The restaurant industry can be a difficult and risky business, especially for rookies. In Food Network Canada’s brand new Canadian original series, The Opener, celebrity chef and restaurant consultant David Adjey is on a mission to give restaurateur newbies a wake-up call before they open their doors and potentially lose everything. Premiering Tuesday, August 31 at 9pm ET/10pm PT, The Opener takes viewers on a dramatic and entertaining ride behind the scenes and into restaurants across North America. From money management and leadership to floor plans and staffing, David Adjey stops at nothing to avoid disaster. For David, failure is not on the menu.
In each episode, David Adjey answers calls from wide-eyed restaurant rookies and does whatever it takes to make their opening dreams come true. Between a pair of former fraternity brothers looking for their next great adventure, an ex-nightclub promoter eager to parlay his skills into the restaurant business, and an owner who has hired a strict vegetarian as his head chef, David has his work cut out for him.
Whether high-end or casual dining, opening a restaurant calls for more than just Grandma’s secret lasagna recipe, friends willing to wait tables, a little money from your parents, and charm. “First-timers often don’t see past the glamour of owning a restaurant,” says David Adjey, host of The Opener. “They’re in for a real shock if they’re not ready to put in 90-hour weeks, early morning set-up, and meticulous cash flow management. They might as well put their money on the floor and set it on fire.”
“The Opener gives viewers a glimpse into the restaurant world and explores the honest and often brutal truth about what it takes to open a restaurant,” says Emily Morgan, Vice President of Content for HGTV, Food Network and DIY Network. “Egos get bruised and things get heated in the kitchen but no matter what it takes, David Adjey is determined to see these restaurants open their doors.
Having seen all kinds of success and failure in the restaurant industry, David Adjey brings expertise, inspiration, motivation and the brutal truth to new restaurant owners. His unorthodox methods and tough love give aspiring restaurateurs a shot at recouping their money and living their dream.
Foodnetwork.ca will feature a The Opener show page including streaming of episodes after broadcast airing and exclusive content consisting of interviews with David Adjey, David’s insight on how a restaurant can turn a profit, a “where they are now” series following up with show contributors, and a tour of David’s kitchen. For more information visit www.foodnetwork.ca.
Food Network Canada is a Canwest Broadcasting network.
