Lombard couple featured in new Food Network series ‘Me or the Menu’

Can a Lombard couple’s romantic relationship endure the stresses of starting a new food items truck organization with each other?

Television viewers will come across that out with the new Food stuff Network docuseries “Me or the Menu” debuting Thursday, June 30. Kathleen Murray and Nate Albert of Lombard are just one of four restaurateur couples whose life in Houston, Brooklyn and Chicago had been all captured by fact Tv crews for the five-episode collection.

“In all probability the most critical issue about this exhibit is the in-depth glimpse at the effects of our personal partnership although striving to operate a company alongside one another,” reported Murray, who was solid on “Me or the Menu” previous year not long just after she and Albert released Saucy Kat, a Wheaton-based mostly Italian cuisine foods truck.

“It was an on the net interview, and apparently we did fantastic,” Albert claimed about the audition method.

This isn’t really Murray’s to start with time showing up on a fact Tv display. She briefly appeared in episode 3 of season 11 of the Fox show “MasterChef,” which place Murray on the casting radar of Food stuff Community producers.

But “Me or the Menu” was a different Television output beast. As a substitute of a studio-bound cooking competitiveness, “Me or the Menu” was an all-encompassing documentary task.

“Obtaining cameras on me from the instant I wake until eventually the minute I go to mattress, owning GoPro (cameras) in the motor vehicle and being mic-ed up all working day extended — it truly delved into the at the rear of-the-scenes of life and what it can be like to run a enterprise,” Murray said.

“When they to start with commenced filming, I was so awkward,” Albert mentioned. “But the a lot more you did it, the a lot more you bought applied to it.”

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Lombard resident Kathleen Murray, owner of Saucy Kat foodstuff truck, fries some eggplant in her home kitchen in preparation for a loved ones dinner on “Me or the Menu.” The new Food Network reality Television set series debuts on Thursday, June 30.&#13
– Courtesy of Foods Network&#13

Murray notes that she also has a 9-to-5 corporate occupation as a main resourceful officer for a technological know-how organization. COVID-19 cutbacks very last yr intended that Albert was laid off from his task at a winery, which allowed him to be dedicated to the foodstuff truck.

Saucy Kat was a way for Murray to express her love of cooking and share household recipes stretching again generations. It also permitted Murray and Albert to stay away from the full challenges of working a restaurant comprehensive time — a luxurious not afforded to one more “Me or the Menu” few, James Martin and Jessica Neal, who run the Chicago cafe Bocadillo Sector.

But Murray and Albert say the preparation for foods vans is nonetheless sizeable.

“I you should not feel persons have any notion of the strain and work and labor of like of what goes into making an party,” Murray said. “I devote 6 several hours creating my sauce. And then from time to time, I go house at 3 a.m. in the morning, and I’m again up at 6 to prep the truck.”

The two Murray and Albert are nervously anticipating “Me or the Menu” airing and viewing how their life will be edited and depicted on screen. When they were being interviewed, neither experienced viewed a comprehensive episode nonetheless.

“It can be finally starting off to sink in. The online video previews are on-line,” Albert mentioned. “Kathleen has knowledge with currently being on Tv set, and I do not. So it is surreal.”