New Delhi – The collective power of an idea mixed with grit, vision and purpose, peppered with financial wisdom is the soul of the entrepreneurial spirit. This very spirit has taken India by storm in the last few years with numerous unique concepts emerging across various sectors, and many wanting to pursue their lifelong dream of ‘doing their own thing’ and professionals hanging up their corporate boots and living their passion.

Among many sectors that flourish under novel entrepreneurship is the food business, and more specifically, the restaurant business. For the first time on Indian television, FOX Life, India’s favourite lifestyle channel, gives aspiring food entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to realize their restaurant dreams on its upcoming show, Grilled.

The show featured 12 aspirants from across the country competing to put forth unique business ideas and be taken through a series of gruelling restaurant challenges. From creating a 5-Star experience for real diners in one of Mumbai’s most sought after restaurants, to whipping up an authentic restaurant menu without the availability of key ingredients, the contestants will be ‘grilled’ across various aspects of what it takes to start their own restaurant. At the end of this 10-part series, only one will clinch the ultimate dream investment of up to INR 1.5 Crore to start up their own culinary venture.

To see if they’re up for this life-changing opportunity, the 12 hopefuls will be judged by a diverse panel of judges who will test them on much required facets of the food business. F&B tycoon Riyaaz Amlani, food enthusiast Vishal Dadlani, and globally acclaimed Chef Sarah Todd. The 10-episode long series will see the trio challenging the 12 selected home cooks, amateur chefs and budding food entrepreneurs on their passion, creativity, knowledge, business acumen and potential to succeed in the trade.

Talking about this upcoming show, Swati Mohan, Business Head – ‎National Geographic and Fox Networks Group, India said “As the ‘start-up bug’ continues to gain momentum in India, with over 4200 start-ups emerging just in the past two years, we thought we at Fox Life would do our bit to help channelize this infectious energy in the best way we know how – through path-breaking original content. ‘Grilled’ is one of our pioneering efforts to showcase and encourage the food entrepreneurial culture in India and also inertly inspire would-be culinary entrepreneurs. Our fantastic judges, the mix of contestants and the format itself, ensures a great mix of entertainment, drama and an opportunity for audiences to understand just what it takes to succeed in the food business.

Talking about his experience as a judge, Riyaaz Amlani, CEO & MD, Impresario Handmade Restaurants & President of The National Restaurant Association of India said “My role in the show is of an investor, and I am looking for the next big idea. I am excited to be a part of ‘Grilled’, and partner with new talent and support it so that it can become the next big thing in the Indian hospitality scenario. A restaurant is a whole lot more than just cooking skills and this show is about not just cooking talent but about restauranting talent. The competitive scenario is much tougher now from when I started. It takes a lot more for restaurants to get noticed now. This show will not only help 1 contestant to achieve his/her dreams, but will also provide inspiration for the thousands watching at home who hope to own their own restaurant someday.”

Sharing his experience on the show, food enthusiast and celebrity Vishal Dadlani said, “Having been a judge on various TV shows, I have a keen eye for identifying the right mix of passion and talent in a contender. I truly believe, be it any industry, music or food you need that hunger to succeed and a passion to excel in whatever you put on your plate. Music and good food keep me going. When Fox Life presented this opportunity to me, I happily took it. Presentation skills, innovation along with balanced flavours of the dish are some of the metrics that I would be judging the 12 contestants on.”

Talking about her experience, Chef Sarah Todd said, “From a contestant to now being a judge on a food reality show, it is like revisiting my own journey. Grilled is way beyond just presenting the judges with the most sumptuous dishes, we are looking for someone who has a business acumen, creativity and potential to be a successful entrepreneur. I believe that FOX Life is the perfect platform for participants to get exposed to new experiences and live the life they love.”