Franklin's DiChiara to be Featured in PBS Cooking Show

Above, the whole 'cast' of The Great American Recipe...Franklin's Marcella DiChiara is the third from the right.

PBS has announced the eight home cooks from across America who will showcase their culinary talents in Season 3 of THE GREAT AMERICAN RECIPE, the upbeat cooking competition that celebrates the multiculturalism that makes American food so vibrant and delicious -- and one is from Franklin, Marcella 'Marcie' DiChiara.

With a wide-ranging variety of cooking styles influenced by their varied backgrounds — from Alaskan to African, Chinese to Sicilian, Southern, German, Mexican and more, Season 3’s contestants represent the unique diversity of American home cooking.

Hosted by Alejandra Ramos, Season 3 of THE GREAT AMERICAN RECIPE features two new judges and a new location. Tim Hollingsworth, award-winning chef and Los Angeles restaurateur, and Francis Lam, host of public radio's "The Splendid Table," join returning host Alejandra Ramos and judge Tiffany Derry in Nashville, Tennessee. Each week, after two challenges, the judges will determine which home cook has the winning dish and, in the final week, the top three will compete for a chance to win this year’s competition. The eight-episode series premieres Mondays, June 17 through August 12, 2024, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS App.

DiChiara is a first-generation American whose passion for her Sicilian roots comes through in every dish she prepares. Her mother came to the United States with her family at age ten, and her dad immigrated to the United States in his late twenties. Growing up in Connecticut, Marcella spent every summer with her family, including her three siblings, back in Sicily. These experiences informed how she viewed cooking and the importance of family and community gathering around the table. Marcella works as an E-Commerce executive and also helps local causes like the Franklin Downtown Partnership but never misses an opportunity to get in the kitchen and prepare a meal for her husband and two children. She prides herself on cooking traditional Sicilian dishes based on her mother’s recipes while using fresh, Mediterranean-inspired local produce. Marcella’s signature dish is Arancini al Ragu (Risotto Balls with Meat Sauce). You can learn more about Marcella at https://bostonhomecooking.com