BBC AMERICA RETURNS TO THE KITCHEN WITH A NEW SEASON OF LAST RESTAURANT STANDING

World-renowned chef and Michelin-starred restaurateur Raymond Blanc returns for a second season of Last Restaurant Standing, the series in which nine couples battle it out for a once in a lifetime opportunity to open a new restaurant with him. This season the couples battle it out to open up restaurants that cook up everything from Welsh-Chinese fusion to traditional diner classics. Last Restaurant Standing premieres Tuesday, January 27, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

To inspire the couples for each week's challenges, he shares and demonstrates his creative talents with them in a search to find the pair with the flair, enthusiasm and abilities necessary to succeed in the tough but hugely rewarding world to which he has dedicated his life. Over 14 weeks, Raymond puts nine couples through their paces to see if they have what it takes to run their own eatery.

Starting out with little or no professional cooking experience, each couple must take over an empty restaurant, make it their own, and open to the public within a week. Every decision, every argument, every mistake they make is caught on camera. The couples are working and living together 24 hours-a-day, under enormous pressure - and only one will succeed.

Adding to the pressure are eagle-eyed inspectors and industry experts Sarah Willingham and David Moore, on a mission to scrutinize all aspects of the couples' restaurants, food, service and business acumen. At the end of each season, the winning team opens their own brand new restaurant, with the financial and personal backing of Blanc.

The nine competing couples are:

� Single mom, Kashelle and her mother, Annette with a Caribbean-inspired menu.

� Ex-Naval officer, Stephen and his wife, Helen with a rustic European fusion-style cooking set in a family restaurant.

� Young married couple, Caroline and Chris serving a simple menu of British food made with quality ingredients.

� Blue Chip company executive, Peter and his wife, Laura with Welsh-Chinese fusion.

� Best friends, Alasdair and James offer up fine dining.

� Michele and Russell who already run a small buffet business serve up a warm, friendly place with eclectic furniture and home-sewn table cloths.

� Line cook, Tom and his HR manager wife, Lindsie offer up a modern European-style brasserie.

� Father and daughter team, Harriet and Mike with a diner serving modern takes on classic dishes.

� Airline manager, Scott and his partner, Richard open with a relaxed meeting place, serving up seasonal, locally-sourced food.

BBC AMERICA brings audiences a new generation of award-winning television featuring news with a uniquely global perspective, provocative dramas, razor-sharp comedies and life-changing makeovers. BBC AMERICA pushes the boundaries to deliver high quality, highly addictive and eminently watchable programming to viewers who demand more. BBC AMERICA is distributed by Discovery Networks. It is available on digital cable and satellite TV in more than 62 million homes.