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Restaurant Startup - Episode Guide

Season 1

Exotic Eats, U.S. Currency

Episode: 1x01 | Airdate: Jul 8, 2014

Exotic Eats, U.S. Currency

Joe Bastianich and Tim Love decide whether or not to invest in Kraken Congee in Seattle, Wash. or Ramy's Falafel Fusion in Portland, Ore.

A Truck Load of Money

Episode: 1x02 | Airdate: Jul 15, 2014

A Truck Load of Money

Food trucks are featured, including Baby's Badass Burgers in Los Angeles; and Bacon Bacon in San Francisco, which features a bacon-theme menu.

Cold Cash for Warm Bread

Episode: 1x03 | Airdate: Jul 22, 2014

Cold Cash for Warm Bread

Baked goods are featured. Included: a mother-and-daughter team from Brooklyn who want to open a quick-serve waffle-cone restaurant in Manhattan; and friends from New Jersey who came up with the idea of an upscale bread company.

Small Plate, Big Money

Episode: 1x04 | Airdate: Jul 29, 2014

Small Plate, Big Money

Two fledgling "small plate" businesses from Los Angeles are featured. Included: a catering company run by two best friends; and a husband-and wife team who want to grow their charcuterie business.

Pasta-bilities for Investment

Episode: 1x05 | Airdate: Aug 5, 2014

Pasta-bilities for Investment

Two pasta companies compete for financial assistance, including a gluten-free-pasta concept that uses chickpeas as a main ingredient; and a ravioli tasting bar featuring unusual flavor combinations.

Sweet Investment

Episode: 1x06 | Airdate: Aug 12, 2014

Sweet Investment

California natives have a idea of infusing bacon and chocolate. A couple from Oakland hope to sell alcohol infused marshmallows.

Comfort Food Cash-in

Episode: 1x07 | Airdate: Aug 19, 2014

Comfort Food Cash-in

Joe Bastianich and Tim Love hear a pitch from Mac-o-licious, a pair of divas from Los Angeles who claim to have the best Mac ‘n' Cheese. By adding artisanal cheeses and high-end ingredients, they hope to get a shot at creating their dream restaurant. Next up is a pitch from a young couple who burst onto the San Francisco food scene with Bespoke Donuts, a made-to-order, hand-crafted doughnut restaurant offering both sweet and savory choices.

The Best Ingredient for Investment

Episode: 1x08 | Airdate: Aug 26, 2014

The Best Ingredient for Investment

A chef and his wife create a successful snout-to-tail catering company; a small anchovy-themed pop-up is run by a recently divorced couple who want a more permanent location.

Season 2

Visions of Vietnamese

Episode: 2x01 | Airdate: Jan 13, 2015

Visions of Vietnamese

Bastianich and Love look to the East for delicious flavors and high profits; two young women impress the high-tech denizens of San Francisco at Rice Paper Scissors; the Lone Wolf food truck has a new American spin on classic Vietnamese banh mi.

The Comeback Cook

Episode: 2x02 | Airdate: Jan 20, 2015

The Comeback Cook

The owner of an Atlanta food truck loses money in a Ponzi scheme; a chef that was forced to shutter his popular restaurant in order to pay for a lengthy custody battle.

Young Hustlers

Episode: 2x03 | Airdate: Jan 27, 2015

Young Hustlers

An edgy Moroccan food catering company with dreams of conquering Manhattan; the funky creation of two sisters who think they make the best plant-based hot dog on the planet.

Seconds, Please!

Episode: 2x04 | Airdate: Feb 3, 2015

Seconds, Please!

A Los Angeles deli where everything on the menu is roasted to perfection, including their signature sliders; a popular chef-driven breakfast café owned by an ex-stockbroker turned restaurateur.

From the Streets

Episode: 2x05 | Airdate: Feb 10, 2015

From the Streets

A food truck owned by newlyweds uses only handmade ingredients that showcase the owners Venezuelan roots; two childhood friends that have generated a huge social media following that has the entire city of Buffalo rooting for the colorful company.

Movin' Out

Episode: 2x06 | Airdate: Feb 17, 2015

Movin' Out

A married couple runs a restaurant with an international small plates menu in Las Vegas; a restaurant that serves slow-cooked meats with a heap of healthy options in a fast-casual setting.

The Ultimate Cockfight

Episode: 2x07 | Airdate: Feb 24, 2015

The Ultimate Cockfight

A food truck hopes to stabilize their business by opening a brick-and-mortar location; two culinary teachers from Philadelphia look to transition from the classroom to a fast-casual takeout restaurant.

Pie vs. Pie

Episode: 2x08 | Airdate: Mar 3, 2015

Pie vs. Pie

A rock n' roll couple from Detroit wants to take their hand-crafted delights and turn them into a nationwide sensation; a company outgrows its tiny space within two years of opening.

Small Markets, Big Dreams

Episode: 2x09 | Airdate: Mar 10, 2015

Small Markets, Big Dreams

Two successful catering companies – both based in underserved markets – fight for the chance to score an investment from restaurateurs and investors Joe Bastianich and Tim Love.

The Food of the Future

Episode: 2x10 | Airdate: Mar 17, 2015

The Food of the Future

Restaurateurs and investors Joe Bastianich and Tim Love must choose between mad scientists – mad food scientists, that is, each with a unique approach to molecular gastronomy.

Season 3

Raising the Stakes

Episode: 3x01 | Airdate: Jan 6, 2016

Raising the Stakes

Looking to give "the stuffy steakhouse a casual makeover," Joe Bastianich and Tim Love begin season three being pitched business plans for two different steakhouses.

A Star is Born

Episode: 3x02 | Airdate: Jan 13, 2016

A Star is Born

One team has created an interactive culinary experience, and a Michelin-star chef is staking his comeback on truffles.

From the Ashes

Episode: 3x03 | Airdate: Jan 20, 2016

From the Ashes

An owner who lost everything in his divorce, including a restaurant, and an owner buried in debt from a hemp-centric restaurant try to get money from the investors.

Fast, Cheap, and Out of the Box

Episode: 3x04 | Airdate: Jan 27, 2016

Fast, Cheap, and Out of the Box

Replacing Joe Bastianich for this episode, Elizabeth Blau joins Tim Love to judge two teams pitching their different visions for fast-casual restaurants that are offshoots of pre-existing establishment and that they believe can become franchise empires.

A Place in the Sun

Episode: 3x05 | Airdate: Feb 3, 2016

A Place in the Sun

Replacing Tim Love in this episode, Elizabeth Blau joins Joe Bastianich. One restaurant is looking for more profit from opening a rooftop bar, and two brothers want to open a fourth location featuring small plates.

Late-Night Munchies

Episode: 3x06 | Airdate: Feb 10, 2016

Late-Night Munchies

Two teams with late-night snacks, one with a spin on the traditional eggroll and one with an old family rice ball recipe, look to impress the investors.

Cutting the Apron Strings

Episode: 3x07 | Airdate: Feb 17, 2016

Cutting the Apron Strings

Chefs looking to make a name with a taste of Spain, and two friends trying to capitalize on an up-and-coming Manhattan neighborhood try to cash in with the investors.

Act Now, Before It's Too Late!

Episode: 3x08 | Airdate: Feb 24, 2016

Act Now, Before It's Too Late!

Two teams that have found their dream location need money from the investors to sign their lease.

Too Hot to Handle

Episode: 3x09 | Airdate: Mar 2, 2016

Too Hot to Handle

Two Miami chefs known for both their food and their fiery personalities vie for investment help.

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