[Cheryl] The heart of what we do is to transform lives.
It's just a lot of kids, they depending on us.
Come here. We will fix it.
But unless you're successful,
-you've failed them. -Okay.
Come on, let's go! Let's go!
[Cheryl] We got more than soul food on our menu.
We got empowerment on our menu.
We got inspiration on the menu.
And I'm not gonna let y'all down.
This ain't about a new restaurant, it's about a new me.
Open your eyes.
Oh, my God.
-[Cheryl] Keith. -[Keith] Yes, ma'am.
Do we have the quarter dog up yet?
-It's taking too long. -All right.
[Cheryl] Got you.
My name is Cheryl Littlejohn
and I'm the owner of Smith's Soul Food Bistro
here in Gastonia, North Carolina.
We're gonna have fried chicken, fish, meatloa
Classic soul food.
85 percent of our clientele are really local people.
We're in the undeserved part of our community.
This is the sheet for 12-4.
Deborah is my sister. She volunteers here.
Since I'm retired,
I do a little bit of everything here.
Prior to working in a restaurant,
I worked in finance.
And so, I felt, let me take my experience
and assist her here.
Smith's Soul Food Bistro is in memory of my grandmother,
Miss Lula Smith.
She was a cook at Public Service Company.
She was a larger-than-life figure here in our community.
And always dreamed of owning a restaurant.
Everybody loved my grandmother's cooking,
so I got all my grandmother's recipes.
So, opening this up, we still keep her spirit alive.
We grew up on welfare.
But my grandmother never allowed us to say
that we were poor.
And she said, "Now, your education,
that's your opportunity to fix things in your life."
So, education was always the premium.
I knew that my mom could not afford
for me to go to college.
And so, I started playing basketball in junior high school.
I was blessed to have been recruited
by the University of Tennessee.
Four years at the University of Tennessee
and we win the National Championship.
After that, I ended up coaching.
But I was fired for breaking NCAA rules.
[exclaims]
There was someone that could not attend college
because of a family issue.
The mother was sick, so my sister provided
means for the mother to be treated
and the young lady to attend college.
She was fired for helping someone.
What I did, I don't regret.
Because at the end of the day, it was right.
After 17 years of coaching, it's like,
"Man, what am I going to do now?"
I love helping kids.
And so, that's what I really have been doing
for the last 20 years.
I started the Lady Vols Legacy and Legends Foundatio
It is a non-profit in helping young people
teaching them how to serve and give back.
And we raise money for these kids to be able to go off to college
or whatever they wanna be in life.
And the Smith's Soul Food Bistro
is under the Lady Vols Legac and Legends Foundation.
We have been in business exactly 11 months.
Hey, hey, y'all know what time it is.
You bring in young people.
Look, come on over here.
Coach them about life skills
Provide a program, developing champions for lif
That's what I'm talking about.
Miss Cheryl, she helps everybody with their goals.
I told Miss Cheryl, my goal was to become a better perso
Ever since, I started working here,
I became more mature.
I was scared before, I didn' know what to do with my life
I feel like after I leave,
and I get another job, I would know already what to do.
'Cause this job is not all about making money.
It's all about feeling love and feeling like that
I could be myself here, has meant a lot to me.
Working with the kids is my joy.
Running and managing the restaurant
is unfamiliar territory.
I have zero experience working in restaurants.
She's all over the place.
She's juggling so many thing
Delegate it to someone.
[Cheryl] My sister and I are putting $12,000 a month
to keep the doors open.
And I probably invested $235,000-$238,000
of my hard earned retirement
I don't know how much longer we can stay in business.
Oh, my God.
I'm sorry.
[sniffles]
It's just a lot of kids that I know,
their family and they're depending on us.
And I'm gonna be honest with you,
this is my chance to help them.
[door closes]
Huh!
First impressions. I see, like, a box.
And I don't understand what type of restaurant it is.
There's tables and chairs that belong in a banquet hall.
Some old beat up banquets.
Ah, mirrored wall.
Now, I like mirrors because it makes a small space look big,
but not when they're not kept clean.
I looks nondescript.
You would never tell this is supposed to be
a soul food restaurant.
Cheryl! Deborah!
Come in here.
Take a seat.
Good morning. Very nice to meet you.
-Who are you? -I'm Cheryl.
I'm Deborah.
-[Robert] And you are both-- -[both] Sisters.
I'm owner of Smith's Soul Food Bistro.
[Robert] What's your job?
I currently volunteer here
and I do a little bit of everything here.
[Robert] In your previous life, before this?
