News

America’s Next Great Restaurant to focus on fast casual

February 1, 2011

NBC will debut a new show March 6 called “America’s Next Great Restaurant,” that will put Steve Ells, Bobby Flay, Curtis Stone and Lorena Garcia in the position of judging restaurant concepts from across the country.

The winning contestant will receive a new restaurant chain based on their original concept that will start with the openings of three locations across the country, in Hollywood, Calif., Minneapolis, and New York City. The restaurants will initially be funded by Ells, Flay, Stone and Garcia, who also will act as mentors to the contestants.

Comments made by Chipotle founder Steve Ells gives an indication that the show’s focus will be on creating the next fast casual phenom.

From a story on zap2it.com:

"There's a food revolution going on in this country," Ells, who founded Mexican chain Chipotle, tells press at the Television Critics Association press tour. "People are really concerned about what they're eating. This notion of a fast casual restaurant is different from fast food... Fast casual brings real food and real cooking and adds convenience."

The show will feature 21 contestants who will present their restaurant concepts to the investors. Eleven will be immediately eliminated - leaving the top 10 to battle it out throughout the course of the season. The investors will determine which competitor's concept has the greatest potential for success, and those who do not will be sent home.

 Click below for a show preview: