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The wait is over to see if Nosh & Swig owners Steve and Lorie Piamchuntar manage to convince Las Vegas restaurant fixture Joe Bastianich and chef and restaurateur Tim Love to invest in their dream project on CNBC's Restaurant Startup.
Chef Steve and General Manager Lorie gamble on the TV show hosts investing $400,000 for a 35% equity in their next project, that will take them away from their self-described "horrible location" on East Flamingo Road and start anew at an undisclosed location downtown.
Their "international small plates fusion" concept comes under close scrutiny, but the judges agree Piamchuntar creates some of the very best food they've tasted over two seasons of the reality show.
However, issues brew over the wide range of the menu, the "confusing" concept and even the restaurant logo. Despite citing local "magazine articles" that chef Steve believes prove his small plates concept will become a hit, the judges counter he has committed to a flawed and failing business model.
To show the investors what they can do, the Vegas couple has 36 hours and a $7,500 budget "to put their dream to the test and launch a pop-up restaurant; come up with a branding campaign; and write a business plan." Their competition is the Los Angeles restaurant Hiatus Urban Barbeque who are asking for a $300,000 investment for 30% of their business.
All the culinary drama unfolds tonight at 10 p.m., but internet savvy locals can spoil the surprise of the Piamchuntar's future plans with a few simple searches.