Famous Food
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Famous food logo.png
| caption =
| genre = Reality television
| creator =
| developer =
| writer =
| director =
| creative_director =
| presenter =
| starring = Heidi Montag
Danielle Staub
DJ Paul
Juicy J
Ashley Dupre
Jake Pavelka
Vincent Pastore
| judges =
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 1
| num_episodes = 10
| executive_producer = Mark Cronin/Cris Abrego
| producer =
| editor =
| location = Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
| cinematography =
| camera =
| runtime =
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| channel = VH1
| first_aired = {{start date|2011|7|10}}
| last_aired = {{end date|2011|9|7}}
}}
Famous Food is a VH1 reality series that premiered 10 July 2011. It features seven celebrities as they work to open and take ownership in a restaurant in Hollywood owned by Mike Malin (who competed in Big Brother 2 and Big Brother 7: All-Stars, which he won) and Lonnie Moore of The Dolce Group.{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2011/04/20/famous-food-heidi-montag-danielle-staub/|title=VH1 launches Famous Food,' starring Heidi Montag and Danielle Staub|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=April 20, 2011}} Due to low ratings, VH1 announced on July 15 that the show will move to Wednesdays 8/7c beginning July 20.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2011/07/18/mid-season-schedule-changes-for-vh1s-famous-food-294104/20110718vh102/|title=Breaking News - Mid-Season Schedule Changes for VH1's "Famous Food"|website=The Futon Critic|date=July 18, 2011}} DJ Paul was the winner of the partnership but after a twist the judges awarded a second partnership to Danielle Staub. The restaurant created on the show, named "Lemon Basket", was closed after just 5 months.{{Cite web|url=https://la.eater.com/2011/10/6/6645883/lemon-basket-has-gone-sour-now-closed|title=Lemon Basket Has Gone Sour, Now Closed|first=Kat|last=Odell|date=October 6, 2011|website=Eater LA}}
Format
The contestants will work to launch Famous Food, a Hollywood restaurant, with their skills being tested in challenges. At the season's end, the winner will be given a partnership stake in the business.{{Cite web |url=http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm?id=88899 |title=Heidi Montag to Feature in Reality Show "Famous Food" |access-date=2011-04-22 |archive-date=2011-07-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724092553/http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm?id=88899 |url-status=dead }}
Contestants
| class="wikitable"
! Contestant ! Age ! Known for |
| Ashley Dupre
| 25 | New York Post sex columnist/former call girl in the Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal |
| DJ Paul
| 34/35 | Three 6 Mafia rap group member |
| Juicy J
| 36 | Three 6 Mafia rap group member |
| Heidi Montag
| 24 | Cast member of The Hills |
| Jake Pavelka
| 33 | Contestant on The Bachelorette and The Bachelor during the 14th season |
| Vincent Pastore
| 64 | Cast member of The Sopranos |
| Danielle Staub
| 48 | Former cast member of The Real Housewives of New Jersey |
Production
In 2011, various cast members were seen filming for an upcoming reality series.{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/ashley-dupre-heidi-montag-to-star-in-vh1-reality-show|title=Ashley Dupre, Heidi Montag to Star in VH1 Reality Show|date=April 20, 2011|website=Fox News Channel}} On April 21, 2011, the series was confirmed by VH1. On the same day, cast member Heidi Montag talked about the series on On Air with Ryan Seacrest, saying it "is about several celebrities coming together and building a restaurant, and working in it, and kind of figuring out the in’s and outs of the restaurant business, and how to be successful in it."{{Cite web |url=http://ryan.kiisfm.com/pages/ryansrecap.html?feed=152739&article=8469318#ixzz1KHAeikTO |title=Ryan's Recap - On-Air with Ryan Seacrest |access-date=2011-04-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722141200/http://ryan.kiisfm.com/pages/ryansrecap.html?feed=152739&article=8469318#ixzz1KHAeikTO |archive-date=2011-07-22 |url-status=dead }}
Episodes
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Episode
! U.S. Air Date ! Rating/Share ! Viewers |
|---|
| "Fame"
| July 10, 2011 | 0.43 |
| "Pressure Cooker"
| July 17, 2011 | 0.43 |
| "A Special Kind of Evil"
| July 20, 2011 | 0.33 |
| "Spoonfuls of Crap"
| July 27, 2011 | 0.35 |
| "Call Me the Problem Solver"
| August 3, 2011 | 0.40 |
| "You Poke the Bear You're Going to Get the Claws"
| August 10, 2011 | 0.50 |
| "In the Hot Seat"
| August 17, 2011 | 0.36 |
| "We're From the Street We Don't Play Like That"
| August 24, 2011 | 0.36 |
| "Putting Out Fires"
| August 31, 2011 | 0.37 |
| "Then We'll See Who's the MVP"
| September 7, 2011 | 0.44 |
Ratings
The show's first two episodes, which aired on July 10 & 17 averaged 0.43 million viewers and a 0.2 rating in adults 18–49, making it the lowest rated VH1 show of the season. Resulting in not returning for a second season.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings/2011/07/19/sundays-cable-ratings-hbos-true-blood-still-untouchable-92214/cable_20110717/|title=Ratings - Sunday's Cable Ratings: HBO's "True Blood" Still Untouchable|website=The Futon Critic|date=July 19, 2011}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2011/07/15/vh1-relocates-famous-food-to-wednesdays-416413/9348/|title=Breaking News - VH1 Relocates "Famous Food" to Wednesdays|website=The Futon Critic|date=July 15, 2011}}
References
{{reflist}}
- [http://ny.eater.com/archives/2011/08/ashley_dupre_cribs_blue_ribbon_menu_on_famous_food.php Ashley Dupre Cribs Blue Ribbon Menu on Famous Food]
Category:2011 American television series debuts
Category:2011 American television series endings
Category:2010s American reality television series
Category:American English-language television shows
Category:Food reality television series