Top Chef is taking the action to the Carolinas for Season 23. The long-lived cooking competition series returns for Season 23 with some Southern flair, with host Kristen Kish and judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons heading to Charlotte, North Carolina, with a few stops in Greenville, South Carolina, and a trip to Asheville as it continues recovering from hurricane damage.
Read on to meet this year’s crop of contestants and find out what else to know about Top Chef Season 23.
When does Top Chef Season 23 premiere?
The series officially returns on Monday, March 9, but fans will be able to check out the premiere early, on March 3, on Peacock, Bravo’s YouTube channel, and on-demand. The March 9 premiere will take place at 9/8c on Bravo, and beginning March 16, the series will air at 9:30/8:30c, available next day on Peacock. All episodes for Season 23 will run for 75 minutes.
What is the theme for Top Chef Season 23?
The official description for the new season tells us, “The chefs must showcase their culinary expertise, originality, and endurance as they face off in pressure-filled challenges showcasing the regional history, diverse cultural flavors, and rich agricultural bounty across the Carolinas. For the first time in the show’s history, the cheftestants include life partners who co-own and operate a restaurant and a pair of highly competitive identical twin brothers vying for the ultimate title.”
The first Quickfire challenge takes place at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch guest starring. The chefs will also with NC’s state vegetable, sweet potatoes, create a spicy menu with some hot peppers, compete in a BBQ cookout, and make a dish with dehydrated ingredients.
Other guest stars for the season include Fortune Feimster, Southern Charm stars Madison LeCroy and Craig Conover, actresses Melissa Benoist, Liza Koshy, Danielle Brooks, and “Try Guys” Keith Habersberger and Rachel Ann Cole. Fans can also expect to see the return of Top Chef favorites like Sara Bradley, Tristen Epps-Long, Joe Flamm, Stephanie Izard, Jamie Lynch, Mei Lin, Savannah Miller, Ashleigh Shanti, Michelle Wallace, and Shuai Wang.
Guest judges and featured diners include Brent Bookwalter, Sean Brock, Jamie Brown, Val Cantú, Noah Chaimberg, Adam Cooke, Greg & Subrina Collier, Ed Currie, William Dissen, Eric Ferguson, Meherwan Irani, Brandon Jew, Chayil Johnson, Amirah Kassem, Joe & Katy Kindred, Cheetie Kumar, Emeril Lagasse, Hunter Lewis, James London, Camari Mick, Michael Mina, Niki Nakayama, Clare Reichenbach, Carl Sobocinski, Nok Suntaranon, Jeff Tonidandel, and Jon Yao.
What is the grand prize for Top Chef Season 23?
This season’s winner will win $250,000 from Graza Olive Oil as well as a feature in Food & Wine Magazine, an appearance at the Food & Wine Classic festival in Aspen, and headline a dinner at the James Beard House in New York. The winner will also get a chance to present at the James Beard Awards. Throughout the season, an additional $150,000 in prizes will be doled out to the chef contestants.
Will Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen be back?
Yes. The digital companion series, hosted by Colicchio, returns for Season 15, starting with the third eliminated chef competing for a chance to return, on March 30 on Peacock.
Who are the chefs competing in Top Chef Season 23?
Photos and details about the 15 chefs competing this season have been revealed by Bravo, below!