-[phone ringing] -Can someone answer the phone?
[Franco] I feel like I'm alone in this.
And I've been struggling to keep it together.
All right. You know what? You can wait on them
'cause I just can't get to them. I can't.
My relationship with my wife is getting destroyed.
My son's relationship isn't there.
Do you resent your son?
-I do not resent-- -Franco, be honest.
I had a hard time when he first came out gay.
In the beginning, it was absolutely awful.
The damage is already done.
Him not being accepted by my husband
-is extremely hurtful. -[Robert] Yeah.
[Karen] I have no respect for you.
-Is that correct? -I believe you, yes.
You walk past me like I don't exist
with this face,
that I really wanna smack you in the face.
[Robert] Why are you married?
That's what I ask everyday.
Well, why do you stay around?
This is a real show with real people,
real emotions,
and, uh, maybe they're getting divorced.
I don't know yet.
Maybe this is the one that beats me.
I'm headed to Middletown, New York,
about an hour outside of New York City.
I'm on my way to meet Franco and Karen,
owners of Franco Di Roma.
Obviously, the name Franco conjures up an Italian vibe, right?
There is a lot of population, lot of businesses.
So it's not that the people are not here, which means
is it the offering? Is it the service?
Is it the food?
And I don't know the answers to those questions
until I actually get there.
People at the door.
My name is Franco.
I am the owner of Franco Di Roma Italian restaurant.
And it's a mix between Italian and American
where people can have both.
I was born in Italy.
I was 8 years old when we left Italy.
Didn't know one word of English.
Italian food, to me, it's what I lived on.
That's what I grew up on.
My backyard wasn't a playground, it was a garden.
And my mom was constantly in the kitchen cooking everyday.
I learned a lot from her.
Then I started working for convenient stores,
and at the age of 18, I was running my own store.
And then that's when I started working in pizzerias.
From there I went to restaurants,
and that's when... here I am.
[Karen] I met Franco in 1995.
It was love at first sight.
I was working as a server and Franco was working as a manager.
And then Franco said to me, "Hey, let's do our own thing."
And I said, "Sure."
First 12 years, we were busy.
The money was coming in, everybody's happy.
[Karen] And it was a "Go, go, go,"
Constant, "Go, go, go." I really loved it.
My son, Franco, he was here everyday.
In the beginning, we were successful
due to the fact that we were very family-oriented.
Franco Michael,
he's a young energetic loving bright, very bright,
but I kind of destroyed my relationship with him.
Franco is... how do you say it? Uh...
well-- uh...
he's gay.
He just got married to his partner,
they're very happy.
But when it came out that he's-- told me he was gay,
and I didn't accept it.
So he kind of stepped back from me after that.
He calls me Franco. He doesn't call me Dad.
I think that there's so much...
[sighs] disdain towards the situation
and towards his father over what has happened.
It takes a toll, you know?
My marriage is very stressed.
And the business is really failing.
Since the recession of 2008, we slowed down a little bit,
and we have five other chains open up within one year.
It was awesome for consumers 'cause there's a lot of varieties.
But for the business owners, it's a little harder
'cause now you gotta try to keep 'em.
People used to come around every week,
then you saw 'em every three weeks.
And now we're down to maybe five, six tables a night.
Uh, we're low on money and low on staff.
[phone ringing]
Can someone please answer the phones?
So I do A to Z.
I open up, I prep the kitchen,
I prep the pizza counter.
Franco Di Roma, can you please hold?
Yes, what can I do for you?
I do the ordering for the food,
I do the register, credit card machines at night,
and I close up.
It's hard to do it by myself.
Franco, I still need chicken parm for table four.
Tammy, I don't have it on your ticket.
Can you check?
Make sure you send the chicken parm, please.
-Oh, my God. -I'll make it right away.
Make sure it's in the computer.
[Franco] My dream is about to end and it hurts.
Thanks for showing up.
My wife comes in once in a full moon.
She just helps the servers when they need help with the glasses,
or she'll bring a salad out, but that's about it.
Very much.
At the end of the day, I'm event coordinator at the restaurant.
[Karen] And I do all the administrative tasks.
That takes up a lot of my time.
He expects me to be here all the time.
That's not possible.
And I feel like I don't need to be disrespected.
Rocco, can you get 'em a seat, please?
-They're gonna walk out. -You know what, you can wait on them
because I just can't get to them.
I just can't. I can't.
With the business being low and the stress being high,
it's taken a toll on my family
and my relationship with my wife.
[Karen] He just is a different person than when I first met him.
In what way?
Franco is, um...
a very interesting character.
He's a hard worker.
And, um...
that's it.
All I ask for is respect and also communication.
He doesn't wanna hear it.
It's taken all my passion away.
And my son also agrees.
[Franco] Lately at the restaurant, it's been a struggle.
And so about a year and a half ago,
the plan was to bring Franco in,
for him to modernize the restaurant
and to make changes.
My mother and I were talking one day, as we do,
and she just said to me,
"We're going through a rough time at the restaurant.
We really would benefit from someone helping us,
you know, in terms of the day-to-day activities
or some sort of leadership."
So I said, "Okay."
My son, he's super smart and he can wear any hat.
And he's more than qualified to run this business.
But the whole time that they were working together,
it wasn't a fluid process.
The idea was to revamp it, redo the menu,
which I wasn't happy about.
When brought ideas,
my mother would say, "Yes," and Franco would say, "No."
And that's basically it.
And then I would say about maybe three months into it,
things were kind of declining.
[Franco] We're both stubborn, so...
he likes his road, and I like my road.
We butted head too much, and I told him, you know,
"If you don't like it this way, then just leave."
And after that, I think that was the final straw.
[Karen] Frankie said, "I'm not doing this anymore.
I've made my decision, it is not working. I'm outta here."
And then it just fell apart.
I mean, I really did try.
I worked there for over a year.
I tried to change the restaurant.
It was met with obstacles.
So I decided that I had to do what was right for my life.
I forged my own path.
I work here at the Stagecoach Inn.
I basically manage the team here in front of house.
And I love where I work.
That's really what it comes down to.
It hurts.
Because it would be really nice if we can work as a team
and just do it together as a family.
My relationship with my wife is getting destroyed.
My son's relationship isn't there.
It's just a lot of stress.
[sniffles]
[Robert] So initial looks when I walk in the door,
lighted Christmas trees.
I don't like it.
A mock Italian roof.
A yellow color for Italian, don't know what that means.
There a little bar to my right here,
maybe for pizza pickup or something takeout.
This must be the main dining room on my left.
The walls have been bashed up.
You can see here and here.
Carpets that have been in a restaurant forever.
Chairs that look pretty sturdy but they're beat-up.
But look, this is...
That's off the top of the fans.
There's nothing in this restaurant
that would tell me that it's Italian,
except the wallpaper that depicts Italy.
It's an old, outdated restaurant.
