Reality

The Restaurant

The Restaurant is a reality television series that aired on NBC in 2003, with a second season broadcasting in 2004. The series had encore presentations on CNBC and Bravo.

Celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito opened the Gramercy Park, New York City, restaurant Union Pacific in August, 1997. The NBC series, it was announced, would follow DiSpirito as he launched and operated a new Manhattan restaurant. The first season revolved around the construction and opening of Rocco's on 22nd, scheduled to open in five weeks. Some 7.5 million viewers tuned in for the July 20, 2003 premiere focusing on the search for a location and construction work for the new restaurant.

Among the 2000 people who showed up hoping to be hired were various actors, models and show business hopefuls. In addition to Rocco's mother, Nicolina DiSpirito, known for her famous meatballs, the show's on-camera personnel included David Miller, Alex Corrado, Domiziano Arcangeli, Heather Kristin, Natalie Norman, Topher Goodman, Lisa Wurzel, Brian Allen, Gideon Horowitz, Heather Snell, Amanda Congdon, Pete Giovine, Uzay Tumer, Emily Shaw, Lonn Coward, Carrie Keranen, Colleen Fitzgerald, Caroline Matler, Brian Petruzzell, Lola Belle, Susanna Hari, Tony Acinapura, John Charlesworth, Laurent Saillard, Perry Pollaci, Matt DiBarro and Tim Donoho.

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Created By

Status

Ended

Original Name

The Restaurant

First Air Date

July 20, 2003

Last Air Date

June 5, 2004

Seasons

2

Episodes

12

Language

English

Networks

NBC

S02E06

Episode 206 (2)

meeting with a former prize fighter who can also cook the perfect meatball. While Jeffery is away, Rocco and Gavin continue to burn wood in the pizza oven. The following morning, a fire security guard is assigned to the kitchen to make sure no more wood is burned in the oven. Rocco is shocked when Gavin tells him that he doesn't want to take Tony's position as head chef and in fact he wants to quit the restaurant entirely. Rocco feels the only way out of his situation with Jeffery may be to find a new restaurant space and start completely over. Rocco and Jeffery come head to head in their final meeting. Jeffery gives Rocco two options, to buy Jeffery out of the business or to accept a check for several hundred thousand dollars and end his involvement completely with his dream restaurant. Rocco is left with a huge decision.

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