Famous Food

Famous Food

From Ashton Kutcher's 'Geisha House' to Robert DeNiro's 'Ago, attaching a celebrity's name to a restaurant is definitely a growing trend in Hollywood, but is it always a recipe for success? The new series from E! Famous Food will put this concept to the test by partnering with renowned restaurateurs, The Dolce Group, to give seven celebrities the chance to turn an empty Sunset Strip eatery into a full functioning and prosperous restaurant. This new one-hour, ten episode series premieres Wednesday, May 2nd 2012 at 9:30pm AEST only on E!

The eclectic mix of celebrities will be assigned a series of tasks in each episode, from agreeing on a restaurant concept and name, to renovating the space, creating a marketing plan, crafting a sumptuous menu, hiring staff and planning the grand opening. Overseeing the process is Mike Malin and Lonnie Moore, the founding members of The Dolce Group. They are maestros in the restaurant business and own a string of well-known Hollywood establishments including; Ketchup, Angels & Kings, Geisha House, Ten Pin Alley, rare 120, Wonderland and Dolce. The group has five weeks and a strict budget to get the restaurant up and running. After the restaurant's grand opening, Mike and Lonnie will assess each celebrity's achievements and award one with a partnership stake in the new venture.

Meet the Cast:
Heidi Montag: Former tabloid fixture and star of ratings powerhouse, The Hills, Heidi Montag knows how to draw media attention. Surprisingly, she also has a passion for food and has learnt a thing or two about the hospitality industry the hard way, following the unfortunate demise of her parent's restaurant.

Three 6 Mafia: DJ Paul and Juicy "J" : DJ Paul and Juicy "J" are Academy-Award winning rap artists from internationally acclaimed group 'Three 6 Mafia'. Both DJ Paul and Juicy "J" have dabbled in the kitchen and held a long standing dream of hosting a cooking show. This series will give the duo the opportunity to use their culinary expertise.

Danielle Staub: American television personality, Danielle Staub has quite a few credits on her resume, including author, singer and adult performer, though is perhaps best known for her appearance on The Real Housewives of New Jersey. With strong opinions and a fiery personality, expect Danielle to ruffle a few feathers in the kitchen.

Jake Pavelka: With his all-American charm, piercing blue eyes and knowing grin, Jake Pavelka is a rare crossover success story. After starring on The Bachelor, this commercial pilot found himself cast in a string of other TV shows including Dancing With The Stars, Good Morning Dallas and Drop Dead Diva. But does he have what it takes to run a restaurant?

Ashley Dupré: Ashley Dupré is a singer and columnist for The New York Post but shot to fame overnight in 2008 thanks to her involvement in the Elliot Spitzer political scandal. Ashley is hoping to put the past behind her, and finally show the public who she really is.

Vincent Pastore: Vincent Pastore is a veteran character actor with an impressive list of TV and film credits including The Sopranos, Las Vegas and The Hurricane. Vincent has always had a strong passion for food and a desire to conquer the restaurant industry.

Can these larger-than-life personalities put their egos aside and work together to turn this new eatery into a Hollywood hot-spot? Or will chaos and fighting leave them with bad reviews? Find out when Famous Food premieres May 2nd 2012 at 9:30pm only on E!

Review: Famous Food combines my three favourite things: celebrities, food and reality television! I thoroughly enjoyed every high and low the cast of Famous Food presented including the bickering, the botox and the backstabbing! It is highly intriguing to watch seven famous individuals work as a team and create a dinning venue they would want to be 'seen at'. I appreciated the knowledge involved in learning the ins and outs of beginning a restaurant with The Dolce Group and the design process behind a menu.

Famous Food is indulgent viewing pleasure.
-Brooke Hunter

Australian Premiere Wednesday, May 2nd 2012 at 9:30pm AEST only on E!