Another week, another new television representation of hospitality. Channel 5 has followed up its successful Hotel Inspector series with the Restaurant Inspector.
This time it's the turn of Fernando Peire, director of London's world famous c'leb haunt the Ivy, to shake up the fortunes of ailing businesses across the UK.
The opening episode of the series sees Fernando visit Alexandra's, a 23-year old Italian family-run restaurant on the seafront in Ramsgate.
Former-model Maria takes care of front-of-house in an inconvenienced manner while husband Luciano and son John man the kitchen.
The format of the show is pretty formulaic. Fernando rocks up; uncovers a myriad of problems; owners initially recoil in horror at the prospect of change; reluctantly they're convinced; and hey presto - a transformation!
First to go was the dinosaur of a salad bar. Boy, did Maria fight to keep the salad bar. Apparently her loyal clientele of three diners told her it's the best in Ramsgate. So no Pizza Hut or Harvester in the vicinity? Because surely they'd be an improvement.
It all comes out though. She wants the salad bar to stay because it means the customers will bother her less.
The dining room is given a much need lick of paint and the decor is dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, while Luciano and John once again get to grips with cooking beautiful Italian food from fresh ingredients.
A re-launch night takes place to reintroduce Alexandro's to the local media and hoteliers that will help promote the restaurant and it's a roaring success - though isn't it always? There must be a cutting room floor littered with episodes that failed to revive a damaged business.
Stand out moment of tonight's episode: Fernando's face when Maria's number one salad bar-fan turned up and expressed horror at its absence. She even used the phrase "but it's the best salad bar in Ramsgate". Go figure.
A lovely epitaph: Alexandro's has since been nominated for a regional restaurant award and despite Maria's best efforts, the salad bar remains banned from service.
Next week Fernando visits Bambers in Shropshire where apparently the restaurant owner needs to work on his menu and the eatery's decor.
So probably not a groundbreaking episode, but probably entertaining nonetheless.
* The Restaurant Inspector airs Mondays at 9pm on Channel 5
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