TV viewers have a jones for cooking shows, from Top Chef to Bitchin Kitchen. VH1s new series, Famous Food, offers the one-time music network's first foray into this culinary bonanza.
Premiering Sunday, July 10, 2011, Famous Food partners renowned restaurateurs, The Dolce Group, with seven celebrities who have dreams of food success. They'll try to turn one of Dolce's West Hollywood, CA properties into a successful eatery.
The cast is a diverse lot and includes over-exposed reality star, The Hills' Heidi Montag (whose parents used to run their own restaurant). The other cast members are: former Real Housewives of New Jersey star Danielle Staub, Three 6 Mafia rappers (and Academy Award winners) DJ Paul and Juicy J (who want to host their own cooking show); ; The Bachelor's Jake Pavelka; Ashley Dupre (a singer whose biggest claim to fame is being Elliot Spitzer's call girl); and perhaps the most accomplished castmate, actor Vincent Pastore (of The Sopranos fame).
As the colorful crew of celebrities roll up their sleeves and work together to launch their own restaurant (Lemon Basket), Mike Malin and Lonnie Moore, the founding members of The Dolce Group will give the cast a variety of tasks, like higing staff and renovating the space, that need to be completed in order to get the eatery off the ground and then critique their performance.
Malin and Moore have created numerous well-known Hollywood establishments including Ketchup, Angels & Kings, Geisha House, Ten Pin Alley, rare 120, Wonderland and Dolce.
After the restaurant's grand opening, Malin and Moore will assess the celebrities' individual accomplishments. According to VH1, whomever they deem the most deserving, "will ultimately be awarded a partnership stake in the restaurant. In the end, only the most valuable star will come out on the top while the rest will leave with nothing."
Full episodes and extra scenes from Famous Food will be available on VH1.com and on VH1 Mobile each week following the show's on-air premiere.