Karen, Franco, come in the restaurant, please.
Hello, how are you?
Good morning, how are you?
-Good morning, I'm Karen. Nice to meet you. -Take a seat.
[groans]
[Robert] Tell me about yourselves.
[Karen] I met Franco. He was actually working at a local restaurant.
I met him there. I fell in love.
He said-- his idea was, "Let's open our own restaurant."
And I said, "Sure."
So when did you get this restaurant?
2002, we opened in October.
So you've had it 20-plus years.
-Yes. -Okay. So take me back 20 years ago.
What was your revenue for a year?
-A million-two, gross. -[Robert] A million-two.
-Gross. -Gross revenue.
Five years ago, what was your revenue?
Twenty to twenty-two thousand a week.
Now, we're down to 12 to 13, maybe.
And it's just barely covering our bills.
It started declining with the recession of 2008.
Then we had a lot of chains move in.
What did you do to combat that?
[Franco] We haven't done much.
So you just blamed recession?
And you blamed chains.
But it looks like a funeral parlor.
When the last time you changed anything in this restaurant?
We started linens about two years ago,
'cause the tables were getting sticky from the finish.
And then we did the decorations with the wreaths.
I wanted to redecorate the whole entire restaurant,
but this is what has to be,
because we're not on the same page
when it comes to decorating.
So let's not go there. Let's, um--
Do you like each other?
I do. I do like him.
But every time I approach him with something,
he doesn't wanna hear it.
-What is that? -Everything, everything we...
Do you wanna go down the list?
It's everything that we do.
-Anything related-- -I wanna go down the list. Tell me.
Yeah, so anything, scaling down the menu.
I said, "Please, let's scale down the menu,
the kitchen cannot get the food out in time."
And by the time it comes out,
the customers are really upset.
We don't have enough staff,
so all these customers are waiting to come in.
I said, "Let's implement a waiting system."
He doesn't wanna do that either.
He's like, "We can't do that, because then the customers will walk out."
I said, "Okay, that's great.
But you know what, right now, they're walking out anyway."
I'm sorry. I agree with Karen.
I would never seat somebody and then make them wait.
And, obviously, Karen wants change and you don't.
When you go home, how's your home life?
Very stressful.
You don't talk?
-No. -Hardly.
-Do you love him? -[Karen] Yes, I do love him.
-But there's a lot of bad things going on right now. -Do you love her?
I do love her. But every time I ask for help,
everybody's too busy or they're doing other things.
You just made a statement of "they."
Who are "they"?
Well, that's my son and my wife.
-Your son? -Our son.
[Robert] Got it, okay.
How old is he?
-Twenty... six. Okay. -[Karen] 26.
So the goal was to have my son come in,
and he was willing to take over the restaurant.
Fresh faces, new ideas,
do all these wonderful things, but it did not work out.
Why?
We clashed heads too much,
and there was a lot going on all at once.
He's the manager of another restaurant.
So why did he leave this restaurant and go over there?
'Cause too many butting heads together.
-[Robert] With you? -Yes.
-But he's running that restaurant, right? -Yes.
-Is it successful? -Yes.
Do you resent your son?
[Franco] I don't resent my son.
I don't.
-I do not resent him. -Franco, please be honest.
I had a hard time when he first came out but, uh--
What do you mean "when he came out"?
He told us he was, uh, gay.
By the way, there's nothing wrong with that.
It was just very hard for me to deal with.
How long did that go on?
-About a year. -Okay.
So what are you thinking right now?
I'm thinking right now my son would've been
a great asset to this business.
I'm thinking that he's extremely upset,
'cause he feels like he has no father.
Since that time, have you sat down and talked about it?
I tried, and he just doesn't wanna hear it.
That's 'cause he's very upset.
-Because the trust has already been broken. -The trust has been broken.
Because he trusted you to be able to tell his innermost feelings,
and you shut him out. So that's a normal reaction,
just so you know.
And can that be fixed? Yes.
But it's gonna take a lot of work on your part.
So what do you want from me being here?
I mean, my hope is that we can fix this relationship,
and I'm willing to do whatever it takes,
but I just don't feel like he's in it.
I feel like he's already checked out.
Do you understand that?
-You did say you loved her, right? -Yes, I do.
How often do you tell her that?
-Not often. -Why?
I feel like I'm alone in this.
And I've been struggling to keep it together.
So why are you married?
That's what I ask everyday.
"Why are we still together?"
Is that a question for yourself or for me?
For you.
If I'm such a bad person, I have no feelings,
no nothing, as you say,
why do you stay around?
[sighs] Okay.
A lot of work to do here, not only in the marriage,
but also the restaurant.
All right. Let's see how the restaurant runs,
and we'll go from there.
I came up with a plan from there, okay?
Okay, thank you.
-[Robert] Thank you. -Thank you.
Um, this is about to implode.
And I think most of the blame, based on what I've been told,
is that Franco won't listen.
Franco, on the other hand,
feels that if he asks for help,
Karen doesn't give him help.
Karen says she does.
It's a little bit of 50-50, and I don't know until I watch
what goes on in the next couple of hours
how that really sits.
But my first impression is not a good one.
[sucks teeth] We'll see.
Okay, ready, Primo?
[Karen] Right this way.
[Robert] I'm seating a room to simulate a busy night.
Can I get you guys something to drink?
[Robert] I need to pay close attention to
how Karen and Franco's dysfunctional relationship
affects the restaurant overall.
You are taking 33 and 52, correct?
You have that down?
-Okay. So you're gonna do 33? -[waitress] Yes.
-Okay. So two, right this way please. -[man] How are you?
-Good, how are you? -Good.
[Tammy] Are y'all set to order?
-We'll start off with the fried calamari. -Sure.
[Robert] The front of house seems to be running well,
but the efficiency stops there.
We got chicken piccata, two vodkas right?
Two vodkas and the chicken piccata, you got it?
[Karen] Where is this going?
It goes with this veal sorrentino.
Jenna, this is very hot.
[Karen] Table 43.
-[waitress] Table 43? -Yes.
[Franco] It's going too quick.
A lot of tables at once.
-[Karen] Where's this going? -[Franco] Uh...
That goes with the salad at table 52.
I need chicken marsala.
This is not complete.
-This goes with the salad? -Goes with the Frankie salad.
[Robert] Food is barely trickling out of the kitchen,
and the customers are losing patience.
Who's your server?
-Tammy. -And how long ago did you, sir, order food?
'Cause you were one of the first ones in, right?
This goes with a French onion.
This one goes, it's Frankie's salad and veal sorrentino.
-I see nothing else. -Where's the salad?
You got the salad?
There's nothing on this ticket that says French onion.
French onion went with the zucchini sticks, Karen.
You're confusing me now.
[Robert] The chaos in the kitchen is bad.
[Karen] I tried to tell Franco the menu is too big,
but he just ignores it.
And then, of course, half the dining room does not like their food at all.
