When it aired on RTÉ, The Restaurat proved to be a very successful format often beating even the likes of Neven Maguire and Donal Skehan's cookery shows in the ratings.
[4] Each episode saw a celebrity head chef taking on the culinary challenge of producing a full three-course meal with two wines.
[5] When it was on RTÉ, the head chef arrived on location at 10:00 on the day of filming and immediately began working with the team.
The Restaurant on RTÉ was voiced over by Seán Moncrieff and the restaurant was manned by John Healy, Maitre'D;[7] the kitchen staff, chefs David Workowich, Stephen McAllister and Louise Lennox and food researcher, Stephen Quin,[8] and waiting staff, waitress, Elaine Normile and waiters, Lee Bradshaw and Vivian Reynolds.
[9] During its original run on RTÉ The Restaurant moved location to County Westmeath, where filming took place at Wineport Lodge overlooking Lough Ree, in Glassan village.
In what was possibly or must have probably been RTÉ Series 1–5,[clarification needed] head chefs Roddy Collins and Bill Hughes received two stars in a New Year's Eve special.
[4] In the opening episode of RTÉ Series 7 (broadcast on 16 November 2008), head chef Michael Healy-Rae received three stars.
[53] In the fourth episode of RTÉ Series 7 (broadcast on 7 December 2008), head chef Dominic Mafham received four stars.
[55] In the sixth episode of RTÉ Series 7 (broadcast on 21 December 2008), head chef Dermot Bannon received five stars.
The six-part series was filmed at Wineport Lodge in Glasson, County Westmeath in November 2014, with each episode running to one hour.