THE RISE AND FALL OF AMERICA'S NEXT GREAT RESTAURANT

Does anybody remember the reality television game show America's Next Great Restaurant last year in 2011.  Almost around this time last year, several contestants competed against each other for the chance to win the ultimate prize, the chance to be Chief Executive Officer of a multi-city chain restaurant.  Actually, it's owned by Chipolte.  Still, the winner of the reality television game show America's Next Great Restaurant gets to operate all three restaurants in Los Angelas, California; Bloomington, Minnesota and Manhatten, New York City, New York.  America's Next Great Restaurants Judge Panel (Who would also be investors in the three city restaurant chain) gets to pick the lucky winner (With somebody being sent home each week).  Chipolte founder and CEO Steve Ellis, Professional Chef Curtis Stone and Bobby Flay were the judge panel with unseen investor Lorena Garcia also included.  After much fanfar Jamawn Woods African American soul food restaurant (Originally called W3 or Woods' Wings & Waffles) Soul Daddy got the top prize.  Soul Daddy was launched twenty-four hours after the final episode of the reality game show series (America's Next Great Restaurant has been canceled after one season).
Remember the old saying, be careful what you ask for.  You just might get it.  Well, it's one thing to win a three city restaurant chain as a contest prize.  It's another thing for the three city restaurant chain to actually succeed.  All three Soul Daddy Restaurants opened on May 2, 2011.  Far from the safety of reality television, the reality of the Great Recession hit hard.  The Soul Daddy Restaurant in 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Ste C-418, Los Angeles, CA 90028 closed after one month on June 2, 2011.  The Soul Daddy Restaurant in Southside Seaport, 189 Front Street, Manhattan, NY 10038 closed on June 2, 2011.  The Soul Daddy Restaurant in the Mall of the America's in 8100 24th Ave South, Bloomington, MN 55425 closed on July 2, 2011.  Jamawn Woods is back to the Detroit, Michigan automobile manufacturing business while trying to relaunch Soul Daddy in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan.  The contest prize of owning a multi-city restaurant chain has become a memory.  I'm not sure if original investors Steve Ellis, Curtis Stone, Bobby Flay and Lorena Garcia is even answering telephone calls from Jamawn Woods anymore.

While I'm researching the aftermath of reality television restaurant fixing and launching, here are some photos of television actress Karen Gillan (She plays Amelia Amy Pond on Doctor Who for three seasons).