Best New Restaurant
Common Sense says
- Bravo
- Reality TV
- 2015
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Best New Restaurant is a competition show that puts restaurants through stress tests to see which performs best. Contestants under pressure, which include restaurant owners, wait staff, and chefs, sometimes break down and curse at each other but for the most part act professionally. Expect to see alcohol consumed with meals and as an ingredient in dishes, but no one acts drunk. Hosts and contestants plug their restaurants (but that's kind of the point). Watching contestants react under stress could be hard for very young or sensitive viewers, but overall, this is a another fun peek into behind-the-scenes restaurant action.
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What's the story?
Hosted by Tom Colicchio, hour-long series BEST NEW RESTAURANT pits 16 fledgling eateries against each other in a competition that will net the winner $100,000 and a feature in Bon Appétit magazine. On each episode, Colicchio first visits each restaurant on its home turf and challenges it to service a full house in two hours flat. Next, a diner with a hidden camera visits and captures footage of any mistakes. Finally, each restaurant competes head-to-head at a dinner in NYC; the winner of that round goes on to compete in the semi-finals for the money and bragging rights.
Is it any good?
In marked contrast to the show for which Colicchio is best known (Top Chef), Best New Restaurant keeps the focus on food and service, not conflict among the contestants. Turns out it's quite a pleasure watching talented professionals working hard. They're under stress but not given tasks that seem impossible (looking at you, Project Runway). At all times, the importance of making guests happy and of upholding professional standards is stressed. Who knew chefs were supposed to taste each dish before it goes out of the kitchen? Colicchio and the makers of Best New Restaurant knew -- and now you do too.
The moderate-tension environment also means that chefs snap at each other or servers only infrequently and pretty mildly. Thus this show is fine to watch with teens, tweens, and even interested grade schoolers. The only problem? Watching may make you hungry.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about what makes a restaurant the "best." What combination of food, ambiance, and service makes one restaurant better than another? Do you agree with the decisions the judges make on Best New Restaurant?
Cooking shows are a constant in the reality genre. Why? What dramatic possibilities do they offer? Why are there not as many reality shows set in, say, an office?
Pay attention to the music Best New Restaurant plays. What type of music evokes what emotion?
TV details
- Premiere date: January 21, 2015
- Cast: Tom Colicchio, Jeffrey Zurofsky, Maggie Nemser
- Network: Bravo
- Genre: Reality TV
- Topics: Cooking and Baking
- TV rating: NR
- Last updated: March 13, 2020
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