One native of the Bayou Teche Area is learning what being on national television is like.

Michael Dardant, 31, grew up in New Iberia but now lives with his wife, Bethanie, in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Known as “Magic Mike,” Dardant makes his living as a professional magician, traveling throughout the U.S. and occasionally to foreign countries.

Soon, he will give another type of performance, when he and his wife are featured on an episode of the culinary series “Take Home Chef,” to be televised at 6:30 p.m. Friday on The Learning Channel.

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Dardant was contacted by the show, which wanted to feature someone from the New Orleans area. The episode will begin with Dardant and the series’ host, Chef Curtis Stone, at a supermarket buying food, at which time Dardant got a chance to juggle produce and wine bottles on camera.

“Curtis tried this and broke one of the bottles,” Dardant said with a laugh.

The two then proceeded to the Dardants’ home, where “Magic Mike” got to learn a new trick — how to cook roast duck and crawfish cocktails. Again, he got to do magic tricks with food and kitchen utensils.

“We then surprised my wife when she came home, as she had no idea any of this was going on,” Dardant said.

Dardant had driven home during the previous night from a magic show in Shreveport.

“I was wired on three cups of coffee,” he said. “My wife thought I was crazy. Instead of going to bed I was cleaning the house at 5 a.m. That’s why I may look horrible on the show, but my hair is pristine.”

Despite being surprised, Bethanie Dardant, 32 and a native of Duson, had a good experience on the show.

“I really had no idea there was an entire camera crew on the other side of the door when I walked through,” she said.  “After the surprise, I was nervous being on camera, but Curtis and the crew were very nice and did their best to reassure me.”

Dardant’s father, Frederic Dardant, is looking forward to having fun watching his son on T.V.

“As a parent, one is always proud of one's kids, as long as what they do is good and ethical,” he said. “Michael is working in the entertainment business so any exposure is good for him. We have been lucky with our kids and each one seem to do well in their own way and that is the most important.”

In addition to appearing on “Take Home Chef,” Dardant is appearing on another upcoming television series. He is playing a magician, like himself, in the pilot episode of “Below Sea Level,” a situation comedy set in post-Katrina New Orleans.