By Gage Vieno
Reporter Fellow
For Dorchester resident Ciria Gibbons, what began as a simple way to save recipes online led eventually to a spot on national television.
Gibbons, who lives in Adams Village, recently appeared on the premiere episode of Food Network’s new competition series “100 Cooks,” a competition that brings together home cooks from across the country to showcase their culinary talents.
Originally from Mexico, Gibbons first moved to Boston more than a decade ago, where she met her husband while living in Savin Hill. After several moves that took the couple to Michigan, Maryland, and Colorado, they returned to Dorchester.
“We’re super happy to be back,” said Gibbons. “I love the neighborhood. I love people around here.” She said her love of cooking comes from family traditions.
“Since I was young, I really loved [cooking] because my grandmothers in Mexico loved cooking,” she said. “And my mom is super like that too. So, they teach me all that I know.”
Her path to national television began with a simple online application.
“A few weeks after, they called me and they told me I was in,” Gibbons said. “I was very happy, and I couldn’t believe it, honestly. I still can’t believe it.”
The experience of filming the competition in California was unlike anything she had encountered before. “The pressure was enormous,” she said. “It’s huge.”
While Gibbons was eliminated during the premiere episode, she said the experience itself was rewarding and gave her the opportunity to test her skills on a national stage.
She also found herself cooking for one of her longtime culinary inspirations, Alex Guarnaschelli, an American chef who runs the restaurant ‘Butter’ in New York City and is a celebrated personality and cookbook author.
“I always said, I hope it’s Alex Guarnaschelli,” Gibbons said. “It was very surprising that I was going to cook for Alex Guarnaschelli when I saw her. It was amazing.”
Watching the episode after it aired was another memorable moment. “I still can’t believe it. I have watched it 10 times, I think,” she said.
Gibbons said representing both her Mexican heritage and her adopted neighborhood on a national stage was especially meaningful.
“Dorchester has a place in my heart,” she said. “Representing my Mexican culture and my neighborhood was so nice. It makes me proud.”
Gibbons, who lives with endometriosis, said she nearly passed on the opportunity because of concerns about her chronic illness. Encouragement from her husband convinced her to compete.
“It made me realize I can do hard things even with pain,” said Gibbons. “People in their houses, you make a meal, post a picture, do it. Go for it, always.”