I worked in finance.
What restaurant experience do you have?
-Zero. -Zero.
How long have you been in the building?
11 months.
Did you buy it or did you lease it?
-Leasin' it. -Lease.
How much did it cost you to get into this restaurant?
It was $72,000, but I didn't do my homework.
And so, the equipment that we initially purchased,
all of that equipment now is a turn over,
so I had to purchase new equipment.
This is getting more in-depth.
Okay.
So, how much of new equipment have you put in there?
About 30.
And probably another--
$120,000.
$220,000 in a building that's not making any money.
-Yes. -Exactly.
What is this Lady Vols Legacy and Legends Foundation thing?
This is my non-profit.
I played and I coached women's basketball.
About four years ago, I started this foundation.
We have a program.
The education program with the young people that we hire.
We teach 'em life skills.
Your foundation hires people for this?
-Yes. -Yes.
So, how do you pay the people that you're trying to help?
It has come through my savings and my sister's investment.
So, you donate the money to your foundation.
-Yes. -That's it.
So, how much are making per year in this restaurant?
Or 11 months, the last 11 months.
-Whoa. -We really don't know, to be honest.
The money that we earn,
we just pour back into the business.
And whatever we're short, we usually take out savings.
And you have no idea how much.
-I have no idea, -[Robert] Why not?
I am exhausted from repeatedly asking her
as far as recording the numbers.
Why don't you listen?
-I don't have no excuses. -[Robert] No.
So, how much money do you have in the bank?
Are you millionaires?
I've kinda exhausted my savings.
So, how long do you think you can keep running
putting your own money into this?
A month.
So, where do you think that would leave you with these kids?
You're supposed to be the coach, right?
Look around you. This is failure.
No, I reject that.
I can accept failure
on money, finances and papers,
but lives and giving people hope,
I reject that.
As much as you have such a good heart and I can see it,
you don't break the cycle you're in,
everything you tried to achieve is ruined.
No matter whether you're charity or not.
You have to be able to make money. We have to change that.
The only way this can succeed is you changing,
so here's the opportunity.
Um, I wanna see what you do.
I wanna see what the food is like
and how this service works. Gonna bring some people in
and I just watch.
Thank you.
Okay.
If I'm failing, if I'm not living up
to the mission,
I'm failing a lot of people who're depending on me.
But it has to work for us to do what we know
we wanna do for this community.
All right, let's go. We gotta get ready.
Chicken tenders, we need 'em.
Anything in the oven needs to come out.
We good on mac, we good on yams.
-Keith, we got it? -[Keith] Heard.
Okay. Let's do it.
Ladies and gentlemen, we're ready!
Enjoy. Welcome. Welcome.
Welcome to Smith's Soul Food.
Hey, how're y'all doing?
Y'all can have a seat wherever y'all like.
And I'll be right with you.
Y'all enjoy. Okay.
We got 20 already seated.
-[girl] Yes, ma'am. -[Cheryl] All right.
[Alazjah] I need a sweet tea.
[Cheryl] A sweet tea? I got you.
Cheryl, so your job is to serve or to cook?
What is your job?
Right now, I'm helping serve.
[Robert] Cheryl is the owne of the restaurant.
She shouldn't be pouring drinks.
She should be managing the staff in the kitchen
and in the front of house.
What's your name?
-[Keith] Keith. -What's it like to work with Cheryl?
We have a lot of tug of war, sir.
What do you mean tug of war, on what?
Recipes, that stuff, how things are prepared.
You got a recipe book?
Yes, sir. Recipe book's over there.
[Robert] Thank you.
Is this your recipe book?
Ah, yes, sir.
There are no recipes.
It's just the ingredients. There are no methods on there.
Keith's the chef, this is his recipe book.
Well, not a recipe book.
It tells you no amounts, just what's in it.
So, how do you know what it costs?
You can't.
[Cheryl] Listen, I got the yams.
They want a extra side of yams. I got it. I got it.
Y'all ain't watching 'em. Got too much liquid in it.
Can I get a bowl?
I'll get out of y'all's way, just give me a bowl.
They can do it by themselves. They don't need you to help.
-Put it down, let's go. -Order up!
See what happens when there's no leadership.
Sir?
Zero leadership.
Cheryl is not using any of her coaching skills.
It's more like she's trying to play in every position on the court.
Breaking all the rules in the restaurant business
along the way.
Order up!
[Robert] And it only gets worse from there.
So, do you come here a lot?
-It's our first time. -First time.
-That's right. -Do you know anything about the restaurant?
