Restaurant Makeover

Eduardo Sr. has worked in numerous restaurants since he came to Canada from Peru over 30 years ago. He lives with all nine members of his family and with their support he finally realized the dream of opening his own restaurant. Sadly, Eduardo has had endless obstacles. First, he was left with a mess from the previous owner and when the landlord agreed to fix the plumbing and the electrical it was broken into and trashed. Eduardo is not getting any younger and he is not only watching his dream slip away, but running out of money as well. He is beginning to doubt his ability, his knowledge, and the choices he has made. He is the patriarch of the family and does not want to go back to working in other people's kitchens. - Tricon Films and Television 2008

The Seashell seafood restaurant has been trying to stay afloat for the last two years. George and Christina inherited the decades-old place from a family member who retired, but they now realize that it's outdated and not up to par with the other trendy restaurants in the area. It's becoming increasingly hard for them to pay rent and if they don't turn it around quickly, tensions could force an eviction and tear the family apart. - Tricon Films and Television 2008

P.K. runs an Indian restaurant in the centre of the tourist district, and prides himself on giving each patron the best experience he can. Unfortunately, P.K. and his wife haven't made much money pleasing other people. To keep the business running, he's had to enlist the help of his children, who both spent the majority of their teens waiting tables for him. - Tricon Films and Television 2008

When Asim convinced Sheila to buy their second restaurant in an up-and- coming part of town, he was convinced that it would be perfect for a little French bistro. Unfortunately, the dated menu and design has not attracted much business at all. Sheila is ready to throw in the towel and focus on their former establishment, but Asim's not budging. If they don't make changes fast, Asim will have to say "au revoir" to his beloved restaurant, and consider his solo venture a failure. - Tricon Films and Television 2008

Bagel World is a landmark institution that has been serving the city's "best bagel" to line ups around the block since 1965. The patriarch, Zev, is getting on in years, but refuses to change a thing: the menu, the furniture and the old fridges have been the same since day 1. Zev's son Michael refuses to watch the family institution fall apart, so he's taken over the business, hired a savvy partner, and is planning a complete overhaul. - Tricon Films and Television 2008

Rodney's got a problem. He's a celebrated young chef with a popular restaurant, but his eyes are bigger than his wallet. He couldn't resist the temptation to buy a beat-up space called Essence and create a new "it spot", but he used the savings for his upcoming wedding to do it. His long-distance fiancée is not impressed, and she's flying in to see what kind of mess he's gotten them in. - Tricon Films and Television 2008

The Waterfall is all washed up. Owner Barry had all the gumption but no flow when he threw together this club-land cave. Although he intended for the place to be a resto-bar, he quickly caved to the late-night party scene, and became the 4am impresario. Now, his wife Sonja is putting her foot down. She wants to normalize their hours and go back to their original plan of a restaurant, and possibly start a family. The problem is, the menu belongs on a drive-thru window, and the couple has no idea how to transform it. To make matters worse, the interior looks like a dormitory rec-room, complete with disco lights. - Tricon Films and Television 2008

Neasha has bitten off more than she can chew. After managing the Calypso Hut for a few months, she withdrew her life savings, convinced her parents to pitch in, and bought it. The problem is that the garish walls and bamboo surfaces keep attracting bar flies, and Neasha can't seem to swat them away and attract a restaurant clientele. Her parents are getting worried, and want to see their young daughter in charge of a respectable establishment. The pressure's on: Neasha has to make a radical change before her parents pull the plug. - Tricon Films and Television 2008

Stuart is a coffee champion who is getting chumped. Three years ago he opened a tiny neighbourhood coffee bar called The Bulldog. He perfected the art of the bean, grew a loyal following, and has since won countless awards for his fantastic cappuccino brews. All of a sudden, two corporate coffee giants have moved onto the street and have swiped a large share of his business. Their lunchtime menus give them an edge, and if Stuart wants to stay in business, he needs to find a way to serve food in his tiny 500 sq ft shop. - Tricon Films and Television 2008

Steve and Julie are a scrappy young couple with big dreams. They put everything they have into a humble little place called The Central – which acts as a bar, restaurant and live venue. They had high hopes, but after a few months, they realized that they're in way over their heads. Excruciating hours and lots of hard work cannot change the shabby student decor, and they can't seem to attract the volume they need to stay open. To make matters worse, their wedding plans are on permanent hold because they just can't afford to tie the knot. - Tricon Films and Television 2008

Todd needs an exorcism. He bought the Richmond Rogue pub five years ago, and has already lost a partner, been sued, and suffered through a smoking ban with no patio. This string of bad luck made a lot more sense when he found out that the pub was built on an ancient cemetery. Besides being possibly cursed, the place is a total dump. Dime-store lighting and sticky carpets are the least of his problems. When the smoking and drinking clients left, he decided to focus on food, and attract the recently gentrified neighborhood crowd, but they're not biting. Now he's sold his house to keep his bar, and he's desperate for a new plan. - Tricon Films and Television 2008

Peter and Athena are striking out. Peter convinced his wife that they should put everything they had into a sports bar, promising her that it was a foolproof investment. For the first year, business was booming, but a hockey strike and an on-site fire were all slap-shots that struck their bottom line. Now, the customers are few and far-between, the bar has fallen into disrepair and the couple are expecting their first child. - Tricon Films and Television 2008

The Golden Flame is sputtering out. This homestyle restaurant has been serving the community for over 20 years, and it shows. Ripped seats and shoddy décor are walking the line between kitchy and crappy. Owner James is stubborn about change, but his son George has reached his limit. Although they still have loyal clientele, George predicts the end of the Golden Flame if they don't change the embarrassing junkyard interior and grease-fuelled menu. - Tricon Films and Television 2008