(Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. ET)
The series premiere of CNBC's "Restaurant Startup" will air on July 8th at 10PM ET/PT. The season consists of 8 one-hour episodes.
All programming subject to change.
"Restaurant Startup" is on a quest to discover, invest in and launch America's next great culinary concepts. Restaurateur and TV personality Joe Bastianich and chef and restaurant operator, Tim Love, vie against each other to invest their own money in food concepts they believe will make them millions. Each week, two teams pitch our investors, Bastianich and Love, for a shot at launching a temporary version of their great concept for a restaurant or a specialty food shop. The chosen team is given the keys to a working restaurant on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. They get 36 hours and $7,500 to put their dream to the test and launch a pop-up restaurant; come up with a branding campaign; and write a business plan. Under the watchful eye of Joe and Tim's culinary consultant, Waylynn Lucas, the aspiring food moguls open their doors, serve their food and test their concept on the public. At the end of the process, our two investors will decide whether or not they will put their own money on the line to make someone's dream come true and, hopefully, make big money for themselves.
07/08/14: RESTAURANT STARTUP #101 – Exotic Eats, U.S. Currency
In the premiere episode, two giants of the food world, restaurateurs and investors Joe Bastianich and Tim Love, want to get into the ethnic comfort food market, which is rising in popularity. After considering dozens of ideas, they take two impassioned pitches and decide whether or not to invest in one of these concepts: Kraken Congee, three line cooks from Seattle, who take the humble rice porridge called congee, popular all over Asia, and adapt it to American tastes; and Ramy's Falafel Fusion, started by a businessman from Portland, Oregon who, along with a chef and a promoter, wants to turn his twist on the falafel into a nationwide craze, dumping the chickpea in favor of the healthier fava bean. Will either team realize their culinary dream?
07/15/14: RESTAURANT STARTUP #102 – A Truck Load of Money
Restaurateurs and investors Joe Bastianich and Tim Love are fascinated by the ever-growing success of food trucks. First up, they hear from Baby's Badass Burgers, owned by two women, with a ton of experience in the Los Angeles food world, who want to evolve their sexy burger food truck into something bigger, something that can be franchised. Then, they hear the single ingredient concept of Bacon Bacon, where Jim, the owner, has created a massive following in San Francisco, with his bacon themed menu. But can one of these successful concepts translate into a brick and mortar restaurant?
07/22/14: RESTAURANT STARTUP #103 – Cold Cash for Warm Bread
Restaurateurs and investors Joe Bastianich and Tim Love are on the hunt for the next big thing in baked goods. They struggle to decide between two pitches: Kones by K, a mother and daughter duo from Brooklyn, New York who want to reinvent the waffle cone with portable meals, both sweet and savory, and open a quick-serve restaurant in Manhattan; and Knead, an upscale bread company run by a loveable pair of friends, from New Jersey. They want to turn their bakery concept into the next Starbucks. The question is, whose novel concept will get a chance to move on and will it be enough to score some of Joe or Tim's dough?
07/29/14: RESTAURANT STARTUP #104 – Small Plate, Big Money
Small-plate concepts are taking Los Angeles by storm. Joe Bastianich, and Tim Love, who are always looking for their next investment opportunity, are excited to hear from two L.A. based businesses hoping to make their mark in this world. First up, Bling Bling Dumplings, run by a pair of best friends, is a catering and farmer's market staple in the city, but the pair is obviously green when it comes to business. The investors also hear from a Michelin-trained chef and his wife who want to transition their Mills & Co brand of high-quality charcuterie from selling at local farmers markets to a combined restaurant/retail space. Will either team realize their culinary dream?
08/05/14: RESTAURANT STARTUP #105- Pasta-bilities for Investment
This week, restaurateurs and investors Joe Bastianich and Tim Love are interested in getting into the six billion dollar pasta market and are presented with a couple of compelling pitches: two brothers, who have a chickpea pasta concept called Banza – it's both high in nutrients and gluten free which could make it huge; and another team of brothers, who are behind a pasta tasting-bar concept called Ravioli Revolution, where they plan to sell ravioli stuffed full of their innovative flavor combinations. Will either team get financial backing from Joe or Tim?
08/12/14: RESTAURANT STARTUP #106 – Comfort Food Cash-in
Comfort food is an American favorite. But the latest craze is up-scaling comfort food - adding culinary touches to make it gourmet! This week, restaurateurs and investors Joe Bastianich and Tim Love hear a pitch from Mac-o-licious, a pair of divas from Los Angeles, California, who claim to have the best Mac 'n' Cheese ever. By adding artisanal cheeses and high-end ingredients, and even singing a song, they hope to get a shot at creating their dream restaurant. Next up is a pitch from a young couple who burst onto the San Francisco food scene with Bespoke Donuts, a made-to-order, hand-crafted doughnut restaurant offering both sweet and savory choices. Will either team be able to cut a deal with one of our investors?
08/19/14: RESTAURANT STARTUP #107 – Sweet Investment
Candy shop concepts are the rage in America but how many specialized candy shops can the market take? This week, restaurateurs and investors Joe Bastianich and Tim Love are pitched two exciting and unique concepts: The Sticky Pig, two Costa Mesa, California natives, who have a hip and sexy idea for gourmet chocolates made with bacon; and Sugar Knife, owned by an engaged couple from Oakland, California who hopes to sell their alcohol infused marshmallows and brittle nationwide. Will Joe or Tim be impressed enough to make an investment?
08/26/14: RESTAURANT STARTUP #108 – The Best Ingredient for Investment
Restaurateurs and investors Joe Bastianich and Tim Love are looking into single ingredient restaurant concepts this week. They hear pitches from The Whole Beast, a successful snout to tail catering company, created by a chef and his wife, looking to move into a brick and mortar restaurant. The second pitch comes from Bon Chovie - a small anchovy themed pop up, run by a couple, recently divorced, who want a more permanent location. Bon Chovie's concept of a rock 'n' roll, maritime mash-up restaurant has had a strong draw from younger crowds at local farmers markets and food fairs. Which concept has better profit potential and will it be enough to make a deal with one of our investors?
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