Granada America Turns Up Heat With New Cookery Series

Celebrated chef and restaurateur Marco Pierre White is to star in a new cookery series for NBC in America, Granada America has announced.
'The Chopping Block' will see the British Michelin star chef offer novice chefs and restaurateurs, working in couples, a chance to open their own Manhattan restaurant.
The show will see eight couples - split into two teams of four couples each - taken to two empty restaurant spaces, side-by-side in the middle of Manhattan, by Marco. There, they will be given less than a week to accomplish a multitude of tasks, including: a design and makeover of the space, planning a menu and generating buzz-worthy publicity to ensure a crowd. Both establishments will open at the same time and will be competing for the same customers each night - as well as against 26,000 restaurants in the city.
A panel of judges will observe the restaurants on opening night and Marco will deliver the reviews the next day.
Subsequent episodes will test the contestants on their restaurant and culinary skills, such as concocting a signature dish, preparing freshly killed games, handling a wedding reception and how savvy they are with four of the world's classic cuisines - French, Asian, Italian and Mediterranean. One couple per week will leave the show until the grand finale, when the one remaining couple will be able to realize their dream and open their own chic Manhattan restaurant.
Announcing the project, Craig Plestis, Executive Vice President of Alternative Programming, Development and Specials at NBC Entertainment, said: "America loves to eat and cooking shows are all the rage, but this show takes it to a whole new level with the dynamic Marco Pierre White. Everyone flirts with the idea of what it would be like to own their own restaurant. Our series will expose all of the unseen pitfalls, the behind-the-scenes madness and utter exhaustion that accompany the passion, art and business of a new restaurant."
Paul Buccieri, President and CEO of Granada America, said: "'Chopping Block' represents the type of break-through television that will appeal to viewers across all demographics and we look forward to a long-running and successful franchise."
Marco Pierre White said: "I am lucky enough to have realised my dream and I will never achieve anything greater than 3 stars Michelin. What excites me today is creating opportunities for others to fulfil their dreams and visions. The great thing about 'The Chopping Block' is that it gives the couples this amazing opportunity to change their lives forever and the interesting bit for me is seeing who appreciates this and takes full advantage of it."
(KMcA)