Hop Aboard With Robert Irvine In New Food Network Culinary Competition Restaurant Express

NEW YORK, Sept. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Chef Robert Irvine heads to Las Vegas to give nine chefs a chance at fulfilling their lifelong dream of launching a restaurant in Sin City in new series, Restaurant Express, premiering Sunday, November 3^rd at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network. Over the course of seven episodes the chefs will visit different cities and locations travelling aboard the Restaurant Express bus, competing in challenges that test their culinary skills and business savvy as potential restaurateurs. After each challenge Robert will review their performances, with one chef being eliminated each episode. The final contestant standing wins an opportunity help launch and become the executive chef of a restaurant at the M Resort Spa Casino, just minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip.

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"Restaurant Express tests every aspect of the aspiring restaurateurs' ability to launch and run a successful restaurant," said Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Food Network. "Robert's expertise as chef, restaurateur, and tough mentor make him the perfect host to push the competitors to their limits, giving them a chance to win a life changing opportunity."

In the premiere episode, Robert Irvine welcomes the nine chefs and aspiring restaurateurs to Las Vegas as they board the Restaurant Express bus. Right away the contestants realize there are only eight beds on the bus as they must pitch themselves and their dream restaurant concept to Robert. One chef's vision comes up short as they fail to make it aboard and are left behind as the journey begins. For the next challenge, the competitors are charged with creating a restaurant with only $500 and six hours before they'll be serving to a hungry crowd of 250 people. The challenge is all about profit, and Robert tells the contestants that the bottom three earners will have to face him in a review. Robert decides which other contestant will be sent home, with the remaining seven one step closer to their dream.

With over twenty-five years in the culinary profession, Chef Robert Irvine has cooked his way through Europe, the Far East, the Caribbean and the Americas, in hotels and on the high seas. Irvine brings his experience to Food Network as host of Restaurant: Impossible and has been previously seen on Dinner: Impossible, Worst Cooks in America, The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs, and Food Network Star. A native of England, Robert joined the British Royal Navy at the age of 15 and his skills in the kitchen soon came to the attention of his superiors. As part of his service for the Royal Navy, Robert was selected to work on board the Royal Yacht Britannia where the Royal Family and their entourages regularly dined. During his time training U.S. Navy chefs as part of a guest chef program, Robert worked in the White House kitchens and his creations were served to high-ranking government officials.

Restaurant Express is produced by Relativity Lifestyle Television, a division of Relativity Television.

FOOD NETWORK (www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network, website and magazine that connects viewers to the power and joy of food. The network strives to be viewers' best friend in food and is committed to leading by teaching, inspiring, empowering and entertaining through its talent and expertise. Food Network is distributed to more than 100 million U.S. households and averages more than 9.9 million unique web users monthly. Since launching in 2009, Food Network Magazine has tripled its rate base and delivers a circulation of 1.5 million. Headquartered in New York, Food Network has a growing international presence with programming in more than 150 countries, including 24 hour networks in Great Britain, India, Asia and Africa. Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI), which also owns and operates Cooking Channel (www.cookingchanneltv.com), DIY Network (www.diynetwork.com), Great American Country (www.gactv.com), HGTV (www.hgtv.com), and Travel Channel (www.travelchannel.com),  is the manager and general partner.

SOURCE Food Network