Restaurant Revisited: Face the Music at Urban Roots
Part eatery and part entertainment space, Urban Roots in Oklahoma City, Okla., offered little in the way of quality food when Robert Irvine arrived. He found jumbled dishes and a weak staff, plus owner Chaya Fletcher, who was struggling to maintain her interest in her job. With only two days to work and a budget of just $10,000, Robert and his Restaurant: Impossible team transformed the interior of Urban Roots and updated the menu, ultimately reopening the business to a packed house. Read on below to hear from Chaya and find out how Urban Roots is doing today.
"Since the taping, revenue is up 15 percent," Chaya says. "Customers are really happy with the design and love the new menu changes." She adds that both food and entertainment are now proving to attract customers.
According to Chaya, "a few of the front-of-the-house staff were let go, since they failed to get on board," but she notes that back-of-house employees have been particularly helpful since the transformation.
Zulu is once again at Urban Roots, and Chaya explains what impact that's had on her schedule: "I have consistently taken one to two days off since Zulu's return, and [I am] working in the kitchen one to two shifts a week."
Looking back on her Restaurant: Impossible experience, Chaya explains, "I learned a lot from Robert, most importantly that I need to own it, and be the leader that is required ."