Restaurant rebuilds after reality show makeover ‘missed the mark’

Ristorante Orsini says they had to undo the renovation shown in their episode of Restaurant Impossible: Last Call

For Mike Ingrosso, running a restaurant in Newmarket is a passion and a way to keep himself occupied.

The owner of the upscale Italian Ristorante Orsini has run restaurants over many decades across York Region and beyond. Ingrosso said that while his restaurant has been mostly breaking even in recent years, he is financially well-off and the place is still running smoothly.

But, interested in the prospect of a refresh, Ingrosso said he agreed to appear on the Food Network show Restaurant Impossible: Last Call. But it was an experience that would end up costing the restaurant, as he said he had to redo the restaurant interior immediately after the show gave it a makeover that “missed the mark.” 

“They didn’t do any of the things they promised,” his daughter, Cheryl Luciani, said, adding that after it was done, they had to put a lot of work into getting things back. “We had no choice.”

Restaurant Impossible: Last Call is a reality television show where the hosts have $20,000 and three days to bring “struggling restaurants back from the brink of collapse,” according to the Food Network website. Ristorante Orsini was the subject of an episode that aired Sept. 3.

“Times have changed, and he hasn’t adapted to that,” Luciani said in a preview clip for the episode.

“If you don’t do a complete 180 here, you’re going to lose your restaurant, and probably your retirement,” chef Aarón Sánchez said in the clip.

But while the episode painted the situation as dire, Ingrosso said that was not really accurate.

The episode said he was losing about $9,000 per month and could be facing financial hardship. But Ingrosso said that was not true; he was not touching his retirement funds, and the restaurant was a way to enjoy himself rather than needing to be a big money maker.

“People say, ‘I’m (in) desperation, I’m gonna kill myself,” he said, after his depiction in the episode. “I’m still open. Why? Because I know (the business) inside and out.”

Ingrosso and Luciani recounted being approached by The Food Network to do an episode. Luciani said the prospect was appealing — getting money toward a renovation, in exchange for some “drama.”

But while there was exaggeration, the bigger sticking point for the family was what happened with the renovation.

Luciani said the job was not done properly. She said they sought more storage, and instead, storage was taken away. She said they removed seats, changed out nice lighting for cheaper lighting, removed colour and did not have the budget to actually complete their vision for changes.

“They missed the mark on every level, unfortunately,” Luciani said. “But they know this.”

The Food Network did not respond to a request for comment before the publication deadline.

The renovations took place in May. As soon as they were done, Luciani said they had to get to work on changing things back — and improving along the way.

Luciani said they changed the lighting fixtures, added wine storage that was removed, redid the seats and the walls, added a mural, added additional seating and more.

Their friends in the renovation business pitched in to help by offering steep discounts, knowing what had happened to them, Luciani said.

“They witnessed what happened,” Luciani said. “It’s not like I begged; people came to us and said, ‘ We need to help you.’”

Fixing things after the show was complete has left $20,000 to $30,000 out of pocket, Luciani said, and that is after thousands in discounts from friends willing to pitch in. The family sold the Vespa motorcycle on display at the front of the restaurant to help cover the costs. The effort took several months, finishing near the end of August. 

But, despite everything, the family said they are actually pleased with the result once they set their mind to re-renovating.

“Silver lining in it, if that didn’t happen, we wouldn’t have done this beautiful renovation,” Luciani said.

The other upside is the episode has attracted business to the restaurant. The family said they have been packed in recent days, with old friends coming by to see the place and new customers, as well.

“We’re going to make it a positive,” Ingrosso said.

Ingrosso said that after decades in the business, people know him well enough despite what the episode showed. He said running a restaurant is something he does with his heart.

“I’m not worried about my future,” he said. “I’m not going to change for anybody.”