Ep 1. Up in Smoke

In the first episode of season 8 of Restaurant: Impossible, Chef Robert Irvine heads to the city of La Mesa, California to help a struggling family-owned barbecue restaurant, Smitty's. From the outside, Smitty's looks like a typical barbecue joint with its red and white checkered tablecloths and smoke pouring out of the smoker, but inside, the restaurant is in disarray.

The owner, Steve "Smitty" Smith, started the restaurant 30 years ago with his parents and has been running it on his own for the past 15 years. However, in recent years, the restaurant has been struggling, and Smitty has been pouring his own money into it to keep it afloat.

Upon entering the restaurant, Chef Robert is greeted with a pungent smell of smoke. He discovers that the restaurant's smoker is old and malfunctioning, and the kitchen is in a state of disarray. The menu is dull and uninspiring, and Smitty is doing everything himself, from cooking to cleaning.

Chef Robert wastes no time in getting started on the restaurant's makeover. He enlists the help of local contractors to fix up the restaurant's interior, bringing in new furniture, painting the walls, and installing new lighting fixtures. In the kitchen, Chef Robert replaces the old smoker with a new one and revamps the menu, putting a modern twist on classic barbecue dishes.

Smitty is resistant to the changes at first, but Chef Robert helps him see the potential in his restaurant and the importance of adapting to the times. They work together to train the staff in new cooking techniques and service skills, and Smitty even learns how to delegate tasks to his employees.

With the restaurant's fresh new look and menu, Chef Robert invites a group of local food critics to give their honest opinions on the new Smitty's. The critics are blown away by the transformation, praising the new menu and improved service.

In the end, Smitty is grateful for Chef Robert's help and sees a bright future for his restaurant. Restaurant: Impossible's first episode of season 8, "Up in Smoke," is a heartwarming story of a struggling family business overcoming obstacles to find success in the competitive world of the restaurant industry.