My Restaurant Rules is an Australian reality television series that aired on the Seven Network.
Overview
The series pits five couples, one each from Australia's five largest cities, to compete against each other in opening a successful restaurant.
In initial episodes of the show the couples are given a vacated restaurant space in their home city that must be renovated. They also compete for additional money that can be used for renovation from a panel of judges based on a presentation of their mission statement and plan for their proposed restaurant. The judges also make further appearances later on in the series in both critiquing the restaurants and offering rewards to the contestants.
After a number of weeks the elimination process begins in which the restaurants (and their owners) are reviewed and judged for nomination. The nominated restaurants then compete for votes from a phone poll, with the victor moving on and the loser being forced to shut down. This process continues until a single competing restaurant remains.
Despite the process of elimination that sees almost all competing restaurants shut down, every restaurant featured in the programme was successful and operated in the black. This may be because of the exposure the restaurants are given via the show. Moreover, some eliminated restaurants managed to re-open at new locations.
Series 1 (2004) The first series of My Restaurant Rules aired in 2004 and featured the five following restaurants and couples: Nick & Emily – The Red Sea, Adelaide Simon & Nathalie – My Little Kitchen, Brisbane Peter & Tayissa – Seven Stones, Melbourne Ash & Amanda – Room Nineteen, Perth Sam & Catherine – Cucina Vera, Sydney
In the series finale, Perth's Room Nineteen and owners Ash and Amanda were declared the winners, beating Peter and Tayissa of Melbourne's Seven Stones.
Series one was hosted by Curtis Stone.
Summary
Brisbane succeeded in securing $300,000 worth of sponsorship which producers felt gave them an "unfair advantage". These sponsorship deals then had to be "shared" amongst their opposing teams. Sydney won the phone poll during renovations where they won $50,000. The losing teams each "won" $10,000. Sydney was the first to shut down against another strong restaurant, Perth. This was deemed to be a big surprise for both restaurants to be in the bottom two. Brisbane was the second restaurant to shut down against Perth again. (Although this elimination was showcased as the publics response to the phonepoll research later uncovered Brisbane was "disqualified" after failing to sign over ownership of their "MYLK – my little kitchen" trademark.) Adelaide was the third restaurant to shut down against Perth and Melbourne. Many thought Melbourne would be the next to shut down. Underdogs Melbourne was the last to shut down. Perth were declared the controversial winners even though the restaurant failed to make a profit.
Series 2 (2005) The second series of My Restaurant Rules aired in 2005 and featured the six following restaurants and couples: John & Justine – The Greedy Goose, Adelaide Todd & Francesca – Restaurant Louvre, Brisbane Dan & Rob – Two Words, Melbourne Andre & Sandy – Mint Leaf, Perth Evan & Bella – Pink Salt, Sydney Nathan & Georgia – Whisk, Melbourne
In the series finale, Adelaide's The Greedy Goose and owners John and Justine were declared the winners, beating Evan and Bella of Sydney's Pink Salt.
Series two was hosted by Ian Dickson.