The Restaurant

[SaladFingers]

The second series of Raymond Blanc's The Restaurant is beginning again soon, which reminded me of last year's winners. I think their place was called Eight in the Country?

Out of interest, does anyone know if this restaurant has kept going and has anyone been? Is it any good?!

[nikkib]

am pretty sure it closed - rather acrimoniously too if i remember correctly?

[nikkib]

http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2008...ven-months.html

a bit of googling....

[Harters]

I think I may have come across filming for the new series earlier in the year in Brentford. An Italian restaurant had been taken over and new, obviously temporary, signs erected advertising it as "True Provenance - British Eatery". BBC "minders" were turning away genuine punters (like me) but were not disclosing what show they were filming for.

Assuming it is part of the series, then it just went to confirm my suspicions of the first series that it was all show-biz and there was no actual attempt to trade as a restaurant. Place is tucked away in a bit of backwater with no passing trade and you'd have to know it was there.

The two "genuine" places resort to "sandwich boards" on the High Street. Yet this place had none, or flyers in local hotels, nor even a menu up outside.

John "The Old Cynic" Harters

[Gary Marshall]

anyone who self proclaims their restaurant an eatery/eaterie should be doomed to die a slow and painfull lack of trade death.

Unfortunately the whole provenance lark has been done to death myself included, it's only a matter of time before Bd wetherspoons proclaims it's support of local produce

[Duncan]

I think I may have come across filming for the new series earlier in the year in Brentford. An Italian restaurant had been taken over and new, obviously temporary, signs erected advertising it as "True Provenance - British Eatery". BBC "minders" were turning away genuine punters (like me) but were not disclosing what show they were filming for.

Assuming it is part of the series, then it just went to confirm my suspicions of the first series that it was all show-biz and there was no actual attempt to trade as a restaurant. Place is tucked away in a bit of backwater with no passing trade and you'd have to know it was there.

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Well if that was for the show they must have changed the format significantly from last year, or perhaps they were filming one of the elimination challenges so it wasn't actually open when you tried to go in. They only actually end up running the restaurant at most 2 nights a week, but if it was one of those nights I'd have thought that you wouldn't have had any problem getting a table.

Getting fed on the other hand might be harder.

[muichoi]

anyone who self proclaims their restaurant an eatery/eaterie should be doomed to die a slow and painfull lack of trade death.

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Absolutely-not quite as bad as 'fine dining' though, the proclamation of which should be a capital offence.

[Matthew Grant]

At least they aren't cooking "Contemporary Indian Cuisine" which seems to be the case in around 99% of the new local Indian restaurants.

[RDB]

At least they aren't cooking "Contemporary Indian Cuisine" which seems to be the case in around 99% of the new local Indian restaurants.

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.....but they are cooking the well known 'welsh chinese' fusion.

Is there actually a known psychological condition that relates to the delusional state of thinking you can cook or run a restaurant??? It appears to manifest itself to different degrees of severity, ranging from the mild, e.g. 'My wife and friends think that the dinner I cooked the other week is amazing, therefore I should open a restaurant'; to the more chronic ' I can "artistically" arrange badly cooked food on a plate, therefore I am deserving of a michelin star'.

[fisherman]

It seems they didn't get many applicants for the show this time round, not that surprising given the time demands.

[Gary Marshall]

yes, i wondered if they hadn't had many applicants given the harsh reality check that series one gave to many people with dreams of 'an easy life running a restaurant' (and still licensed trade estate agents continue to offer pubs as 'lifestyle propositions - in reality - you won't have one )

or that they'd just picked the obviously most inept to make good tv. Off the top of my head i can't think of one who has anything anywhere near even a half baked concept.

edited to add i read in the caterer that the first winner of hells kitchen's resto closed recently.

Edited September 11, 2008 by Gary Marshall (log)

[Matthew Grant]

At least they aren't cooking "Contemporary Indian Cuisine" which seems to be the case in around 99% of the new local Indian restaurants.

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.....but they are cooking the well known 'welsh chinese' fusion.

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Yes, when I'm away for long periods I often get food cravings and the first thing I ask for when I get home is Welsh/Chinese Fusion. Stir fried lamb and leak, Lamb and leak hotpot (chinese style), Lamb and Leak Congee, Lamb and Leak pancake rolls. God how I miss them.

[erica graham]

Is there actually a known psychological condition that relates to the delusional state of thinking you can cook or run a restaurant??? It appears to manifest itself to different degrees of severity, ranging from the mild, e.g. 'My wife and friends think that the dinner I cooked the other week is amazing, therefore  I should open a restaurant'; to the more chronic ' I can "artistically" arrange badly cooked food on a plate, therefore I am deserving of a michelin star'.

