Restaurant Revisited: Stella’s by Sara Levine in Shows, August 8th, 2012
In Stratford, Conn., Michael Savoie and his mother Cami needed Robert’s help to keep their 15-year-old Italian restaurant, Stella’s, alive. Despite working exhausting 90-hour weeks, Michael was clueless about food costs and lacked the leadership skills to effectively manage his staff. From management to decor, Robert and his team gave Stella’s a complete overhaul. We checked in with the Savoies a few months later to see how business is going.
In the months following their Restaurant: Impossible intervention, sales at Stella’s are up 20 percent.
Michael is letting his mother have access to the business financials. He now has a better grip on how to manage food costs. As the new general manager of Stella’s, Cami is also handling the catering side of the business and helping to keep costs down.
The new, improved sauces are a big hit, as is the new pizza menu — Stella’s Special and the Popeye are customer favorites. “Now our menu is a combination of Robert’s new dishes and our old menu items, and it seems to have something for everybody,” says Cami. “The menu is still about half the size it used to be, so it’s helping us keep inventory costs down too.”
After Robert helped Michael with his managerial skills, the staff is now under control and more respectful. “The staff has been really flexible as we have gone through changes. The waitresses are happier with bigger tips, and the cooks love the smaller menu,” says Cami.
The Savoies say guests love the new decor: “We get a lot of requests to sit at the booths in the atrium, and the new bar is catching on,” says Cami. They have switched out the tabletops and are now using the ones Robert’s designer Taniya made that weren’t dry for the re-opening.
Overall, the Savoies are thrilled with the increase in sales and are optimistic that the business will only go up from here. “It was a facelift we needed, but couldn’t afford, so we’re grateful,” Cami says.
More from Restaurant Revisited:
Italian Village (August 1)
Zandi’s (July 25)
The Main Dish (July 18)
Longbranch Steak and Seafood (July 11)
Horton’s Kids (June 13)
Pollard’s (May 30)
University Grill (May 23)
Ristorante Barolo (May 16)
Pappas (May 9)
Mama Lee’s (May 2)
Pelican Grill (April 25)
Valley View (March 14)
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More posts from Sara Levine.
I love everything about Robert show, it is amenzing
how he can leader.
I actually stay up to watch even when it's on late at night..I get up for work at 5 a.m. and all I ask is that they put the progress of the restaurant they makeover up in the corner once again! It's our chance to cheer for the owners and offer a bit of a cheer for all the hard work the designers and builders do! Thamks Guys! :) all of you!
ni alla är dumma. döda er.
What?
What are you saying?
from Google's Translate they said
""I hate you. you should shoot you a few times in the head with a big thick arms. do not breed.""
and the language is "Icelandic" o.o
Can't wait until I get up to CT again so I can try this place out. I am only a short train ride away.
Paula Dean's restaurant is not very good. Yesterday I drove past a local furniture store in Florida and saw that she now has a furniture line. REALLY??? From "cook" to selling furniture? Where is the connection and her credibility? She is just out to make as big a buck as possible. Her restaurant really wasn't very good, but it was VERY expensive!
There's nothing wrong with Guy. Robert and Guy are close friends in real life. Guy is on FN for his personality, not his food. He rocks, he's so laid back and comical. I love it.
Would REALLY like restaurant impossible to visit Nicks Diner in West Sacramento, CA!!! Lost of help needed to keep the family business alive. Pretty please??
What the hell is wrong with this site?
Can I get the name of the paint you used on the walls at Stella's please?
At least he didn’t drop it on the dog!