Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia’s historic season of The Bachelorette is well underway, and people are totally obsessing over the contestants. I mean, how could you not?!
One early favorite is Tino Franco (FYI his real name is Justino). If you don’t love him yet, just wait until tonight’s episode. While galavanting around Paris, Tino heads off on a romantic one-on-one date with Rachel where they discuss her career goals and family plans.
Apparently Rachel digs Tino’s vibe because *spoiler alert* he makes it to her final four and then to her top two, according to Reality Steve. (No word yet on who she ~actually~ picks.)
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So what’s the deal with Tino? He's going to be around for a while, and there's a whole lot more to learn about him as season 19 continues. Here’s everything you need to know about this Bachelorette contestant:
Rachel gave him her first impression rose.
This is significant for two reasons. One, it acts as evidence of their instant connection. And two, in previous Bachelorette seasons, the first impression rose recipient often becomes the winner. Call it love at first sight.
Their Paris date apparently goes well.
Spoiler alert: the one-on-one seems to go swimmingly. And in case his good looks aren't enough to win her over, Tino also says he supports Rachel’s career, adding that her passion lights him up inside, according to a clip from the show’s Twitter.
“With the right person, there’s always a way to make it work,” he tells Rachel while discussing her nontraditional family plan due to her frequent travels. ICYMI, this leading lady is a pilot.
He also says he needs someone like her who “who has that kind of devotion,” which TBH is heart-melting material.
What is Tino's job?
Tino is a general contractor, according to his official Bachelorette bio. The bio also jokes that he’s “ready to put everything he's got into building something real with Gabby or Rachel.”
Where is he from?
Tino is from Playa Del Rey, California, which is a neighborhood in Los Angeles. And he definitely looks like a Cali guy, based on his IG presence thus far.
How old is Tino?
Tino is 28, according to his Bachelorette bio. So that means he's just slightly older than Rachel, who turned 26 in March.
Where did he go to school?
This scholar graduated from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, according to his LinkedIn.
He was also a member of Engineers without Borders which is dedicated to building a better world through engineering projects focused on helping communities to meet their basic human necessities, according to the organization’s site.
He loves local BBQ.
Random, yes. But apparently Tino’s got a thing for Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch, because he wrote "I love @sbchickenranch" in his Instagram bio. FWIW, on its website, the restaurant swears that it has the “best chicken and tri-tip in town,” so there’s that.
This also checks out because his ABC bio says he eats "90 percent meat." Interesting.
He used to rock long hair.
Tino’s not super active on social media, but posts from 2019 show him with long hair. According to Instagram posts, it looks like he cut it sometime in 2020 and never looked back.
More evidence:
He's super active.
Tino's Bachelorette bio makes it very clear that he's a man on the move. He is into cycling and camping. He's also a big surfer, like the true California boy he is.
Tino is a big nature guy.
Tino, who is giving off some big Peter Weber vibes in his official ABC bio pic, also has a serious outdoorsy thing going on. In fact, in a “Meet the Men” TikTok Live in June, Bachelorette host Jesse Palmer said that Tino “loves, loves, loves the great outdoors,” adding, “if it’s outside, Tino’s out there.”
He does a lot of work with Camp Ronald McDonald.
Tino also does charity work for Camp Ronald McDonald, where he works with kids who have cancer and their families. His brother, Mateo, had leukemia as a kid—a memory Tino opened up about in an emotional Instagram post. Tino is so passionate about the camp that he has a tattoo in homage on his leg.
"Camp heals in so many ways that medical treatment cannot, I know from experience when my little brother had leukemia (he’s been healthy for 10 years now🎉) and camp came up big for me and my family," he wrote in his post.
What else is there to know about Tino?
Well, his official bio suggests he's a bit of a news junkie since he apparently loves to read the Wall Street Journal. And he also wants to have four kids. But that's about it for now!
I will certainly be keeping tabs on Tino during the rest of this season. And it looks like Bach Nation will be seeing a lot of him...
