Chef Robert Irvine & Restaurant Impossible in Horsham, PA

So I know I promised my Instagram and Twitter followers that I would post my Grilled Pineapple Salsa recipe tonight, but that will have to wait because I have MUCH bigger new to share!!  As you know, I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia, more specifically the town of Horsham, PA.  It’s a great town and was actually voted one of the top 100 places to live in America by CNN Money in both 2007 and 2011.  While its low crime, great schools, and large number of restaurants in close proximity make it a wonderful place, nothing newsworthy ever happens here.

But that changed today!!  Chef Robert Irvine is in Horsham right now!!!!!  He is filming a new episode of his Food Network show, Restaurant Impossible.  On each show, Chef Robert visits a struggling restaurant and turns it around in 36 hours.  He spends just $10,000 on a complete makeover, helps to re-create the menu, and trains and educates the staff and owners.  For this episode, Chef Robert is helping out the restaurant Edibles, located at 561 Horsham Road, Horsham, PA.

Edibles is in a good location, right at the intersection of Norristown Road and Horsham Road.  It’s right next to the Horsham Super Wawa.  It’s in a strip mall that contains a frozen yogurt place, a bagel shop, a cleaners, and Kinnaree – a Thai/French restaurant which I’ve reviewed before here on Food Marriage.  My husband Pat and I have been to Edibles in the past a few years ago, but have not since returned because it was not great (hence, the reason they may need some help from the Restaurant Impossible team!)

Chef Robert Irvine: Photo Courtesy of FoodNetwork.com

Chef Robert and his team arrived in Pennsylvania today.  He called into the Preston & Steve radio show on 93.3 WMMR (if you listen to the podcast online, it’s about 2 hours and 20 minutes into the show).  What was most amazing to me from what I heard on the radio was that Chef Robert just had hip surgery 4 days ago!  And he is already up and getting right back to work!!  Knowing how my husband Pat’s hip replacement surgery went a year ago, I can tell you that is extremely impressive!!  We are both wishing him a very speedy recovery!!

I also have to admit that I did a quick drive by Edibles on my way home from work today (how could I not with it being right around the corner!)  At about 6:30pm tonight, it appeared that nothing too exciting had happened yet.  There were some white tents set up outside in the parking lot and it looked like a lot of contractors and restaurant staff were just arriving.

My view of Edibles today from the Frozen Yogurt shop!

Not wanting to be obvious that I was checking things out, I decided to get myself a frozen yogurt from Simply Twisted Frozen Yogurt.  ***UPDATE in 8/2021: This Frozen Yogurt Shop no longer exists**

Let me tell you – this is THE place to hang out if you want to get a front row view over the next couple days.  The girl working at the counter said that it appeared that Chef Robert hadn’t arrived yet.  (There was, however a mini-van taxi that pulled into the lot, lingered for a bit and then pulled away without dropping anyone off – perhaps Robert was inside, but decided to go to his hotel first instead!???)

I paid for my frozen yogurt and went outside to sit on a bench to continue observing.  Nothing great happened, except for the fact that I think some of the Edibles staff were arriving and walking by.  I’m pretty sure a couple of the staff got frozen yogurts and sat down on the bench next to mine because I heard parts of their conversation saying things like “Just do what they tell you to do” and “I hope they don’t show the dirty, gross kitchen.”  Hello!?  Of COURSE they are going to show your dirty kitchen on TV- that’s what makes the show!!  If you have a dirty gross kitchen, that is the reason you need Chef Robert Irvine to save the day!!!!!!!

I’m definitely looking forward to continued excitement here in Horsham over the next couple of days.  While I wasn’t able to get a reservation for the grand re-opening this Saturday, May 11 (I called and they were already booked up), I am looking forward to going to Edibles sometime in the next couple of weeks to see and enjoy the changes that were made!!  Best of luck to Chef Robert Irvine, the Restaurant Impossible Team, and the staff of Edibles!!  Who knows – maybe this will become the new hot spot in town!