Not at all.
[Robert] Do you live close?
All right!
So, tell me, who lives close here?
-Where do you live? -Like, five minutes from here.
What type of restaurant is it?
Just like a normal restaurant.
I don't really know the background that much.
We been here on several occasions.
I just didn't know the backstory of what the restaurant stood for.
[Robert] The money we raise here,
helps kids.
These are kids that she helps.
But you don't know anything about that, right?
Everybody should know about it!
'Cause these are the people who are gonna give you the money
to do these programs that you wanna do.
What do you think about it?
-What is your name? -Me? Alazjah.
Alazjah. How old are you, Alazjah?
I'm 15.
15. Do you get paid?
I'm actually saving up right now for college.
And I help my mother with bills that she needs help to be paid.
So, it would really suck if you had no money coming in?
That's what I'm talking about.
As much as all the hard work
and all of goodness you have in your heart,
if you don't start to change,
you can't help these kids.
[exclaims]
[Deborah] It's hard.
We gotta get better.
And only way we get better is change.
I mean, it means a lot
to everybody that we are successful.
Listen.
Correction is hard.
But guess what,
you think-- I'm not gonna fail y'all.
[Robert] Thanks for coming everybody.
We'll look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
I'm in Gastonia, North Carolina
where owner Cheryl is failin to run a restaurant
that's trying to help kids in the community.
She's got a history of coaching,
but she's not applying any of those leadership skills
to running her staff,
so I need to get to the bottom of this story
All right, let's do chicken.
I wanna try the yams, collard greens,
pork chop and I'll try the shrimp and grits.
-Yes, sir. -Let's try that for now.
-Thank you. -You're welcome.
All right, I'll be right out with that.
Do me a favor, when you put that in,
ask all the other guys to come out here
-and then you come back out when you put that in. -Yes, sir.
If the mission is all about kids,
then I wanna talk to the kids.
Why do you all work here?
They gave me an opportunity whenever I was 14
when I wanted to work actually, myself,
so they gave me an opportunity when nobody else would.
My grandparents brought me here
and then Miss Cheryl asked 'em, can I work here.
And I did. I was looking for a job.
And what do wanna be when you get older? What do wanna do?
I wanna get a degree in computer science
and become a software developer.
Software. Okay.
And what do you wanna be?
I wanna be a graphic designer, photographer.
Okay, cool.
A traveling nurse.
-A traveling nurse. -Yes, sir.
Very cool.
So, what is it about Miss Cheryl that you like?
She makes you set goals that you know are achievable.
When Miss Cheryl asked you about these goals
did she help you think about 'em
or did you already know what you wanted to do?
She helped me understand 'em more.
What the world might look like.
What might be outside of North Carolina
and being outside of places and everything.
It's a big world out there, right?
And how does she help you personally?
Uh, she makes you feel confident.
Before I came here, you know, I was shy.
-[all chuckling] -Yeah, I was lot of shy.
I didn't, like, talk a lot, but now I do.
Now, I'm confident.
She told me I was appreciated.
And basically, I went through a lot throughout my life
and when Miss Cheryl told me that I'm appreciated
and I don't get told that very much.
[Robert] That's pretty cool.
All right. Well, it's great to meet you all
and I look forward to working with you.
I can't wait to see this food.
So, you're gonna get that food for me.
-And I will see you shortly, okay? -Okay.
Appreciate it.
Nice to meet you all.
[Ta'quezz] Yup, nice to meet you too.
You know, we talk about youth of today, that's it, right there.
Um, kids that are willing to work hard
to achieve something not only for themselves,
but also for a common goal.
-Hey, Chef, I have your food, I have the pork chop for you. -All right.
-I have shrimp and grits. -Thanks.
So, quarter of dark with some yams and collard greens.
[Robert] These kids are grea This restaurant needs to survive.
With stakes this high if the food isn't good,
I need to be brutally honest with Cheryl.
Pork chop is way overcooked.
I can tell you that right now.
Underseasoned, overcooked.
Shrimp and grits.
Doesn't taste of anything.
The shrimp shouldn't be overcooked
and there's far too much cheese in this.
Chicken.
Whilst it's moist, there's no seasoning on it.
Collard greens.
-Who made the collard greens? -I do.
They're awful. Taste like water.
Why are you making collard greens
when Keith should be making them?
Yeah, too sweet.
-The yams, they're overcooked. Who makes the yams? -Me.
I do.
[Robert] But why do you do that?
[Cheryl] They say that I micro manage.
But I just call it protecting your investment.
