ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Two Albany chefs will be featured on a new Food Network show. They hope the television appearance will be a high note of the pandemic as things begin to reopen and with federal funds on its way.

“A lot of businesses failed through this, so the businesses that stayed open, we really had to put our best foot forward,” said McGeary’s Chef Shahila Abbasi.

Abbasi and Allie Williams of Allie B’s Cozy Kitchen will be featured on ‘Chef Bootcamp’ premiering April 15. Abbasi’s episode airs on premiere night.

“There’s people tonight that are going to come out for the show that I haven’t seen this past year so we’re really excited to see a lot of people I haven’t seen in a long time,” Abbasi said.

The pandemic separated the chefs from their staff and customers. Abbasi laid off workers because of the pandemic and now works a kitchen on a skeleton staff. Williams doesn’t allow customers inside to prevent a temporary shutdown if there were to be a COVID exposure.

“I don’t really see any of my customers because they don’t come in the restaurant. So, I miss hugging my customers, telling them that I love them, telling them how much I appreciate them,” Williams said.

Both chefs said as difficult as the pandemic has been, the show’s shown them they not only have the will to succeed but the talent to go far.

“Even though we’re in a time of COVID the world is coming out and pulling great women like myself and showcasing us to the world,” Williams said.

“I’m proud of myself because I feel like I did a really good job. And I don’t know if I would have known that if I hadn’t gone,” Abbasi said.