Emmy-nominated celebrity chef Jeff Mauro was born and raised in Chicago, where he decided early on he’d become the funniest chef in the world. After years cooking in restaurants—and graduating culinary school with honors while performing on stage—he competed on Season 7 of Food Network Star. Blending comedy with serious cooking chops, Jeff won the competition and went on to host his Emmy-nominated series Sandwich King.
That win — and the popularity of Sandwich King — firmly planted Jeff in the Food Network universe as one of its funniest and most versatile hosts. He’s gone on to host and co-host fan-favorite shows including Worst Cooks in America, Holiday Wars, Beat Bobby Flay, Kitchen Crash and most notably The Kitchen, which he co-hosted alongside his best friends for 40 seasons. Now, Jeff is bringing that same high-energy blend of food and comedy to theaters across the country with his live variety show, Jeff Mauro Live! From Clown to King.
Jeff is the founder and CEO of Mauro Provisions, a premium retail, wholesale, and direct-to-consumer line featuring craft giardiniera (jar-din-air-ah), sauces, deli meats, rubs, frozen pizzas, and legendary sandwich kits.
He still lives in the same neighborhood where he grew up with his wife Sarah, their son Lorenzo, and their two dogs, JoJo and Pinot G. When he’s not cooking or touring, Jeff plays lead guitar and sings in his band, The Jewel Bags. He releases steam by boxing, eating, and smoking meats.
His favorite color is pastrami, and his favorite smell is charred pepperoni.
