Restaurant Makeover
Restaurant Makeover is a television series on HGTV Canada that currently airs as reruns on the Food Network Canada and HGTV Canada, as well as the Fine Living channel and Food Network in the United States, DTour and in over 16 other countries worldwide. The pilot episode starred designer Robin De Groot and chef Brad Long in the Coco's Cafe. Most of the restaurants involved in the series were located in the Greater Toronto Area. The series has been rebooted as Restaurant Takeover on Food Network Canada.
| Restaurant Makeover | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Starring | Chefs: Brad Long Corbin Tomaszeski David Adjey Lynn Crawford Massimo Capra Michael Bonacini Rene Chauvin Susur Lee Designers: Cherie Nicole Stinson Glen Peloso Jessica Cotton Meredith Heron Robin De Groot Tracy Kundell Brenda Bent Cheryl Torrenueva Foreman: Igor Shamraychuk |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 68 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 or 60 minutes (per episode) |
| Release | |
| Original network | Food Network Canada HGTV Canada |
| Original release | October 2, 2005 – January 2008 |
Synopsis
It is hosted by chefs Brad Long, Rene Chauvin, Lynn Crawford, Massimo Capra, Corbin Tomaszeski, David Adjey, and Susur Lee along with designers Robin De Groot, Meredith Heron, Cherie Nicole Stinson, Jessica Cotton, Glen Peloso, Brenda Bent, Cheryl Torrenueva, Lisa North, and Jonathan Furlong, who perform renovation makeovers on restaurants desiring transformation.
The premise of the show is to challenge two restaurant professionals, one designer and one chef, to overhaul a struggling restaurant with a very limited budget and time. Originally the show would match funds provided by the restaurant owners up to $20,000; however, that decreased to just $15,000 as the show moved into its later seasons.
Criticism
Although the show's premise is to help struggling restaurants, a number of establishments have failed shortly after their makeover — sometimes before the episode of the show featuring the restaurant had aired, thus not allowing them to reap the benefits of added exposure. Some critics held the opinion that participating in Restaurant Makeover was a "kiss of death" for failing restaurants. However, it was noted that given the dire condition of some participants' establishments, even a significant change could not salvage the business.[1][2][3][4][5]
List of renovated restaurants
Season 1
| Restaurant Name | Original Name | Location | Chef | Designer | Still Open? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babelfish Bistro | N/A | Guelph, ON | David Adjey | Robin De Groot | No | |
| Cocoron | N/A | Toronto, ON | Via Oliveto | Rene Chauvin | No |
Season 2
| Restaurant Name | Original Name | Location | Chef | Designer | Still Open? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aftermath Cafe | N/A | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Robin De Groot | No | Renamed "Events Cafe", then closed |
| Bravi Restaurant | N/A | Toronto, ON | Massimo Capra | Glen Peloso | Yes | |
| College Street Bar | N/A | Toronto,ON | David Adjey | Robin De Groot | No | |
| First Class Delites | N/A | Toronto,ON | Lynn Crawford | Cherie Stinson | Yes | |
| High Point Restaurant | N/A | Mississauga, ON | David Adjey | Meredith Heron | No | Closed and on Lease |
| Higher Groundz Cafe | N/A | Mississauga, ON | Brad Long | Glen Peloso | No | Now Raw Aura Organic Cuisine. |
| Innocenti Restaurant | N/A | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Meredith Heron | No | Was KiWe, now Portland Variety. |
| Monkey Bar and Grill | N/A | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Glen Peloso | Yes | Re-renovated in 2015 |
| Montana Roadhouse | N/A | Toronto, ON | David Adjey | Lisa North | No | Now The Ballroom |
| Old York Bar and Grill | N/A | Toronto, ON | Massimo Capri | Cherie Stinson | Yes | |
| Ossawippi Express Dining Cars | N/A | Orillia, ON | David Adjey | Robin De Groot | No | Owner declared bankruptcy in 2010. |
| The Empress Restaurant | N/A | Toronto, ON | Brad Long | Lisa North | Yes | |
| The Town Grill | N/A | Toronto, ON | Jason Rosso | Cherie Stinson | No | Now Omi Sushi. |
