Murrysville native helps save 'Restaurants on the Edge' in Netflix show

Murrysville native Courtney Hazlett hates to see a restaurant with a great location – and a great view – slipping into obscurity.

With that in mind, Hazlett’s production company, OutEast Entertainment, created “Restaurants on the Edge,” which debuted in late February on Netflix. On the show, a team of experts visits a struggling restaurant that “offers an experience which doesn’t live up to its gorgeous surroundings,” Hazlett said.

Hazlett, 43, who lives in Los Angeles, recently spoke with the Trib about creating the show and the response she’s received.

Q: What sort of feedback have you gotten since the show debuted?

A: I’ve been around the industry long enough to know you cannot make every single viewer happy, but the overwhelming response has been positive. Some of the feedback that makes me happiest is when I hear from a person who said they loved it, and so did their kids. It was really important to me to make something that families could watch together, and according to the feedback, we succeeded. People also seem to be walking away with the travel bug, which is great. The more curious everyone is about the world, the kinder we are in general, I believe.

Q: Does Netflix provide you as the show’s creator with any sort of metrics to see how it is performing, particularly against other, similarly-themed programs?

A: No, Netflix doesn’t provide us with any data of the like. However, in some markets, Netflix recently began revealing what the top 10 shows are. I was thrilled to receive a photo of one user’s television in Malta, that showed we were the number one show there.

Below, see the show’s trailer.

Q: What was the biggest challenge of mapping out this initial season of the show?

A: The greatest challenge was in finding the best possible restaurants. The owners had to really be willing to take a chance, shut down for 10 days, the space had to be a size we could renovate in a very short period of time … so much went into casting the restaurants. From a pure production standpoint, the logistics that go into moving a show around the world are very daunting.

Q: Have you gotten any indication of whether Netflix is interested in a second season?

A: A second season will drop later this year; we’re hoping to hear soon if we’ll get a third.

Q: What are you enjoying the most about the show being released?

A: Every positive comment from people who either were part of the show or watched the show has made my heart sing. There have never been more choices when it comes to what to watch; I really am thankful and flattered that people chose to spend their free time watching Restaurants on the Edge. The other thing I enjoy most is that the dozens of people — the crew, the folks in pre- and post-production—get to finally see how all their hard work paid off.

Q: What other projects are you currently working on?

A: Our production company, OutEast Entertainment, recently sold a medical drama to ABC, which they picked up to pilot. I also co-wrote a film that is being shot in Malta later this year, and we have a slate of other shows we have high hopes for.