Restaurant Revisited: Going Down with the Ship at Gigi’s Music Cafe

When Robert Irvine arrived at Gigi’s Music Cafe in Sunrise, Fla., he found a restaurant suffering from not just one culinary or staff issue, but a host of problems that had come to plague this three-year-old eatery. Owner Gigi Brown was struggling to recognize the dire situation her business was in, while her daughter Semone Brown-Mobley, who manages the restaurant, was forced to contend with the consequences of her mother’s decisions. They looked to Robert to streamline their financials and improve the scope of service, but perhaps most important was their need for an overhauled menu, as Gigi’s had relied heavily on the microwave. In true Irvine fashion, Robert and his Restaurant: Impossible team accepted this mission with gusto, working with Gigi and Semone both on land and at sea to give them the second chance they deserved. Read on below to hear from Semone to find out how Gigi’s is faring today.

“Sales have went up 40 percent in this last month,” Semone says, adding that in terms of her and her mother’s responsibilities at Gigi’s, “Me and my mother still have the same roles. She is helping more with the books and payroll. I still maintain the staff.”

While Gigi has since added back a few of her photos, Semone notes that “we all love the new design” and that “the bar and drum chandelier are everyone’s favorites.”

As for the food at the cafe, the menu is now a mix of Robert’s items and the restaurant’s original offerings, according to Semone. She reports that the “new menu is great” and that “ticket times are perfect.”

According to Semone, the “staff is doing better.” Now, she says, “We have rules and standards, and I’m sticking to them.” In terms of the POS system, Semone says that it “is working great” and that “Gigi uses it to check the sales and payroll hours.”

To others considering opening a restaurant with little experience, Semone says, “Be a leader. Stand your ground. Don’t let anyone take advantage of the fact that you’re new at it.”

More from Restaurant Revisited:

Lyon’s Pharmacy of Elkton (April 22)
Zest Bistro (April 8)
Cocoamoda (April 1)
Valentino’s and Italian Bistro (March 25)
WhaBah Steakhouse (March 18)
Restaurant Revisited: Bene Pizza and Pasta (February 18)
Dog & Pony Ale House (February 11)
Zoog’s Caveman Cookin (February 4)
Dog & Pony Ale House (February 4)
Mystic Treats (January 28)
Shade Tree Customs and Cafe (January 14)
Knife and Fork Gastropub (December 15)
Double H Ranch (December 8)
Mama E’s Wings & Waffles (November 24)
Papa C’s Eastside Cafe (November 3)
Mama Lucrezia’s (September 24)
Green Beret Club (September 17)
Spicy Bar and Grill (September 10)
El Bistro (September 3)
Uncle Andy’s Diner (August 27)
Country Cow Restaurant and Bar (August 20)
Pomona Golf and Country Club (August 13)
Paul’s Bar & Bowling (August 6)
Marie’s at Ummat Cafe (July 30)
The Fork Diner (July 23)
Portu-Greek Cafe (June 11)
Grace’s Place Bagels and Deli (June 4)
Bama Q (May 28)
Cave Inn BBQ (May 21)

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