[Robert] You're paying him for this, yet who is in charge?
There is nobody. That's why we had the mess this morning.
There has to be specific roles and procedures for each one of you.
Kinda confuses me a little bit in that
you come from a background of discipline, coaching
and yet, here you are,
you break the rules too many times.
This is a rule to me, okay?
It's not a written rule, but it's a rule
that we do certain things certain way.
And you keep breaking those.
And that has been part of my past.
I got fired at the University of Minnesota.
What do you mean you got fired?
I broke NCAA rules and I got fired
for helping kids.
They were in a desperate situation
and so I helped kids stay in school,
brought kids clothes.
I took kids to church.
And you're not supposed to do that based on NCAA rules?
Right.
[exclaims]
[sighs in exasperation]
Okay. You got fired. You were doing the right things,
but against the rules.
-Right? -Right.
You may be doing the right things,
but the rules say you can't do that.
And that's a problem.
You can't let that,
the heart thing, rule this.
It's great to help kids.
But the floors still have to be done.
The ceiling still has to be done.
The mirrors have to be cleaned.
The food has to be tasted, not cooked by you.
These are the rules
and the protocols of a restaurant.
No different to rules and protocols
of coaching.
Nobody can question your motive, okay.
Or your heart. Or your soul.
Or all the things that you want to do good.
Nobody can question that.
But you're not achieving any of it.
[Cheryl] I know what you're telling me is the truth.
But it's hard to ask for help.
All right, stand up.
Ooh, come here.
-You're all are taller than me but that's okay. -[sobs] Thank you.
All right, we will fix it together.
-Thank you. -I will put you on the right track.
But you cannot go back to the same way.
You cannot.
-Okay? -[Cheryl sniffles]
We'll fix it, now, just listen,
let me do my job.
Be open-minded.
You're obviously open-hearted enough.
Now, let's do this, okay?
-Okay. -All right.
We'll fix it.
There's no doubting
the huge heart that both Deb and Cheryl have.
No doubt whatsoever.
But she keeps breaking the rules.
I have to change that. I have to break that cycle up.
But it's gonna take a lot of work
and a lot of building blocks to get her to that point.
They're just great human beings,
but they've lost the way to the tune of $220,000.
There's a lot of boot camp lessons coming for these two now.
[Cheryl sniffles]
[Lynn] Hello.
Welcome to Smith's Soul Food Bistro.
But here's what's really cool about them.
Their mission is kids.
This is actually a charity restaurant.
If you look at the place,
it's banquet tables and chairs.
Awful banquets.
[Tom] Yeah, these belong in a fast food restaurant.
And when I walked in this morning, I was thinking
what makes a bistro cool?
It's upscale, but not too upscale
that it becomes pretentious.
Bringing the flavor of soul food but done in a way
where it's not like, a chalkboard with a chicken,
which is, we see everywhere.
[Robert] Yes.
Normally, I would say this is a great ceiling.
[Lynn] It's not a bad ceiling for what we find.
[Robert] Right? But I would love to change the ceiling
to a different color.
I want something cool and moody looking.
Oh, so you're thinking dark.
-Moody, so it almost disappears. -[Robert] Yes.
You know, I want it to be, when I walk in this door,
I want to be like,
"Wow!"
Well, you have given us a lot to think about
I have no idea where we're gonna go with this.
-But at least there's not that much to move out. -All right.
Deb! Cheryl! Bring your people in, let's go!
All right, all the tables, chairs, that way.
Get rid of this.
Get all this out the front, please.
All this garbage, just get it out.
Tape off the floor, please. Pick it up.
[Lynn] You can carry that right out. There we go.
Can we talk about the ceiling a minute?
I'll tell you right now, I don't wanna paint it.
[Lynn] Okay, so no paint.
[Tom] I think we should just replace it.
[Lynn] So, find somebody tha will replace the exact 2X2 grid now.
Yeah, I think that's the best option.
Which is still gonna be a lot of work.
-[woman] Can I go ahead and take those? -Ah, yeah.
Let's get rid of that.
Come on, everybody out. Out!
There's so much great intention here
with Deb and Cheryl
but it's been overtaken by bad decisions.
I have to literally train Cheryl
to stop breaking the rules.
Starts now.
I want you to teach these guys,
coach, a Pick and Roll.
A Pick and Roll?
[Robert] And I'm gonna watch.
-[Cheryl] All right. -Let's see how you do.
Y'all step back.
Ta, baby boy is going to be the point guard.
He's trying to get to the hole and we got a defender.
