Recruitment, Education & BusinessNewsYOUR chance to open a restaurant - with BBC Two's Raymond Blanc YOUR chance to open a restaurant - with BBC Two's Raymond Blanc
By Jayne Warren - 06/02/2008
Ever dreamed of having your own restaurant? Well - now's your chance! If you are a married couple, in a relationship, members of a family, good friends or work colleagues and share a dream of running your own restaurant - then BBC Two's The Restaurant with world-renowned chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc want to hear from you.
The second series of The Restaurant are looking to offer nine couples the opportunity of a lifetime - to go into business with Raymond Blanc, and open their own restaurant. In the series each of the couples are handed the keys to their own restaurant, which they must turn into their dream place and open to the paying public. Then, over eight weeks, they are put through a series of tough challenges designed to test specific culinary, business and front-of-house skills.
Raymond Blanc said: "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.
"What I'm looking for are nine couples who have the potential to really put themselves into this and become the best. I am not looking for lots of prior experience in the industry. What I want is people who share my love for the world of restaurants and who will commit themselves wholeheartedly to the challenge of creating good food and excellent service.
"This time I'm going to be looking for even more determination, strength and heart. The business side will be as important as ever but I want to see even more passion in the kitchen and desire to give that excellent service."
The couples must prove to Raymond that they have what it takes to run a successful restaurant but, following each challenge, he and his panel of experts will decide which pair must close their restaurant doors for good and leave their dreams behind.
In the final episode, the two remaining couples battle it out for the coveted prize – a restaurant backed by Raymond Blanc.
In last year's series, Jeremy and Jane Hooper emerged as the victors after a nail biting final challenge in France. They finally opened their Oxfordshire restaurant "Eight at The Thatch" in November 2007 and are currently booked up four months in advance. This year it could be YOU ...
Applications are available at the website linked below, or write to: The Restaurant - Applications, Room DB146, Television Centre, Wood Lane, London W12 7RJ. Closing date is March 12th 2008.