Press & Recognition
Chef Susanne Dillingham in the Media
Florence-trained private chef, sommelier, author and Food Network alum Susanne Dillingham shares stories rooted in food, Italy, farming, wine and the meaningful connections created around the table.
Explore television appearances, interviews, podcasts, features and news from The Tiny Chef.
Susanne Dillingham Florence-trained chef. Story-driven host. The Tiny Chef.
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Susanne Dillingham Florence-trained chef. Story-driven host. The Tiny Chef. *
About Susanne Dillingham
Susanne Dillingham is the Florence-trained private chef, sommelier, author and storyteller behind The Tiny Chef. Her work brings together classical Italian training, seasonal North Carolina ingredients and a warm, deeply personal approach to hospitality.
After training at Apicius in Florence, Susanne spent nearly a decade as the private chef to NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon and Ingrid Vandebosch, cooking for their family and guests with an emphasis on excellence, discretion and consistency.
Her culinary journey has also included competing on Food Network’s Extreme Chef, television cooking segments, wine education, international farm experiences and nearly two decades of creating private dining experiences for families, athletes, executives and high-profile clients.
Today, Susanne brings intimate private dinners, destination chef service, retreats and hands-on cooking classes directly to clients’ homes and gathering places throughout Charlotte, the Southeast and beyond.
She is also the author of Secret Ingredients of Life, a memoir about identity, appetite, Italy, family, reinvention and the hunger for home.
Susanne’s work lives at the intersection of food, travel, farming, wine, entrepreneurship, motherhood and storytelling—with a voice that is knowledgeable, candid, warm and never overly polished.
Available For
Television and on-camera cooking segments
Editorial features and expert commentary
Podcast and radio interviews
Speaking engagements and culinary demonstrations
Lifestyle, travel and entertaining stories
Select brand and media collaborations
Media inquiries: susanne@thetinychef.biz
Based near Charlotte, North Carolina • Available for destination travel
Professional biography, high-resolution photographs and additional media materials are available upon request.
Refined food. Relaxed vibe.
A life built one table at a time.
The Tiny chef
Extreme food competition- food network
Seven of America's most fearless chefs test their physical prowess, mental toughness, and culinary skills on Extreme Chef, hosted by TV veteran and seasoned world traveler Marsh Mokhtari. The grueling and seemingly impossible culinary challenges are judged by a rotating panel of notable guest judges, including Simon Majumdar (Next Iron Chef judge and food journalist), Ben Sargent (host of Cooking Channel’s Hook, Line & Dinner), and Troy Johnson (host of Crave, food critic and journalist).
In the press
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Bragg About It: How a Charlotte chef turned her love of cooking into a 19-year business
Charlotte’s “Tiny Chef” Susanne Dillingham talks about her journey from dishwasher to private chef, Food Network appearances and her new book.
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“The Tiny Chef” makes pizza inspired by “One Night Only”
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Rising hosts joined The Tiny Chef, Susanne Dillingham, in the kitchen to make pizza inspired by the new film “One Night Only.”
“One Night Only” is asking the question “what if one messy night turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to you?”
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Charlotte Today Garden basil is thriving The Tiny Chef’s Basil Pesto is delicious!
Author: Charlotte Today
Published: 12:30 PM EDT June 11, 2026
Updated: 12:30 PM EDT June 11, 2026
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Basil is having a moment in gardens across the Carolinas, and one local chef is turning that fresh harvest into a simple, flavorful staple.
Susanne Dillingham, known as The Tiny Chef, is showcasing how to make a classic basil pesto that is both light and vibrant. Using fresh-picked basil as the base, Dillingham says the sauce is a perfect way to capture the season’s peak flavors in a versatile dish.
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WCNC Charlotte Today – Winter Citrus Salad Segment
Today I joined WCNC’s Charlotte Today to share one of my favorite bright winter dishes — a shaved fennel, arugula & citrus salad with whipped ricotta and warm honey-pistachio chili drizzle.
We talked seasonal ingredients, simple plating techniques, and how just a few thoughtful elements can turn a fresh salad into something restaurant-worthy at home.
Fun behind-the-scenes moment: I carried two tiny edible flowers from my own yard all the way to the studio… and then forgot to use them on air. Chef life.
Thank you to Colleen and Eugene for having me back on the show — always such a joy.
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WCNC CHARLOTTE
'SOUTHERN CHARM' STARS COOKING WITH THE TINY CHEF
Charlotte Today got a major dose of Southern Charm today as Bravo favorites Shep Rose and Austen Kroll joined us in the studio, and let’s just say, the energy was Bravo-level fabulous!
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WCNC CHARLOTTE
A TASTE OF ITALY IN THE CHARLOTTE TODAY KITCHEN
The Charlotte Today kitchen was filled with the aroma of butter, sage, and sautéed mushrooms as Susanne Dillingham, owner of The Tiny Chef.
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WBTV 3
WBTV NEWS SEGMENT
Charlotte Private Chef Susanne Dillingham visited WBTV News Saturday Morning to share her recipe for gazpacho using fresh tomatoes, honeydew, cantaloupe, and even mango.
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Charlotte Magazine
FOOD NETWORK'S SHOW, Extreme Chef
Charlotte's own Susanne Dillingham is one of seven chefs from around the country who were (literally) dropped into a remote location to compete by cooking in extreme conditions.
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Charlotte magazine
DRINKS WITH SUSANNE DILLINGHAM
Over risotto and wine, Apicius International School of Hospitality and International Sommelier Guild graduate Susanne Dillingham of The Tiny Chef dishes on her dream catering job and local farms.
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YouTube
FARM TO TABLE GNOCCHI
Chef Susanne Dillingham shows you the method to make a classic gnocchi with basil pesto, and tell you a little about her culinary training in Italy and farm life in North Carolina.
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GIGLIOCOOKING.COM
GIGLIOCOOKING SCHOOL IN FLORENCE
Susù is a renowed caterer and cooking teacher since then, that is just after the school, when she went back to America, to Charlotte in North Carolina. Her name “the Tiny Chef”.
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CHARLOTTE SMARTY PANTS
INTERVIEW WITH MOLLY HAMMONDS
We recently hosted a wonderful party for a friend’s 40th birthday, and decided to use an in-home chef, Susanne Dillingham (a.k.a. The Tiny Chef). We had so much fun with Susanne!
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THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
HERO OF THE HOLIDAY POTLUCK: UNFORGETTABLE SIGNATURE RECIPES FROM CHARLOTTE CHEFS
Chef Susanne Dillingham’s Pappardelle with Lamb Ragu, made from scratch with handmade pasta and a rich, herb-infused lamb sauce, delivers a true taste of Italy.