The Restaurant

Royal Marine cook Jeremy Hooper (33) and his wife Jane (29), a trainee teacher from Devon, have won BBC Two's The Restaurant.

The couple seen winning in tonight's programme will join forces with Raymond Blanc to open a new restaurant in Thame close to Raymond's renowned Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons.

Says Jane: "We have won the opportunity of a lifetime. It's what we've always dreamed of doing but we never imagined our dreams would become reality so soon, or with such an amazing mentor.

"We couldn't wish for a more well-respected, knowledgeable, and experienced mentor than Raymond. We know that we still have a lot to learn and that it's going to be very hard work, but we know we've got a great teacher and we are ready for our next challenge!"

Award-winning top chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc will be putting nine couples through their paces to see if they have what it takes to run their own restaurant with a variety of challenging tasks in BBC Two's The Restaurant, starting Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 August 2007 at 8pm.

The nine pairs are competing for the incredible prize of a business with Raymond Blanc. The winners will open a brand new restaurant, financially backed and personally supported by the legendary chef.

To test their skills, all the couples will have to open and run their own restaurants for the very first time under the watchful eye of industry experts and Raymond's "inspectors" Lee Cash, Sarah Willingham and John Lederer.

Each week one will have the doors of their restaurant closed for good.

The contestants

Martin (28) and Emma (27) are engaged and live in Bolton. Martin is a straight talking prison chef with 11 years experience in the catering trade. His job currently involves catering for 800 inmates. "Who wouldn't want to run their own restaurant? It's something I really want to do – it is one of my lifetime goals to achieve and I am sure I am capable of it." Emma works in a bingo hall and is used to working within a tight budget but still manages to keep the regulars happy.

Award-winning top chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc puts nine couples through their paces to see if they have what it takes to run their own restaurant in a brand new television event for BBC Two.

Incredibly, more than 1,000 new restaurants open every year in Britain; unfortunately, approximately 50 per cent close within two years.

The Restaurant features couples, some of whom have little or no experience other than cooking at home and throwing dinner parties, but whose dream is to run their own eatery.

They have to create their perfect restaurant and then open the doors to the paying public. Their first crucial decision – who will take on the kitchen and who is best equipped to run the front of house?

It's a dream that many couples have entertained. Secretly perhaps we all think we could run a restaurant.

It's so simple. Lots of us can cook. We have all been to restaurants. We all think we know what people like to eat. If only we had the money and the opportunity.