[BBC2] The Restaurant.

quote:

The Challenge.

Nine couples. One dream. To open a restaurant, financially backed and personally supported by Raymond Blanc.



The Restaurant returns in the autumn when once more Raymond Blanc puts nine couples through their paces to see if they had what it takes to run their own restaurant.

More than 1,000 new restaurants open every year in Britain - unfortunately, approximately 50% close within two years.

The Restaurant features couples, some of whom have little or no experience other than cooking at home and throwing dinner parties, but whose dream iss to run their own eatery. They have to create their perfect restaurant and then open the doors to the paying public.

It's a dream that many couples have entertained. Secretly perhaps we all think we could run a restaurant. It's so simple. Lots of us can cook. We have all been to restaurants. We all think we know what people like to eat. If only we had the money and the opportunity. For one couple this programme will realise that dream.

During the eight-week series every decision, every mistake the couples make, every argument they have, will be caught on camera. They will be working and living together 24 hours a day, under enormous pressure. Each of the nine couples hope to take over an empty restaurant, make it their own and open their doors to the paying public.

Every week each restaurant will be visited by Raymond's panel of "inspectors" – restaurant industry experts Sarah Willingham and David Moore. Raymond will then select the three restaurants he judges to be the worst performing and they were given a tough specific challenge. They have to prove in that challenge that they are good enough to stay open. Or else, they close - and their dream lies in ashes. By the end of the series just one couple and one restaurant will be left.

The second series of the show begins this autumn. The Restaurant first aired in October 2007 with Jeremy and Jane from Devon winning. They have since had the opportunity to set up a brand new restaurant, financially backed and personally supported by Raymond Blanc.