Season 3
| Restaurant Name | Original Name | Location | Chef | Designer | Still Open? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn's Bar and Grill | N/A | Burlington, ON | David Adjey | Robin De Groot | Yes | |
| Cafe Asia | N/A | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Cherie Stinson | No | |
| Casa Mendoza | N/A | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Matt Robinson | No | soon to be condo development |
| Quattro 4 Ragazze | Europe Planet | Toronto, ON | Corbin Tomaszeski | Meredith Heron | Yes | |
| Forte Restaurant | N/A | N/A | Corbin Tomaszeski | Robin Fraser | No | |
| Grappa Ristorante | N/A | Toronto, ON | Brad Long | Robin Fraser/Meredith Heron | Yes | |
| Peridot Resto Lounge | Ithaca Restaurant | Toronto, ON | Brad Long | Meredith Heron | No | Closed in 2014, Now Firkin on Bloor |
| Jeremiah's Bullfrog Cafe | N/A | Toronto, ON | David Adjey | Jessica Cotton | No | |
| Karma's Cafe | N/A | Peterborough, ON | Lynn Crawford | Glen Peloso | Yes | |
| Kokkino Restaurant and Lounge | N/A | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Meredith Heron | No | Closed in 2010 |
| Latitude Wine Bar and Grill | N/A | Toronto, ON | David Adjey | Robin Fraser | No | |
| Le Cafe Vert | N/A | Toronto, ON | Massimo Capra | Cheryl Torrenueva | No | See Footnotes[6] |
| Lüb Bistro Lounge | N/A | Toronto, ON | David Adjey | Glen Peloso | No | |
| Natchos Thai Thai Cafe | N/A | Toronto, ON | David Adjey | Meredith Heron | No | |
| Peroni's Pizzeria | N/A | Mississauga, ON | Massimo Capra | Glen Peloso | No | |
| Phil's Original BBQ | N/A | Toronto, ON | David Adjey | Meredith Heron | No | Close 2014, now Buster Rhino's Southern BBQ |
| PJ O'Brien | N/A | St. Lawrence, Toronto, ON | Corbin Tomaszeski | Cherie Stinson | Yes | |
| Reliable Fish & Chips | N/A | Leslieville, Toronto, ON | Corbin Tomaszeski | Meredith Heron | Yes | |
| Rubicon Grill | N/A | Mississauga, ON | Lynn Crawford | Glen Peloso | No | Closure due to fire[7] |
| Saigon Flower Restaurant | N/A | West Queen West, Toronto, ON | Corbin Tomaszeski | Jessica Cotton | Yes | |
| Side Door Grill | N/A | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Matt Robinson | No | |
| Six Steps | Spinello | Toronto, ON | Massimo Capra | Meredith Heron | No | Now The Bowery[8] |
| St. Clair Village Cafe | N/A | Toronto, ON | Massimo Capra | Cherie Stinson | Yes | Now Pizza e Pazzi |
| Stoney's Bar & Grill | N/A | Toronto, ON | David Adjey | Glen Peloso | No | |
| The Boathouse Restaurant | N/A | Woodview, ON | Corbin Tomaszeski | Meredith Heron | No | |
| The Office Sports Bar and Grill | N/A | Toronto, ON | Corbin Tomaszeski | Meredith Heron | No | Now The Longest Yard |
Season 4
| Restaurant Name | Original Name | Location | Chef | Designer | Still Open? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aggie Martin | N/A | Brampton, ON | David Adjey | Glen Peloso | No | Now Green Cup Roastery is in the space. |
| Bagel World | N/A | Toronto, ON | Corbin Tomaszeski | Robin Fraser | Yes | |
| Nook | Bakerberry Caffe | Toronto, ON | Corbin Tomaszeski | Jonathan Furlong | Yes | |
| Cork & Cabbage | Bistro Aubergine | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Cherie Stinson | No | Closed before show aired. Reopened under new ownership as JAM Cafe[9] |
| Bulldog Cafe | N/A | Toronto, ON | Massimo Capra | Meredith Heron | Yes | Has expanded to multiple locations. |
| Calypso Hut | N/A | N/A | Massimo Capra | Robin Fraser | No | |
| Dhaba Indian Excellence | N/A | Toronto, ON | Susur Lee | Brenda Bent | Yes | |
| Konrad Lounge | Di and Gabby's | Etobicoke, Toronto, ON | Massimo Capra | Tracy Kundell | Yes | |
| Dooney's | N/A | Toronto, ON [10] | Corbin Tomaszeski | Jonathan Furlong | Yes | See Footnotes[11] |
| The Citizen | Essence | Toronto, ON [12] | Lynn Crawford | Brenda Bent | Yes | This restaurant was purchased and made over again by Lynn Crawford and Cherie Stinson.[13] |
| Golden Flame Restaurant | N/A | Richmond Hill, ON | Massimo Capra | Meredith Heron | No | |
| Hamar Weyne | N/A | Toronto, ON | Corbin Tomaszeski | Tracy Kundell | Yes | |
