In the 2nd episode of the new season, Robert visits the Old World Italian Restaurant that is old world but in the out dated decor with dishes that are more odd than old world.
Old World Italian Restaurant | Click here for the restaurant's current menu
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Problems Robert Had to Address
1. Old decor with family photos placed right at the table in an awkward fashion
2. Dishes that aren't exactly as advertised
3. Lasagna that looks good but tastes like nothing
4. Food not cooked properly such as raw shrimp cooking in an already prepared tomato sauce
5. Giving out discounts that are costing the business too much money
6. No clear management and expectations for the staff
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Lesson for Home
George Jr was cooking his raw shrimp in the pasta sauce. This can give the sauce an off flavor and ruin the sauce if the shrimp is not fresh. There are certain procedures that need to be followed when cooking to ensure the best end result. You have to know what order to cook things in. Yesterday I was preparing a chicken/couscous dish. I used the same saute pan for the whole dish. Knowing to cook the chicken before the couscous is a key step. I don't want to add raw chicken to the cooked couscous. I also want to deglaze the bottom of the pan to get all the brown bites off before adding the couscous to give it more flavor. I encourage you to think about how you are going to cook a dish, the order, and why you are doing it that way. George Jr. should have been searing the shrimp before adding it to the sauce.
The Recipes
Veal Marsala | Print recipe
This is one of the dishes the chef didn't have quite right. You can print out the recipe that Robert gave him.
Follow-Up
As typical Food Network reports that sales are up after the show as with all the restaurants. I look for others things to predict if the restaurant will survive long term. What I do like to see is a lot of positive reviews and that is what Old World has received on websites like Trip Advisor. People are more likely to comment with a bad experience than a good one, so the fact that most reviews are good means this place is doing something right. One of the negative reviews was really just because a waiter dropped some that landed on the customer. So there is hope for them and this might be a place that Robert was able to save as long as they keep up the quality of food and manage their fiances well.
If you want more Robert Irvine recipes, here are some of his available cookbooks:
This cookbook contains 111 recipes many with complete timelimes and several that are gluten free. An example of the kind of recipes you will find are Lime-Cured Shrimp and Roasted Corn Chowder, Porcini-Dusted Pork Chops with Cremini Mushrooms and Golden Raisins over Horseradish-Scented Potatoes.
In this book Robert shares his personal stories (including cooking for First Lady Laura Bush) and cooking philosophy. There are also recipes to be had like Black Angus Beef Tartare with Toasted Brioche and Fried Quail Egg, Roasted Duck with White Bean Ragout.
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