Slowly pursuing their dream after reality TV win

Brothers-in-law Rob Zahner, 45, and Tom Henrichs, 36, make a boisterous pair. They argue and make fun of one another incessantly, but the family ties also shine through as the two finish each other's sentences and thoughts.

From this dynamic chemistry, the two Long Island residents have added fame to their name. Late last month Zahner and Henrichs appeared in an episode of "24 Hour Restaurant Battle," the Food Network show, and they won.

The prize money -- $10,000 -- could set them on their long-term path of opening a restaurant together to combine Henrich's culinary talents with Zahner's business experience.

The two are adamant, though, about securing financing before they move forward with the idea.

"We don't want to jump into this underfinanced, because that's how restaurants fail," Zahner said, adding that it would take about $250,000 to open the eatery they have planned. The two heard from interested financiers after they won the show, but haven't made any official agreements in terms of securing funding, Zahner said.

"24 Hour Restaurant Battle" pits teams of two against each other to conceptualize and execute their own restaurant idea within 24 hours. A panel of judges decides the winner based on the implementation and viability of the concept.

Zahner and Henrichs competed against a duo from Texas, and opened their own take on the German beer garden. Zahner was in charge of front management and decorations, and Henrichs took over the kitchen and provided the menu, full of his own twists on German food.

"Of all the contestants I've encountered on the show, Tom and Rob seemed ready to go," said Gabriella Gershenson, a judge on the show and a senior editor at Saveur magazine. "They both seem to be master of their domain. Tom was at home in the kitchen, and Rob was just really excellent at creating atmosphere at the front of the house."

The publicity garnered from the win could also be of value for both Henrichs, an executive chef for Roslyn-based caterer The Swan Club, and Zahner, a florist and owner of Floral Park Florists.

Zahner, a Floral Park resident, has been looking for ways to promote his small flower shop, which has seen declining sales in recent years. Henrichs, a Franklin Square resident who has worked in the food industry for 19 years, has long dreamed about opening his own restaurant where he can introduce patrons to modern German cuisine.

But the turbulent economy and risks in the restaurant industry mean their hopes might take longer than expected to become reality for Zahner and Henrichs.

Salvatore Bonagura, president of the Floral Park Chamber of Commerce, said Zahner's flower shop is located in a central area that sees a lot of traffic, and there are other stores in Floral Park that may be faring worse.

But, "businesses in general, everyone I talk to, is doing less than they were doing two years ago," he said.

In addition, the publicity garnered from a national television appearance does not necessarily translate into an increase in sales, Zahner said of his flower shop.

"When people saw me on the show, I'm hoping in the back of their mind, the next time they need flowers, they'll go, 'Oh, let's use that guy who did the show,' and they'll come to me," he said. "But in this economy, I'm doing anything I can to promote the business. It's just been really hard."