Ciao House season 1: Meet 3 New York-based chefs battling it out in the culinary competition

Ciao House is set to premiere this Sunday and will take 10 American chefs to Tuscany, Italy as they live, cook, and compete together to become the last remaining chef in a beautiful Italian villa.

While the competing contestants are from all over America, three of them are from the same state, New York, namely, Matt Wasson from Staten Island, Sarah Raffetto from New York City, and Corey Becker from Brooklyn.

Tune in on Sunday, April 16, at 9 pm ET to watch the season premiere of Ciao House on the Food Network.

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Meet the New Yorkers set to compete in Ciao House

The upcoming culinary reality show will feature chefs from all over America, three of whom are from the state of New York. These contestants will go up against chefs from Texas, Massachusetts, Mississippi, California, Georgia, and Illinois.

Corey Becker (Brooklyn)

The Brooklyn-based chef is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has cooked all over America. His primary focus is seasonal farm-to-table “rustic Italian cuisine with a specialty in fresh pasta.” He has previously worked under Larry Forgione, Jonathan Waxman, and David Chang and is currently working as the Chef De Cuisine at Vics.

Becker's previous places of work include Shadows on the Hudson, Hillstone Restaurant Group, Barbuto Restaurant, Momofuku, Soho House & Co, Sunday In Brooklyn, Gerber Group, and Snowlodge - Chefs Club St. Regis.

His Food Network bio reads:

"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."

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Sarah Raffetto (New York City)

The co-founder of Petite Paste Joint in Greenwich Village is a 4th generation member of the Raffetto Fresh Pasta dynasty. According to the joint’s website, Sarah grew up in a big Italian family surrounded by “the freshest pasta, delicious sauces, and lots of family dinners.”

According to her partner Emily, Sarah is incredibly close to her “nonna” Romana, who is the matriarch of their family.

She added while on Good Morning America, that is another point that we bonded on, our love and our closeness with our immigrant grandmothers. The Ciao House contestant’s bio reads:

"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."

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Matt Wasson (Staten Island)

The upcoming Ciao House contestant is the founder of The Tailored Night. Matt Wasson is an importer/wholesaler of Lacornasella wines, according to his Instagram account. His website reads that he is a skilled chef who is passionate about creating dining experiences that are “sure to impress.”

The chef is experienced and well-traveled as he’s previously worked in Europe. He realized his passion for food could help bring a connection back to people and food. His Food Network bio reads:

"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."

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Tune in on Sunday, April 16, at 9 pm ET to watch the season premiere of Ciao House on the Food Network.