The Restaurant
tv show
12 total episodes
-
2 seasons
First Aired July 20, 2003
Genres:
Overview
The Restaurant is a reality television series that aired on NBC in 2003, with a second season broadcasting in 2004. The series had encore presentations on CNBC and Bravo. Celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito opened the Gramercy Park, New York City, restaurant Union Pacific in August, 1997. The NBC series, it was announced, would follow DiSpirito as he launched and operated a new Manhattan restaurant. The first season revolved around the construction and opening of Rocco's on 22nd, scheduled to open in five weeks. Some 7.5 million viewers tuned in for the July 20, 2003 premiere focusing on the search for a location and construction work for the new restaurant. Among the 2000 people who showed up hoping to be hired were various actors, models and show business hopefuls. In addition to Rocco's mother, Nicolina DiSpirito, known for her famous meatballs, the show's on-camera personnel included David Miller, Alex Corrado, Domiziano Arcangeli, Heather Kristin, Natalie Norman, Topher Goodman, Lisa Wurzel, Brian Allen, Gideon Horowitz, Heather Snell, Amanda Congdon, Pete Giovine, Uzay Tumer, Emily Shaw, Lonn Coward, Carrie Keranen, Colleen Fitzgerald, Caroline Matler, Brian Petruzzell, Lola Belle, Susanna Hari, Tony Acinapura, John Charlesworth, Laurent Saillard, Perry Pollaci, Matt DiBarro and Tim Donoho.
Episode 201
Season 2 - Episode 1 - 1h 0m
Air Date
April 19, 2004
Overview
It has been six months since we last saw star chef Rocco DiSpirito and it appears that his restaurant is humming with business. But as Rocco's celebrity status rises, the restaurant begins to suffer. Financier Jeffrey Chodorow claims it has lost over $600,000 since opening, and shows no sign of turning a profit. Determined to right the sinking ship, Jeffrey convenes a meeting of his Corporate Task Force, and lays out his plan to fix the restaurant; including taking direct control of the restaurant from Rocco and sending the Corporate Task Force in to run the day to day operations of the restaurant. In the course of 24 hours, Rocco's entire world is turned upside down, leaving him reeling, but by no means out of the fight. Unwilling to give up his dream, Rocco places a call to his lawyers; setting the stage for a major showdown between two culinary heavyweights.