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Chef Robert Irvine onstage during a culinary demonstration.
Tonight on Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible, chef Robert Irvine and the crew travel to The Ginger Monkey in Chandler, Arizona to help keep the restaurant from going under.
The Ginger Monkey is a restaurant and gastropub in Chandler, Arizona co-owned by chef Jackson Armstrong. According to the episode synopsis, the owner has a ton of experience and should be able to run the Ginger Monkey successfully, but there are three years of losses on the books.
The makeover and renovation for the Ginger Monkey happened in early March 2020, and the gastropub has said that the Restaurant Impossible renovation was just phase one of the overall makeover they planned.
The Co-Owner Says He Has Failed Other Businesses
In the episode preview, Armstrong says that he has failed other businesses, but he has faith in his longtime girlfriend Monica since she doesn’t usually give up. He said that he thinks she feels like she has failed.
“I feel responsible for that, which is tough…” he said. “Allowing her to feel that way.”
They had been in the restaurant business together since the very beginning, and she said that he “carries the weight of the world on his shoulders” and that it’s hard to watch when she can’t fix it.
The Food Network tweet said that Armstrong wants to marry Monica and start a family with her, but they cannot do that until the business is in a better place.
The Ginger Monkey Is Currently Listed for Sale
Shortly after their renovation thanks to Restaurant: Impossible, The Ginger Monkey was forced to close due to the global coronavirus pandemic. They were able to adjust and offer takeout orders, though. Then, a few weeks later, they opened back up with a new menu.
Now, the restaurant is listed for sale on Loopnet. It was posted in early June with the description “Income-producing pad restaurant investment property. Well-designed 6,618 square foot restaurant with bar and large outdoor patio with roll-up doors, trellis, fire table and fire place.”
It is posted for 2.6 million including the land around it. It’s possible that they had been planning to sell for some time and the opportunity to be on Restaurant: Impossible was a last-ditch effort to fix the failing business.
The Ginger Monkey Reviews Are Mostly Positive
Most of the reviews online for Ginger Monkey are positive. On Facebook, the restaurant has a 4.5 out of 5 rating based on the opinion of 310 people. Recent reviews mention the great drinks, food and service.
The most recent review was placed on June 7 and is negative. The reviewer wrote, “We were looking forward to the food since they hired a new chef. All the food was extremely disappointing. The focaccia bread was old and crumbly, the wings were fatty and the shrimp and grits had no flavor. We won’t be going back anytime soon.”
The owner responded to the comment, saying that many people love the shrimp and grits and the focaccia bread is baked daily.
On Yelp, the Gastropub has a 4-star rating out of 5 with 434 reviews. The majority of the reviews placed since the renovation are four of five stars. One user talked about the vibe being great, and another said the burger was amazing.
One user wrote, “My wife and I drove from Mesa to here with our infant the second I heard chef Albert Torrisi had taken over!! He is a chef with a very extensive history throughout the valley for over 15 years and always leaves me impressed… An absolute 5-star dinner.”
On Google Reviews, Ginger Monkey has a 4.1-star out of 5-star rating. The newest review was posted on June 10, 2020 and reads “Ginger Monkey after the Restaurant: Impossible reopening is delicious! We had the twisted ribs appetizer and I ordered the half chicken. Excellent flavors and textures! We will get the ribs every time. We had a great meal and I would definitely go back to explore more of the menu.”
Restaurant: Impossible airs Thursday nights at 9 p.m. on the Food Network.
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