8/30 - LaToya, Chef Alfredo Colle

LaTOYA (Finalist), Oxygen's "Dance Your Ass Off"

Hometown: Trenton, NJ  - Dancing has been in LaToya's soul since birth. When she was 14 years old , LaToya was the only person her age, and in her town, to ever be awarded a scholarship to the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She was constantly ridiculed because of her rare talent. At age 21, LaToya gave up dancing because she couldn't cope with the negativity from other people. She replaced her love for dance with a love for food and quickly started gaining weight. Now, at 217 lbs, LaToya wants to get healthy, lose weight and take back her life goals.

Chef Alfredo Colle  Nella Pizzaria

Francis Ford Coppola’s Personal Chef Comes to Chicago. Nella Pizzeria’s new chef brings impressive history with famous director. Born in Naples, Italy, pizza’s origin, it should come as no surprise that Chef Alfredo Colle has made Nella Pizzeria Napoletana his new home. Chef Colle began cooking at merely 13 years of age and has continued to lead an impressive career, bringing with him traditional, Italian style and a matching, vivacious attitude.  After living and working in Paris for four years (1994-1998), Chef Colle met Francis Ford Coppola who couldn’t help but fall in love with his cooking. In 1999, Colle moved to the US where he worked as Coppola’s personal chef and managed two of his restaurants in San Francisco. From there Colle went on to work at restaurants across the country, from Arizona to New Jersey where he manned Brownstone for a short stint.  Now, Colle is the executive chef at Lincoln Park’s Nella Pizzeria Napoletana, creating new and delicious Neapolitan-style dishes, including a dessert calzone, and bringing a new energy to the beloved restaurant. Chef Colle loves to be on the floor, interacting with diners, making them laugh and even bringing kids behind the counter to help him make the pizzas. “I did the culinary, more upscale, fine-dining restaurants, but Nella’s is really the epitome of what I love to do. A simple yet delicious concept with a laid back, casual atmosphere where you can have a little fun, make your customers feel comfortable like they know you, and serve good, authentic food,” says Chef Colle.