaurant has no identity and an uninspired menu. Robert needs to get Julissa to find her own path or the restaurant will be in danger of closing.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Polaris Street Cafe 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):

Best Baker in America - Season 4

Photo - Instagram

Season 4 of Best Baker in America  airs on Food Network Monday nights at 9pm ET/PT.  This season is hosted by Carla Hall, where the previous two seasons were hosted by Scott Conant.  The judges this year will be Gesine Prado and Jason Smith.  Last season had Jason Smith and Marcela Valladolid as judges on every episode, with special guest judges each episode.

The ten bakers who will be competing for the $25,000 prize are: 

• Caitlyn Cox (Nashville, TN)
• Yassmeen Haskins Jackson (Baltimore, MD)
• Jackie Joseph (Louisville, KY)
• Clarice Lam (Brooklyn, NY)
• Aaron Manuyag (Tucson, AZ)
• Caryn Martinez (Columbus, OH)
• Felicia Mayden (Chicago, IL)
• Michele Pompei (Walla Walla, WA)
• Miranda Prince (Las Vegas, NV)
• Katrina Tayo (Las Vegas, NV)

Feel free to discuss season 4 of Best Baker in America in the comments.  As always, I will do another post for the finale and update it with the winner of Best Baker in America season 4.

UPDATE - To see who won season 4 of Best Baker in America - see this post. 

Restaurant Impossible - Park Vue Soul Food Update

Tonight on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Buffalo, New York to makeover Park Vue Soul Food Bar and Restaurant.  Park Vue Soul Food is owned by mother and daughter Schenita Williams and Harrita West, who are trying to serve their community, but have no experience running a restaurant.  Robert will try to give them the skills needed to help both their restaurant and their neighborhood.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Park Vue Soul Food Bar and Restaurant 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):

Spring Baking Championship Winner - Season 7

Tonight at 9pm ET on Food Network is the season 7 finale of Spring Baking Championship where the winner will take home a $25,000 prize.  The three remaining bakers competing for the prize are Derek Corsino, Natalie Soto, and Keya Wingfield.

Tonight's episode description states:

"The first round is for the birds as host Ali Khan challenges the bakers to create spring songbird-themed desserts. Then it's all about celebrating the joys of the garden and the critters within. The bakers must make lush spring garden cakes with a surprise design element inside. Judges Kardea Brown, Nancy Fuller and Duff Goldman award the best baker the title of Spring Baking Champion and the $25,000 prize."

I will update this post with the season 7 winner of Spring Baking Championship after the episode airs.

Continue reading to see who won Spring Baking Championship season 7...

Worst Cooks in America: Best of the Worst

Worst Cooks in America: Best of the Worst airs on Food Network Sunday nights at 9pm ET/PT where past recruits return for another chance to turn things around and win $25,000.  The mentors for the 'Best of the Worst' season are Anne Burrell and Michael Symon. 

The eight recruits returning to compete for the prize are:

• Jonathan Beyer - Season 17 (New York, New York)
• Lulu Boykin - Season 18 (Pittsboro, North Carolina)
• Jefferson Goldie - Season 18 (Chicago, Illinois)
• Domaine Javier - Season 20 (San Gabriel, California)
• Stephanie James - Season 21 (Chicago, Illinois)
• Joey Kinsley - Season 21 (Cleveland, Ohio)
• Sadie Manda - Season 17 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
• Eric Smart - Season 20 (Los Angeles, California)

The recruits returning seem to all be from recent seasons of Worst Cooks in America.  This season is six episodes long with the finale airing on Sunday, May 30th.  It seems that the 'Best of the Worst' season has replaced the Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition this year.  Feel free to discuss this season in the comments and I will have another post for the finale.

Restaurant Impossible - Casa Di Francesca's

Tonight on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Buffalo, New York to makeover Casa Di Francesca's. Casa Di Francesca's is owned by single father Steven Marchione who is struggling to keep it open after a series of tragic life events.  The restaurant is filthy, rundown and is losing money.  Robert Irvine needs to turn Steven into a leader if he wants to save his restaurant which will help support his family.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Casa Di Francesca's 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):