GLEN ELLYN – A former Glen Ellyn resident will attempt to find the recipe for success Friday when she appears on a new reality cooking television show.

Katie Belanger, who recently moved to California, will appear on the next episode of TNT's "On The Menu," in which participants compete to get a dish placed on the menu of a major restaurant.

Belanger's episode focuses on creating a new dessert for Planet Hollywood. She said being on the show was a dream come true.

"I was overjoyed," said Belanger, who works as a chef and culinary tutor. "It's been a dream ever since I was a little girl to be on a cooking show."

Belanger learned about the program through a post on Craigslist. She went through several rounds of auditions that included cooking and being filmed on camera.

The show has four competitors and three rounds of elimination. The first round involves proving your cooking skills with a simple task that would be important in the restaurant world, such as making whipping cream or guacamole, Belanger said.

The second round includes actually cooking for restaurant patrons. Belanger said she had to serve her signature dish to customers, who get a chance to try each dish and provide feedback about which they like best. Then, the top two move on to the final round.

In the third round, the chefs pitch their dish to the judges, who decide what to include on the restaurant's menu. The winner also receives a $25,000 prize. Belanger said she couldn't reveal many details about what else happens in the episode.

"On the Menu" is hosted by Ty Pennington and features Chef Emeril Lagasse. Belanger said she enjoyed meeting them both and that Lagasse was very nice and gave her feedback and advice.

Executive Producer Dean Houser said Belanger was selected to appear on the program because of her personality and her unique dessert idea.

"Her story represents what 'On The Menu' is all about – a great home cook, with a clever idea, can do anything they set their mind to," Houser said in a statement.

Belanger hopes the experience will help her start her own business. She dedicated her performance on the show to her sister, who died a few months ago.

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See the show

Former Glen Ellyn resident Katie Belanger will appear on the reality cooking show, "On The Menu," on Friday. The show starts at 7 p.m. on TNT.