Ash, I need you on him, defending.
Get down in the defensive stance.
Hands up, knees bent.
There you go.
Now, she's a good defender.
So, guess what, we set pick and rolls
for you to be able to get open to go to the hole.
And so, you on offense.
He needs a screen.
You run over to Ashley and when I say, "Jump stop,"
you're gonna jump stop right here.
And you're gonna have to dribble close to the screen right here.
Lae, get over here, I'm guarding you.
He's trying to get open. Set.
[indistinct shouting]
-[Alazjah chuckles] -Go to the hole.
[all cheering]
That's how to execute
-a pick and roll. -Okay.
So, obviously,
this is your happy place, right?
So, you know how to coach.
You're very clear with your directions.
This was really good.
Because it actually shows me that you can teach,
you can be assertive
and they get the message clear and concise.
That's your job here.
It's to coach people.
Not do it for them.
All right, Keith and Cheryl, meet me in the kitchen.
Thank you, guys.
Cheryl is dropping the ball on the fundamentals
of running a business.
And it all begins with the recipes
that are non-existent.
No amounts, just what's in it.
Without clear recipes,
her employees can't put out consistently good food
and she'll never get on top of her finances.
Because she can't price out her dishes.
It's time she understands the severity of the problem
There you are.
You're gonna make me, with those ingredients, a chocolate mousse.
There's all your ingredients,
so off you go.
-All right. -Yes, sir.
[Robert] I've given them all the ingredients they need,
but the catch is, I've give them none of the directions
Have you made mousse before?
-I have not. -No, sir.
[Robert] This could get ugly
I'll be back in a little while.
[Cheryl] All right.
[Keith] I have no idea how to make this dish.
I've never made a chocolate mousse in my entire life.
And going from this,
shooting in the dark, it's damn near impossible.
Impossible.
For me to have this right here
not a teaspoon, not amount,
whether to stir, it's a stab in the dark.
[Cheryl exclaims]
My goodness!
[Robert] So, how are we doing?
-[Cheryl] Struggling. -So, what is that in yours?
Um, I used all the ingredients
and I don't know how much--
And then you put it on the heat, right?
I did put it on the heat.
[Robert] But you put a whol egg in there, didn't you?
-I put three eggs in here. -Mmm-hmm.
I didn't put mine on the heat.
No, but you put raw eggs in it, right?
I'm not gonna eat it. It's got raw eggs in it.
This is nothing like a mousse, is it?
-No, chef. -[Robert] Try it. Take a spoon, try it.
[groans softly]
What does it taste like?
Ah, coffee.
Every dish in this restaurant has to have a recipe.
So, I can cost it out.
I know what the ingredients cost.
I know what the labor costs.
I know what the overhead is.
Therefore, I can then price it correctly to sell it.
You can't fly by the seat of your pants with money.
It's not just a recipe.
It's a system to be successful.
All right, meet me upfront.
We're gonna go over homework.
-Okay? -Okay.
-Yes, Chef. -All right.
Thank you.
Hey! Hey!
That looks a little different.
Looks better already, doesn't it?
Overall, I asked you for
soul food, bistro, gold, black kind of thing.
Yes, so instantly what my mind goes to
is kind of vintage-modern.
So, the first thing I'm gonna do is to replace
all the existing white commercial ceiling tiles
with new black panels
to really give a dark moody vibe.
Where the existing mirrors are, we're gonna keep them
and give them a faux patina to really give that aged loo
Over the soffit, I'm gonna have some collard greens hand painted
they're gonna be lit from below
to highlight the food so tha you know this all about soul
On the main wall, we're bringing in a new built-in banquet
and some gold screens
with wooden spoons that we're gonna backlight.
New black chairs.
Marble tabletops
When we're done, Smith's Soul Food
is gonna definitely feel like a bistro.
It's gonna be upscale and totally comfortable.
-I love that. -[Lynn] Okay.
We've got a lot to go.
So, young Keith.
Your homework,
you're gonna get a recipe, my recipe for collard greens
and you're gonna practice it
because you're gonna make it for tomorrow.
Because she's no longer in the kitchen.
Your homework
is to give everything to Deborah
to do with finances.
Because tomorrow I wanna know the ball of wax,
so I can really understand where we are.
And then I want you to sit down with a cup of coffee
or tea, whatever you drink and I want you to take
the roles and responsibilities of a coach
of a basketball team.
And I want you to take each of those roles
and I want you to equalize it
to running a restaurant.
All right, appreciate it. I know it's been a long day.
You've had a few lessons, there's a lot more to come.
