Love at First Bite

Although their first meeting included Karen scolding John for making a mess in the pastry department, things were smooth sailing after that. Turning down an incredible gig in Las Vegas, the couple bought a restaurant off Craigslist in rural Virginia and made a name for themselves. Since then, they’ve opened a dual-concept spot in Chicago that has critics and locals alike battling to get a table.

Unsatisfied with their careers, Elise and Anna did the unthinkable. They opened up a restaurant in Brooklyn when they were 25 and remained the only employees the entire time the restaurant was open. Now residing in upstate New York, this duo is on the lookout for their next gig and their next big success.

Adam walked out of the bathroom on the job and when he saw Jackie, he swears it was love at first sight. Together, they worked side-by-side in Portland restaurant kitchens before making the leap and opening up their own place. With a love for fried chicken that parallels their love for each other, this couple did everything they could to stay open as they faced economic hardship.

Nina turned down Larry’s date offers too many times to count before she finally gave in, and what resulted was a certifiable restaurant power couple. Drawing from Nina’s Caribbean roots and Larry’s taste for fine things, the two opened Compere Lapin in New Orleans and quickly became the talk of the town. Together they’ve created a truly special place in the Big Easy with Nina’s unique culinary viewpoint and both of their fierce competitiveness.

Gavin may have given Linda the most cowardly first kiss possible, but luckily that didn’t make a difference for Linda. Together, they moved across the world only to end up in Gavin’s hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Opening one of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants, Spoon & Stable, the two are slowly building an empire of elevated French dining with Gavin as the chef and Linda as the designer.