HAMPTON - From expanding his Galley Hatch Restaurant, opening up a new café in downtown Portsmouth and creating a new cooking show, it's going to be a busy year for John Tinios.

But the well-known Hampton business man wouldn't have it any other way.

In a week, construction will begin outside the Galley Hatch on Lafayette Road on a new addition to the first floor lobby.

Tinios said the addition to the 36-year-old restaurant will serve as the new home of the bakery goods and retail food store.

"We will be offering home replacement meals or what will be an expanded version of our take out," Tinios said. "Some of the meals will already be packaged in a container that people could buy and heat them up in a microwave or put it in the oven. Some will be cold items like appetizers or platters."

The store, which will be called Provisions, will also include gourmet products, cheeses, wines, and other items.

The project has been in the works for about two years and has already received approval from the town's Planning Board.

The concept has been used in many chain restaurants.

"The trend we have noticed with the consumer is that they have less time and multiple jobs and incomes," Tinios said. "Often there is two or four people in a home that all work and are going in opposite directions. When they do get together, they need something that is quick and easy.

"We also think people are tired of just having fast food choices. The consumer is a little bit more health conscience. We want to offer a healthy alternative with something prepared by a chef rather than a commercial product coming off a production line."

Tinios said it is hoped the addition will be complete and the services up and running by July.

Tinios is also preparing for the opening of Aroma Café in June, in a new building where the Eagle Photo shop once stood in Portsmouth's Market Square. The cafe will serve sandwiches, soups, salads, full line of pastries and of course coffee. line."

"It will be a very European dining concept with liquors and wines and limited table service," Tinios said. "It will really feel like you could be in Rome, Paris or Portsmouth."

And if opening a new café wasn't enough, in one week a television pilot for a new cooking show that Tinios is behind will also be taped. be in Rome, Paris or Portsmouth."

"The whole idea is a cross between the 'Iron Chef' and 'Family Feud,'" Tinios said. "Basically we have two families, amateur cooks, competing against each other for the eventual prize of getting a home kitchen makeover."

The show will be both entertaining and educational, Tinios said.

"It's going to be a lot of fun," he said. "Not only will it be entertaining, but all the recipes can be made in 20 minutes."

Once the pilot is shot, Tinios and the other person behind the show, Ron Boucher, hopes to pitch it to the Food Network or other channels.