Jon Taffer has encountered it all — from a dead raccoon in a drawer to a kitchen infested with rats and cockroaches. However, the Bar Rescue host has developed strategies to tackle even the most extreme situations.
"We've witnessed some remarkable things," says Taffer, 69, with a laugh during an interview with PEOPLE. The entrepreneur and hospitality expert reflects on his popular show, which has now reached 250 episodes, hitting this milestone with the June 30th episode.
Bar Rescue's concept is that Taffer, leveraging his industry expertise and a team of food and beverage professionals, helps struggling bars revitalize their businesses. Yet, what he sometimes finds at the beginning of an episode — before any improvements are made — is beyond belief.
Some highlights really, highlights not lowlights, as Taffer feels that "the greatest episodes are the hardest ones to do" include the "class-5 cockroach infestation" at an Austin, Texas, bar back in 2013.
"It was disgusting," says Taffer. "We've had some powerful experiences, mostly sanitation-type experiences. I remember opening up a kitchen drawer and it was a dead raccoon in it. I remember standing in the kitchen in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with my chef and the rats were running into our sneakers as we were wearing them."
These experiences have led Taffer to a "little secret": "I've never said this to any press before, ever. I take powdered garlic and I pour it on my tongue inside some of these kitchens because they smell so bad."
Taffer also reveals another behind-the-scenes tidbit: The quick makeovers on his show don't allow time for matching furniture.
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