On the Rocks

                  Wednesday nights for the past few weeks have been really good on Food Network.  I start with Restaurant Stakeout, follow with Restaurant: Impossible, and end with On the Rocks.  Usually I do not see all of On the Rocks, but I do catch the full episode when it replays on the weekends.  Unfortunately it appears my Wednesday night trio is being broken up.  According to the website On the Rocks is no longer on Wednesdays.  I am sad about this, but I am happy to watch On the Rocks any time.               

                Similar to Restaurant: Impossible, On the Rocks is about remaking a business but this time it is bars instead of restaurants.  John Green comes into struggling bars and works with the owners and staff to make it successful.  He remodels the bar, trains the staff, and brings in someone to revamp the menu.  It is a very similar setup to most of the other shows, but there is a big difference.  John fires all the staff and makes them earn their jobs back.  I have yet to see someone not get rehired, but I am waiting for that day to come.  John has let people walk out, break down, and be demoted but they always come back determined to prove themselves and end up keeping their positions.

                Another difference is how John comes into the bars at the start of each episode.  He causally and quietly enters without any fanfare except for the presence of the cameras.  John sits at the bar, has a drink, and then asks for the owner.  That is it.  After this all the work in changing the business begins to happen.  This is not always easy, especially when dealing with the staff, but John always remains calm.  When he is not pleased with something or someone John changes his voice and how he speaks to show his displeasure, but he does not yell.  In my opinion John’s way is much more effective in getting a point across.   

                Before the grand reopening, John makes sure to hold a soft opening.  This gives him the opportunity to evaluate everyone before he rehires and lets the staff get experience on the new drinks and procedures.  The grand reopenings are quite busy and wild.  With the soft openings the staff can make mistakes and learn before the pressure of the grand reopening is upon them.  This seems to help the staff be more confident and prepared for when everything starts for real.               

                Something else John does, which I greatly respect, is get his hands dirty.  When the bar’s renovation is running past schedule, which seems to be every time, John leaps in and helps without a second thought.  He could easily walk away and leave everything to his contractor/designer, but he does not.  Seeing John active in the remodel is a very appealing part of the show as well as says a lot about the man himself.    

                Even though I do not go to bars, I really like the show On the Rocks.  I think John Green does a wonderful job with the businesses he goes into.  The only thing I dislike about the show is that the viewer does not find out how the bar is doing now.  There is not even a reference to check the website.  Other than this, I look forward to On the Rocks every week.