Entertainment

OMG, This Restaurant Update From Shannon Beador Will Make 'RHOC' Fans So Happy

by Kristie Rohwedder
Charles Sykes/Bravo

Looks like The That's Not My Plate Of Nine Lemons Brasserie is still a go, and thank goodness. (No, that's not what it's actually called.) On Monday’s edition of the Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen After Show, Shannon Beador let viewers know what’s up with her restaurant. When a caller asked the Real Housewives of Orange County luminary for an update on her future eatery, she replied,

“Well, at this point, my husband is not financing the restaurant anymore, so we’re ready to go. The menu is set. I’m looking for investors right now, but I’m close.”

She didn't say when it would be up and running, but you know what? The news that it's still underway is awesome enough. Couldn't be happier for Shannon.

Last month, Shannon and her husband, David, announced that they’d separated after 17 years of marriage. Given this development, it isn't exactly surprising that he's no longer financing the project. Their marriage has come to an end, David's involvement in the eatery's inception has come to an end, but as Shannon said on WWHL, her restaurant plans are still alive and well.

A few episodes into Season 12, Shannon shared her dreams of becoming a restauranteur with the viewers at home. While sitting at the dinner table with her family one evening, the OC Housewife talked about teaming up with Chris Bright of the pizza franchise Zpizza on her concept for a restaurant that would offer “affordable healthy eating.”

In a flashback from earlier that day, Shannon told Bright, “It’s really a dream of mine to open up a restaurant that’s affordable, that serves healthy food, organic when possible, that’s also calorie-driven.” And in a talking head, she says that she says this has been a goal of hers “for years and years and years, prior to meeting David.” And now, with David’s help, she was doing what she could to make it a reality.

Though her kids didn't seem to be the biggest fans of their mom's health-conscious cooking, they still seemed happy that she was pursuing something she's wanted to do for so long. David’s take, on the other hand, erred on the side of blunt pragmatism. Maybe he'd just had a long day, maybe it was the editing, but whew, his reaction wasn't exactly the most encouraging. After hearing his wife say she’s excited about the project, he replied, “The restaurant business can be a brutal business.” That statement is not wrong, but there’s probably a more supportive way to phrase it. He doesn’t have to coddle her or whatever, but jeez.

Later on, he reminded her that the establishment has to turn a profit to sustain itself, which, again, is not a false statement. As just about every episode of Bar Rescue proves, it’s dang near impossible for an establishment to stay afloat if it hemorrhages money. That being said, David's reply coupled with that smirk he gave her doesn’t exactly scream, “I believe in this endeavor.” Oh, and don't forget about him pointedly snacking on chips while Shannon prepped supper just a few minutes before the restaurant conversation began. The tension between Shannon and David during this scene was so thick, you could cut it with a corn chip.

Yeah, David was financing the restaurant at that time, and financial support is obviously a huge deal. But funding your spouse’s venture only to turn around and side-eye it on national TV is not exactly a barrel of laughs. It’s more like a barrel of eight rotten lemons. No, thank you.

Speaking of lemons, when Shannon’s restaurant opens one day, the logo will feature nine pieces of the citrus fruit, per the feng shui tradition that she practices in her own home. And yes, when Shannon's restaurant opens. Not if. Shannon’s got this, no ifs about it.