They're very, very upset.
The timing's really off, as we always discussed.
-It just really embarrassing. -The timing always is.
[Robert] But Karen complaining about Franco to the staff
is even worse.
[Franco] I don't know what you did.
Everything is just awful.
Customers don't come out to a restaurant
to hear arguing and bickering in the background.
I don't know. I'm just really frustrated.
[Robert] Disfunction and resentment
are wreaking havoc on this restaurant,
and it may be too late to fix it.
[Tammy] Franco, table 30, they want a new one.
They said this one tastes very rubbery.
-[Franco] Rubbery? -Yes.
[Franco] I don't know what to do.
[Tammy] Another complaint on spaghetti and meatballs,
"no flavor."
[Robert] You wouldn't like this.
You wouldn't like this pizza.
[both laughing]
It's so soggy. I mean, I used to make pizza.
You don't make pizza that it-- stuff just falls off of it.
You couldn't even roll it.
-Uh, Karen. -[Karen] Yes, sir.
-Hi. -[Robert] It's unevenly cooked.
I don't think the pizza should look like this,
how greasy it is. It should be more...
That's absolutely not acceptable, yes.
Would you like a new one?
Uh, no thanks.
[Robert] Why do you keep the meatballs in this juice?
Keeps them warm. We don't have to fight to keep them hot.
But why are they not in tomato sauce in the oven?
[Franco] I've done it like that for years.
[Robert] So you don't think they're dry?
[Franco] Uh, no, they stay moister.
You don't think so?
No.
The meatballs are precooked sitting in a bowl of stock,
and Franco thinks they're moist.
[Robert] Um, no, just overcooked.
So that's gonna taste like garbage when I eat it, for sure.
-What's the matter with that? -They don't like it.
They said it tastes like rubber.
It tastes like "rubber"?
It smells a little old, too.
[Robert] This is an absurd amount of complaints about food,
and Franco's refused to change any of it.
He needs a wakeup call,
and he needs it now.
[Robert] Franco, come in the restaurant, please.
-Franco. -Yes.
I need you to stop what you're doing please.
Let Primo take over.
Franco, when Robert says "go," you go. Please move.
-Let's go. -All right. I'm coming right now.
[exhales]
There are approximately 27 people in that room,
and 18 out of 27 people will not come back here
'cause they think our food is disgusting.
That's what you're about to hear right now.
[Franco] What the hell happened?
All right. So Karen has been telling you
-what the customers are saying. -[Franco] Yes.
We usually don't have this many complaints.
[Robert] So what's different today then?
-[Franco] We rushed. -Okay.
What's different with this?
And the pizza, the four, Piola pizza.
I didn't make it.
-"I didn't make it," but you're the owner. -Yes.
What about this?
I had the, uh, eggplant parmesan.
[Robert] And how was it?
[customer] Very bland.
And... What are you looking the other way for?
-I believe it... -Because that's your customer.
What's a classic sandwich that you make?
-Chicken parm. -Right?
Now, ask this young man, what's your name?
-Todd. -Todd.
-Oh, you know him? -Mmm-hmm.
[Todd] Not enough sauce.
The bread's a little crusty, kind of falls apart.
So what Karen said to me was correct then?
She's been telling you the same thing I'm gonna tell--
She's not in the kitchen, though. She doesn't...
-But she's been telling you what the customers are saying. -Yes.
And, Tammy, she's worked here for 10 years, right?
-I've met her-- -Tammy, do we ever get this many complaints?
It depends on the night, how they are back there.
Sometimes they're a little more on point,
and other nights, they just don't care.
[Tammy] That's the honest-to-God truth.
[Franco] We usually don't have this many complaints, like I said.
[Robert] It's so funny, every week I get,
"Oh, we don't ever do this. You're gonna love my food."
It's not because I'm here that people--
Guys, I told you to tell the truth.
Did you tell the truth?
-[all] Yes. -So you're living in a fantasy world.
They're telling you the truth.
Right?
[Robert] All right. I thank you for coming.
We'll see you tomorrow.
[Franco] I'm very embarrassed, very embarrassed.
It's embarrassing to serve all that food that people didn't like, too, so.
I'm ready to just walk out and cry.
[chuckles] Yeah.
All right. Let me try the meatball pasta special.
The FDR steak.
How do you like your steak cooked?
[Robert] Um, medium-rare.
The chicken parmesan,
and the meat lovers pizza, medium.
[Tammy] Okay.
So I ordered a variety of food,
um, but when I look at the menu...
we've got...
[quietly counting]
One hundred and thirty-five items on a menu is way too big,
and Karen has told Franco that, so it's nothing new.
There's a lot going on here between Franco and Karen.
But right now, just the size of the menu,
I can tell you, um, no wonder they're losing money.
[sighs] Karen, Franco.
Come in the restaurant please.
That does not smell fresh at all.
I'm gonna start with the pizza
because I don't want it to get soggy fast.
Bit late to that. Just cut out, look at it.
Far too much topping, far too much, uh, cheese.
And that's what gives us that soggy pizza crust.
The steak...
That was supposed to be medium-rare.
It's actually medium-well.
That's a problem right there, especially as...
this is a $25 entree.
No seasoning.
Just think... about the possibility of that dish
if it were seasoned correctly.
The, uh, chicken parmesan.
Sauce has no flavor.
Pasta's overcooked.
The meatballs that are stewed in water.
Flavorless.
Just tastes old.
[Karen sighs]
Well, this is a failure.
I... like I said,
I've never had these many complaints, I just...
There are a lot of complaints, Franco.
There really are.
That's been going on for a really long time.
I... [scoffs] Okay.
Like, I don't care about this right now.
I care about this.
Marriage is supposed to be...
not always glossy, right?
But at the end of the day,
you should be able to hug each other
and say, "I'm sorry" or "I messed up"
-or "I didn't mean that" or I... -[Karen] Yes. Yes.
[Robert] because if you don't,
-everything you've worked for... -It gets to this point.
...for 20-something years,
then it's out the window.
And that's where you are right now.
I will help you in any way, shape or form
if you get this right. And why?
Because people are more important to me than the business.
If I get this right,
the business will thrive. If I don't...
I'll walk away and three, six months later,
you'll hate each other and...
and you're almost there now, by the way.
I just don't feel like his heart is in the relationship.
[Franco] You go and come as you please,
and I'm stuck in this place every day
while you guys live your life.
But the way you are right now,
doing this ping pong thing,
this restaurant's never gonna work.
So, you have a choice.
Do you throw in the towel...
or are you gonna go to boot camp?
Right?
Okay, I'm gonna talk to my designer
and my builder.
-You ready? -[Karen] Yes, I'm ready.
-Let's go. -[Robert chuckles]
This one's gonna be a tough one.
This is terrible. The place is terrible.
But this is even worse.
Um...
Wow.
-Ah, gentlemen! -Hello!
