Robert Irvine's 2 Most Emotional Episodes Of Restaurant: Impossible

Anyone who has ever seen "Restaurant: Impossible" knows it promises emotional moments. Restaurateurs invest everything they have, financially and emotionally, into their businesses. And by the time they are chosen by series host Robert Irvine, they are usually desperate for help, as they watch their business and their life savings slip away.

Irvine, a chef and successful restaurateur in his own right, has helped, according to Food Network, more than 200 struggling restaurant operators turn their restaurants around. Fans know that Irvine does more than just help restaurant owners rewrite their menus, redecorate their dining rooms, and clean out their kitchens. He teaches them how to manage their business and provides them with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed.

Sometimes it's the heartbreaking backstory behind the business' problems, or its final "reveal" that tugs at the heart strings. Other times, it's when Robert helps the owners get to the root of the issues. Remember the story of Julissa Legasppy, the widow who was determined to keep her husband's dream of a successful restaurant alive? Or the episode about Tom and Sabrina Anderson, high school sweethearts whose marriage was buckling under the strain of their business problems? Every "Restaurant: Impossible" fan has their favorite episode, but which of his missions did Irvine find most emotional? In a recent Twitter video posted by the Food Network, he answered just that.

There were actually two episodes that touched Irvine deeply, including Season 9's "An Abundance of Emotions" (available on Hulu and Discovery+), which brought Irvine to the Abudanza restaurant in Massachusetts. As viewers may recall, owners Luis and June Maravilha let their restaurant business slide as they dealt with their 11-year old son L.J.'s terminal illness, leading to both debt and the potential loss of their family's home. Irvine not only turned Abudanza around, but, in the words of the Maravilhas, he saved their marriage. He also personally contributed $10,000 to help the Maravilhas save their home (via Delish) and said the mission "was the turn of me becoming softer."

"Turning Anger into Action" (Season 19, Episode 1) was another emotional episode for Irvine. In it, he worked with Robert Lane, a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and his restaurant, The Anchor. The Anchor was $244,000 in debt and Lane was having trouble managing his anger, which put his relationship with his daughter and lead server at risk (via Food Network Gossip). In addition to giving The Anchor a much-needed makeover, Irvine helped Lane repair his relationship with his daughter.