With niches as specific as cake decorating already acknowledged with multiple shows (Food Network’s Ace of Cakes and TLC’s Cake Boss), it seems as though there couldn’t possibly be a facet of the food genre that TV hasn’t tackled yet, but the upcoming America’s Next Great Restaurant will attempt to challenge that notion. Celebrity chef Bobby Flay and Chipotle founder and co-CEO Steve Ells are teaming up with NBC to try and introduce an aspect of the restaurant business the viewing public hasn’t seen yet: the complete execution of a restaurant idea, from conception to grand opening.
Contestants from all over the country, with their own idea of what would make the next great, “fast casual” restaurant chain in America, will vie for an ultimate prize of having their concept brought to life with three startup locations in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and New York City. Flay and Ells, along with chef and restaurateur Lorena Garcia and renowned Australian cooking personality Curtis Stone (The Biggest Loser, Take Home Chef), will serve as both judges and mentors to the top ten contenders throughout the season and, also, personally invest in the winning business model.