Welcome to Franco Di Roma.
-It's like a maze in here. -Yes.
There's a to-go pizza area and pick-up from bar here.
And I like the idea that there's somewhere to sit while--
and get a drink while they're waiting for food or... to go.
And you can see the, uh, the roof, right?
-Yeah, the old Italian vibe. -We made that before.
So it's not bad, but I want to not focus on that,
I want to focus on the colors.
It's pretty nondescript.
-Bunch of tables. -Yeah.
-I mean, they're all beat-up to death. -Yeah, they're ruined.
[Lynn] It's a wood veneer so they're getting wet.
-[Robert] The chairs are pretty stable. Right? -[Lynn] Okay.
-Except for the seats, which are bad. -Except for the seat cushions.
[Robert] The floor, obviously,
-you can see the tracks on the carpet. -You can smell it.
-New floor, for sure. -Out!
There's pretty much nothing else in here.
But, I'm thinking that, you know,
modern kind of artsy cool Italian.
I want it to be classy.
And it's a Italian restaurant, not just a pizza joint,
-correct? Okay. -No, it is an Italian restaurant.
-So, any questions? -Nope.
-Let's get it loaded up. -I'll get the guys.
Franco! Karen! Let's go!
We're gonna take all the chairs,
we're gonna put everything through the back of the restaurant, all right?
Take the table tops off.
[Robert] Everything off the table tops.
Hey, let's get some people in here, let's go!
Come on, where's all my people?
All these go out the back. Outside.
[Tom] Chairs are going straight back.
[Robert] Frank. Roll these up, man.
Roll these up, get them out of the way.
Keep them in the design tent for me.
I'll start flipping.
[grunts]
Could you send these to the graveyard, please?
That's where they belong.
[laughs]
I feel wonderful.
They're breaking the whole thing down
and they're gonna... redo it and I'm real excited about it.
It's been a really long time. So for me,
this is very exhilarating. I'm very excited.
[Robert] Come on, these tables have got to go out.
I feel frustrated but happy that it's happening.
Hopefully, we'll get it back on track and we can...
get a fresh start.
[Robert] Everybody out!
Off you go. Owners in the restaurant.
Everybody else, out!
See how fast that was to empty out?
That's 20 years of your life.
It's time for it to go.
Why are you getting emotional?
[voice shaking] It's an emotional day.
Why?
-[exhales] -It's okay.
I'm hoping it works out.
I'm hoping the relationship works out
just as much as the business.
-It will if you want it. -[Franco] Yeah, I do.
Is this the first time you've seen him upset?
In a long time, yes.
[Robert] That means he cares.
-Mmm-hmm. -I just don't think he knows how to show it.
You gotta change that.
Right, take one last look.
Uh, your journey's about to begin.
-Okay. -Okay. Off you go.
-Ready to go? Thank you. -Thank you.
[Franco exhales]
It's not only the restaurant that needs a huge renovation.
It's their marriage. Now look at them talk outside.
That's where it starts, right there.
-[Karen] And I will-- Stop. -[Franco] I don't wanna argue anymore.
-Stop, stop, stop, stop. -I just--
You need to listen, please.
-I am listening. -You're not listening though.
Every time I talk to you, you interject.
You need to listen. You need to--
This place could be a million,
-two million dollars a year... -I know.
-...if... -We get together.
-you figure it out. -Yes.
Don't be so snappy at him.
I am not going to be snappy, I'm try--
I will absolutely do my best going forward.
You have to stop doing this
because he does this.
I don't mind you being strong,
-but don't be the attack dog when he says something. -Okay.
-Right? -You're right, that's all that's been happening.
Your choice.
It's not my choice.
-It's not television's choice. -I'm not looking for a divorce.
I'm looking to make it work.
That's what I've been saying.
All right. Good.
[exhales]
[Robert] I'm at Franco Di Roma's at Middletown, New York,
where Franco and Karen's restaurant
and marriage are falling apart.
After reviewing the P and L's,
I'm relieved to see that the costs are actually in line.
The problem is...
they simply aren't generating enough revenue.
And that's because the food is terrible.
And the tension between Franco and Karen
has created an unpleasant environment for customers.
Next, I'm gonna speak with their son
to see if he has any insights
that may help me fix these two problems.
-Hello. -Hi, how are you?
-How are you? -Good, thank you.
-I'm Robert. Nice to meet you. Thanks for coming down. -Nice to meet you.
-Of course, thank you for getting me. -So...
[grunts] Franco Michael.
It's just Franco, you can call me just Franco.
-Franco. Okay. -Yeah. Or Frankie, whatever you wish.
Well, nice to meet you. So you know why I'm here, right?
-Yes. -We're trying to fix...
the debacle of the restaurant but also...
your mom and dad's marriage.
What do you know about it? Tell me what you feel.
For me, I've distanced myself from that relationship
because it just became so taxing on myself,
-having to counsel...them. -Counsel them.
Yes, and I'm the son, so I can't unfortunately do that.
So I needed to kind of find my own path in life and,
you know, my mom and I are as close as ever.
My father and I don't have the best relationship, but...
I'm completely fine with the man that he is.
I'm already good with that. I'm at peace with it, for real.
I don't cry about it at night.
You converse with each other?
Oh, yeah, of course.
And how is he with your husband?
Fine. My father has come a very long way.
-Okay. -A very long way.
In the beginning, it was absolutely awful.
Now, he is...
way more civil to the situation.
But, the damage is already done.
You said you're at peace,
-and you obviously are. -Mmm.
Your dad's not.
Oh, that's not my problem though.
-No, it's not. You're exactly right. -Hmm.
Sorry you went through that.
It's all right, it's life. Like, to me, it's...
that's really not the reason, you know, why I'm... here.
I'm here just to support them.
And you run a restaurant.
I basically do, yes.
-Is it successful? -Mmm-hmm.
Which is pretty funny to me.
-I know. -And your dad didn't listen to you
when you had the plan.
Yeah, so I had a whole plan.
It was a whole, you know, contract.
In the beginning, there was a clear sense of what we actually wanted.
And now, it's all gone, and...
Franco refuses to work within his means.
He doesn't have reliable staff
'cause there's no consistency in the training.
So, how can you work like that when there's no structure?
So the aspiration of doing this is gone.
-Of this? Yes. -Yes.
-Okay. -Yes. Absolutely.
I'm not taking it over.
Where do I go with that?
-Because this place has a lot of potential. -Yup.
The way your mom and dad are,
that's... [exhales]
that's like, um,
guns at dawn. You know, walk 12 paces and...
-shoot each other. -Yes.
'Cause that's where it is.
Their relationship inhibits them from becoming successful,
that's basically it.
That's the gist of it. If they can...
hold on to their emotions
and come to work without their problems,
everything would run smoothly.
-God bless you. -Wow.
God bless you, Robert Irvine.
Do you think your dad's able to change?
Mmm.