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Yes its called retirement and/or just left school itis

[rjs1]

Yes, when I'm away for long periods I often get food cravings and the first thing I ask for when I get home is Welsh/Chinese Fusion. Stir fried lamb and leak, Lamb and leak hotpot (chinese style), Lamb and Leak Congee, Lamb and Leak pancake rolls. God how I miss them.

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Do you mean leek, or is the food highly diuretic?

[Basildog]

It's a complete waste of the BBC's money.Were in a real downturn in the economy, real restaurants are finding it tough, why the hell would some TV Game Show wannabees succeed in a very tough buisness.

1) open restaurant

2) work bollocks off

3) be a success

4) write a book

5) get a tv show

6) become Celeb

7 ) Use new Celebrity to help promote restaurant/s

and the TV version

1) Become a TV celeb

2) open restaurant

3)Die on your arse

and the fact of the matter is that the kind of people who would actually believe that this would be the their chance in the industry are not the kind of people who are going to suceed.

a bit harsh for me, but currently spent 3 days in bad with flu and don't have the patience i normally have

[Roger le goéland]

Basildog - was thinking the same whilst watching Masterchef last night. The chefs all want "fame" and to be "recognised".

I remember that Mr Bise at the Auberge du Pere Bise in Annecy only wanted his guests to be as happy as possible - he felt rewarded if they left beaming. Don't think he cared that much about fame. (not that I ever got a chance to eat there, this is way before my time)

[Basildog]

oh don't get me started!

everyone of them defines sucess by Michelin Stars.

The image of chef has radically changed over the last 20-25 years, much to the good, but not all.Celebrity invades all parts of our culture, but we do seem to have lost the pride in the day to day cooking.The image to the general public is that we are all striving for recognition, fame and the 3 book deal.

"if the restaurant is full and has lasted, then the chef is right"

Paul Bocuse

[Matthew Grant]

Yes, when I'm away for long periods I often get food cravings and the first thing I ask for when I get home is Welsh/Chinese Fusion. Stir fried lamb and leak, Lamb and leak hotpot (chinese style), Lamb and Leak Congee, Lamb and Leak pancake rolls. God how I miss them.

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Do you mean leek, or is the food highly diuretic?

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Well I pissed myself laughing when I heard the idea?

[Matthew Grant]

oh don't get me started!

everyone of them defines sucess by Michelin Stars.

The image of chef has radically changed over the last 20-25 years, much to the good, but not all.Celebrity invades all parts of our culture, but we do seem to have lost the pride in the day to day cooking.The image to the general public is that we are all striving for recognition, fame and the 3 book deal.

"if the restaurant is full and has lasted, then the chef is right"

Paul Bocuse

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Unfortunately this is true, unfortunately everybody (have you seen Professional Masterchef) aspires to earning "a michelin star", nobody seems to ctually aspire to earning three (putting financial considertaions aside), which seems very sad for UK food

[Basildog]

Do the current 2 star holders shout about their ambition?

[Gary Marshall]

there was a lad on pro masterchef last night who wanted to be the youngest 3* chef ever, bless.

[Roger le goéland]

there was a lad on pro masterchef last night who wanted to be the youngest 3* chef ever, bless.

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Did Mr Roux say "I'd serve that in my dad's restaurant"?

[muichoi]

oh don't get me started!

everyone of them defines sucess by Michelin Stars.

The image of chef has radically changed over the last 20-25 years, much to the good, but not all.Celebrity invades all parts of our culture, but we do seem to have lost the pride in the day to day cooking.The image to the general public is that we are all striving for recognition, fame and the 3 book deal.

"if the restaurant is full and has lasted, then the chef is right"

Paul Bocuse

←

Unfortunately this is true, unfortunately everybody (have you seen Professional Masterchef) aspires to earning "a michelin star", nobody seems to ctually aspire to earning three (putting financial considertaions aside), which seems very sad for UK food

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I'm not sure I agree-certainly an ambition to have one Michelin star is silly, it might as well be three-but surely the ambition should be to cook fantastic food in an establishment where people have a wonerful time. Nothing to do with stars at all.

[Matthew Grant]

I agree with that, my point was that they were blinded by Michelin but only to the point that they wanted one star and lacked the ambition to get three. I'd respect somebody that came on and said "Fuck Michelin stars, I'm going to rewrite the rulebook with regard to good cooking"

[Gary Marshall]

hasn't worked for anthony's so far