Million Pound Menu
Restaurateurs pitch concepts to investors for funding.
My Million Pound Menu was a BBC reality television series broadcast on BBC Two from 2018 to 2019, in which aspiring restaurateurs pitched food concepts to a panel of investors. Presented by Fred Sirieix, the programme combined elements of business pitching and culinary competition, with investment offers ranging from £95,000 to nearly £1 million.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Game show; Reality
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Series
- 2
- Episodes
- 12
- Company
- Electric Ray
- Sony Pictures Television
- BBC
- Channel
- BBC Two
- Runtime
- 60 min
Facts from the source article.
Development
Meredith Chambers, managing director of production company Electric Ray, conceived the format after learning from a well-known chef's agent that prospective restaurateurs commonly cook for potential investors to demonstrate their concept and skills. The UK restaurant industry, worth £35 billion annually, sees most new restaurants close within a year. The show aimed to depict the broader process of building a successful restaurant business, including trends such as vegan food and emerging world cuisines. Fred Sirieix noted that success requires not only cooking ability but also knowledge of human resources, marketing, and finance.
Format
In the first series, an unspecified number of participants pitched ideas via video conference to a table of investors. Two concepts were selected to operate pop-up restaurants on the same street in Manchester for two days, with two weeks of preparation and access to an interior design team. A soft-launch evening service offered customers a 50% discount, and the investors dined from the menu. The following day, participants held individual business-plan meetings with interested investors, who indicated potential investment terms. A lunch service followed, with investors observing the kitchen. Investors could withdraw at any time, but after lunch they had until 8 pm to decide whether to invest; if multiple offers were made, the team chose their preferred investor. In the second series, three concept teams prepared a signature dish for four investors, who commented on the idea's value. By majority vote, one team was selected to open a two-day pop-up in Manchester. After a soft-launch dinner where investors dined together, the team held one-hour business meetings with each investor on the second morning. A full-price lunch followed, with remaining investors dining alone and interviewing customers. Investors then had until 7 pm to return and present an offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes of Million Pound Menu are there?
Million Pound Menu has 12 episodes across 2 seasons.
When did Million Pound Menu first air?
Million Pound Menu first aired on 17 May 2018.
When did Million Pound Menu end?
Million Pound Menu last aired on 19 February 2019.
More in Business-related Television Series in the United Kingdom
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