It's going to be a process, oh, my goodness.
But I would love you to come back...
-tomorrow. -Okay.
I'm sorry you were treated the way you were treated,
I'm also sorry because I think you would have made a big difference.
I appreciate you.
-All right. Appreciate you. -Thank you.
-I appreciate you. -I will see you tomorrow.
-Thank you so much. -Of course.
[Robert] Franco Jr. has it exactly right.
The relationship between Franco and Karen
is the biggest problem.
I think if Franco proves he's open to change,
that might improve their relationship.
So I'm going to make my version of meatballs
and see if Franco is willing to accept something new.
All right, so...
your meatballs you served me
kept on the steam table.
All right, I'm gonna show you by taking ground beef...
Mmm-hmm.
...sausage, because it's got fat.
And the meatball needs fat.
Garlic, tarragon,
basil and parsley.
Cheese. Parmesan.
Ricotta.
Why do I put ricotta in it?
To make it moist and to also make it stick.
Salt.
Pepper.
Little egg.
Panko bread crumbs.
Has anybody ever told you to change your meatballs before?
-No. -So this is like
-a kick in the teeth for you, then. -Yes.
-All right. -[Franco] That's a meatball.
[Robert] They go in the oven.
Why do we put them in the oven?
-To sear. -To sear them.
Gives me an outer coating. I could saute them.
-I could fry them. -Fry them. Yeah.
I could put them in the oven.
Come over here. Let me show you a sauce.
Onions first.
[sizzling]
Potatoes.
-You're using potatoes? -Potato.
Potato is a starch.
What does it do?
-It thickens. -Thickens the sauce.
Instead of makes it bleed when you put it on the plate.
Your tomatoes.
Then goes in the garlic.
-Basil? -And parsley.
All right. My sauce has cooked for an hour.
I've put my balls in the sauce.
Then I want you to bring over...
your balls and the sauce
and just warm them up.
Making Franco choose between his meatballs
and mine is a test,
to see if he can change, but...
it's not about proving it to me.
It's about proving it to someone else.
Try your meatball.
Can somebody get me, um, Karen, please?
[Karen] Yes.
[Robert] Come over here.
Try that meatball.
It was lovingly cooked by your husband.
Try this.
Keep your thoughts to yourself.
Try your meatball.
I'm in Middletown, New York,
at Franco Di Roma's,
where I'm about to show owner, Franco,
that his way isn't always the best way.
Try that meatball.
It was lovingly cooked by your husband.
If he can admit that his way of making meatballs
isn't the only way,
he'll convince me, and more importantly,
his wife, Karen, that he can change.
Try this.
Keep your thoughts to yourself.
So right away, your eyes just gave it away.
[Franco] They are much softer.
I didn't think there was a need to change it until now.
[Robert] So, when I walked in this morning,
it was your way or the highway, right?
-Yes. -How does change taste?
-Tastes pretty good. -[Karen] Amazing.
So if you listen to people
and don't bicker,
this is a restaurant that will do $2 million.
In a heartbeat.
-Good. -Change is a-coming, mister.
Changes are coming, they're already here.
I'm gonna check in with my design team.
There's plenty meatballs in there if you want more.
-[Karen] Oh, yes. -Primo.
It was amazing. It was simple easy and, uh,
and I'm glad it happened. That, uh...
opened my eyes to more ways and
easier ways to accomplish
what we're trying to do as we rebuild the restaurant.
[Karen] I think Franco was extremely shocked.
He was not ready for change.
After some coaxing,
he's decided that change is best.
This is something I've wanted for a really long time.
I feel amazing.
-Hey, hey! -Ooh.
-What's up? -Hey, Robert.
Well, first of all,
I have to say
thank you very much for the carpet gone.
So overall, what are we thinking?
[Lynn] So we're gonna take this outdated Italian restaurant
and turn it into a rustic modern wine cellar.
The first thing I'm gonna do is play off the existing arch windows
by bringing in some wine barrel decals
and lighting them from below
so it really gives some depth to the restaurant.
On the main wall, I'm bringing in faux stone wall coverings,
shutter doors and rustic iron hinges
to play off the wine cellar vibe.
The paint colors are gonna be all about being dark and moody.
So on the ceiling, I'm going a real dark chocolate brown,
and then bringing two tones of brown
to the walls around the entire space.
The floor is gonna be a real feature
by bringing in two different tones of wood,
new table tops and some new lighting.
When we're done, Franco Di Roma is gonna be the perfect place
to grab a bite and a glass of wine.
I mean, it's gonna be a room you wanna sit in.
The wine room.
Which before, yeah, it's like the high-end room.
Because that's where we get the most money
when we sit in a wine room...
-Yeah. -...actually, as a dinner.
I love it. I love the colors.
We're making some progress with the owners.
But we still have a long way to go
to repair the communication.
Franco has been very disrespectful.
[Franco] Thanks for showing up.
[Robert] And Karen has been talking behind his back.
[Karen] I tried to tell Franco the menu was too big,
but he just ignores it and then, of course,
half the dining room does not like their food at all.
They're very, very upset.
[Robert] So I've asked them to write down some key things about each other
that they believe are causing problems between them.
It should be a way to start some open and honest communication.
So next part of boot camp.
This is the wall of which divides you.
These are all Franco's...
lists.
And these are all your lists.
Now, if you agree on the subject,
I will take the brick away.
[Karen] Okay.
If you don't... [sucks teeth]
...there'll be some issues.
-Okay. -[Robert] Okay.
Off you go, Franco.
I hold grudges. Yes, I admit that,
and I will do my best not to hold grudges anymore.
Do you believe that he can not hold grudges
if you upset him?
He's been accustomed to holding on to grudges his whole entire life,
-but I believe-- -He's there.
I believe that you can change not to hold a grudge.
I will.
[Robert] Remove the brick and put it on the floor.
[Karen] Respect.
I have no respect for you. You believe that?
-I believe that. Yes. -Is that correct?
I just believe that, uh,
you shouldn't talk about me in front of people
or behind my back.
-[Karen] Okay. -Especially to the servers.
-Okay. -And always...
complaining to our son about me.
That's very disrespectful.
Do you understand what he's saying to you?
I don't understand because I don't do any of that.
She's always talking about me to the servers, to our son.
-And they're always having a little powwow. -Do you know you do that?
-Always behind my back. -Do you know you do that?
Or is it just automatic for you?
So I don't-- So this is the whole thing.
I don't talk behind your back with Frankie
because that's not my place.
He does it on his own.
-He believes that I do that to him. -What do you say...
What do you say to the servers?
We just talk about work in general,
like what's happening in terms of respect towards us.
So when I'm talking to Tammy and having a private conversation to her,
Franco will say to me,
"Stop talking, you need to go out to the floor."
And I'll say, "That's so disrespectful."
It is because you think they're talking about you?
Just in general, if I say anything,
it's just-- come back at me, and it's...