I will see you tomorrow.
-Yes, Chef. Thank you, Chef. -Thank you.
Thank you.
[Robert] It's day two at Smith's Soul Food Bistro.
Owner Cheryl is an ex-basketball coach
who is failing to apply those skills to running her charitable restaurant.
She must learn to play by the rules
or else this place won't be around to help her community
Cheryl is working with her sister to start cleaning up her finances.
And I've got my chefs working with her cook
on new recipes and technique
But before I check in,
I need to talk to my design team.
Hey, good morning.
-Hey. -Good morning.
Wow! Oh, my God.
Yeah, sorry, it's dark.
-But-- -[Lynn] There's no lights.
[Tom] Yeah, we just ripped all the lights out.
This will be what the bulbs will be like,
the cool vintage Edison.
I'm looking at the dark ceiling, I like that.
Yeah, you gave us the task to go dark,
so what we found was these insert panels that look
vintage, like a bistro.
-[Tom] And they're all pre-finished. -I love that.
-Good job. All right. -Awesome. Thanks, Robert.
I asked you, Cheryl to give Deborah all the information
that you hadn't given her in the past
because talking to you, you said your strength is finance.
So, what did we come up with?
Well, Cheryl provided me with
what I believe is some numbers.
With numbers we currently have,
we are $213,000 in debt.
But--
I wanna say it's more.
[Robert] Why do you think that?
Because there are some costs
that receipts of things she paid for
that she can't put her hands on right now.
Here's the problem with that.
If you an invoice,
the accountant can actually go to your bank
and check that, right?
If we can't check it
and you claim it and you take it
and the IRS comes in and says,
"Hey, listen, where's this?"
And you don't have it,
that's taxable income for you.
Whoa.
Rules of business.
Get an accountant
that's really good.
And lay it all on the table, get it all cleaned up this month.
But make sure that you can show them.
So, the only thing I want you to change right now
is pricing of food.
Your food cost, labor cost, overheads
are where you gotta look at.
Because the better a business is run,
the more money you make.
The more money, you can take care of kids and the mission.
I asked you to do some homework.
I asked you tell me the role of the coach
and parlay it into the roles of a general manager of a restaurant.
Tell me about it.
That was the a-ha moment
because soon as you said, "The responsibilities of a coach,"
well, I know how to do that.
I gotta hire the right team.
And I gotta hire people that are smarter than me.
As a manager and owner, it's the same thing.
You have to have the right people,
you have to recruit the right people.
Everything that a team has to have,
a business has to have.
I know I'm a woman of faith.
I got a big heart.
I'm a giver.
But I tried to take shortcuts.
And I've let a lot of people down
who have depended on me.
And those things have to stop.
With these kids,
I feel like,
I don't wanna look back, I don't wanna look at my failures.
I just wanna get up and change.
-Can you do it? -Yes.
-I can't hear you! -Yes.
-I can. -[Robert] Good.
That's what this is about.
So, here's what's gonna happen.
I wanna do something else with you.
I want you to jot down your story
in a very succinct manner.
'Cause we're gonna do a video for social media.
We're gonna have you film that with the kids. Okay?
Okay.
So, we have to incorporate what our mission is.
[Cheryl] Well, the mission of the restaurant is
to be able to develop champions for life.
Ah, Ryan, come over here.
Do me a favor. You're gonna video this.
Straight to the point. Concise.
And it's about them.
So, you gotta incorporate them into your message.
All right, so, Ashley
put your smile face on, it's game time.
While I'm talking about Smith's Soul Food,
I need y'all to be a little bit more energetic. Okay?
And need you to be able to feel it. Okay?
That's what we do. Let's go get it.
We promotin' the spirit of excellence.
But the excellence is not just from me,
it's gonna end with you all.
-Yes. -That's right.
You going off to college.
You wanna be a nurse.
Whatever you wanna do in life, guess what, that's what you're gonna do.
We got more than soul food on our menu.
We got empowerment on our menu.
We got inspiration on the menu.
And we're not gonna let our past dictate our future.
I shed some tears yesterday because I knew
that I was failing you all.
But not again.
And that's why we're here today.
It's about Coach Littlejohn getting it right.
'Cause this is my second chance.
And I'm not gonna let y'all down.
And I promise you that.
This ain't about a new restaurant,
it's about a new me.
And a new me, guess what, could help you all
to be successful in life.
And I want you to be better than me.
I want you to be better than me.
And I want you to be better than me.
That's what our whole mission is here.
There's no shortcuts to success.
