The Restaurant (UK TV Series)

Infobox Television
show_name = The Restaurant


caption = The title screen of The Restaurant
genre = Reality television series
starring = Raymond Blanc
narrated = Alex Jennings (2007)
Barbara Flynn (2008)
theme_music_composer = Dru Masters
country = UK
language = English
num_series = 2
num_episodes = 30
runtime = 60 minute episodes
network = BBC Two
picture_format = PAL
first_aired = 2007
last_aired = Present
website = http://www.bbc.co.uk/restaurant
imdb_id = 1108569

"The Restaurant" is a British reality television series in which a group of couples compete for the chance to set up a restaurant financially backed and personally supported by French chef Raymond Blanc. The winning couple are given their own restaurant to run, in Oxfordshire, near to Blanc's own Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons.

The first series aired on BBC Two in 2007 and a second series began airing in September 2008. The first series also had its own spin-off, ' (a play on ') which airs on BBC Three after the main programme. This did not return for the second series.

In the US, the show has been retitled "Last Restaurant Standing" by BBC America. The first series aired in spring 2008.

Format

Nine couples with little or no restaurant experience compete in a series of challenges whilst running their own restaurants. Challenges are set by Raymond Blanc, a successful French chef who owns a number of restaurants in the UK, most notably Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons. The couples live together in a shared house during the eight-week series. cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/restaurant/about/ |title=The Restaurant - About The Show |accessdate=2008-02-09 |publisher=BBC ]

Each week, Blanc sets a task, such as to make as much profit from selling cocktails or desserts. Each couple's restaurant is visited by Blanc's "inspectors" – restaurant industry experts David Moore and Sarah Willingham - who report back to Blanc on the service, food and organisation of each. There is then a "boardroom" showdown whereby each couple is given individual feedback. All couples are then called in together and the "Restaurant of the Week" award is presented to the couple deemed to have performed the best during the task. Blanc then names the three (or two in later episodes) poorest performing couples that will perform a further challenge.

In the specific challenge, the three couples choose or get assigned helpers from amongst the other contestants. They then compete again in tasks such as selling the most meals in a cafeteria. The couple deemed to be the worst performing are eliminated by Blanc, with the line "I'm closing your restaurant".

"The Restaurant" is shown twice a week; the first being the task in which all couples take part, and the second being the challenge and subsequent elimination of one couple.

The theme music is written by Dru Masters, [ cite web|url=http://www.drumasters.com/ |title=Dru Masters |accessdate=2008-02-09 ] and other music used includes Waltz No. 2 from Shostakovich's Jazz Suite and "Showtime" from the soundtrack to "Magnolia" composed by Jon Brion. Some music from the Amelie soundtrack is used the series. "Let's Groove Again" by Gonzales was used as the music for the programme's promotional trailer.

History

The BBC announced the production of "The Restaurant" in October 2006, with chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc named as the star of the series. [ cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/10_october/24/restaurant.shtml |title=Top chef Raymond Blanc to appear in BBC TWO's The Restaurant |accessdate=2008-02-09 |date=2006-10-24 |publisher=BBC ] Blanc invested a six-figure sum of money into the programme, and was described as being "very excited" about the series. [ cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/08_august/13/restaurant_blanc.shtml |title=The Restaurant: Raymond Blanc |accessdate=2008-02-09 |date=200-13-08 |publisher=BBC ]

The first series began airing on August 29,2007 and drew to a close on October 17,2007. The series saw married couple Jeremy and Jane Hooper win the chance to set up their own restaurant, Eight at the Thatch, in the Oxfordshire town Thame, which opened in November 2007. [ cite web|url=http://www.thethatchthame.co.uk/ |title=The Thatch, Thame |accessdate=2008-02-09 ]

After a period of maternity/paternity leave, Jeremy and Jane stepped down and left Eight at the Thatch, on 5 May, 2008 their brief tenure marked by reported rampant arguments and failure. [cite web|url=http://www.kitchenrat.com/2008/04/still-making-hay-at-the-thatch-1.html |title=Still making hay at the Thatch? |accessdate=2008-09-22 ] [cite web|url=http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2008/05/08/320697/head-chef-speaks-out-as-restaurant-winners-pack-it-in.html |title=Head chef speaks out as Restaurant winners pack it in |accessdate=2008-09-22 ]

On January 28,2008 the BBC confirmed the return of the programme for a second series, which began airing on 10 September 2008. [ cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/01_january/28/restaurant.shtml |title=The Restaurant returns… |accessdate=2008-02-09 |date=2008-01-28 |publisher=BBC ] It is reported in The Aylesbury Commuter newspaper (8/5/08) that two local restaurants, The Green Dragon in Haddenham and Le Bistro in Wendover are to feature in the next series with filming commencing 21st May 2008. The Ben Johnson at Weston On The Green, near Oxford, also features in the next series [ cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/restaurant/ |title=Do you dream of running your own restaurant? |accessdate=2008-02-09 |publisher=BBC ]

References

External links

*bbc.co.uk|id=restaurant|title="The Restaurant"