Back in May we reported that filming would be taking place at London Road restaurant for a major new prime time TV series looking at teaching hospitality and front of house skills with a well known chef. At the time TV producers were looking for people who would like to celebrate a special occasion by going along to the restaurant and appearing on national television.
The following week we caught celebrity chef Michel Roux JR on camera, whilst filming in Alderley Edge for the BBC2 series, and yesterday we were informed that filming will continue today at London Road restaurant. Apparently the BBC have a bit more filming to do and will probably also be taking some shots of the village.
We can now reveal that the filming at Paul Heathcote's London Road restaurant is for a new eight-part series in which Michel Roux Jr takes on a very personal mission to create a new generation of restaurant superstars.
For Michel, proprietor of Michelin-starred restaurant Le Gavroche, bad service can undermine the foodie revolution that has taken place in restaurant kitchens across the UK, but he believes that anyone can develop a passion and talent for service.
To prove it the new series At Your Service (working title) will see him take eight inexperienced youngsters aged 17 to 24 and, in just eight weeks, transform them into a confident and efficient front-of-house team. At the end of the project, two of them will be offered potentially life changing opportunities to train for up to six months in the hospitality industry. They will be awarded scholarships with the Academy of Food and Wine where they will be trained in top restaurants and hotels, gaining an important foothold to a career in the hospitality sector.
However, Michel's ambition is that all of those taking part will develop the passion, skills and confidence to secure potentially lucrative jobs at top restaurants and hotels.
Co-producer, Lionel Mill, explains: "Michel Roux has such presence, integrity and expertise, not just as a restaurateur but also in television. He is as passionate about service as he is about food and for our young generation, of whom many are unemployed, the show provides direction and life skills that engender self respect and a sense of pride."
Filming has apparently taken place in various locations around the country with one of the eight episodes filmed at London Road restaurant. The new series is will air on BBC2 in the autumn.
