October 30th, 2008 by Lisa McGarry. Tags: The Restaurant
Michele English (34) and Russell Clement (30) are the winners of BBC Two’s The Restaurant.
In last night’s final they triumphed to win the once-in-a-lifetime prize of joining Raymond Blanc in opening a new restaurant.
Michele and Russell have an exciting few months ahead of them as they source a restaurant with Raymond.
While doing this, and planning for its launch next year, they will have the opportunity to gain even more experience and knowledge to further their development in every skill needed to open a restaurant by spending some time training at Brasserie Blanc in Bristol.
Last week, nine couples lined up to take part in the ongoing challenge to open a restaurant good enough to impress Raymond Blanc. Just eight restaurants were prepared for launch night, and only seven actually opened. James and Alasdair’s dream was halted at the last moment by a gas leak. Mike and Harriet’s Blue Goose opened its doors to the public, but with such catastrophic results that Raymond has already warned them that they’re in real danger of being closed. Read more & comment »
September 10th, 2008 by Lisa McGarry. Tags: The Restaurant
As world-renowned chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc returns to BBC Two for a new series of The Restaurant, he shares his culinary vision with Catharine Davey.
Born in Besancon, France, in 1949, Raymond is acknowledged as one of the finest chefs in the world. His exquisite cooking has received tributes from every national and international guide to culinary excellence and his hotel and restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, in Great Milton, Oxford, is the only country-house hotel in the UK to have received two Michelin stars for a total of 22 years.
Raymond began his love affair with gastronomy at an early age, learning a respect for the natural world from his parents. Read more & comment »
September 9th, 2008 by Lisa McGarry. Tags: The Restaurant
World-renowned chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc returns to BBC Two for The Restaurant, the series in which nine couples battle it out for a once in a lifetime opportunity to open a new restaurant with him.
Passionate Blanc will be hands-on in his role as master restauranteur. To inspire the couples for each week’s challenges, he will share and demonstrate his creative talents with them in a search to find the pair with the flair, enthusiasm and abilities necessary to succeed in the tough but hugely rewarding world to which he has dedicated his life.
Each couple competes to prove they have the vision and talent to create their perfect restaurant and open it to the paying public. They must turn their business into a success or risk facing one of Raymond’s rigorous challenges. Read more & comment »
January 27th, 2008 by Lisa McGarry. Tags: The Restaurant
BBC Two’s The Restaurant is set to return for a second series later this year.
In the show, world-renowned chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc offers one couple the opportunity of a lifetime – to go into business with him, opening their own restaurant..
The production team are now looking for potential applicants.
Application forms will be available from Tuesday 29 January via bbc.co.uk/restaurant.
Raymond Blanc comments: “I started with nothing, but hard work and passion have got me my dream so it is a privilege for me to be able to give this chance to others. Read more & comment »
Royal Marine cook Jeremy Hooper (33) and his wife Jane (29), a trainee teacher from Devon, have won BBC Two’s The Restaurant.
The couple seen winning in tonight’s programme will join forces with Raymond Blanc to open a new restaurant in Thame close to Raymond’s renowned Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons.
Says Jane: “We have won the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s what we’ve always dreamed of doing but we never imagined our dreams would become reality so soon, or with such an amazing mentor.
“We couldn’t wish for a more well-respected, knowledgeable, and experienced mentor than Raymond. We know that we still have a lot to learn and that it’s going to be very hard work, but we know we’ve got a great teacher and we are ready for our next challenge!” Read more & comment »
Chef Raymond Blanc has been signed up to star in BBC2’s newest reality TV show ‘The Restaurant’.
The winners of the show will be given their own restaurant, which he will financially back with a six-figure sum.
Blanc said: “To set up a business, especially a restaurant business, and make a success of it is one of the hardest things in the world.”
“I look forward to sharing my experience and expertise with like-minded people who are eager to enter this crazy but irresistible world and achieve the dream for themselves.”
But Blanc’s involvement represents something of a U-turn.
He recently wrote of reality shows set in restaurant kitchens: “We have eight million morons watching these programmes. The brains of the British have gone soft.”
He added: “We need to bring respect to our industry. We are not helped in this respect by certain programmes that do us a great disservice.”
“The impression of what happens inside a restaurant is a disaster for us. It strips people of dignity and promotes abuse.”
“A kitchen shouldn’t sound like a market place or an insane comedy. There should be one voice: the chef’s. And he doesn’t need to yell.”
The Restaurant will feature nine couples whose dream is to run their own establishment.
The show will air early in 2007 and each week the worst restaurant will be eliminated from the competition.
BBC2 controller Roly Keating said: “BBC2 viewers are fascinated by food and business - this show audaciously brings them together for a television event.”
“As well as providing an insight into the food that is served on our plates, it will reveal the harsh realities of the restaurant business.”
“We’re delighted that Britain’s most legendary chef has joined forces with BBC2 to create this project.”
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