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The Innkeepers is the 23rd episode of Season 2 of Frasier.

Synopsis[]

SALAD DAZE – It's a recipe for disaster when Frasier and Niles open a restaurant.

Plot[]

When Frasier and Roz listen in on Gil's show, Frasier learns that a local restaurant, Orsini's, is closing down due to owner selling the place; Gil points out that the restaurant's quality has suffered lately. Since Frasier and Niles both have happy memories from the restaurant from their childhood, Frasier takes him, Martin and Daphne out for dinner there before they close. However, they are disappointed to find out that, as Gil said, the restaurant has become a shadow of its old self; the interiors are run down, and the elderly waiter Otto, who was once famous for his excellent memory, is now senile and confused. Seeing potential in the restaurant, Frasier and Niles decide to buy the restaurant and restore it, despite Martin and Daphne's warnings of how much hard work owning a restaurant is. The restaurant reopens under the Crane brothers' management as "Les Freres Heureux" ("The Happy Brothers"); Otto has been rehired as a car valet.

Opening night starts out strong, with a good turnout and great food, thanks to the Cranes snatching a dissatisfied chef from another restaurant and making him head chef of their kitchen. Unfortunately, things go south when Frasier and Niles give the chef contradictory instructions for the dessert. When they find out what the other has been doing, they get into an argument that results in the head chef walking out. Meanwhile, Frasier and Niles accidentally injure many of the waiters and render them unable to keep working. When the head chef walks out, Frasier promotes one of the chefs to the position; unfortunately, Niles mentions that the head of an immigration bureau is having dinner at the place, resulting in the chef and the rest of the staff running away in fear. The Crane brothers try to salvage the night by making Niles the chef, getting Roz and Daphne to help in the kitchen and putting Martin behind the bar. At one point, Martin convinces Frasier to tell the guests the truth, but then Gil and a whole group of restaurant critics arrive and Frasier decides to keep up appearances.

Despite a lot of stress and tension between Niles, Daphne and Roz, the evening carries on. Eventually, a table wants their dessert, cherries jubilee, to be brought in after having been marinated in liquor all night. Frasier sends in Roz to flambée them; unfortunately, due to Frasier and Niles both pouring in more liquor without the other's knowledge all night, the cherries burn up in a blast of fire, setting off the fire sprinklers. The guests leave, Gil and the other critics are angered and to cap off the evening, Otto drives a car through a wall. After everyone has gone, Frasier and Niles bemoan their failure at one of the tables.

Starring[]

Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane
Jane Leeves as Daphne Moon
David Hyde Pierce as Niles Crane
Peri Gilpin as Roz Doyle
and John Mahoney as Martin Crane
Special Appearance By
Dan Butler as Bulldog Brisco
Guest starring
Edward Hibbert as Gil Chesterton
Mike Nussbaum as Owner
Nathan Davis as Otto
Diedrich Bader as Brad
Co-Starring
Jay Bell as Maurice
Alan Shearman as Sous Chef
Robert Lee Jacobs as Waiter
Tom Hewitt as Bartender
Deborah Lacey as Customer

Trivia[]

CONTINUITY

  • This episode marks the first time we see Frasier's radio show follow Gil Chesterton's "Restaurant Beat."
  • The events of this episode are later referenced by Martin.

Photos[]

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