Off Street Cafe in Cerritos, California, became the center of attention when it was featured on Restaurant Impossible, starring the renowned chef Robert Irvine. This episode showcased the challenging dynamics between owner Rose and her daughter-in-law Robin, who were struggling to keep their restaurant afloat. Their story is a testament to the difficulties faced by family-run businesses and the dramatic turnarounds possible with expert intervention.
The story of Off Street Cafe began when Rose, prompted by the previous owner, decided to purchase the restaurant. Seeking a partner, she brought in Robin, a hairdresser at the time and then-wife to her son. Despite a subsequent divorce between Robin and Rose’s son, their business partnership continued. Initially, Off Street Cafe experienced success, generating enough revenue to repay a substantial $400,000 loan. However, unforeseen circumstances soon cast a shadow over their promising venture.
A boating accident incapacitated Rose, leaving Robin to manage the restaurant while simultaneously raising two young children. With limited restaurant management experience, Robin faced an uphill battle. As income dwindled, debt began to accumulate once more, reaching a critical $100,000. The weight of these challenges and the strained partnership became apparent when Robert Irvine arrived to film Restaurant Impossible.
Robert Irvine’s initial impression of Off Street Cafe was less than favorable. He immediately noted the outdated dining room décor, complete with lingering Christmas lights, which contributed to a tired and uninviting atmosphere. During a frank discussion with Rose and Robin, the depth of their problems surfaced. They revealed their financial woes, including being behind on payroll, and the underlying issues stemming from Rose’s accident and Robin’s lack of confidence and expertise in restaurant management. Robin confessed to investing her and her husband’s retirement funds into the failing business and foregoing personal salaries, highlighting their desperate situation.
To assess the food quality and service, Robert sampled a shrimp dish while observing the overall customer experience. His observations confirmed significant shortcomings. The service was subpar, with visibly unhappy servers neglecting customer needs. Robert witnessed instances of ignored customers and even rudeness from staff, behaviors he deemed unacceptable. Addressing the staff directly, Robert emphasized the critical need for improved service and a change in attitude, making it clear that such behavior could lead to termination in a well-run establishment.
Robert pinpointed Robin’s apparent disengagement as a major issue. Robin admitted to feeling overwhelmed by the monotony of management tasks and frustrated by staff who disregarded her instructions. Robert astutely recognized a collective sense of resignation among the owners and staff, emphasizing the urgent need to revitalize their passion and teamwork.
Examining the menu, Robert was unimpressed by the unappealing food offerings, listing items like pasta, open beef sandwiches, liver, and fried chicken salad as examples of dishes lacking appeal. He also identified issues with food quality, noting burnt food masked by excessive sauce, and excessively large portion sizes. These oversized portions were clearly impacting profitability, with food waste and likely customer leftovers contributing to financial losses.
A kitchen consultation with Alex revealed further operational inefficiencies. Despite a vast menu, many items were not selling well, yet the restaurant maintained a large inventory of produce, leading to significant waste and financial losses. Robert concluded that Off Street Cafe’s core problems were multifaceted: a lack of effective leadership, negative staff attitudes, and a menu that was both unappealing and unprofitable. Pricing adjustments and a complete décor overhaul were also deemed essential for the restaurant’s survival.
For the crucial restaurant renovation, Robert collaborated with designer Taniya Nayak. Robert’s feedback on the existing décor was blunt – he disliked everything, from the booths and color scheme to the lighting, carpet, and chairs. He challenged Taniya to execute a dramatic $100,000 renovation on a mere $10,000 budget. The renovation process encountered initial setbacks, including the unexpected difficulty of removing the old carpet, requiring specialized machinery.
In a menu knowledge test, Rose and Robin struggled to identify their top-selling dishes, highlighting their disconnect from crucial sales data and contributing to their inventory management problems. Robert aimed to simplify the menu, focusing on profitable and popular items alongside new, appealing dishes. He introduced the concept of using fresh, local fish, which was surprisingly more cost-effective than frozen alternatives, and incorporated it into two new dishes: California Fish and Chips and Fish Tacos with Corn Salsa.
Taniya’s renovation faced budget constraints, leading to creative solutions like painting the floor instead of replacing the carpet. She envisioned a French country, shabby chic style to transform the dining room’s ambiance. The renovation team worked tirelessly overnight, tackling painting, reupholstering, and paneling to achieve the dramatic makeover within the tight timeframe.
Robert focused on improving Robin’s management skills and addressing the staff’s negative attitudes. His research uncovered negative online reviews citing poor service, with customers feeling ignored and observing staff prioritizing personal conversations over customer service. During a staff meeting, Robert confronted these issues directly, emphasizing the need for teamwork and improved customer interaction to prevent the restaurant’s closure. He introduced weekly staff meetings and tasked them with mastering the new menu in preparation for a mock service.
Checking on the renovation progress, Robert was impressed with the transformation, including spray-painted chairs, reupholstered booths, and a repainted bar area. To test the staff’s improved service, Robert arranged a mock service, unbeknownst to them, including a guest who had previously written a negative online review. The service during the mock run was noticeably improved, offering a glimmer of hope for the relaunch.
Despite a minor delay caused by the floor paint still drying, the renovation was completed just in time for the relaunch. Rose and Robin were overwhelmed by the stunning transformation of their restaurant and a revamped hostess station. On relaunch night, customers were enthusiastic about the new décor, and the new fish dishes proved to be a resounding success.
What Happened Next at Off Street Cafe?
Off Street Cafe not only remained open but thrived after its Restaurant Impossible experience. The restaurant largely maintained Robert Irvine’s menu changes, although the décor was slightly modified in June 2014. Critically, online reviews on platforms like Yelp and Trip Advisor shifted dramatically to overwhelmingly positive, consistently praising both the improved service and food quality at Off Street Cafe Cerritos.
The success story of Off Street Cafe led to a revisit episode of Restaurant Impossible in 2019. Robert Irvine returned to Cerritos to check in with Rose and Robin from the season 2 episode aired in 2011. Back in 2011, retirement was on Rose’s mind, and Robin reflected on the transformative experience eight years prior.
Upon his return, Robert observed that the décor remained largely unchanged from the Restaurant Impossible renovation, and the restaurant was bustling with customers. He noted Robin’s newfound confidence and learned that Rose had indeed retired. Rose revealed that before Robert’s intervention, Off Street Cafe was just two months away from closing its doors. Remarkably, they had paid off the $400,000 debt within two years of the Restaurant Impossible episode. Their revenue had grown exponentially, reaching approximately $1 million in 2013 and $2 million in 2016, with a projected $2.6 million for the current year (2019).
Robin credited the Restaurant Impossible experience with fostering closer staff relationships and significantly improving customer reviews. Robert sampled their popular chicken and waffles, expressing his enjoyment. He then surprised the restaurant by filling it with customers to gauge public opinion. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with customers praising the improved food quality and updated ambiance. The friendly and attentive service was also highlighted as a major improvement.
Robin proudly introduced Robert to her daughter Maddie, who described the staff as a close-knit family and remarked on Robin’s enhanced confidence. Looking to the future, Off Street Cafe was exploring catering opportunities and potentially launching a food truck. Robert Irvine concluded his revisit expressing his admiration for Robin’s remarkable transformation into a confident and effective leader. Off Street Cafe’s journey, featured in Restaurant Impossible season 2 episode 9, which aired on September 14, 2011, stands as a shining example of a restaurant revitalization success story.
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