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Reality TV and Cooking and The Great American Dream

lostwordslostwords Registered User regular
edited March 2011 in Social Entropy++
So last night, NBC premiered a new show, America's Next Great Restaurant. At first glance, it looks like a bad rip off of top chef with a dash of Project runway and throw in bobby flay awfulness (he is the worstest, but isn't so bad in the first episode). But its actually kinda hella intriguing! Instead of being judged solely on food, contestants are judged on their concept and mass appeal, to find the best "fast casual" restaurant for a chance to win a three city restaurant opening, following the chipotle model. Which makes sense, since the founder of Chipotle is one of the judges. The first episode had the typical reality tv douchebaggery, with a smarmy, condescending cocky dude pitching his "big wangs" place, though thankfully he was given the boot. What I was most impressed with was how the people chosen to be in the top 10 weren't necessarily the best chefs, but the ones with the best plans and decent, not a-holish personalities. They were, for the most part, likeable people chasing a dream they've had for a long time and had the thoughtfulness to back it up. Well, except for the dude hawking his saucy balls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPffKUcEYH8

It seems like a pretty awesome concept for a show, since everyone who's taken food somewhat seriously has dreamed of opening a place to call their own. Also, i still miss The Great Food Truck Race on food network, which was spectacular but nobody watched. My dream is to open up a cupcake/burrito place in the heart of nyc that also doubles as a second hand book store.

So besides the show, any secret dreams you've been hankering to achieve, job-wise? Owning your own business seems to be a dream for many people, though the realities seem to be a bit more daunting, especially in this day and age.

did i use the word dream enough in this post?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41P8UxneDJE

heart forever

Also also, how bananas was busey on last night's celebrity apprentice? so bananas

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    TankHammerTankHammer Atlanta Ghostbuster Atlanta, GARegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Sometimes I think about what kind of restaurant I would open.

    I can't cook particularly-well with a few notable exceptions (I'm a natural with lamb) and I would be worse than shit when it comes to running a business.

    Still, it's fun to think about.

    TankHammer on
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    Raijin QuickfootRaijin Quickfoot I'm your Huckleberry YOU'RE NO DAISYRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2011
    I might watch this show but I can't stand Bobby Flay. He's a hell of a chef though.

    Raijin Quickfoot on
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    KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I will confess to wondering about the "next big food thing." Cupcakes were big a while ago, are they still going strong? I might watch this show as the concept sounds interesting, as long as they minimize the 1) elimination-drama bullshit and 2) Bobby Flay speaking.

    KalTorak on
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    CorporateLogoCorporateLogo The toilet knows how I feelRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I'd say cupcakes are still big when you get a random lady destroying a cupcake store when they ran out of her favorite flavor

    CorporateLogo on
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    skettiosskettios Enchanted ForestRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Oh ya, cupcakes are still big!

    If i were to open a shop, it'd probably be a bakery or a breakfast place.

    skettios on
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    Raijin QuickfootRaijin Quickfoot I'm your Huckleberry YOU'RE NO DAISYRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2011
    Cupcake Wars owns.

    Raijin Quickfoot on
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    lostwordslostwords Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Me and tastypastry actually went to the new sprinkles in Georgetown Saturday, which is the place the cupcake wars judge lady owns. And the cupcakes were divine! Butthe line was ridiculous. Also, the cupcake wars people were there the night before, and I regret missing them.

    Though cupcake wars the show itself kinda pisses me off, they always seem to choose the hot lady with the big boobies as the winner, to the point where you can guess right at the beginning of the show (as pointed out by Fiz)

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    lostwordslostwords Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    double post blah blah

    but yes, cupcake craze is never going to die

    i hope

    lostwords on
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    Raijin QuickfootRaijin Quickfoot I'm your Huckleberry YOU'RE NO DAISYRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2011
    lostwords wrote: »
    Me and tastypastry actually went to the new sprinkles in Georgetown Saturday, which is the place the cupcake wars judge lady owns. And the cupcakes were divine! Butthe line was ridiculous. Also, the cupcake wars people were there the night before, and I regret missing them.

