Review: America’s Next Great Restaurant
NBC’s briefing:
From Emmy Award-winning producers Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz of Magical Elves (“Top Chef” and “Project Runway”) comes “America’s Next Great Restaurant.” In this delectable new alternative series, people from every walk of life will vie for the opportunity of a lifetime to see their original restaurant concept spring to life – starting with the opening of a restaurant chain in three locations – Hollywood, Minneapolis and New York City.
Funding the restaurant concepts are four accredited investors: Bobby Flay, distinguished restaurateur (“Iron Chef America: The Series,” “Throwdown! with Bobby Flay”); Curtis Stone, internationally renowned chef (NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” “Take Home Chef”); Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle; and Lorena Garcia, executive chef and restaurateur.
I just watched the premiere of America’s Next Great Restaurant with Bobby Flay, Curtis Stone, Lorena Garcia and Steve Ells. Typical reality show framework. A group of wannabe’s (I love that) hoping be the recipient of a life changing win.
The first episode followed the American Idol script with a group of people – some are locks to make the top 10, some are on the fence and about a half dozen were only brought in to embarrass themselves on national TV.
That’s one of my major problems with reality TV is that it tends to cater to the very worst traits in humanity. In this case the desire to see other people fail . It’s sick. There is nothing to separate people who love to watch those terrible singers from the people who filled the Roman Coliseum to watch their neighbors torn to shreds by lions. They are barbarians.
America’s Next Great Restaurant is far better than that glorified karaoke contest which makes a week of programming out of failures. Plus the winner won’t end up with a contract that cripples their career for years to come. I’m not a fan of fast casual restaurants but the judges they picked have proven it can be done right. With the unsavory part out of the way I’m looking forward to the rest of the show. Nuf for now.
Fish Dish: Chili-Lime Halibut
I was excited to find that my local market has started stocking Full Circle all natural, wild caught, US fish in its freezer section. I live on the Gulf Coast and can get fresh Gulf seafood but these are not indigenous fishcicles. So I have decided to share this culinary voyage with you. I won’t be providing recipes per se but instructions on how I fixed each Fish Dish.
Fish Dish: chili-lime halibut with chipotle brown rice pilaf.
I seasoned the halibut steaks with salt, pepper and chili powder. I seared them in an oiled medium high sauté pan for about four minutes on each side, basting with fresh squeezed lime juice after the turn. Once done I removed them to a plate.
For the pilaf I added half a can of chipotle white corn (with some juice) to the sauté pan along with a can of green chilies making sure to scrape up the fond in the bottom of the pan. I then added 4 ounces of pre-cooked brown rice and tossed it in the pan until heated through and well mixed. I squeezed a little more lime juice over both the pilaf and the halibut before serving.
