This interview will be on “St. Louis on the Air” over the noon hour Tuesday. This story will be updated after the show. You can listen live.
“Restaurant: Impossible” is a show on the Food Network where celebrity chef Robert Irvine helps failing restaurants across the country turn their businesses around in 48 hours. He’s brutally honest, but the reward is worth the critiques.
Drake’s Place is a testament to that process. The show helped turn the struggling Ferguson-based community hub around. And in the minds of its owners, Bridgett and Deundrake “Sonny” Lewis, Irvine soon moved from intimidating chef to friend.
Then, just as things started looking up, the coronavirus pandemic shattered the restaurant industry. And while the Lewises were getting used to their renovated space, they realized that even the new business models they put in place couldn’t provide them with immunity from the economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis.
On Tuesday’s St. Louis on the Air, host Sarah Fenske will talk with the co-owners about their experience on “Restaurant: Impossible” and what plans they have for their business moving forward.
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“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by Sarah Fenske and produced by Alex Heuer, Emily Woodbury, Evie Hemphill and Lara Hamdan. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
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