C4 commissions ‘The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes’

Today (Tuesday September 25) is World Alzheimer’s Day, and Channel 4 has announced a new series supported by The Alzheimer’s Society.

Channel 4 said the aim of the show is ‘to open the eyes of policy makers and employers on a quest to destigmatise dementia’.

Inspired by a real-life Japanese pop-up restaurant that opened in Tokyo last year, the broadcaster is looking to change how dementia is viewed by supersizing the concept and opening a restaurant staffed entirely by people living with the condition: ‘The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes’.

A host of celebrity diners and members of the public will visit the restaurant over a five-week period to put the newly trained staff to the test. Having spent the month prior learning the tricks of the trade, Channel 4 says it will be “following the journey of the contributors in a sometimes poignant, sometimes funny but overall a feel-good and surprising series, as they are put to work in one of the most high pressure and tough working environments there is”.

From CPL Productions, the maker of the BAFTA-nominated ‘Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds’, Channel 4 hopes the five-part series of one hour episodes will ‘start a wider national conversation about how we think about people who live and work with this increasingly common condition. A team of experts will oversee the project that could potentially change how businesses recruit, employ and retain staff who find themselves living with dementia’.

Channel 4 head of entertainment Ed Havard commented: “‘Stand Up To Cancer’ has grown into a hugely successful Channel 4 brand that shines a light on the millions in this country battling cancer, and the ambition with ‘The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes’ is no different: to challenge and change attitudes to dementia through an original and innovative series.”