Cancer patient's restaurant gets boost

ARCOLA (AP) — Carmen Becerra knows a restaurant's success depends on how you make people feel — that's what brings guests back.

Becerra, of Arcola, has owned Carmen's Bar & Grill, at 126 Oak St., for about 18 months, and though she has a community of eaters that love her, the restaurant needs help. While the mother of three has battled to keep the restaurant in the black, she has also been in and out of treatment for breast cancer since 2007.

With her dream business at an intimidating plateau, a few colleagues have asked for outside help from chef Robert Irvine of "Restaurant: Impossible" from the Food Network. On the television series Irvine visits restaurants across the country in an attempt to keep good restaurants in business by revamping the dining areas, improving menus, re-training staffs and getting the word out about the overhaul spaces.

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