ABOUT THE PROJECT
LOGLINE
WE BUILT THIS CITY is a sweeping, fearless docuseries that uncovers the current crisis inside America’s independent restaurants and celebrates the people trying to solve it.
SYNOPSIS
The seven episode series takes audiences on an unfiltered journey inside the real world of America’s restaurants. It reveals the personal stories of a diverse palette of characters and outrageous personalities, from servers and line cooks, to iconic restaurateurs, award-winning chefs, and visionary newcomers. It captures the intense energy and teamwork of food service operations from the elegant to the down home. The series also reveals the widening gap between the polished, white-glove service guests experience and the inequities behind the scenes where pay, recognition, and opportunity often remain out of balance. It also shines a light on the often hidden struggles with mental health and substance abuse that continue to challenge the hospitality industry nationwide.
Guiding this journey is Ben Ellsworth, a man who can tell the story of the American restaurant because he has lived it. From dishwasher to executive chef, Ben has spent 22 years in the trenches. His perspective bridges the worlds of the celebrated and the overlooked, delivering an unflinching yet deeply human message to those who show up day after day, pouring their hearts into the food, the service, and the soul of every meal.
WE BUILT THIS CITY sets a course for positive change as it illuminates restaurants deep impact on our culture and the issues that threaten their survival.
The first goal of WE BUILT THIS CITY is to fund, then create a five minute short film to present to networks, investors and celebrity attachments.
PROJECT TYPE Documentary Series
DIRECTOR Tom Wiggin
PRODUCER Jenn Wiggin, Allyson Rice, Tom Wiggin
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Ben Ellsworth
WEBSITE WEBUILTTHISCITYDOC.COM
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