#Raymond blanc series

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, which commenced filming. On 28 January 2008 the BBC confirmed the return of the programme for a second series, which began airing on 10 September 2008. 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.

#Raymond blanc series

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. The first series began airing on 29 August 2007 and drew to a close on 17 October 2007. Blanc invested a six-figure sum of money into the programme, and was described as being 'very excited' about the series. The BBC announced the production of The Restaurant in October 2006, with chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc named as the star of the series. 'Let's Groove Again' by Gonzales was used as the music for the programme's promotional trailer. Some music from the Amelie soundtrack was used the series. 2' from Shostakovich's Jazz Suite, '' Showtime' from the Magnolia soundtrack composed by Jon Brion, and 'Middlesex Times' from the Donnie Darko soundtrack composed by Michael Andrews. The theme music was written by Dru Masters. In the third series, this was reduced to one episode a week. The couple deemed to be the worst-performing were eliminated by Blanc, with the line 'I'm closing your restaurant'.įor its first two series, The Restaurant was shown twice a week the first being the task in which all couples took part, and the second being the challenge and subsequent elimination of one couple. They then competed again in tasks such as selling the most meals in a cafeteria. In the specific challenge, the three couples chose or were assigned helpers from amongst the other contestants. Blanc then named the three (or two in later episodes) poorest performing couples that would perform a further challenge. All couples were then called in together and the 'Restaurant of the Week' award was presented to the couple deemed to have performed the best during the task. There was then a 'boardroom' showdown in which each couple was given individual feedback. Each couple's restaurant was visited by Blanc's 'inspectors' – restaurant industry experts David Moore and Sarah Willingham – who reported back to Blanc on the service, food and organisation of each. Įach week, Blanc set a task, such as to make as much profit from selling cocktails or desserts. The couples lived together in a shared house during the eight-week series. Challenges were set by Raymond Blanc, a successful French chef who owns a number of restaurants in the UK, most notably Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons. Nine couples with little or no restaurant experience competed in a series of challenges whilst running their own restaurants.

In July 2010, the BBC announced that the show has officially ended. The first series aired in spring 2008, the second in spring 2009, and the third in winter 2010.

In the US, the show was retitled Last Restaurant Standing by BBC America. The third and final series was broadcast on 29 October 2009. The first series also had a spin-off, The Restaurant: You're Fried! (a play on The Apprentice: You're Fired!) which aired on BBC Three after the main programme it did not return for either of the subsequent series. The first series aired on BBC Two on 29 August 2007 and a second series aired on 10 September 2008. For the second series, it was in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. For the winners of the first series, the prize restaurant was in Oxfordshire, near Blanc's own Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons. The winning couple was given their own restaurant to run. The Restaurant is a British reality television series which is based on the Australian television show My Restaurant Rules, where a group of couples competes for the chance to set up a restaurant financially backed and personally supported by French chef Raymond Blanc.