NBC Greenlights New Show From Top Chef Producers

Ooh boy. NBC has ordered up an ambitious new show from Magical Elves, the production company that created sister network Bravo's Top Chef, and it will offer one of the biggest television prizes ever--at least in cooking show history. The United Plates of America will bring together would-be restaurateurs to compete for funding from a "a panel of wealthy investors from the cooking and business world." The contestants need not be professional chefs (producer Dan Cutforth said that "It's a culinary competition that anybody can take part in"); they simply need to have and execute an idea for a great national eatery.

Whether the winning idea will be closer to McDonald's or Momofuku, only time will tell. And in return for a killer concept? "The show's winner will receive a restaurant chain that opens in four locations in various U.S. cities on the night of the show's season finale."

Four restaurants from a reality show--this is huge.
· NBC reality series cooks up serious competition [Reuters]