    Though cupcake wars the show itself kinda pisses me off, they always seem to choose the hot lady with the big boobies as the winner, to the point where you can guess right at the beginning of the show (as pointed out by Fiz)

    I've noticed this trend as well.

    Raijin Quickfoot on
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    rhylithrhylith Death Rabbits HoustonRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I think the coolest thing about this show is that the judges have as much at stake as the contestants do. If the restaurant they choose ends up flopping then they're out a significant chunk of money too. Really raises the stakes on the whole reality thing to a new level.

    rhylith on
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    HyperAquaBlastHyperAquaBlast Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I am waiting for Epic Meal TIme to get their own show on Food Network.

    HyperAquaBlast on
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    skettiosskettios Enchanted ForestRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I didn't actually watch this show but I like the concept.

    skettios on
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    RadiusRadius Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I am waiting for Epic Meal TIme to get their own show on Food Network.

    I hate Epic Meal Time so much and can't possibly see what is so goddamn interesting about it.

    Radius on
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    HyperAquaBlastHyperAquaBlast Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Radius wrote: »
    I am waiting for Epic Meal TIme to get their own show on Food Network.

    I hate Epic Meal Time so much and can't possibly see what is so goddamn interesting about it.

    Building a fortress out of meat and Jack Daniels to keep the haters out. Thats smart. Quit hatin.


    Its kinda funny and you can watch in awe all the junk they put into something and then they eat it.

    HyperAquaBlast on
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    Rear Admiral ChocoRear Admiral Choco I wanna be an owl, Jerry! Owl York CityRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Epic Meal Time is the best thing ever and if you can't appreciate their culinary genius you are a goddamned philistine.

    Rear Admiral Choco on
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    RadiusRadius Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Listen, I didn't come to this thread to make friends.

    I came to win.

    Radius on
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    HunterHunter Chemist with a heart of Au Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Keith, Pip, and Stale need to pitch a restaurant.

    The Angry Cripple, Homo Fascist, Mexican Butt Bar and Grill. Come for the good food, stay for the verbal abuse and ass sex.

    Hunter on
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    KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Hunter wrote: »
    Keith, Pip, and Stale need to pitch a restaurant.

    The Angry Cripple, Homo Fascist, Mexican Butt Bar and Grill. Come for the good food, stay for the verbal abuse and ass sex.

    You've got it backwards if you think the good food is the one that'll make me come.

    KalTorak on
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    HunterHunter Chemist with a heart of Au Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    KalTorak wrote: »
    Hunter wrote: »
    Keith, Pip, and Stale need to pitch a restaurant.

    The Angry Cripple, Homo Fascist, Mexican Butt Bar and Grill. Come for the good food, stay for the verbal abuse and ass sex.

    You've got it backwards if you think the good food is the one that'll make me come.

    I know that, but it wouldn't look good to the normals when you advertise it.

    Hunter on
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    DruhimDruhim Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2011
    Epic Meal Time is talentless schlock. It'd be perfect on The Food Network.

    Druhim on
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    SnitSnit Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    epic meal time is awesome

    Snit on
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    JavenJaven Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    When I saw the commercials this seemed to just be the same thing as 24 hour Restaurant Battle, which was pretty bad

    Javen on
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    FirmSkaterFirmSkater Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I just canceled my cable service.

    I realized that literally the only thing I use it for is to watch football. My girlfriend doesn't even use that. Should save us around $65 every month

    Going to look at Netflix subscriptions now~

    FirmSkater on
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    DruhimDruhim Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2011
    Also, in my opinion the concept of this show is fundamentally flawed. This is supposed to be about the next great American restaurant, but using the examples of Chipotle, KFC, and Subway it seems the main criteria is just, how can we get more of lazy, middle America to cram more mediocre fast food in their maws? Yeah, KFC isn't great. McDonalds isn't great. They're successful but absolutely not great.

    Druhim on
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    ButtersButters A glass of some milks Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    For a chain Chipotle is pretty great.

    Butters on
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    SnitSnit Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    who will be the next taco bell

    Snit on
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    DruhimDruhim Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2011
    Yeah, for a fast food chain. That's what I'm saying, the title of the show should actually be America's Next Successful Fast Food Chain. But that's not nearly as marketable, is it?

