‘Restaurant Startup’ More About Profits Than Profiteroles, TCA Panelists Say

Another way to put it, if you’re not into French cream puffs: This CNBC show deals with the business of running a restaurant rather than a cooking competition.

“It’s not a competition show, “ insisted investor Tim Love, who appeared on the Restaurant Startup TCA panel today with investor/EP Joe Bastianich and culinary consultant Antonia Lofaso. The show is often described as the Shark Tank for the restaurant biz, and Love confirmed the analogy. “Do you have an idea that is focused and is real that I want to put my money into?” he added.

Said Bastianich: “My grandmother gave $80,000 (to start my first restaurant). She gets a dividend check every year. This is a business show. It’s about making investments. It’s about making money.”

Bastianich, who has departed as a judge on MasterChef and its spinoff MasterChef Junior, also addressed his leaving those shows, which he called a “fond memory.” “I’ve stepped away, I still continue to do MasterChef Italy,” he said. “I am currently involved in looking for other opportunities.”