Last Restaurant Standing Episode Guide, Season 3

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The Pitch
Raymond Blanc is on the hunt for a couple to partner with in a brand new restaurant venture. But with the restaurant industry going through tough times, it is going to be harder than ever for couples to prove they can succeed. Called to Bristol to meet Raymond, the couples are introduced to the world of the "high street" restaurant. They are given just one hour to cook a dish that sells their culinary skills as well as their vision for their restaurant. Some couples impress, but others crack under the pressure. And a shock announcement proves no one is safe.

The Chain
In the last episode, two couples were sent home, their dreams of running a restaurant with Raymond Blanc cut short. Now seven couples are left in the competition - but to get keys to one of Raymond's Bristol restaurants they must overcome a final obstacle. Together they must run three of the city's leading chain restaurants. Divided into groups, they receive intensive training. The menus look simple - pizzas, noodles and sushi. But under the watchful eyes of Raymond, Sarah and David, the couples open the doors to hundreds of customers and service does not run smoothly. And, at the end, Raymond has keys to just six restaurants - one couple is going home.

Opening Night
Six couples have earned the keys to Raymond Blanc's six Bristol restaurants. The couples have to quickly get to know their locations, from upmarket Clifton to downtown Stokes Croft and the industrial quayside. Before their openings, they must decide the name of their restaurant, plan their menus, and attract customers. To help pull people in, Raymond sets them a challenge - to take to the Bristol streets with samples that define their concepts in a single tasty bite. With Sarah Willingham and David Moore watching the couples' every move, it becomes clear that some are on the wrong track. Opening night arrives, and it's time for the chefs to show that they can run a busy commercial kitchen and that their partners can run a smooth service that will win customer loyalty. As well as pleasing their customers, the couples also receive surprise visits by Raymond and his investors Sarah and David. What they see decides which couples stay and whose restaurant will close.

The Seasonal Ingredient
The five remaining couples get a lesson in seasonality. Raymond challenges them to use only fresh, local, and seasonal produce to make dishes to sell at a local farmers market. As well as showcasing the best produce, their dishes must promote their restaurant concepts. It's a chance to find new customers and show Raymond's partners Sarah and David what they can do, but as the pressure mounts, one pair goes AWOL. Back at the restaurants, a surprise delivery from Raymond puts seasonal meat on all the couples' menus. To some chefs it's a welcome chance to reach out of their comfort zone, but others find it barbaric. It's clear some of the couples are beginning to shine while others' bravado is wearing thin. Whatever Raymond, Sarah, and David see will decide which of the restaurants will close.

The Cake
There's a heat wave in Bristol and the four remaining couples sweat it out at a tea dance serving afternoon tea to over a hundred guests. Front of house must up their game in presentation and service, and it's a chance for the chefs to show off their baking skills. There's another challenge, too: front of house must win over as many guests with their menus as they are competing directly against each other for the first time. JJ and James relish the chance to outdo the others while Chris and Nathan come up short with their menu - and when Raymond's partners Sarah and David turn up, parched guests are wilting. Evening service is a second chance to shine. At their restaurants, the couples take bookings from VIP guests with special requests. Each table of 12 wants a three-course meal topped off with a celebratory cake. Painful scenes unfold as the chefs pour their creativity into making cake mountains and flying planes. At the end of it all one couple's journey will be over.

The Singles
In what are effectively the quarterfinals in his search for new restaurant partners, Raymond Blanc puts love on the menu - a challenge guaranteed to put pressure on the couples and up the enjoyment for the viewer. First, the teams must prepare a romantic takeaway dinner for two. This is followed by a singles night. When one of the couples starts off by wondering what happens on a singles night, it becomes clear that the evening won't proceed smoothly.

The Demo
It's semi-final week, and Raymond Blanc has really turned up the pressure in order to choose the two couples to go into next week's final. First, the three remaining couples must stage a cookery masterclass in their restaurants. This doesn't go well for one couple though who don't get a single student. Then they deliver what they think is their final service...in front of Raymond. Just when they think it's time for the result, Raymond delivers one final challenge - one which ends in tears and the closure of another restaurant.

The Final
It's the final and just two of the nine couples remain. Raymond Blanc and investors Sarah Willingham and David Moore must now decide which couple will become their new business partners but, first, a huge challenge lies ahead. The two remaining chefs head for Raymond's famous restaurant in Oxfordshire for a cooking lesson, while their front-of-house partners are given a lesson in providing a high level of service at David's exclusive restaurant in London. It's all preparation for their final challenge: to serve a prestigious banquet for Lord and Lady Arran and their exclusive guests at their stately home in Devon. The banquet will be a six-course meal and the couples will compete by making alternate courses. They then face a head-to-head cook-off with a souffle for dessert. Lord and Lady Arran have high standards - service at Castle Hill is steeped in tradition. One wrong move and the butler could step in. Raymond, Sarah, and David are there to watch as the couples do their best to show that they should win the prize of a lifetime - a restaurant partnership with all three of them.

The Winners' Story
This one-hour special catches up with Michele and Russell, winners of Last Restaurant Standing Season 2, as they work with Raymond Blanc to transform an old pub into the restaurant of their dreams.