page_title: Robert Irvine
section_title: 2006–2010; Dinner: Impossible
hierarchical_section_title: Robert Irvine / Television career / 2006–2010; Dinner: Impossible
caption_attribution_description: English: 160728-N-GC965-408 NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily (July 28, 2016) Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine performs Chinese sit-ups during physical training with the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Africa at NAS 2 turf field, July 28. NAS Sigonella enables the forward operations and responsiveness of U.S. and allied forces in support of Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia's mission to provide services to the Fleet, Fighter, and Family. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ramon Go/Released) Unit: Navy Media Content Services DVIDS Tags: NMCS; DVIDS Bulk Import
context_page_description: Robert Paul Irvine is an English celebrity chef and talk show host who has appeared on and hosted a variety of Food Network programmes including Dinner: Impossible, Worst Cooks in America, Restaurant: Impossible, A Hero's Welcome, Operation Restaurant, All-Star Academy, Guy's Grocery Games, Chopped: Impossible and Restaurant Express. Irvine currently operates two restaurants, Robert Irvine's Public House at the Tropicana resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, and a Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine located within The Pentagon. Irvine launched The Robert Irvine Show, a daytime talk show which aired weekdays on The CW between 12 September 2016 and 25 May 2018.
context_section_description: Irvine started his television career on Food Network on a show called Fit for a King, which was later re-titled before broadcast to Dinner: Impossible, where he would be given countless challenges over the course of the life of the show.
  Irvine also appeared in a December 2007 episode of Iron Chef America with Tyler Florence in a dessert battle (theme ingredient: sugar) against Paula Deen and Cat Cora in which the men lost.
  In 2006, Irvine had announced his intention to open two restaurants in St. Petersburg, Florida. Irvine had impressed a Florida socialite with the claims he was a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, had a degree in food and nutrition from the University of Leeds, had worked on the wedding cake for Prince Charles and Princess Diana and had served at the White House as a chef, a claim Irvine also made in the opening segment of his Food Network show, Dinner: Impossible. An article in the 17 February 2008 issue of the St. Petersburg Times quoted sources who disputed some of Irvine's assertions. As a result, Food Network pulled Irvine's biography from its website. Network spokesperson Lisa De Colle said they were "taking the necessary steps to ensure the accuracy of all representations of Robert".
  In 2008, Irvine posted to his blog to "set the record straight" regarding his past service and point out erroneous reports made by the St. Petersburg Times. This included letters from those he worked with at the White House, including Rear Admiral Michael H. Miller, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Military Office and F.X. Fuller, Director of Presidential Food Service.
  On 29 February 2008, Food Network announced it would honour its contract with Irvine for a fourth season of thirteen episodes of Dinner: Impossible but was also looking for a replacement host for the series. On 21 April 2008, Food Network executives released a statement announcing they were expanding the Dinner: Impossible series to a one-hour format and replacing Irvine with recent Iron Chef America addition Michael Symon. The first Symon episode aired on 20 July 2008, but ran for 30 minutes and the season for only 10 episodes. Irvine returned to Dinner: Impossible in 2009. A Food Network spokesman stated "Our audience has continued to demonstrate its interest in and support for Robert. He has taken responsibility and made a conscious effort to clear the air, rebuild the relationship with Food Network and apologize for the earlier inaccuracies."
  In March 2008, Irvine's business partner and landlord issued a joint statement announcing the chef had abandoned his plan to open the restaurants. The reasons cited were "the timing is not exactly right" and Irvine "cannot commit to spending at least four days a week" at the restaurant as he had planned. In the spring of 2008, Food Network restored Irvine's biography to its website. It reflected his service in the UK's Royal Navy and service on the Royal Yacht Britannia. He also appeared in an episode of The Next Food Network Star on 8 June 2008.
  On 20 November 2008, Food Network announced that they had rehired Irvine to host six episodes of Dinner: Impossible with a scheduled air date in March 2009. The first episode of Irvine's new season aired on 8 April 2009, and was one hour in length. Irvine continued as host of Dinner: Impossible until it ceased production in 2010, following its eighth season.
caption: Irvine conducting calisthenics with US Marines at Sigonella, Italy, in July 2016.
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