Bloomfield Chef Goes Prime Time

Francesco Palmieri is stepping out of his kitchen and onto your television set.

The chef and owner of Bloomfield restaurant The Orange Squirrel will compete on the premiere episode of the Food Network’s new show, Cutthroat Kitchen, hosted by Food Network regular Alton Brown.  

The show is a twist on the cooking show competition. Chefs have to rely on wit and cunning as much as their cooking skills.  In the game, each contestant receives $25,000 to spend over the course of the game on auction items to help themselves or sabotage their competitors.

After each cooking challenge is given, chefs gather ingredients in the pantry before regrouping for an auction to bid on strategic items such as the exclusive use of salt or not allowing their opponents to taste their dishes.  After each of the three rounds, the last competitor to survive wins the money they have left in their bank.

Palmieri is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a veteran of celebrated restaurants Windows on the World, where he worked with Chef Michael Lomonaco and TOWN, where he worked with Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian and Pino Luongo’s Coco Pazzo. 

For nearly five years he has pursued his own vision of fine dining at Bloomfield Avenue’s the Orange Squirrel, creating upscale contemporary American comfort cuisine with European accents. 

Palmieri will compete on Sunday, Sept. 15

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