United Plates of America

Okay, take the idea of Shark Tank (or Dragon's Den if you're a BBC America fan), mix it with the Top Chef folks, offer a great grand prize and hope for the best. That's the recipe behind NBC's new food competition show, United Plates of America. The network is turning to the Magical Elves from Top Chef -- no, seriously, that's the production company's name -- to succeed in the food field where NBC has flopped in the past. Remember The Chopping Block? Remember Rocco DiSpirito's The Restaurant? NBC has more luck with the dieters on The Biggest Loser.

This go-round is not about a single restaurant. It's about a chain of restaurants. To me, that's a questionable goal. Most successful chains start off with one great restaurant and then take off. This concept is go big or go home. Maybe it's more complicated, but it doesn't sound that way.

Get ready for the 'United Plates of America.'

No, this isn't a new marketing plan at your DMV. It's the title of NBC's new cooking reality show, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

In addition to having what may be the worst reality show title ever, 'Plates' will have its chefs competing for a lucrative prize: their very own restaurant chain, with four locations planned throughout the United States.

The audience are winners, too, for the season finale is also the grand opening date for the chain, which will give America the chance to "unite plates" -- whatever that means.