Combining artistry with cooking, local Murrieta resident Dino Luciano has made the Top 20 in the eighth season of FOX network’s popular cooking show, “MasterChef.” According to Luciano, approximately 37,000 people applied for the show this season. Potential contestants were invited to present a plate that represented who they are – his being a vegan lasagna – as the producers made their cuts to 80 and once more to 40.

On Wednesday’s airing, Luciano was informed he made it to the Top 20 after competing in the televised challenge. The two-part season premiere that aired May 31 and June 7 placed the Top 40 contestants in face to face in challenges against each other with Luciano’s challenge pitted him against Josh Cooper. The two were tasked with making a veal parmesan and while he had not cooked with veal in quite some time, Luciano’s background with Italian cooking made the challenge less stressful.