Restaurant Wars: The Battle for Manchester

In this episode, Simon Rogan, one of the UK's most revered chefs and famed for his two-Michelin-starred restaurant L'Enclume, takes over at The French restaurant, housed in Manchester's historic Midland Hotel. This is Rogan's first foray in to a permanent city restaurant, but the news of his arrival and elaborate ten-course tasting menu is met with resistance by the staff and customers. Meanwhile, across the city in a tiny development kitchen, Aiden Byrne puts the finishing touches to a menu that he hopes will put him back in to the arena of fine dining since winning a Michelin star nearly twenty years ago. First he must impress his backer who has spent three million pounds creating Manchester House, the restaurant that Aiden is set to helm.

Second part in the series following two of Britain's top chefs, Simon Rogan and Aiden Byrne, as they open new restaurants in Manchester and aim to be awarded a Michelin star. Pressure mounts and tempers soar as Simon struggles to get his team of young chefs to meet his exacting standards and master his complex food in time for the arrival of the first national restaurant critic. Across the city, Aiden and restaurateur Tim Bacon begin a rigorous training programme for chefs and front-of-house staff, most of whom have never worked in a fine dining restaurant. As the waiting staff attempt to memorise over 50 courses and their ingredients, the design team struggle to complete the £3 million project in time for opening night.

Chefs Simon Rogan and Aiden Byrne both attempt to open restaurants in Manchester. Can Simon achieve his Michelin star and has the city finally got a taste for fine dining?