Everything You Should Know About the Season 22 ‘Top Chef’ Contestants

The newest season of Top Chef is just around the corner, set to air Thursday, March 13. Season 22, hosted by Kristen Kish, takes viewers to Canada to see 15 new cheftestants compete for $250,000, plus $125,000 in Delta flight credits, as they dive into the cuisines of Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, and Prince Edward Island. This year, the prize also includes a stint at the James Beard House in New York, an event space run by the James Beard Foundation known for hosting dinners from chefs from around the country, and the opportunity to present at the James Beard Awards in Chicago in June.

If you’re putting together a bracket in anticipation of the competition, or just want all the context on the latest crop of competitors before you dive in, Eater’s editors across the country have some valuable intel.

Despite the international location, just one chef hails from Canada: Massimo Piedimonte of Cabaret l’Enfer in Montreal, which opened in 2022. (At the time, Piedimonte described his cooking philosophy, which marries his Italian heritage with French training, to Eater Montreal: “Sometimes, you can develop flavors that are completely new. Other times you develop flavors that are similar to ones you grew up with. Either way, it’s a good time.”) There are a few more American contestants not located in a city with Eater editors on the ground, including Paula Endara from Lexington, Kentucky (executive chef of Granddam and Lost Palm) and Mimi Weissenborn from Portland, Maine (executive chef at Sur Lie, Gather, Catface Cafe). But do check back, as more editors chime in with all the need-to-knows on this season’s competitors.

Last season, New York chef Danny Garcia took home the win. And this year, there are two contestants from New York City, both private chefs: Lana Lagomarsini of Lana Cooks in Harlem and Corwin Hemming, who is based in Brooklyn.

Los Angeles is also sending two of its finest to compete in Canada. Katianna Hong, a chef and partner Korean-American restaurant Yangban will join Kat Turner, the executive chef and partner Highly Likely, an all-day cafe with multiple locations.

Tristen Epps, the chef behind a much-anticipated Afro-Caribbean restaurant Buboy, will compete against fellow Houstonian Henry Lu, the chef of Southeast Asian restaurant Jūn (and those 13 other contestants).

Three Chicago locals will have the chance to compete for a chance to pop over to the Lyric Opera House to present an award this June. They include Zubair Mohajir of Coach House and Eater Best New Restaurant Mirra; César Murillo of North Pond; and Bailey Sullivan of Monteverde.

San Francisco chef Anya El-Wattar of the once-heralded Russian restaurant Birch & Rye will be joining the cast this season; the restaurant closed in March of 2024 after two years in business. Also appearing this season is Vincenzo Loseto, the chef-de-cuisine at Press, a one-Michelin-starred restaurant located in Napa Valley’s St. Helena.

Shuai Wang of North Charleston’s Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ is the sole competitor from South Carolina.