I feel it's very disrespectful--
Franco, think about what you're saying please.
[Robert] Wow.
We both understand,
-'cause I don't understand-- -I believe you talk behind my back...
-Okay. -...and you say things to other people.
I will not-- If you believe that,
-I will not talk behind your back. -I believe that.
But, everywhere I am, you dismiss me.
I'm in the restaurant, I come in, you dismiss me.
You walk past me like I don't exist.
Literally wake up in the morning,
you walk right past me with this face that is so negative,
that I really wanna smack you in the face
'cause it's so upsetting to me that you do that to me.
And I can't get you to--
I don't understand why any person
would want to wake up every morning and do that
because it's just so...
upsetting. My heart just breaks.
If you can't converse in the morning
and be pleasant to each other,
you should not be married.
-Should not be married. -Agreed.
If you can't converse in the morning
and be pleasant to each other,
-you should not be married. -Agreed.
How can I change that?
Affection.
[Robert] Wow, that's a big one.
[Karen] It is a big one.
[Robert] Tell me about affection.
There is none.
I wanna be hugged, I wanna be supported,
I wanna be... uh, listened to, I want you to...
acknowledge me as a person.
Just overall support and love and kindness and...
I want you to be my biggest cheerleader.
And that's exactly what I want.
-Same things I'm feeling, you're feeling. -Okay. That's absolutely--
And somehow, we can't manage to get it together though.
[Robert] Do not be afraid.
You're very wishy-washy when you ask for something.
She's very direct.
-Right. -I mean, she just told you everything...
Right?
She's like a sergeant major in the army.
-You're very like, "Oh, well, if I'm..." -Well.
-I don't express myself the right way. -Right.
But if you express what you want
and you're like this, "I need this."
"Karen, I need this."
[Franco] But when I tell her that here, we start arguing.
-If I tell her I need this order to go in the back... -But this is where--
-"Don't tell me what to do." -This is where you...
-"Don't tell me what to do." -This is where you have to listen.
Because he's crying out for help.
But on the same thing,
-so are you and you don't listen. -Right.
She wants affection.
[Robert] Why are you emotional?
I go ahead and broke the wall.
[Robert] He's trying to prove to you that's he's not...
a bad guy.
Let him in.
At least let him prove to you that he can change.
And you can change.
He cares.
So, homework.
One of the biggest parts of the puzzle
is when Franco Michael came out as gay,
I think that really caused a rift,
-and I'm not--- -Yes, I admit that I didn't deal with it
at the time the way I was supposed to.
Tonight, I want you to write your son a letter
expressing what you said, what you didn't say,
and what you said wrong
or what you wish you'd have said.
Then I want you to write your wife a letter of how you feel.
All right, I will see you tomorrow.
-Yes, thank you. -[Franco] Thank you.
[Robert] It's day two at Franco Di Roma.
A lot has happened overnight with the design
but before I check in with Tom and Lynn,
I brought in Franco and Karen's son
to listen in on what they have to say about their homework.
Good morning.
[Franco and Karen] Good morning.
Whoo. Day two.
First of all, how did you sleep?
[Franco] Horrible.
Why?
Too much homework.
-Lot of thinking. -Good. Good.
What about you, Karen?
[Karen] I didn't sleep well at all last night.
He went to bed immediately.
-He fell asleep the minute he got home. -I didn't.
You didn't talk last night about anything from yesterday?
-We did this morning, actually. -This morning, actually.
-[Robert] Okay. -Yes.
[Franco] It was a ping-pong again.
Every time I have a conversation with him,
I state what I have to say,
he's not giving me enough time to get my point across.
No, I gave you the answers,
but you kept repeating the question over and over.
[Karen] He's the finance guy. He knows what comes in.
I want some transparency from you,
like, what is it that we actually bring in?
If you're around more, you'll see what's going on.
We did all this yesterday.
-I feel like I'm going backwards. -I know. That's what I said.
My God. No wonder your son left.
This is a restaurant that can do $2 million, no sweat.
We're tittle-tattling over ridiculous things.
-We haven't got anywhere. -We woke up happy,
-and that was it. -Yeah, but look,
you can't even talk to each other again.
But you don't even react to that.
-What does that mean? -I'm listening to you.
But what does that mean? What are you thinking?
I'm taking all this in.
I can't teach you how to run a business
if you're not even gonna communicate to your other partner.
I'm gonna sit with somebody I wanna talk to for a minute.
He's your son.
I'll be back shortly.
This is a real show with real people, real emotions,
and, uh, maybe this is the one that beats me.
Maybe they get divorced. I don't know yet.
But I'm not giving up.
Why are you closing up like that?
I'm listening.
You can't listen. You have to respond.
I did explain it to him. I want transparency.
They just cannot seem to work together
and that's really what's going on right now.
It's them as people, they have to get over themselves, literally.
Can I take you outside? Can you tell 'em that?
I already did in the beginning with the contract.
-Come with me. -Yeah.
Come with me.
[Frankie laughing]
-You sit near me. -[laughing] Okay, good.
[Franco] Why?
Why? Because I'm really pissed at the two of you.
[Robert] At Franco Di Roma's in Middletown, New York,
owners Franco and Karen can't get out of their own way.
You need to listen, please.
-I am listening. -You're not listening, though.
Every time I talk to you, you interject. You need to listen.
[Robert] So, I'm bringing in their son, Frankie, to help,
forcing everyone to sit down and talk
can be very uncomfortable.
But it can also lead to progress.
I hope that's the case.
-You sit near me. -[laughing] Okay, good.
[Franco] Why?
Why? Because I'm really pissed at the two of you.
He's always our mediator when we have issues.
-But he shouldn't be your mediator. He's your son. -[Franco] No.
Yes.
If you don't want to work together, don't.
We agreed to work together and we're gonna accomplish this.
What is gonna be your role now?
Working in the front end
and just doing more of whatever needs to be done.
So, what is your role gonna be?
I'm gonna take care of the kitchen,
make sure everything comes out on time in order.
And then you collectively run the joint.
That's how a business works.
You know what you got in that restaurant?
Opportunity.
Opportunity. But it's still gonna take time.
All right.
I asked you to write a letter to your son.
I can't read it.
You better read it.
"Franco,
I cannot express the deep disappointment
in myself for not..."
[Franco sniffs]
[sobbing] I can't.
[Robert] Give it to Karen. Can she read your writing?
[Karen reading] "I've been very angry at myself
for not accepting you for you. You are a wonderful son
and I've always been proud of you and your accomplishments.
My stubbornness has gotten in our way.
I will be sorry for the rest of my life for what I said."
[sobbing]
"I can only wish that one day,
you will let me hug and hold you,
for you are my son, no matter what.
As my son, you are the most wonderful thing
that has ever happened to me,
and no matter what, I love you."
[sighs]
[crying] Sorry.
You wanna say anything back to your dad?
