Jersey Shore chef into the Elite Eight on Food Network's 'Tournament of Champions'

Tuckerton's Chef Britt Rescigno has made it to the third round of Food Network's "Tournament of Champions."

In a close battle with Philadelphia's renowned Darnell "SuperChef" Ferguson, Rescigno won Guy Fieri's "Surf and Turf" challenge with a full champagne brunch, featuring eggs, hash (with ground carrots, onion and garlic), lobster tails and long bone ribeye — all topped with an aromatic lobster-based sauce that she called "really rich and super dank."

“It doesn’t get much better than that,” she said. “It’s all about making yummy, sexy food.”

She is now one of the final eight contestants.

Local fans are ecstatic, with an outpouring of support on social media.

One commented on Instagram, "You're killing it! I've been watching you rise [through] the ranks on Food Network. So happy for you! You know what you are doing in the kitchen. You're a keeper! Way to go."

Another said, "I honestly screamed when you won! Rooting for you! You're so genuine and caring. I'm here for it."

“The amount of people who have reached out to me [has] been incredible, it’s hard to keep up,” Rescigno said about the recognition. “It’s crazy that people take time out of their days to watch me, to watch me do my career.”

She is in the running to take home the $100,000 prize, plus the coveted "TOC" belt.

This up-and-comer is no stranger to beloved cooking, or Food Network wins. She held residency at Beach Haven's Delaware Avenue Oyster House for three years, and won other Food Network competitions, including "Guy's Grocery Games" on Feb. 15.

One Instagram commenter said, "I keep feeling sorry for myself that you're not at [Delaware Avenue] Oyster House, but I'm so so so excited for you. You're an incredible chef and I guess we gotta share you! Congratulations. You killed it, again!"

Rescigno has taken up temporary residency in Seattle, while she bolsters her pop-up kitchen company, Crow. She also continues to travel for food festivals, networking and charity events.

First Round Recap:Jersey Shore chef still cooking for $100,000 on Food Network's 'Tournament of Champions'

The chef's humble following is growing like wildfire, while more fans continue to watch her.

“My Instagram has blown up. I’ve gotten so many followers it’s insane,” she said in a recent interview. “It’s such a great feeling to have so much support, and for people to really get to know me through TV because I’m just 100% genuine.”

One new fan commented, "How the (expletive) are you such an awesome person and only have 8k followers?! This is the exact reason I'm rooting for you!"

Tune in at 8 p.m. Sunday, April 2, to see what Rescigno makes next. She takes on notorious Iron Chef Jose Garces.

“It’s all so surreal,” she said. “A lot of these chefs I’ve looked up to for a very long time … Being such a fan of chefs and the Food Network, I grew up watching these people.

“... I wanted to be just like them," Rescigno added. " ... They’re so cool. Now, I’m part of the cool kids club.”

Gabriela L. Laracca joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2021 and eagerly brings her passion for cuisine and culture to our readers. Send restaurant tips to glaracca@gannett.com.

Parts of this story have previously been published.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Food Network Tournament of Champions: Chef Britt Rescigno advances