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World-renowned chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc returns to ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two in The Restaurant, the series in which nine couples battle it out for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to open a restaurant with him.

Each couple competes to prove they have the vision and talent to create their perfect restaurant and open it to the paying public. They must turn their business into a success or face closure.

Blanc will sharpen his knives and be hands-on in his role as master restaurateur. He will be testing the couples with a series of tasks to develop their restaurants, food, service and business profile.

For any budding chefs or hosts, this is an opportunity to take a giant step closer to realising that dream.

However, with the tough economic climate putting an extra strain on high street restaurants, this year's couples will need to be the best yet.

Raymond says: "This year will be survival of the fittest. I am not looking for dreamers, I want to see couples with fresh ideas and a partnership that will flourish under pressure."

Raymond's eagle-eyed inspectors – industry experts Sarah Willingham and David Moore – will join Raymond in putting the couples through their paces, and will be looking for business acumen and front of house excellence respectively.

Executive producer Chloe Solomon says: "Raymond has seen his share of ups and downs but remained at the top of his profession for the last 30 years.

"He is driven by an incredible work ethic and is inspirational, in part because he is completely self-taught and knows that a dream is not enough; success depends on sound business sense and hard work as much as creativity.

"Having nurtured more Michelin-starred chefs and front-of-house managers than any other chef it is an incredible privilege for our couples to work alongside him."

The Restaurant is made by ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Vision Productions.

PA/JD