Um, no. I mean,
family's family like you always taught me,
and that's it.
You know, I'm not not here.
But the fact that he's sitting here, um, speaks volumes.
You know, that's my way of forgiving, basically.
[Robert] Do you understand that?
Yes, I do.
I asked you to write, uh, Karen a note.
"To my wife, Karen, I truly miss you.
And I have failed you.
I know you're also bitter
in the way I reacted about our son.
My sorrow is so deep. It's the biggest regret I have.
I love you."
How do you feel about that?
[Karen] He's right. There's a lot of pain.
And I love my son dearly.
Him not being accepted by my husband
is extremely hurtful.
I can't even tell you the pain that I feel. [sniffs]
[Robert] Well, here's the thing.
-He's already moved on. -[Karen] I know.
Right? He's moved on from there,
-so you have to move on from there, right? -I'm trying my best.
-And I understand that. -You gotta get a move on, for real.
Every time you argue, you should read that letter.
To yourself.
It's time to reignite the fire.
I want you to be successful and not worry about finances.
I want you to be successful and stop fighting.
[Robert] And we've got a lot of stuff to do today.
A lot. Before we open tonight.
-All right? -Okay.
-Thanks. -[Karen] Thank you.
We really need to focus on communicating.
We are both willing to do it. The letter was beautiful.
Things are gonna be different now.
-[Robert] Hey, morning, guys. -What do you think?
-I'm so glad we did this. -[Lynn] Yeah.
I know it's lot more work, but it looks now
-as this one piece of a restaurant. -I agree.
-Mm-hmm. -And look how cool the roof looks now.
-It really fits, instead of looks like some add-on. -Yeah.
I can see we've done the floor.
I don't wanna see it.
-I want a surprise-- -[Tom] I will tell you,
it's one of the nicest-looking floors we've ever done.
So, let's talk about the far wall.
[Lynn] We're bringing in old shutter doors,
like you'd almost have in a winery, with the--
but they're not gonna open.
And there's gonna be some old lanterns that hang in between.
[Robert] Oh, nice. Okay, I like that.
-I love the colors. -Good.
This is really classy, sexy...
-All right, good. -[Lynn] Okay, we'll get finished,
get all the details in here.
-Good luck. -Thanks.
[Robert] Try this. It's gonna blow your mind.
[Karen] Wow, this is really phenomenal.
All smiles. That's my dancing.
[Robert] What I believe I'm about to give you is your future.
[Robert] I'm at Franco Di Roma's restaurant in Middletown, New York.
The crew is working hard to finish the renovation.
And I'm gonna show Franco and Karen three new recipes
they can easily follow to have some of the best food in town.
All right, so this is the funnest part for me.
So the first thing I'm gonna make is, um,
an Italian beef pizza.
A little different. The dough, it's got a lot more salt,
because your flavor and it crisps up the actual base.
It's gonna start with ricotta cheese,
one of the things yesterday with your pizzas.
So much cheese, it wouldn't hold.
Feel like Picasso right now.
Beef, carrots, celery,
onions braised with vinegar.
When you try this, it's gonna blow your mind.
Tomatoes, red, yellow banana peppers.
[humming]
And fresh mozz.
We'll then put that into the pizza oven outside.
Thank you.
All right. Pizza comes out.
Finish it with little giardiniera.
This is spicy.
That looks really amazing.
[Robert] An Italian beef pizza.
Very good.
[Karen] This is really so, so good.
-[Franco] Full of flavors. -I love all the flavors.
Oh, I can pick it up.
Wow, this is really phenomenal.
[Robert] So, the pizza costs us $2.44.
We're gonna sell it for $15,
giving us $12.56 in my pocket
every time you make a pizza.
Even with the toppings, you can still deliver it.
-The key is the salt in the dough. -Mm-hmm.
We're gonna go straight into the next dish.
A lamb dish. We talk about pasta.
You're an Italian restaurant, right?
I have a warm lamb ragu with vinegar.
Braised lamb shank.
Carrots, onion, celery in the oven.
Four hours till it falls off the bone, right?
A little grapeseed oil.
Not olive oil. Olive oil doesn't get hot enough
and it has a bitter taste, aftertaste. Watch.
Rigatoni, it is pre-cooked.
Lamb ragu goes in.
Whoop.
Hope you're ready for this.
In go the peas.
In go my, uh, roasted scallions.
Mamma mia.
-[chuckles] -[Robert] Are you ready to be amazed?
Fresh mozzarella
with fresh pesto.
Parmesan cheese.
Try it. The best pasta you're gonna eat in this restaurant.
Very delicious.
-Very good. -[Karen] Delicious.
[Franco] It's very well together and it's got its flavor.
[Robert] So, here's what's really amazing.
It cost us $3.18 to make this dish.
We're selling it for $18.
Gives us $14.82 in my pocket
every time I sell that.
-It's absolutely divine. -[Robert] It's an inexpensive dish
because lamb is inexpensive. We don't use a lot of it.
So, now I'm gonna make you pork parmesan.
-Mmm. -Watch,
and you shall learn.
[both laugh]
Pork chop with the bone in, just pounded out, breaded.
-Pretty straight forward, right? -[Franco] Mm-hmm.
And then I've got a little sausage ragu.
What kind of sausage was that, uh, Robert?
[Robert] This is a arrabiata.
-Spicy. -[Franco] Spicy sausage.
[Robert] Got pepper, garlic.
My goodness.
Kale goes in there.
Also goes into the, uh, sausage mix.
Inexpensive, but great flavor.
Cherry tomatoes go in the arrabiata.
We put the arrabiata sauce on top of the pork.
Cheese. All right.
There you go.
[Robert] All right.
Tomatoes, arrabiata,
in goes my orzo, kale, see how beautiful that looks, sausage...
[Karen] Oh, look at that.
It's beautiful.
[Karen] And that literally took no time at all.
[Robert] Pork parmesan. Dig in.
I ain't waiting for you. [chuckles]
-Delicious. -Really delicious.
-[Robert] It's suitable. -[Karen] Yeah.
-It's Italian, it's flavorful. -Mm-hmm.
And we know we're gonna make money off of it.
-Mm-hmm. -[Robert] All right, here's the kicker with it.
It costs us $2.98, we sell it for $17.
Give us the 18% food cost, $14.02 in our pockets.
I can't stop eating it.
That's my dancing.
-[Robert] Crash. -Aah.
-All smiles. -[chuckles]
Great.
In hours, we're opening.
-[Franco] Wow, that was amazing. -Remember that.
[Karen] Thank you very much. That was awesome.
Together, we're gonna get this done
-and it's gonna be really great. -Yeah.
The theme of the entire room was wine cellar.
So, we made use of the existing windows,
did these awesome decals which look like a wine barrel,
then we built
the shutter doors in front of it.
It's in multilayers, we lit it up. It adds an amazing depth.
It's really cool.
[Robert] There's still lots to do
in the restaurant before we open tonight.
