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When anger boils over: Struggling restaurants look to Robert Irvine to do the 'Impossible'

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Michelle Rose / TV Media
Chef Robert Irvine hosts a new season of "Restaurant: Impossible"

Chef Robert Irvine hosts a new season of "Restaurant: Impossible"

One of the big "foodie" events of the year, the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine and Food Festival, kicks off (with enhanced COVID-19 protocols in place) this Thursday, May 20. This year marks the Miami Beach festival's 20th anniversary, and throughout the four-day event, top chefs and Food Network stars will be taking part in events that showcase this year's top trends, best bites and flavor pairings.

Robert Irvine is among the Food Network personalities who will be on hand (the fitness-conscious chef is even hosting a Saturday morning workout). But for the rest of us who can't attend the festivities in South Beach, Florida, we can see Irvine doing what he does best -- fixing failing restaurants -- on an episode of "Restaurant: Impossible," airing May 20 (the same night the festival begins) on Food Network.

In Thursday's episode, Irvine heads to Las Vegas to help two restaurant owners turn things around. Their investment in A Pizza Melody hasn't exactly paid off, but their biggest obstacle to success appears to be their own anger issues -- and that turns out to be the running theme throughout the episode. Some personal changes appear to be in order, and the same can be said about Filomena's Italian Kitchen and Market in Costa Mesa, California, where Irvine provides tools and techniques to help the owner channel her anger.

Earlier this year, Irvine had to defuse a difficult situation off screen, too. When Discovery launched its streaming platform in January, it announced that new episodes of "Restaurant: Impossible" would only be available on discovery and not on Food Network.

It was a bold move, considering most networks don't usually turn long-running shows into streaming exclusives, though Discovery has done this with several other series, including "Battlebots: Bounty Hunters" and "Crikey! It's the Irwins." Its attempt to push people into signing up for the paid service, however, didn't sit well with longtime viewers, who voiced their strong opinions on social media.

Irvine acknowledged the fan fury on Twitter, though he replied the decision was "way above my power." But in March, the network seemingly "listened" (per Irvine) and the decision was reversed: "Restaurant: Impossible" was restored to its spot in Food Network's Thursday prime-time lineup, and cable TV viewers were able to catch up on the episodes that had previously been discovery exclusives.

Fast-forward to today and you can tune in to "Restaurant: Impossible" every Thursday on Food Network or stream it on discovery . And if you happen to be a restaurant owner in need of Irvine's help, head over to the show's web page on FoodNetwork.com to answer the open casting call.