Robert Irvine Looking Forward To Restaurant Express, New York Wine & Food Festival

Robert Irvine is a busy man these days. Best known as the host of Food Network's Restaurant: Impossible and Dinner: Impossible, the muscle-bound chef has two projects in the works: a new Food Network show, called Restaurant Express, and a scheduled demo at the upcoming New York Wine & Food Festival (NYCWFF), starting Oct. 17.

"I love seeing the fans and fellow chefs in so many different venues and events," Irvine told us about the festival, where he will be hosting the "BBQ and the Blues" event. "BBQ and Blues combines the best BBQ chefs and pitmasters with great music and drinks," he added. "This is going to be the event to go to."

As for the cooking demonstration, he'll be "focusing on creating food that everyone can enjoy and prepare at home," he said.

As for Restaurant Express, the show will give nine chefs the chance to open a restaurant in Las Vegas. The chefs will visit a new city every episode, where their culinary savvy and restaurant skills will be put to the test, and the winner will help launch a restaurant at Vegas' M Resort Spa Casino, where they'll also serve as executive chef.

Along with the new hosting gig and the planned demo at the NYCWFF, Irvine just launched a line of Fit Crunch Baked Protein Bars, and in November his live show starts back up. "I'm always working on something new for my fans, or to support our troops," he said. "I have a busy few months ahead of me."