And I've been making shortcuts.
And I can't do it no more.
And I thank you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
[Robert] Don't thank me.
The only way you thank me is when you change and become successful.
Get back in there.
See that passion you just had there.
Right? That was powerful.
Be as passionate as you are.
Like you just were there
when you deliver that information. Go.
Hi, my name is Cheryl Littlejohn
and I'm the owner of Smith's Soul Food Bistro
here in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Come on in and dine
and help out in our mission.
Promoting the spirit of excellence
and helping young people to reach their goals and dreams.
[all applauding]
[all cheering]
Well done.
You just saw something that was transformational.
It's not about food,
it's about people.
Now, we've got great people helping young kids
get through their own troubles.
This place is gonna do amazing for these two.
All right, so this
is my transformational moment.
This is where I get to
become a cook again
and be like a little kid.
So, the first dish I'm gonna talk to you about
is a pork sandwich.
We're gonna start with a pork chop.
No bone. It's been pounded,
marinated in buttermilk and hot sauce
and just dredged in flour.
Into the fryer.
Nothing better than crispy pork.
I'm taking red cabbage
carrots and blue cheese.
I'm gonna mix that with a ranch dressing.
I like it a little bit wetter.
Mix it up. So, I got my coleslaw.
I got my bun.
Spicy mayonnaise.
Mayonnaise, hot sauce, salt, pepper. Watch.
[Cheryl] All right now.
Right?
[Cheryl] Oh!
Beautiful presentation.
Try, try. Take a French fry.
This is so good.
[Cheryl] This is bomb.
[Robert] That whole plate cost $2.64 to make.
We're selling it for $14.
$11.36 in my pocket.
19 percent food cost.
-Ah! -Ah!
All right, so, I'm gonna show you another dish.
Fish and grits. Grouper.
Salt, pepper, wash.
[pan sizzling]
[Robert] I've got pecans.
Butter. Bread crumbs. Little herbs.
Roast it in the oven.
Green beans. Have already been blanched.
Roasted tomato sauce.
-[Cheryl] Okay. -[Robert] Little bit of butter.
Oh, hoo!
[Robert] Unlike your grits yesterday,
this how grits should look.
-But wait a minute! -Uh-oh, wait a minute.
[Robert] Put some pimento cheese.
[Cheryl laughs]
[Robert] Get it all nice and friendly.
[Cheryl] I'm looking at portion size.
We gave too much.
Okay. Yeah.
[Robert] Dig in. Get the fish, get the grits, get tomato, get the beans.
Oh, gosh. Yes.
You're the man.
[Robert] This dish cost me $3.73.
We'll sell it for $15.
That means 25 percent food cost
give me $11.27
-in my pocket! -[all scream]
[laughs hysterically] That's what I'm talking about.
Now, I'm gonna show you mac and cheese
with lemon pepper chicken.
Cheese sauce, a little ranch dressing.
All right now.
There's your chicken thighs marinated in buttermilk,
hot sauce, lemon pepper.
Watch.
I've got mac and cheese.
Braised corn. Chicken.
-[Deborah] Oh, got two thighs. -[Cheryl] Both pieces.
Oh, my gosh.
Get the mac and cheese. Get the corn. Get the chicken.
Eat it all together.
Wait a minute.
You're gonna have me shouting in here.
That mac is the bomb.
That chicken is fire.
It's fire!
-How much? -[Robert] $2.39.
We're gonna sell it for $13 18 percent food cost
giving us $10.61 in my pocke
Anything you don't think you can do?
I can do it.
Especially, when you have the recipe, right?
[Cheryl and Deborah laugh]
[Cheryl] No, he didn't.
Boo-yah!
[Robert] I'm gonna check in with design.
-I'll catch up with you shortly. -[Keith] Thank you, Chef.
Coming through.
It's 5:25 in the afternoon.
I have no lights 'cause the electricians are still working on the corner.
As they're all finishing this
scenic wall with spoons.
I have to show you the floor.
You see Deb painting the collard greens on the top.
We've put in tiles. We're finishing bulbs.
The curtains are still gonna be going up in the corner.
All right, we gotta be quick with that
because I wanna start cleaning the floor.
It's crazy.
While we race to the finish in the front of the house,
Cheryl is in the kitchen with Keith
breaking down the food cost on the new recipes I've given her.
And coaching up the staff to get ready for the grand re-opening.
You gotta have some pride and raise the bar.
It doesn't matter where you come from,
it's about where you're going.
Remember that.
[Robert] Watch your backs. Coming through.
