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Next Level Chef is set to return with a new season on Sunday after the Super Bowl. In the latest season, the contestants will be divided into teams led by one of three mentors that will guide them to glory.
One of the contestants set to appear on the Fox show is Tucker Ricchio, a professional chef who works at Truffle Shuffle and is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu.
Tune in on Sunday, February 12, at 10:30 pm ET on Fox to watch the season premiere of Next Level Chef season 2 after the Super Bowl.
Meet chef Tucker Ricchio ahead of her appearance in Next Level Chef season 2
One of the chefs set to appear in Next Level Chef season 2 is Tucker Ricchio, who has been cooking ever since she was a young child helping her grandmother in the kitchen.
The chef’s specials include NY Strip steak with Mango Salsa, Italian portobello sando with pesto and balsamic redux, and American wagyu cheeseburger with cacio e pepe fries, and she often conducts virtual cooking lessons online to help other people learn how to cook. Ricchio’s specialties broadly come under New American and Italian cuisine.
The Next Level Chef contestant worked at high-end restaurants in the Bay Area following her graduation, including her time working under Chef Suzette Gresham, who helped her grow from a butcher into a sous chef during the former's time at Acquerello, a two-Michelin-Star restaurant.
Tucker Ricchio uploaded a video on YouTube talking about her journey as a chef and shared that when she was in culinary school, she learned that most women don’t get into Michelin-star restaurants since it’s a “boys club.”
She added:
"My stubborn self is like no way, that’s not going to happen so worked superhard worked my way up into Michelin kitchens."
Ricchio also said that it took a lot of “blood, sweat, and tears” before she finally made it into the “boys club.” During the video, she was asked what “food is love” means, and she explained that for her, it means growing up surrounded by food and family.
The Next Level Chef cast member added that her parents as well as her grandparents were both great cooks. Tucker comes from a “big” immigrant Italian family whose central focus was always food. Reflecting on the impact of this, she added:
"So I love bringing that to my classes because we’ve become some sort of big Truffle Shuffle family so I love sharing my food and love with my family."
Further, comparing her experience of working in a restaurant to her current place of employment, Richhio said that chefs don’t get to connect with people since they’re in “the back of the house" while working in a restaurant.
At Truffle Shuffle, she gets to see her guests and make recipes keeping them in mind. The contestant also explained that one of the best parts about the virtual classes is watching people show her their pets. Since the chef can’t bring her pet to class, she loves watching others do it.
The Next Level Chef season 2 contestant opened up about her training and inspiration and shared that she has learned the best lessons in all of her “culinary adventures” so far from Julia Child. Richhio also believes that one needs "a what the h***" attitude in the kitchen.
Tune in on Sunday, February 12, at 10:30 pm ET to see what happens when Next Level Chef season 2 premieres on Fox.
