Long Beach Island resident competes for Denny's dish in TNT's 'On The Menu'

Passionate home cook Annette Palermo is heating things up in the professional kitchen. The Long Beach Township resident has taken her skills to national television and will star in the upcoming episode of TNT’s “On The Menu” Friday, Oct. 10, at 8 p.m. A new, revolutionary competition cooking show, which gives viewers the opportunity to taste the winning dish after every episode, it challenges competitors to create a new signature dish for well-known national restaurants. In Friday’s episode, Palermo, a mother and former Marine, takes part in a challenge with four other chefs to create a new breakfast dish for Denny’s.

Photo via TNTHome cook Annette Palermo talks food with Chef
Emeril Lagasse during an episode of ‘On the Menu.’

“My experience on ‘On The Menu’ was surreal, life-changing and simply awesome,” said Palermo. “It’s mind-blowing to go from being a fan of and only watching cooking shows to actually being on one. Overall it has given me the push I needed to pursue my passion for cooking in order to take it to the next level.”

“On the Menu” is hosted by Ty Pennington of “Trading Spaces” and “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” who leads competitors through different rounds of elimination challenges. Using his vast knowledge of cooking, branding and sales to help the contestants form their culinary creations, celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse offers his expertise as a seasoned chef and industry insider.

“Working with Chef Emeril Lagasse was a dream come true,” Palermo said. “To receive validation, guidance and mentoring from someone so accomplished is incredible. It was nice to be able to work with someone who has the same amount of passion for good food that I do and then to have him eat my food, excitingly nerve wracking.

“Ty Pennington kept me laughing the whole time, which is great in stressful situations. He is a perfect complement to Chef Emeril, like olive oil is to garlic,” she added.

Eateries participating in the show cover a wide variety of cuisines from traditional barbecue to modern fusion. The lineup for the rest of season 1 includes California Pizza Kitchen, Planet Hollywood, Emeril’s Restaurant, The Cheesecake Factory, Cabo Wabo/Sammy’s Beach Bar and Grill, Outback Steakhouse, Buca di Beppo and Dickey’s Barbecue Pit.

For more information about the show, visit tntdrama.com/shows/on-the-menu.html.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.