| Hollingers | N/A | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Cherie Stinson | No | |
| Hollywood Panini | N/A | Richmond Hill, ON | Massimo Capra | Glen Peloso | No | Now Greek Xpress. |
| Il Papagallo | N/A | Oakville, ON | Corbin Tomaszeski | Tracy Kundell | No | Now Corks Restaurant. |
| Jonathan's | N/A | Woodbridge, ON | David Adjey | Glen Peloso | Yes | |
| Kensington's | N/A | Toronto, ON | Brad Long | Glen Peloso | Yes | |
| La Cabana | N/A | N/A | David Adjey | Glen Peloso | No | |
| Massimo's | N/A | Toronto, ON | Massimo Capra | Brenda Bent | No | Was temporarily closed due to fire. New locations on Queen West and also College were renamed Vinny Massimo's,[14][15] but were closed around winter 2014. |
| The Olive Branch | Mighty Mike's | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Jonathan Furlong | Yes | |
| Rifca's Mediterranean Kitchen | Pita Stop | Richmond Hill, ON | Brad Long | Glen Peloso | Yes | |
| Roma Ristorante | N/A | Toronto, ON | David Adjey | Cheryl Torrenueva | No | Under new ownership. |
| Flame Bar & Grill | Seashell Seafood | N/A | David Adjey | Cheryl Torrenueva | No | Now Pho 88. |
| The Central | N/A | N/A | Corbin Tomaszeski | Brenda Bent | Yes | |
| The Richmond Rogue | N/A | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Meredith Heron | Yes | |
| Waterfall Martini Lounge | N/A | N/A | David Adjey | Jonathan Furlong | No |
Season 5
| Restaurant Name | Original Name | Location | Chef | Designer | Still Open? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Catered Affair's Cafe | N/A | Milton, ON | Lynn Crawford | Cherie Stinson | Yes | now Grill Daddy |
| Cocina Lucero | Arre Burrito | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Cherie Stinson | No | |
| Bacchus Roti | N/A | Toronto, ON | Brad Long | Meredith Heron | Yes | |
| Bon Vivant | N/A | Toronto, ON | Massimo Capra | Glen Peloso | No | Closed in 2013 |
| Church Street Diner | N/A | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Glen Peloso | No | For reasons which have never been publicly clarified, the restaurant remained closed for over a year after the renovation before finally reopening in 2010.[16] They have since closed the restaurant according to their Facebook page. |
| County Fish and Chips | N/A | Port Credit, ON | Corbin Tomaszeski | Meredith Heron | Yes | |
| De Great Iron Pot | N/A | Scarborough, ON | Corbin Tomaszeski | Cheryl Torrenueva | No | |
| Earth Indian | N/A | North York, ON | Brad Long | Jonathan Furlong | Yes | |
| Attilio's 1957 | Gippino's | Toronto, ON | Michael Bonacini | Meredith Heron | No | Closed after a fire. |
| Joe Boo's Cookoos | N/A | Thornhill, ON | Michael Bonacini | Glen Peloso | No | |
| Cluck, Grunt and Low | Riviera | Toronto, ON | Lynn Crawford | Brenda Bent | No | Now Puck 'N Wings. |
| Locavore | Slippery Boot | Toronto, ON | Brad Long | Meredith Heron | No | Became Trillium Bistro, now La Cascina.[17] |
| Tresca Trattoria | N/A | Richmond Hill, ON | Corbin Tomaszeski | Tracy Kundell | No | New ownership and called 'Bathurst St. Deli' which was later renamed 'Bathurst St. Bistro', which was later sold and is currently 'Capital Pizzeria and Grill' |
References
- Villain: Restaurant Makeover The Torontoist
- The Curse of The Restaurant Makeover Macleans
- Restaurant Makeover Chowhound
- Tribe Magazine: Restaurant Makeover Curse Tribe Magazine
- Restaurant Makeover Taste TO
- "Le Cafe Vert in the Deadpool?", [BlogTO], January 19, 2009
- "Fire closes Lakeshore Rd.", [Mississauga.com], Mar 10, 2009
- "The Bowery Launches on Colborne Street in Toronto", June 29, 2011
- The Curse of The Restaurant Makeover MacLeans
- 511 Bloor St. W on check
- "End of an era for Dooney's Café". National Post, June 19, 2008. UPDATE: re-opened "Dooney's Cafe, once an Annex icon, moves west"
- 790 Queens St. W can be seen in front window during reveal, CN Tower seen in background of road shot
- Lynn Crawford’s makeover NOW Magazine
- Massimo's To Reopen on Queen blogTO
- Vinny Massimo's
- "Church St Diner reopens". Xtra!, February 24, 2010.
- "How Locavore became Trillium Bistro: The Death of a Fine Restaurant", [ElliDavis], August 3, 2009
External links
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