Who is chef Philly D'Uva on MasterChef: The Professionals 2026?
MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 continues on BBC One this week, and chef patron Filomena "Philly" D'Uva is one of the six chefs fighting for a place in the next round in the second heat.
The 54-year-old, who lives in Belfast with her husband and four daughters, faces Ben Black, Clara Lim, Gregory Schaad-Jackson, Ibraheem "Ibz" Umar and Morteza Nouri in the second group of this year's MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 series, which features 24 chefs competing in groups of six.
Age at start of filming
54
Job role
Chef patron
Chef background
Asked where she studied cooking, Philly said: "I am largely self-taught. I grew up in an Italian family in Campania, surrounded by food, cooking and recipes passed down through generations."
She opened her first restaurant with her husband in 2009, in Nocera Inferiore, Campania. Today she runs Delizia Italian Food, her family business in Belfast offering private chef services, bespoke events, catering, cooking classes and artisan Italian food.
On her career highlights so far, she said: "Publishing my first cookbook has been one of the proudest moments of my career. It brings together my recipes, family memories and the food of my childhood in Southern Italy.
"Building Delizia Italian Food with my husband and watching our family business grow into private dining, catering, events and cooking experiences has also been incredibly rewarding."
Who or what inspired you to become a chef?
"Food has always been part of who I am. I grew up in Southern Italy in a family where cooking was more than feeding people: it was how we showed love, celebrated, gathered together and kept our traditions alive.
"My inspiration has always been my Nonna Carmela and my mum Sofia, my childhood in Campania. I learned by watching food being prepared instinctively, using simple ingredients and recipes passed down through generations.
"I began my professional life as a graphic designer, working in advertising for around 15 years, before eventually following my passion for food. Becoming a chef later in life taught me that it is never too late to change direction and pursue something you truly love."
How would you describe your style of cooking and influences on it?
"My cooking is rooted in Southern Italian, particularly Campanian traditions. I love honest, generous food with strong flavours and a story behind it. My main influences are the food I grew up eating in Campania, Neapolitan cooking, my family and the traditional family recipes.
"I respect tradition, but I also enjoy presenting familiar dishes in a more contemporary way while keeping their soul intact. The ingredient and the flavour always come first. I want people to taste a dish and feel something, ideally the warmth and generosity of an Italian table."
Three ingredients you can't live without?
"Extra virgin olive oil, tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella."
What do you eat when you get back from service?
"Usually something simple. After spending hours cooking for other people, I do not want anything complicated: good bread, cheese or a simple plate of pasta is perfect and I always treat myself with a good homemade dessert."
Why did you want to take part in MasterChef: The Professionals?
"I wanted to take part in MasterChef: The Professionals to challenge myself and discover how far I could push myself outside my comfort zone.
"I came to professional cooking later in life and was 54 when I entered the competition. I am a wife, a mother of four daughters, a chef and a business owner, and I wanted to prove to myself that age should never stop you from taking chances. This was something I chose to do for myself.
"I also wanted to represent the food I grew up with in Campania and show that traditional Italian cooking, when treated with respect, has a place at every level of professional cooking. Most of all, I hope my experience encourages anyone who feels they have left it too late to change direction or follow a dream."
Outside of cooking, what are your passions?
"Family is a huge part of my life, and I love spending time with my husband and our four daughters.
"I also retain a strong passion for design and creativity from my previous career as a graphic designer. I enjoy photography, writing, creating content and telling stories through food.
"Writing has become particularly important to me. I published my first cookbook and I am now working on my second book, which focuses on bread, fermentation, time and patience."
>>> Read more: MasterChef: The Professionals series 19: start date, judges and the full chef lineup
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Who is chef Philly D'Uva on MasterChef: The Professionals 2026?
