There’s a new backstabbing, culinary meet cunning food competition. Bloomfield’s own chef/Owner, Francesco Palmieri of The Orange Squirrel in Bloomfield, will be a contestant on the premiere episode of the Food Network’s newshow, Cutthroat Kitchen, hosted by Alton Brown.
You have to do more than cook to win this new competition series; chefs must also be crafty, clever and willing to sabotage their opponents. In each episode, four chefs are greeted by Alton with a briefcase filled with $100,000; 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 have 60 seconds to gather ingredients in the pantry and then regroup for an auction to bid on culinary curveballs such as the exclusive use of salt or not allowing their opponents to taste their dishes. A chef will be eliminated after each of the three rounds, and the last competitor to survive wins the money they have left in their bank.
Here’s the description of the first episode:
In this sadistic episode of savory sabotage, we’ll find out if the chefs can make a winning pork chops and applesauce dish … without the use of pork chops or apples! Then we’ll see a literal meltdown, as the chefs compete to make the perfect mac and cheese. And finally, one chef has to swim upstream as they’re forced to whip up fish and chips without use of a fryer.
https://youtu.be/6WRAixa7cCM
Catch Palmieri on the show’s debut, Sunday, August 11 September 15 at 10 pm ET.
Tried it twice, not that nice.
Tried The Orange Squirrel once. Okay, but I didn’t feel it was a particularly special night of dining (particularly with regard to service). The place has gotten some over-blown reviews, I suspect, for what is basically an average decent local restaurant.
Since I disagree with everything you say, I should probably give this restaurant a shot.
I used to like the cooking competitions on FN, but they’re getting either mean or stupid. Iron Chef isn’t as good as once was, about the only one left that’s fun is Chopped. This one seems way over the top though so I’ll take a pass. I was never impressed with the Orange Squirrel, except thinking the prices were high for what you got … I do like the name though even if squirrel isn’t on the menu.
I’m not crazy about the place. Too over priced and impressed with itself. Spending all that money while sitting on orange plastic cafeteria-style chairs doesn’t thrill me either. My waitress told me their risotto “was to die for”. I love risotto so ordered it. I can make it better and I’m no chef. Left there not caring if I ever went back again. And I love to dine out.
I really like the food at Mes Reves- so we’re going there during Bloomfield’s restarant week