    Druhim on
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    Lord DaveLord Dave Grief Causer Bitch Free ZoneRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I should have taken my Last Crusade Bar And Grill concept to this show

    Lord Dave on
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    HeadCreepsHeadCreeps NOW IS THE TIME FOR DRINKING! Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Cupcake Wars owns.

    Cupcake Wars is not nearly as entertaining as the title would have you believe.

    HeadCreeps on
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    JavenJaven Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    This seems a lot more about having the next big "idea" that's going to set marketing trends, instead of food. I'm sure the food is going to have to taste good, but the criteria is going to be geared far more towards how to make the food appeal to and survive a massive volume of people.

    Javen on
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    DruhimDruhim Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2011
    Javen wrote: »
    This seems a lot more about having the next big "idea" that's going to set marketing trends, instead of food. I'm sure the food is going to have to taste good, but the criteria is going to be geared far more towards how to make the food appeal to and survive a massive volume of people.

    Yeah, it's going to be all about how to make it appeal to the broadest number of people while being easily duplicated in a multitude of franchises without any noticeable change in product the consumer gets whether they're in San Francisco or Baton Rouge.

    Druhim on
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    ButtersButters A glass of some milks Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Druhim wrote: »
    Yeah, for a fast food chain. That's what I'm saying, the title of the show should actually be America's Next Successful Fast Food Chain. But that's not nearly as marketable, is it?

    I'm not so sure anything is fundamentally flawed, I think you're just nitpicking the name. Is How I Met Your Mother fundamentally flawed because it doesn't center around introductions to everyone's mom?

    Butters on
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    TankHammerTankHammer Atlanta Ghostbuster Atlanta, GARegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    These stupid cupcake shows have one thing over those horrible wedding cake shows and that is that it is nearly-impossible to form cupcakes out of rice crispy treats squares and fondant.

    TankHammer on
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    Muse Among MenMuse Among Men Suburban Bunny Princess? Its time for a new shtick Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    If I had my own resteraunt, it would be a dinner and a show.

    And one of the bartenders would have an old-timey mustache.

    Muse Among Men on
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    Virgil_Leads_YouVirgil_Leads_You Proud Father House GardenerRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I would be more interested in having an American Gladiator style pit that happened to feature a restaurant around it
    than actually having a restaurant people would visit for just the food.

    Virgil_Leads_You on
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    CorporateLogoCorporateLogo The toilet knows how I feelRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Isn't that Medieval Times

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    Virgil_Leads_YouVirgil_Leads_You Proud Father House GardenerRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Oh that's a thing? I'm not surprised.
    I was just saying that my ideal restaurant would be a place where I could put on an interesting show
    and provide a comfortable and decent meal.

    Heck, it could just be a Italian Restaurant with a boxing ring in the middle.
    edit. pretty much anything with an interesting gimmick

    Virgil_Leads_You on
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    artifexiteartifexite Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Oh that's a thing? I'm not surprised.
    I was just saying that my ideal restaurant would be a place where I could put on an interesting show
    and provide a comfortable and decent meal.

    Heck, it could just be a Italian Restaurant with a boxing ring in the middle.
    edit. pretty much anything with an interesting gimmick

    30-rock-staples.jpg

    artifexite on
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    FizFiz Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Mondays are a Drag.

    Oh my heck, there's a guy in the show I'm in right now who does the best RuPaul impersonation and I am so in love with him. I've tried to push him towards starting drag so he can be on Drag Race. Ru saying his last name would be the best.

    Fiz on
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    DruhimDruhim Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2011
    Oh that's a thing? I'm not surprised.
    I was just saying that my ideal restaurant would be a place where I could put on an interesting show
    and provide a comfortable and decent meal.

    Heck, it could just be a Italian Restaurant with a boxing ring in the middle.
    edit. pretty much anything with an interesting gimmick

    Except that restaurants with gimmicks usually have pretty mediocre food at best. Because if you're actually a good restaurant, you don't need some gimmick to be successful.

    Druhim on
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