NOT DISHING IT OUT

Former NFL quarterback Jesse Palmer's second act includes becoming of a baking expert. (Just don't ask him to bake)

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WHEN HE was a quarterback at Florida, Jesse Palmer had a plan in case his dream of playing pro football didn't come to fruition. The Toronto native had a double major in marketing and political science (with a certificate in international relations). “If the NFL thing didn't work out, I was planning on being an ambassador,” says Palmer. “I was hoping I'd get stationed in a country that had great food.”

Palmer credits his mom's cooking for instilling his foodie ethos, which only got stronger during his five-year NFL career with the Giants and 49ers. “I got to play and live in probably the two best food cities in America,” Palmer says. He's also a fan of travel, hitting France at least once a year. It's where he learned to love his favorite dessert, the classic tarte tatin (a sort of upside-down apple pie).

All of which is why Palmer's second act didn't involve diplomacy, but crème diplomate. As one of his many gigs these days—he's also the host of The Bachelor franchise and a color commentator for ESPN's college football coverage—Palmer, 47, hosts a variety of baking shows on the Food Network. (His ninth season of Holiday Baking Championship started on Nov. 3.)