But I've asked Karen and Franco to gather
their staff for a pre-service meeting.
Come on guys, come on over, please.
[Robert] This is their chance to establish a new culture
this restaurant desperately needs.
And they'll have to do it together.
[Franco] Okay.
All right, go.
[Franco] So...
Uh...
Come on guys, come on over, please.
[Franco] Okay.
As you know, we've been struggling.
And we're gonna try our hardest
to get it right in the kitchen.
And not let you guys down.
Just, we have to work together or else
this isn't gonna work.
Franco was open to the idea of change
and things are going to be different going forward.
[Franco] So hopefully, you'll grow with us.
That's the only thing we have to do is grow.
[Robert] There's been lot of dissension
between these two.
We're sorry that we let you down.
[Robert] Today is a new day.
Could be an amazing start.
Your job is to have fun.
[Karen] We're gonna work together as a team
and make this place a success.
-[all cheering] -We are excited about it.
-All right, let's do it. -And we are too.
All right, off you go. Thank you.
-[Karen] Thank you, guys. -[Franco] We'll have a successful night.
I'm very excited. Happy to see them happy.
I hope, through all of this, that
Karen and Franco can work on the same level of respect,
and just go forward from here
for the business and for themselves.
-[Robert] Jason! -[man shouts]
I need a moppy kind of thing in here.
We're putting tables back.
Then we can put the tables in there.
This can go too.
See, here it is. It's five o'clock.
Lynn is finishing the lights here.
Cleaning, cleaning, clearing.
Polishing, polishing, setting up.
Two hours of work to go,
but I've only got one hour of time.
Not good.
What is good is that while my team and I
are getting the dining room ready,
Karen and Franco are working together
to improve the other aspects of the restaurant.
I think the wings, maybe we should
go back to a dozen and raise the price.
-[Karen] Okay, zucchini six, definitely take out. -[Franco] Okay.
What do you think about if we do
the less pasta dishes, maybe,
meatballs and sausage, you can add sausage.
I don't think we need so many variations.
Why don't we just take out this whole entire thing?
[Franco] Well, you have to keep one, this is good.
-Meatballs or sausage. -[Karen] Okay, let's keep it that way.
-Awesome. -All right. Good job.
Whoo! Good job.
[Robert] I need chairs. I need four chairs.
Watch out the way. Watch out the way.
Move this the other way, guys.
Let's clean this, clean this.
Make sure it's right.
Oh, look how good the floor looks.
All right, everybody out. That's it, enough.
Well, finally, the restaurant is ready
for the owners to see it. I'm gonna tell you,
I am floored at the way this looks.
We've done way more than we will ever normally do.
Let's see what they think.
[Karen] The past 48 hours has been exciting,
nerve-wrecking, stressful,
and sad at times.
I never thought in a million years
that we will get to this point where we can actually
stand together and work together
as a team and be happy.
A lot of emotions that I've... I've had held in came out.
They needed to come out and they needed to be said.
The communication with my wife is gonna get better.
Best part was that I said what I had to say to my son.
And...
I think I made amends with him.
Well, the time is finally here.
Turn around, come over here.
From this point forward, close your eyes.
Franco, hands on.
-Ready? -Yes.
Okay, walk.
What I believe I'm about to give you is your future.
Are you ready to see
the brand-new
Franco Di Roma?
Open your eyes.
Are you ready to see
the brand-new
Franco Di Roma?
Open your eyes.
-Oh, my God. -Oh, wow.
[Franco] This is amazing, this is...
-Oh, my gosh. -...incredible, incredible.
[Karen] So beautiful.
-[Robert] This is a wine cellar. -[Franco] Yeah.
I see the barrels. everything.
-[Karen] It feels good in here. -[Robert] Come here a second.
I felt that
this is a bar, an extension of this restaurant.
-[Franco] It is. -[Robert] This is one space.
The whole space, this is beautiful.
[Karen] The floor is beautiful.
[Robert] This is the first time we've ever done this floor.
Brand-new ceiling, brand-new lights.
All new wall coverings.
You've got new table tops.
[Karen] I love it. It is so beautiful.
[Franco] Thanks.
You know how to thank me, right?
-[Franco] I'll make this work. -Mm-hmm.
You can only be successful if you work as a team.
And I believe that. I told you that.
-Yes. -[Lynn] Hey, hey!
-[Karen] Hi, there. -How are you?
-[Franco] Oh! We finally meet. -[Karen] Good, how are you?
Good. I'm Lynn.
-Give me a big old hug. -[Karen laughs]
-So, what do you think? -[Franco] I think you guys are awesome.
-This is now the cellar at Franco Di Roma. -[Franco] Yes.
It's really amazing. It's so beautiful.
-I'm so happy. Thank you so much. -[Robert] All right, we have
-a lot of people waiting outside. -[Franco] Yes.
-Yes. -[Karen] Yes, we do.
Off you go.
Welcome to the new Franco Di Roma!
[all clapping and cheering]
[Franco] You guys are gonna be floored.
Come on in, welcome.
Hi!
[all greeting]
[man] It's amazing.
-I'm so happy. -Hello, hello, hello.
Where have you been? I didn't think you would've been here.
[waitress] Welcome to Franco Di Roma.
What are we gonna have this evening?
-[woman] Margherita pizza. -[waitress] Margherita pizza.
[Robert] My issues were never with the front of house.
So, I'm not surprised things are off to a good start there.
Right now, my focus is on how Franco is running the kitchen.
[Franco] Francesco, do it again. Too much.
Too much.
All right, Primo, this is it. A little more sauce,
and that's it, done.
Nice and clean, all right?
Okay, chicken's up.
[Robert] Franco was being decisive and confident.
Spaghetti meatball up.
[Robert] I am happy, but the only opinion that matters
is the paying customers.
Delicious, absolutely delicious.
Everybody's eating everything, so good deal.
The pork parmesan is just an amazing flavor.
I cannot describe the words, the feels.
It's... it's just amazing.
The kitchen's on point and Karen's taking care
of the whole front house staff,
and if there's an issue, we will discuss it.
Not in front of everybody. [chuckles]
Hey, Karen, wait. Let me get that for you.
-Oh, thank you. -You're doing a great job.
-Thank you so much. Thank you. -Thank you so much.
It means everything that Robert convinced Franco to change.
I'm so excited.
I really am.
Seeing my parents and Robert work together these past two days,
has been completely life-changing for all of us.
And I see both of my parents, not just my father,
on the path to change.
-I love you. -I love you too.
[Frankie] And it truly has shown me
that Restaurant: Impossible is possible
and it's amazing to see what can happen in 48 hours.
So, my work is done here.
I hoped that I'd fix this problem
and they go on to make millions of dollars.
But more importantly, stay together as a family.
Well, there we go.
Thank you, everybody. Appreciate you.
-Thank you. -Thank you so much.
[all clapping]