From Emmy Award-winning producers of “Top Chef” and “Project Runway” comes “America’s Next Great Restaurant.” In this delectable new alternative series, people from every walk of life will vie for the opportunity of a lifetime to see their original restaurant concept spring to life – starting with the opening of a restaurant chain in three locations — Hollywood, Minneapolis and New York City. Funding the restaurant concepts are four accredited investors: Bobby Flay, distinguished restaurateur (“Iron Chef America: The Series,” “Throwdown! with Bobby Flay”); Curtis Stone, internationally renowned chef (NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” “Take Home Chef”); Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle; and Lorena Garcia, executive chef and restaurateur. They not only serve as investors who put their money into the winning restaurant idea, but they also serve as mentors. They will be working side by side with the competitors to further develop their concepts and put each competitor’s restaurant concept through rigorous business and cooking challenges to determine which idea has what it takes to become America’s next great restaurant.

After a nationwide search, the top 21 competitors will present their restaurant concepts to the investors and 11 will be quickly eliminated — leaving the top ten competitors to battle it out over the course of the season. The investors will determine which competitor’s concept has the greatest potential for success, and those who do not rise to the challenge will be sent home. In the final episode, someone will fully savor his/her great American dream of launching his/her own restaurant chain, and viewers will have the opportunity to experience it for themselves. Among the competitors are Kevin Tran & Viet Tran from Tran Can Cook and Stephanie Park.

Tune in this Sunday, March 6, 2011 at 8/7c for the premiere episode.

Tran Can Cook talks NBC’s America’s Next Great Restaurant