Meet the Cheftestants Competing on Top Chef Season 21
Get to know the 15 talented, rising star chefs and James Beard nominees from across the country competing on Top Chef Season 21.
Please unpack your knives and stay a while, because Top Chef is officially back for Season 21.
On February 7, the line-up of cheftestants was revealed, as was the city location for the upcoming season.
Alum and Season 10 winner Kristen Kish is taking on the hosting role for the first time on Season 21, and she's joined by veteran judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons.
Meet the chefs who are competing on Season 21 — and also get all of the details on the new season — below.
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Meet the Cast of Top Chef Season 21
The following 15 chefs will be competing in Quickfire Challenges and Elimination Challenges in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Alisha Elenz
HOMETOWN: Palatine, IL
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Chicago, IL
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Private chef
Amanda Turner
HOMETOWN: Arlington, TX
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Austin, TX
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef de Cuisine, Olamaie
Charly Pierre
HOMETOWN: Cambridge, MA
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: New Orleans, LA
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Head chef and owner, Fritai
Dan Jacobs
HOMETOWN: Chicago, IL
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Milwaukee, WI
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef and co-owner, EsterEv & Dandan
Danny Garcia
HOMETOWN: Brooklyn, NY
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Brooklyn, NY
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef, Saga Hospitality Group
David Murphy
HOMETOWN: Houston, TX
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: San Francisco, CA
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef & Co-Owner, Shuggie’s Trash Pie + Natural Wine
Kaleena Bliss
HOMETOWN: Seattle, WA
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Chicago, IL
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef, Chicago Athletic Association & Cindy’s Rooftop
Kenny Nguyen
HOMETOWN: Philadelphia, PA
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Athens, GA
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Head Chef & Owner, Pretty Boy (Opening 2024) – Executive Chef, The Expat
Kévin D'Andrea
HOMETOWN: Oloron-Sainte-Marie, France
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Austin, TX
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef & Owner, Foliepop’s
Laura Ozyilmaz
HOMETOWN: Acapulco, Mexico
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: San Francisco
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef & Owner, Dalida
Manny Barella
HOMETOWN: Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Denver, CO
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Culinary Director, Camp Pickle & Jaguar Bolera (Opening 2024)
Michelle Wallace
HOMETOWN: St. Louis, MO
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Houston, TX
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef, Owner & Pitmaster, B’tween Sandwich Co.
Rasika Venkatesa
HOMETOWN: Chennai, India
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: New York
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef De Cuisine
Savannah Miller
HOMETOWN: Southern Pines, NC
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Durham, NC
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef de Cuisine, M Tempura
Valentine Howell Jr.
HOMETOWN: Boston, MA
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Dorchester, MA
OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef
Who is the host of Top Chef Season 21?
Per a press release, Kristen Kish is the host of Bravo’s Emmy, James Beard and Critics’ Choice Award-winning series, Top Chef, and the chef/partner of Arlo Grey in Austin, Texas.
"She’s also the host and producer of Restaurants at the End of the World on National Geographic/Disney+. In 2023, she was named to TIME 100’s Next, AdWeek’s Creative 100 and Marie Claire’s Power lists," according to the release. "Born in South Korea and adopted into a family in Kentwood, Michigan, Kish showed an affinity for cooking at a young age. After culinary school, she honed her skills at several high-profile restaurants in Boston."
"Kish’s TV career began when she competed on and won Season 10 of Top Chef. In a full-circle moment, she was named host of the beloved series for the 21st season. Her credits also include co-star of Fast Foodies on truTV/Food Network and co-host of Iron Chef on Netflix.
"In 2017, Kish released her first cookbook, Kristen Kish Cooking: Recipes and Techniques, and a year later opened her first restaurant, Arlo Grey at the Line Hotel. The restaurant reflects Kish’s playful yet refined cuisine, pulling inspiration from her classical training as well as nostalgic dishes that highlight her upbringing and love of travel."
Who are the judges for Top Chef Season 21?
Tom Colicchio
"Tom Colicchio is the head judge and executive producer of Bravo’s Emmy, James Beard and Critics’ Choice Award-winning series Top Chef. Tom is the eight-time James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality, which includes New York’s Craft, Temple Court and Vallata; Las Vegas’ Craftsteak; and Small Batch in Garden City, N.Y. Born in Elizabeth, N.J., Collicchio made his New York cooking debut at prominent restaurants that include the Quilted Giraffe, Gotham Bar & Grill and Gramercy Tavern before opening Craft in 2001.
"A vocal and outspoken social justice advocate, Colicchio executive produced the 2013 documentary A Place at the Table about the underlying causes of hunger in the U.S. This eye-opening experience led him on a journey to Washington D.C., where he has been a mainstay in our nation’s capital in the years since. From holding members of Congress accountable on their voting records around food to working with former FLOTUS Michelle Obama on the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, Colicchio has established himself as the leading 'Citizen Chef' advocating for a food system that values access, affordability and nutrition over corporate interests.
"Colicchio is a frequent contributor on several television shows and networks, including MSNBC, CNN, ABC and Bloomberg, and is the host of the iHeart Radio podcast, Citizen Chef. He will star and executive produce a new show in 2024 titled The Pantry on Spirits network.
"Colicchio and his restaurants give back to the community through their impact partnerships with organizations such as Children of Bellevue, City Harvest and Southern Smoke Foundation. He’s a founding member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, which was formed to save the local restaurants and bars affected by COVID-19 and the subsequent economic fallout.
"Colicchio lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Lori Silverbush, and their three sons. When not in the kitchen, he can be found tending his North Fork Long Island garden, fishing or playing guitar."
Gail Simmons
"Gail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer and dynamic television personality. Since the show’s inception in 2006, she has lent her expertise as the perennial judge on Bravo’ Emmy, James Beard and Critics’ Choice Award-winning series Top Chef, which is now entering its 21st season. She also serves as an Executive Producer.
"In 2022, Simmons was seen as co-host of The Good Dish, the daily syndicated series offering delicious recipes, real-life wisdom and conversations on the topics of the day, and was formerly host of Top Chef Amateurs as well as Iron Chef Canada. From 2004-19, Simmons served as special projects director at Food & Wine magazine.
"Simmons’ first cookbook, Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating, was released by Grand Central Publishing in 2017. Nominated for an IACP Award for Best General Cookbook, it features recipes inspired by her world travels — all made with accessible ingredients and with smart, simple techniques for successful family meals and easy entertaining. Simmons’ first book, the memoir Talking with My Mouth Full, was published by Hyperion in 2012.
"Simmons frequently appears on daytime television shows such as TODAY, Rachael Ray and The Talk, and was named the #1 Reality TV Judge in America by The New York Post.
"She is the co-founder of Bumble Pie Productions and the newest Global Ambassador for Children in Conflict, an international organization committed to protecting, educating and providing critical aid for the world’s most vulnerable children affected by war. Simmons sits on the board of several other nonprofit organizations and philanthropic endeavors, including City Harvest and Hot Bread Kitchen. She currently lives in New York with her husband, Jeremy, and their two children, Dahlia and Kole."
When does Top Chef Season 21 premiere?
All of the episodes in Top Chef Season 21 will be supersized. The season premieres on Wednesday, March 20 at 9/8c on Bravo.
Episodes will air on Wednesdays at 9/8c, and they will be available to stream on Peacock the next day.
Stream Top Chef on Peacock now.
