Ep 11. Tuscan Tumbleweeds

In Restaurant Stakeout season 3 episode 11, titled Tuscan Tumbleweeds, host Willie Degel visits a Tuscan-style restaurant in Texas to help the struggling owner turn his business around. The restaurant, named Nonna's, is run by the owner's son who has taken over the management recently. However, the son doesn't have any prior experience in running a restaurant and is struggling to keep Nonna's afloat.

Willie sets up hidden cameras and microphones in the restaurant to observe the kitchen, the dining area, and the behavior of the staff and customers. He notices that the wait staff is slow and unresponsive, the kitchen is disorganized, and the food is taking too long to prepare. Customers are leaving without finishing their meals and some are even complaining to the wait staff about the quality of the food.

To get to the root of the problem, Willie meets with the owner and his son to discuss the challenges they are facing and the changes they need to make. Willie also meets with the head chef to discuss the menu and the kitchen operations. He identifies issues with the portion sizes and the taste of the food, and recommends some changes to the menu to make it more appealing to the customers.

Willie then introduces a new chef to the staff who will be working with the head chef to develop new recipes, improve the quality of the food, and ensure that the dishes are delivered to the customers in a timely manner. Willie also provides training to the wait staff on how to improve their customer service skills and how to handle customer complaints.

As the night progresses, Willie observes the changes that have been made and notes the improvements in the kitchen and the service. The customers are happier, the food is better, and the staff is more attentive. Willie sits down with the owner and his son to discuss the changes and the impact they will have on the restaurant's future.

At the end of the episode, Willie reveals himself and offers some final words of advice to the owner and his son. He reminds them that running a restaurant is not easy and requires hard work, dedication, and attention to detail. Willie hopes that the changes he has recommended will help Nonna's succeed in the highly competitive restaurant industry.