Brother and sister team up for new FOOD NETWORK series 'Family Style' Premieres Thursday, August 26th at 10:30PM ET/PT

NEW YORK - August 11, 2010 - This August, meet siblings Joey and Melissa Maggiore, in Food Network's new primetime series, Family Style, premiering Thursday, August 26th at 10:30pm ET/PT. Despite approaching life in completely opposite ways, this "odd couple" of the restaurant world, share the same goal: to make their new Italian restaurant, Tommy V's, in Carlsbad, Calif., a success. Melissa, a hard-working traditionalist, can find it challenging seeing eye-to-eye with Joey, a wild card without a filter. While trying to pull off everything from speed-dating events to extravagant wedding rehearsal dinners, Joey can drive Melissa crazy with his pranks and antics, but at the end of the day, these talented restaurateurs pull through together in true Family Style.

Episodes include:

Premiering Thursday, August 26th at 10:30pm ET/PT- SERIES PREMIERE!

"Speed Dating Disaster"

With business slowing down at Tommy V's, Melissa and Joey Maggiore set up a speed-dating event featuring aphrodisiac appetizers to attract young, hip clientele. Joey hopes the event will help his shy cousin Jimmy get lucky with the ladies, and the prankster secretly signs his single sister up for the event as well.

Premiering Thursday, September 2nd at 10:30pm ET/PT

"Rappin' Restaurant"

To create some buzz around their new restaurant, Tommy V's, Melissa Maggiore invites the local movers and shakers to a VIP wine tasting, but her brother Joey's idea is a bit more extravagant: create a special rap video about the restaurant. Joey decides to secretly recruit his cousin Jimmy to help produce the video and play it for the guests during the wine tasting. Will Melissa let it slide if she sees the guests enjoy it, or will Joey's idea completely tank?

Premiering Thursday, September 9th at 10:30pm ET/PT

"Bridezilla and the Lamb"

Siblings Melissa and Joey Maggiore have two very important parties to plan for their family: a wedding rehearsal dinner at Tommy V's and a birthday party at Melissa's house. Things fall flat when the future bride decides she wants an over-the-top Mexican fiesta and not the Italian fare the Maggiores prepared. Meanwhile, Joey and Melissa must throw a party for their families, so Joey surprises them with a whole roasted lamb.

Premiering Thursday, September 16th at 10:30pm ET/PT

"Smokin' Joey"

While he's proud of his Italian heritage, Joey Maggiore follows his all-American dream of becoming the king of barbeque by entering a local barbecue festival. Before Joey competes, he decides to test his barbecue sauce in front of Tommy V's while Melissa is out of town. Departing from her traditional Italian menu causes Melissa's blood to boil, but she returns to a surprise when customers start raving about Joey's special recipe.

Premiering Thursday, September 23rd at 10:30pm ET/PT

"Family Face-Off"

When Melissa Maggiore can't convince her brother to cook for a private charity dinner, she challenges him to a bet: they'll each create a new dish for Tommy V's menu and their father will decide which dish is best. If Melissa wins, Joey must cook for the charity dinner, and if she loses, she's on dishwashing duty all night. Either way, somebody will end up doing the dirty work.

ABOUT MELISSA MAGGIORE:

As the daughter of an Italian immigrant, Melissa traveled extensively to Italy with her father where her love affair with food and wine began. After pursuing a journalism degree at Arizona State University, she decided her passion for food, wine, and hospitality could not be ignored and returned to San Diego to assist in the opening of a new family restaurant venture in Coronado. In 1997, Melissa opened a trattoria, La Bruschetta, in La Jolla, Calif., and embarked on a second location, Zibibbo Italian Bistro, in Encinitas, Calif. in 2000. Melissa has been instrumental in marketing her family's Luxus 5 wines from Sicily in the U.S. marketplace. In May 2010, Melissa opened Tommy V's Urban Kitchen in Carlsbad, Calif., the subject of Food Network primetime series, Family Style. In December 2010, Melissa will assist her parents in their latest concept, Tommy V's Italian Chop House, which opened its doors in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. in June 2010. Melissa currently lives in Southern California with her two children, Marcella and Francesco.

ABOUT JOEY MAGGIORE:

From a young age, Joey worked with his father at their family restaurants where he learned the art of Italian gastronomy. After graduation, Joey threw himself into the restaurant business perfecting the dishes that were passed down from generations. Joey attended The Scottsdale Culinary Academy, but left the program to pursue his dream of opening his own restaurant in San Diego. Assisting as the executive chef and concept creator of his parents' restaurants for two years, Joey got his big break when he opened Joey's California Bistro in 1999. In addition to running his California bistro, Joey continued to be influential in the daily operations of his parents' restaurants. In 2003, he assisted in the opening of Tommy V's Steak & Chop House in Carlsbad, Calif. In 2004, Joey embarked on a successful endeavor to bring Southern barbecue to Carlsbad, Calif., inspired by his travels with a California edge, by opening Joey's Smokin' BBQ. Within three years, Joey turned this small, quick-serve BBQ joint into a franchise of eight locations around the state with more locations to open in future. In 2010, Joey and his sister, Melissa, opened Tommy V's Urban Kitchen and he worked for his family's new endeavor, Tommy V's Italian Chop House in Del Mar, Calif. Joey currently resides in Southern California with his wife Cristina and their three children, Giuliana, Tomaso, and Melina.