Wipe the tables. Come on, let's go!
[Deborah] Yesterday was hard
It was hard for me as a sister,
as an investor
to see my sister receive
what is truth.
But it was necessary.
[Cheryl] There's no more making excuses.
There's no more shortcuts. It's following the rules.
So, I can continue to be the champion
and help other young people be champions.
Okay. How're we doing?
-We're excited. -Excited.
Follow me.
Cheryl, you'll be in the front.
Deborah, hands on shoulders at the back.
From this point forward, you will close your eyes,
I will walk you in.
Just walk straight. I'm gonna guide you.
And stop.
Deborah, turn this way.
Are you ready to see your brand new
Smith's Soul Food?
-Yes. -[Deborah] Yes.
Open your eyes.
Oh, my God!
Open your eyes.
Oh, my God!
Oh, my goodness!
[Deborah] Oh, my God!
[Cheryl] Oh, Lord, thank you!
Oh, God!
Oh, my goodness!
-Oh, my goodness! -[Deborah exclaims]
[Cheryl sobs]
This is amazing!
[Robert] Look above you.
It's a brand new ceiling.
-Brand new tables. -[Cheryl] Oh, my God!
[Robert] Brand new chairs.
-Family table. -[Cheryl sobs]
[Robert] These are original mirrors but we vintaged them.
These are collard greens.
Oh, my goodness!
Collard greens!
[Robert] You have a brand new Point Of Sale system.
Oh, my goodness!
Systems and protocols.
Oh, wow.
-Look at this. -[Deborah] Unbelievable.
I just don't even know what to say.
Your speech that you gave to those kids earlier,
brought tears to my eyes, it really did.
You are the coach. You're the champion.
And now, take it home.
-[Cheryl screams] -Whoa. [chuckles]
Hye, hey.
[Cheryl laughs]
I guess you like it. Ah!
[all exclaiming]
[all laughing]
It's a little different.
When I walked in, I opened my eyes,
I thought I was somewhere else. Thank you.
There's a lot of people waiting outside.
Off you go.
-You ain't gonna believe it! -You ain't gonna believe it!
Come on in!
[all exclaiming]
Welcome to the new Smith's Soul Food Bistro.
How are y'all doing today?
[woman] The decor is beautiful.
I can't believe this is the same place that I was at yesterday.
All right, I'll be right back with those drinks.
[customer] All right!
[Robert] Yesterday, Cheryl couldn't get out of her staff's way
and the restaurant had zero leadership in place.
What I need to see tonight is a coach running her team
in the front of house,
making sure that the staff are attentive to all the customers.
We got your drink orders. Have you all put in your--
All right.
[Robert] And in the kitchen making sure Keith
is cooking good food quickl and efficiently.
Fries up!
Two chicken, one pork, one bite. Heard.
Fish coming across.
[man] Table six.
[woman] This food makes you move.
I'm eating fried chicken, macaroni
and sweet corn.
It's a match made in heaven
I got some people I'm gonna recommend
to this place.
I ordered fish and grits.
The pimento cheese grits,
never even heard of that before
and it's delicious.
The pork sandwich, it was moist, it was light.
It had a pop full of flavor
It was really, really good.
Great job. Full restaurant, seated, fed. 17 minutes.
-Boom! -Thank you, Chef.
-Yes, yes! -[Cheryl] Keith.
-[Keith] Yes, Chef. -What's going on, baby?
I love it. Everything's coming out.
The guests are happy. I got you.
-[Cheryl chuckles] -I got you.
It's amazing. I absolutely loved it.
I'm excited about the transformation,
but I'm excited about sticking to the tools
that he has given us in order to be successful.
There's no turning back.
There's nothing but more victories coming our way.
How's the sales going tonight?
[Deborah] We're gonna pay some bills.
Girl, we're gonna pay some bills.
Awesome, awesome.
Seeing this place has made
my heart feel warm inside.
And I can't wait to see where it goes.
Work it, girl. Look at you.
Looking around, I see team work,
determination in the hearts
community, great food
and amazing service.
Now, that is a winning combination.
I know Smith's is gonna take this one
all the way.
[all cheering]
Berneisha is my business partner
and one of my greatest friends.
My friendship is way more important than this restaurant.
But this was my whole idea,
that she just got, like, roped into.
I definitely never feel equal.
So, you feel she's isolating alone?
Absolutely.
I feel like I'm stuck here.
I don't think this is salvageable.
I just wanna fix it, I want her to be okay.
I literally had crisis hotline here one day.
Is there something else going on that I don't know?