Do you have an idea for America’s next great restaurant? Are you sitting on a billion dollar concept? If you think your restaurant idea has what it takes to go national and bring in millions of hungry Americans, read on…

From NBC and Magical Elves, the Emmy Award-nominated producers of “Project Runway” and “Top Chef,” comes a big-event competition that will award one contestant the opportunity to see their idea turned into reality with a new restaurant chain opened in three cities across America! The contestants’ fate will be decided by a panel of some of the most important names in both the dining and business worlds that will invest their own money in the final restaurant chain and have a huge stake in the ongoing success of the game’s winner.

There are TWO options for you to apply:

Attend an OPEN CALL
Follow the directions on their website for SUBMIT BY MAIL instructions.
(Hint: pitching in person is fun.)

They will be holding an open casting call in Chicago at:
CHICAGO
Sunday, March 28
Chipotle
28251 Diehl Road
Warrenville, IL 60555
10am – 2pm

Please go to http://www.nbc.com/casting/ for all information, to download an application and pre-register for an open casting call at one of the eight stops on the nationwide casting bus tour. Along with a filled out and signed application and a photo-ID, we want you to bring anything you feel would help pitch your restaurant concept. Elements could be visual, edible, audible (jingle anyone?) or even wearable. . . Keep in mind you will have a limited time to pitch your idea, so make it count.

You can also can follow the bus tour on Twitter @magicalelves, with photos and video available on nbc.com/americas-next-great-restaurant.

In a non scientific poll, I estimate that 75% of my friends and family have iphones.  I have not joined the club – yet.  I still have a phone that just makes and takes phone calls.  However, the allure of phone apps keeps drawing me in.  Here’s some apps for foodies posted by Ronald O’Carlson from:  http://iphonetouch.blorge.com/2010/03/15/top-10-best-foodie-apps-for-i phone/:

The world is a beautiful place, especially when you’re seated in front of a plate, bowl, bag, cup, mug, etc. of your (new) favorite food. Find the best nosh and dining wherever you and your iPhone or iPod touch happen to be at the moment with these great foodie apps.

Of these apps, my favorites are Local Eats, Urbanspoon and Yelp. Of course, Yelp isn’t a foodie app per se as it’ll help you find just about anything you’re looking for whence out and about, which is a good thing if you’re looking for a Thai restaurant near an open drug store on a Sunday — word.

The hot new app in this lot in Foodspotting, which helps you find good eats and includes an element of competition that encourages users to find, rate and, quite naturally, enjoy local cuisine.

•  
  • Zagat to Go, $9.99
  — A year’s access to fresh reviews from over 45 trusted restaurant guides for less than the price of a single guide, plus nightlife, hotel and shopping coverage.• Local Eats, $0.99
  — The critically acclaimed dining app now features coupons and dining savings; find the best local dining for the Top 50 US cities.
  — iPhone apps: Local Eats knows the best places to dine …

  • Urbanspoon, free
  — Can’t decide where to eat? Shake your iPhone and the Urbanspoon slot machine will pick a good restaurant for you to try or keep shaking until you find one you’re happy with.

  • Yelp, free
  — Looking for a burito shop (or gas station) open in the middle of the night? Then iPhone and Yelp are here to help!

  • Foodspotting, free
  — A visual guide that lets you find food, not just restaurants. Powered by people who take pictures of their food, this app makes finding good food easier.
  — Review: Foodspotting delivers the eats, fun

  • MenuPages, free
  — The indispensable resource that millions love and trust to find restaurant and menus on the web (only covers NYC, Boston, San Francisco, LA, Philly, Boston, Chicago, DC metro and South Florida)
  — See also, GrubHub

  • GoodFood by GoodRec, free
  — The best way to find great places to eat. See what others like. Make quick thumbs up or down recommendations and add a quick tip to briefly say what makes the restaurant good.

  • RN Dining,
  — Before you make dinner plans, check which restaurants are offering rewards.

  • VeganXpress, $1.99
  — This app lists over 110 very common restaurants and their menu items suitable for the vegan diet.

  • Check Please Lite, free (ad supported)
  — What’re you gonna do — pull out a calculator in the middle of restaurant? Bad form…

The new James Beard Foundation semi-finalists include a healthy selection of chefs and restaurants from Chicago and the Suburbs. There is a total of 397 semi-finalists that will be voted on March 22nd in New Orleans.  The winners will be chosen May 3rd in New York City. LH

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANTEUR

Donald J. Madia: Avec, Big Star Taqueria and Bar, Blackbird, The Publican and The Violet Hour

Richard Melman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises

Paul Kahan (photo courtesy of Sky Full of Bacon Blog)

OUTSTANDING CHEF

Jean Joho – Everest

Paul Kahan, Blackbird

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT

Les Nomades

Spiaggia

RISING STAR CHEF

Josh Adams, June, Peoria Heights, IL

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

Cibo Matto at the Wit

Dish served at Alinea

OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF

Mindy Segal, Hot Chocolate

OUTSTANDING WINE SERVICE

Alinea

NoMi at the Park Hyatt

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL

Brian Duncan, Bin 36

Alpana Singh, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises

OUTSTANDING SERVICE

Alinea

Carlos, Highland Park, IL

Chef Koren Grieveson, Avec

BEST CHEF GREAT LAKES

Michael Carlson, Schwa

Curtis Duffy, Avenues at the Penninsula

Koren Grieveson, Avec

Bill Kim, Urbanbelly

Chris Nugent, Les Namades

Arun Sampanthavivat, Arun’s

Bruce Sherman, North Pond

Giuseppe Tentori, Boka

Paul Virant, Vie, Western Springs, IL

Chicago’s third annual Restaurant week has started. It’s a great way to sample restaurants while honoring your budget.  Lunches are a fixed price of $22 for 3 courses.  Dinners run $32 for 3 courses.  This does not include tax and gratituity.

As of today, there are over 170 restaurants participating – support just keeps growing. For a full list of restaurants, go to: http://www.choosechicago.com/eatitup/Pages/Restaurant.aspx

NOTE:  I have just found a very cool tool to use during restaurant week.  It will calculate the savings so you can decide (from a money perspective) if it’s worth trying a particular restaurant.  Here’s the link: http://www.avclub.com/chicago/articles/restaurant-week-calculator,3840 8/.