Dinner: Impossible

Chef Robert Irvine is ready for any challenge. Robert must overcome culinary obstacles and deliver a delicious meal before his time runs out. For a time, Iron Chef Michael Symon took part in the challenges instead of Irvine.


 * Berserk Button: "Oui, chef!"
 * Chef of Iron: Robert is a Royal Navy veteran. On top of it all, he's buffed and cut enough to look like he could kick your ass with ease.
 * Did Not Do the Bloody Research: See: Getting Crap Past the Radar below.
 * Food Porn: They always show beautifully plated glamour shots of the finished dishes at the end of each mission.
 * Getting Crap Past the Radar: Robert is bleeped when he uses the curse words that are forbidden on US television, but not when using words like "bollocks", "tosser", "bugger", etc.. One assumes that Food Network doesn't know what they mean, or they just don't care.
 * Gondor Calls for Aid: Robert often recruits local help from whatever facility he's currently using for his mission.
 * Heroic Build: Robert brings the gun show every week! See also: Estrogen Brigade Bait.
 * Impossible Mission
 * Intercontinuity Crossover: With Lost. Robert's mission was to cook for the cast using only what he could find on the island. Though it was clear to everyone that Lost is only a television show, Nestor Carbonell did appear in character as Richard Alpert and Robert was given several Dharma food drops to work with, so it qualifies somewhat for this trope.
 * Mean Brit: Robert at times, though justified considering the nature of the show.
 * Mission Briefing: At the beginning of each episode, Robert meets the people for whom he'll be cooking and is given his mission.
 * Oh Crap: Happens frequently whenever Robert realizes that some new disaster has occurred (i.e. food he needs has been ruined/won't be ready on time/isn't even available).
 * Product Placement: Dinners have been done for Barbie and Pixar (Linguini was Robert's assistant!). In addition, brand name items are often clearly shown.
 * Sadist Show: The show could be fairly accurately summarized as "Food Network tries to kill Robert Irvine."
 * Spiritual Successor: The current Restaurant Impossible is not a sequel per se but it has a similar open and the same producers (Mark Summers' company).
 * Supreme Chef: Considering some of the challenges and/or helpers he's given, it's a wonder he's able to complete them as well as he does.
 * Temporary Substitute: Michael Symon.
 * Time Keeps On Ticking: Robert must beat the set deadline or he will fail the mission. And unfortunately, his clock begins while the mission is being explained to him!
 * What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?: The opening sequence, which is quite deliberately cheesy.