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 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 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.

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.