Meet the Chefs Competing on Ciao House

These 10 up-and-coming chefs are ready to bring their A-games to Tuscany for a chance at the ultimate prize: an immersive culinary education across Italy, training with renowned Italian master chefs.

Photo By: Jay Maidment SMPSP

Photo By: Jay Maidment SMPSP

Photo By: Jay Maidment SMPSP

Photo By: Jay Maidment SMPSP

Photo By: Jay Maidment SMPSP

Photo By: Jay Maidment SMPSP

Photo By: Jay Maidment SMPSP

Photo By: Jay Maidment SMPSP

Photo By: Jay Maidment SMPSP

Photo By: Jay Maidment SMPSP

Photo By: Jay Maidment SMPSP

Ciao a Tutti

These 10 up-and-coming chefs are heading to the gorgeous Tuscan countryside for a series of Italian-themed challenges and a chance to claim the ultimate prize: an immersive culinary education across Italy complete with training from renowned Italian master chefs.

Omar Ashley — Avenel, New Jersey

Omar is thrilled to go to Italy for the first time and bring home authentic Tuscan cooking
skills to teach to inner city kids where he grew up. His path took him from a small apartment in Brooklyn where he lived with many relatives to a culinary career, including a sous chef role in one of New York City’s poshest hotels. He is ready to show what he’s made of and be a role model for the next generation.

Natalia Rosario — Chicago, Illinois

Natalia was born and raised in Puerto Rico with a mother who often made Italian food for her family. She attended culinary school, worked with renowned chefs from around the world and is now a private chef with the culinary philosophy "nostalgic food in a modern way." In Ciao House, she is looking forward to creating dishes that respect Tuscan traditions while also incorporating her Latin roots.

Corey Becker — Brooklyn, New York

This Brooklyn chef has worked in some of New York’s most legendary restaurant kitchens, and that fast-paced energy inspired his love for Italian food. He learned how to cook out of necessity growing up with a single mom, which led to discovering his passion for food at an early age and eventually attending culinary school. Italy is the destination of his dreams, and his goal is to open his own restaurant and buy a house on the Amalfi coast.

Matt Wasson — Staten Island, New York

Growing up in a Sicilian family in Staten Island, food has always been at the center of Matt’s life. He woke up early every Sunday to help his nonna prepare for Sunday dinner, and pasta is his true passion. He has worked in restaurant kitchens, as a private chef and taught cooking classes, but his dream is to open an intimate Italian restaurant and shop where he can serve his beloved family dishes and teach people to cook, just like his nonna taught him.

Trenica Johnson — Houston, Texas

Trenica is a food truck owner and private chef whose clients include celebrities and professional athletes. She has a degree in chemistry and spent her first professional years in the oil and gas industry, but knew it was not for her so she decided to follow her dreams and go to culinary school. From the rustic feel to the abundance of fresh ingredients, she sees a connection with the Southern Creole cuisine she grew up on in New Orleans and Italian cuisine. She is bringing all her energy and focus to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Saba Duffy — Framingham, Massachusetts

Saba is a social butterfly whose cooking is inspired by her childhood growing up in a South Asian household. She started working in catering after culinary school and lived abroad, perfecting her unique modern Mediterranean cooking style, infused with spices and flavors from her South Asian heritage. Her creativity, talent and drive were front and center when she competed on Chopped and won, earning the elite title of Chopped Grand Champion. She is ready to take on challenges beyond her comfort zone in Ciao House and make her next big move.

Justin Robinson — Atlanta, Georgia

While studying to become a surgical physician assistant, Justin started cooking in a hot skillet in his dorm and fell in love with cooking. On the day he finished graduate school, he told his parents he wanted to become a chef even though most of his culinary education came from online videos. He recently married the daughter of an Italian chef and is learning some new skills from his father-in-law. Their goal is to turn a property they recently purchased into an Italian dining destination, and he is ready to immerse himself in Tuscan cooking.

Sarah Raffetto — New York, New York

Pasta has always been a big part of Sarah’s life and she now runs her family’s 116-year-old pasta business in New York City. She has been immersed in the art of Italian cuisine since childhood and her food education came from her experiences at the shop and at home, rather than culinary school. This "pasta heiress" is confident in her skills and knows she can hold her own against any formally trained chef it’s in her blood!

Jess Mahoney — Los Angeles, California

Wherever she goes, California never leaves Jess - and her food point of view reflects her passion for her home state with fresh, light ingredients and sustainable proteins. Proudly gay, she was raised by a single parent and attended culinary school in New York. She is also a skateboarder who has been a butcher and a vegan. Jess has worked in fine dining kitchens on both coasts and opened a bar on the beach in Mexico. She is looking forward to experiencing authentic Tuscan cuisine and perfecting her culinary skills.

Preston Paine — Dallas, Texas

Preston went from playing college football as an offensive lineman to a culinary career in
fine dining restaurants. He is as competitive in the kitchen as he was on the field, and his goal is to define himself as a chef with his own unique dishes - rather than recreating other people’s recipes. He gravitates towards Italian cooking and knows that is his path forward, so competing on Ciao House is a dream come true.