Does your restaurant need help?
People behind “Fixer Upper” searching for Denver eatery to star in national TV pilot
Hit shows like “Fixer Upper” and “Cake Boss” have a common thread in High Noon Entertainment. And now, as the production company that specializes in unscripted programming looks to film a new pilot, it has its eyes on Denver.
“It’s kind of become my personal passion project,” said casting associate producer Caroline Beaton, who was raised in Englewood and has watched the Denver restaurant scene evolve.
“I grew up in Denver in the ’90s. Denver was sort of a cow town and did not have much of a restaurant scene,” she said over the phone from High Noon’s Denver office. “Even five years ago. I think what makes Denver an interesting place to have this pilot is it’s very competitive. How do you survive as a restaurant here?”
There isn’t much that can be shared out from the show yet, but the new concept will run on a cable network and feature a “seasoned restaurant flipper” who is popular in the Southwest. The current owner will hold onto the restaurant, but basically everything about it will change. That could mean branding, the concept, food, decor and more over the course of two weeks, before it is revealed anew.
Conglomerates, chains and big restaurant groups need not apply.
“We are really looking for familyowned or friendowned and operated businesses that are also restaurants,” Beaton added. “A lot of the bigger restaurant groups are the ones succeed
ing, making it harder for the momandpop shops. That makes them need our flipper even more.”
How can restaurants put themselves ahead of others in the running? “He (the flipper) wants restaurants that don’t just want to change, but they need to change,” she added.
High Noon is looking to cast the restaurant in the next month and, after the twoweek turnaround, will be brand new in the fall. The chosen restaurant will be in pretty good company. High Noon produced “Von Miller’s Studio 58” for Facebook Watch with the Broncos’ Super Bowl MVP.
Interested restaurants can apply at highnoontv.com/ casting. (It’s this one: “Is your restaurant ready for a major overhaul?”).