Rhode Island's Own Alexia DiGiglio-Mancini Is Cooking Up a Storm on the Food Network

Rhode Island - ​When Alexia DiGiglio-Mancini received a message from a casting agent on Instagram two years ago, her first instinct was to assume it was a scam. It wasn't. The Rhode Island native and longtime contributor to the Rhode Island Wave had been handpicked—not applied, but handpicked—to compete on the Food Network's newest show, 100 Cooks, a competition featuring 100 of the best home cooks in America.
"I did some investigative work and it was true," Alexia laughs. "I've basically been on hold for the last two years because the show was in development."
The wait was worth it.
From Rhode Island to the Food Network
Alexia's journey to national television is anything but conventional. Long before she was competing under the bright lights of a Hollywood set, she was sharing her family recipes through the Echo newspaper and, later, the Rhode Island Wave. Her monthly recipe column—complete with a QR code linking to her cooking videos—quickly became a reader favorite.
Her cooking show, You Had Me at Kitchen (named after the moment she fell in love with her friend's newly renovated kitchen before even seeing the rest of the house), grew organically from a Facebook post about chicken cutlets that went viral. "People would call me up and say, 'Hey, I love that—how'd you make that?'" she recalls. "And then my friend Jenny encouraged me to start a YouTube channel."
That online presence is precisely what caught the Food Network's attention. Around 80% of the show's contestants were discovered—not recruited—a testament to the power of authentic, homegrown content.
Competing With the Best
100 Cooks brought together home cooks from every corner of the country—Hawaii, Alaska, Chicago, Florida, and everywhere in between—for a grueling competition that Alexia describes as "emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausting." Filming ran 12 to 15 hours a day, with just three days off throughout the entire production.
The challenges were unpredictable by design. Contestants never knew how many cooks would be called, what they'd be asked to make, or how long they'd have to make it. "You almost black out because you're just in the moment," Alexia says. "Everything else around you fades."
Her strategy? Stick to what she knows. When faced with a 12-minute egg dish challenge for 30 people, she went straight to eggs in purgatory. "It made a beautiful presentation and I was sticking with what I knew—rustic, Italian American."
One challenge stood out above the rest. On January 26th—the anniversary of her father's passing—the show called a Cook's Choice round. Alexia woke up that morning already knowing what she was going to make: Chicken Alexia, her father's favorite dish. A crispy Italian-style chicken cutlet layered with ricotta, garlicky spinach, San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh basil, and Pecorino Romano.
"When they said it was Cook's Choice, I was blown away," she says. The moment became even more surreal when host Alex Guarnaschelli walked over wearing a butterfly necklace. "When I see a butterfly, I think of my father. It was the anniversary of his passing, I made his favorite dish, and then Alex had on the butterfly. If that isn't a sign, I don't know what is."
Despite a broken oven that prevented her from finishing the dish exactly as planned, Alexia improvised with a blowtorch and delivered a plate that reflected everything she stands for: heart, heritage, and home cooking.
A Career Built on Passion
Alexia's path to the Food Network winds through a surprisingly eclectic career. In the 1980s and 90s, she was a teen rapper who transitioned into pop songwriting before co-founding a record label with local producers David Prout and Darrell Lopes. Their song, No Matter What I Do, It's All About You, was picked up by Strictly Rhythm, the world's leading dance label at the time. But when the label folded, Alexia found herself "shelved"—contractually unable to work with anyone else for three years.
After stepping away from music, she joined her mother's travel agency, Anyplace Travel, which has been in business since 1986. Traveling the world and experiencing different cuisines only deepened a passion for food that had been with her since childhood—specifically, since the days spent cooking alongside her grandmother.
"She's the backbone of my cooking, really," Alexia says of her grandmother. "Simple and fresh ingredients. It was a hands-on experience." She honors that legacy in her debut cookbook, Bring Back Sunday Dinner, which features a wide range of family recipes alongside new creations, covering everything from appetizers and soups to an extensive pasta section and Sunday classics.
Life Beyond the Screen
Alexia's star has been rising steadily beyond television, too. As a recurring guest on the Roadshow, she has honed her ability to think on her feet and connect with a live audience—skills that have translated directly to her work at Foxwoods Resort Casino, where she curates and hosts private Italian-themed dinners for the venue's top-tier guests.
The events are nothing short of spectacular. Think: 500 meatballs, 100 pounds of sausage, signature cocktails, and full-course Italian feasts that run from appetizer to dessert. "I treat it like a wedding," she says. "I go to every table and interact with every guest."
The dinners regularly sell out, and the demand for similar experiences is growing. "I'm getting approached more because people are seeing what I'm doing at Foxwoods," she says. Venues interested in hosting their own event are encouraged to reach out through her agent.
What's Next
With a Food Network appearance under her belt, a debut cookbook in hand, and a loyal and growing following across YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, Alexia DiGiglio-Mancini shows no signs of slowing down. She's heading to New York for a round of podcast appearances and has collaborations with fellow 100 Cooks cast members in the works.
"I'm addicted to cooking competition shows now," she laughs. "I can't wait to do the next one."
You can watch Alexia's episodes of 100 Cooks on the Food Network on demand, and follow her on all social media platforms at You Had Me at Kitchen. Her cookbook, Bring Back Sunday Dinner, is available now.