Jeff Mauro, known as the "Sandwich King," has become a prominent figure on the Food Network since winning Season 7 of "Food Network Star" in 2011. Over the years, fans have noticed his significant weight loss and improved physique. This article delves into Mauro's weight loss journey, his career, and other aspects of his life.
Jeff Mauro's Weight Loss Journey
Jeff Mauro's weight loss journey has been a source of inspiration for many. He lost nearly 50 pounds through a combination of OCF workouts and a monitored diet over several years. Mauro proudly shared his progress, expressing gratitude to his coaches for providing him with a fitness home.
"Normally, I'm not this showy of my dadbod, but I am proud of my fitness journey and cannot thank my coaches … enough for giving me a fitness home," Mauro wrote.
In addition to CrossFit, which he does three to four times a week, Mauro incorporates other workouts into his routine. In 2015, he told PopSugar that he also enjoys SoulCycle one to two times a week and Pilates once a week.
Career Highlights
Early Aspirations and Culinary Beginnings
Jeff Mauro's path to Food Network stardom was not straightforward. He initially pursued acting in college, studying radio and TV at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. Mauro confessed that he loved performing and participated in plays and comedies since second grade.
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After college, Mauro opened a deli and performed as Tony in Chicago's "Tony and Tina's Wedding." He then moved to Hollywood to pursue acting.
Food Network Star and Sandwich King
Mauro's culinary career took off after winning Season 7 of "Food Network Star." This victory led to his own Food Network show, "Sandwich King," where he recreated mouth-watering sandwiches from across the country. While some "Food Network Star" winners are no longer with the Food Network, Mauro beat the odds and managed to become one of the channel's mainstays.
The Kitchen and Other Ventures
After "Sandwich King" concluded in 2014, Mauro co-hosted "The Kitchen," appearing in over 350 episodes. He has also published a cookbook titled "Come On Over," featuring 111 recipes, including sandwiches and other dishes.
"This book will help you [with] everything from just having your wife and son and daughter at the dinner table and creating great recipes to have and finally having your extended family, to your friends, to your neighbors over," Mauro told Southern Living.
Pork & Mindy's Restaurant Chain
In 2016, Mauro opened Pork & Mindy's, a chain of fast-casual restaurants named after the sitcom "Mork & Mindy." The chain aimed to expand to 30 locations by 2020 but declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy in November 2019, closing all locations.
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Mauro shared some insight into why he thinks his chain ended up closing so suddenly in a 2024 Reddit AMA. While he felt that the brand expanded too quickly, he also said he regretted that certain business decisions were out of his control. After the bankruptcy filing, he notably lost contact with his business partner at the time. "Pork & Mindy's was never mine and I just didn't have the connection I hoped for," he wrote.
Personal Life and Challenges
Family Loss and Health Scares
Jeff Mauro has faced personal challenges, including the loss of his father, Gus, to metastatic pancreatic cancer in 2025. Gus Mauro worked as a structural engineer and was a longtime resident of Chicago. The elder Mauro was born there, attended college there, and chose to raise his family there. That family grew to four children, including Jeff, and four grandchildren, including Jeff's son Lorenzo.
Before Gus Mauro's cancer diagnosis, the Mauro family had already helped Jeff's older brother Frank through years of treatment for Stage 4 colorectal cancer. Frank Mauro's diagnosis dates back to 2017, when he was 43 years old. In July of 2022, for example, Jeff shared a video on his Instagram account of Frank ringing a bell signifying that he had completed chemotherapy treatment. A number of surgeries followed, including what was intended to be a definitive procedure in May of 2024. According to a series of updates Frank posted to a GoFundMe campaign that a friend of his started for his treatment, that surgery initially looked like it did its job. However, on January 26, 2025, Frank shared the unfortunate news that his doctors determined his cancer had returned and would require indefinite chemotherapy. While his journey isn't over, Jeff Mauro continuously stressed one big takeaway from the ordeal.
Mauro's son, Lorenzo, also experienced a health scare when he snapped his femur in gym class due to a cyst on his bone. Fortunately, Lorenzo recovered fully and has collaborated with his father on various projects.
Early Career Struggles
Jeff Mauro's journey to success was not without its challenges. He faced discouragement for his comedic personality in school. "I was a class clown my whole life and only got in trouble for it," he said. Despite this, he studied improv comedy at Chicago's Second City theater from a young age.
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Mauro also faced rejection in his early attempts to get on "Food Network Star." He auditioned multiple times before finally being selected.
On-Set Mishaps
Early on, he was chopping up what was either parsley or cilantro, depending on his telling of the story, with a new - and therefore very sharp - knife. He used his hand to swipe the remaining herb off of its surface. More than just chopped herbs, that simple action removed what he described as "a good chunk" of his thumb. Fortunately, after stopping production, the missing part of his finger was successfully reattached. Adding what must have felt like a serious insult to his literal injury, this all happened in the presence of Food Network senior vice president Bob Tuschman. In the end, however, Tuschman comforted Mauro, letting him know that something similar happened to Rachael Ray.
Jeff Mauro's Approach to Fitness
Jeff Mauro credits his weight loss to a patient, steady mindset and a diversity of fitness regimens. He has openly discussed how he transformed his body through physical activity.
Mauro recounted this aspect of his childhood on The Mayor's Office with Sean Casey on YouTube after co-host Rich Ciancimino praised the fact that he's a role model for young boys contrary to the traditionally macho blueprint. Mauro explained that he learned humor could earn him attention in the absence of athletic ability at a young age. Unfortunately, that revelation came from an anxiety about his physique that was so severe, it kept him up at night. "Coach Grey would make us do the mile run in gym class and it was like, I couldn't sleep - not because I was nervous to do it, but it was like, 'I don't want to move,'" he said. "I couldn't take off my shirt at public swim - things of this nature.