CofC Siblings Featured on Food Network’s Restaurant Impossible

The College of Charleston helped prepare siblings Franco ’14 and Liana Valentino for a variety of life and career challenges, including helping operate their family’s two Italian restaurants in Summerville, S.C.

CofC junior Liana Valentino and brother Franco Valentino ’14

But volunteering to have their family’s struggles in the restaurant business shared on national television presented a whole new experience and level of stress.

Franco, who graduated with a degree in physical education, says he really didn’t expect to get on the Food Network reality show in the first place.

“When I filled out the questionnaire for Restaurant Impossible and received no feedback, I figured it was a lost cause and just forgot about it,” he says. “That phone call I received from their producer was the best feeling I have felt in an extremely long time.”

Restaurant Impossible features host Robert Irvine “attempting to save America’s most desperate restaurants from impending failure in just two days with only $10,000,” according to the network.

Read about College alumna Emma Rudolph ’13, who interned with the Food Network.

Restaurant Impossible host Robert Irvine.
Photo courtesy of Food Network

A chef and veteran of the British Royal Navy, the muscle-bound Irvine is known for his straight talk and tough-love approach. He regularly pushes seasoned and hardened restaurateurs to tears.

“The experience was definitely stressful, but so beneficial from a business operator standpoint,” Franco says. “Robert Irvine is one tough guy, and it does not matter whether he is on-camera or off-camera, he is tough as nails. No matter how tough he was on me, I knew he was doing it because he believed in me and believed I could make my business a never-ending success story.”

Liana, a junior double major in actuarial science and data science with a minor in finance, says her family chartered new territory with the show after they convinced Irvine to makeover not just one but both of their restaurants – Italian Bistro and Valentino’s Trattoria.

The episode was dubbed “Double Trouble” and also featured Liana and Franco’s parents, Frank and Elsa Valentino. Filming took place in January 2015 and the episode aired in March 2015.

“This was the first time they had ever done two restaurants in one episode,” Liana says. “The experience was very hectic because they only have 48 hours to get everything done.”

Restaurant Impossible host Robert Irvine talks with Franco Valentino (left) and his father Frank Valentino during filming for the show. Photo courtesy of Food Network

While Franco’s degree in physical education doesn’t apply directly to running a restaurant, he says he regularly relies on skills he gained at the College. “I learned how to plan, how to organize, and also how to deal with all different types of people. I would never say my degree has no use for me because it has been the greatest accomplishment of my life.”

Liana, who plans to graduate in May 2016, says her coursework at the College has helped her in a variety of roles in the family business, including accounting and website management.

As for the makeover of the restaurants and the lessons they learned on the show, the Valentinos are thrilled with the outcome.

“Since the filming, business has been great,” Franco says. “Sales are up, customers love the new decor, and customers love coming in and asking me all different kinds of questions about the show.”