Dear Chef Irvine

The following is the text of a message I sent to Chef Irvine this morning . . . 


Chef Robert Irvine
via http://chefirvine.com/

May 23, 2012

Dear Chef Irvine,

I am an Information Technology Project Manager and I blog about Projects at http://AboutProjectManagement.com.  I'm also a big fan of your show "Restaurant Impossible."  Each episode tells a story about a project to rescue a failing restaurant.  As a Project Manager and blogger about Projects, these stories are fascinating.  I've even highlighted the show on my blog (http://www.aboutprojectmanagement.com/2012/05/restaurant-impossible.html).

I'm reaching out with a proposal/request.  Would you be interested in having me (and my two teenagers) help with one of these projects?  We would love a chance to see a Restaurant Impossible story close up - and I would like to write about the experience.  We would be happy to push a broom, paint a wall, clean a kitchen - whatever - in exchange for the experience of watching this process.

AboutProjectManagement.com is small (but growing) and a very low budget operation.  Expenses far outweigh revenues so far.  It is a passion more than a job.  I can cover our expenses for travel, meals, lodging - but that's about it.

Let me know if this could be a possibility - we would love to make it happen.

Thanks!

Alan Casey, MBA, PMP
Email:  alancaey@alumni.northwestern.edu

This would be so cool!  A big plus is that when I ran the idea by my two teens, they both said "Yes!  Let's go for it Dad!"  Since passing the 14 year-old mark, I just don't get that many yes answers - and that makes every yes I do get extra special.

Do you think that we will get a "Yes!" from Chef Irvine?  Make your bets via a comment on this post.

Restaurant Impossible

I like the type of reality TV that portrays real projects.  One of my favorites in this genre is the Food Network's Restaurant Impossible with Chef Robert Irvine.

The formula is simple, for a failing restaurant (and I mean FAILING) Chef Robert arrives with his knowledge and leadership, a carpenter, and a designer.  With a schedule of two days and a budget of $10,000 they save the failing restaurant.

It was fun to find out that Charles is also a big fan of this show.

Here is a summarized typical show:

Act 1:  Robert orders a dozen meals and is totally grossed out by the food he is served.
Act 2:  Kitchen inspection - "This is the filthiest Kitchen I've ever seen."
Act 3:  Designer Interview - I should spend $100,00 on this project, but I'll get creative and see what we can do . . .
Act 4:  Kitchen Cleaning - Oh look, a dead rat!
Act 5:  New Menu - Robert teaches the chef to cook (Really)
Act 6:  Reveal - Here is your new restaurant
Act 7:  We are so blessed, thank you for saving our (Family, life, marriage, business, etc.)

The first video is a bunch of fun clips from the show (warning - overly long into - be patient)

Double click YouTube icon to watch on YouTube

More after the break . . .