Do Top Chef Judges Ever Discard Food While Filming?
The Top Chef judges have savored their share of five-star meals on screen, but can they handle the not-so-great dishes?
“I don’t believe we have to be forced [to eat anything],” Gail Simmons shared with Us Weekly ahead of the season 22 premiere on Thursday, March 13. “During the early seasons, there were a few questionable items, but that was before we had the caliber of talent we showcase now.”
While the show has consistently featured professional chefs, Simmons, 48, mentioned that everyone was still learning the ropes in those initial seasons. “Since then, it’s quite uncommon to encounter poorly prepared food. Remember, these aren’t amateur cooks attempting to be chefs … they are professionals operating at the highest standards. So nowadays — and particularly in this season — it isn’t about eliminating the worst dish every single episode.”
Simmons, who has been part of the Top Chef team since its debut on Bravo in 2006, expressed to Us that with better chefs comes more challenge in judging. “The quality of the food is consistently high,” she noted. “We don’t spit things out. At this point, it’s rare to find something markedly wrong because they are truly skilled.”
Longtime judge Tom Colicchio echoed that the dishes served are “typically not that bad” — barring a few specific challenges — but it’s still “a large volume of food.”
“Especially at the start of the season [with more chefs], we have to sample 14, 15, or even 16 dishes,” he explained.
Now in her second season as host, former Top Chef champion Kristen Kish is still acclimating to the sheer amount of food. “I think the only moment where I felt — not trouble — but really full, and thought, ‘I might need to take a nap,’ was after the poutine quickfire,” she shared with Us about the new season set across Canada. “It was all carbs, cheese, and sauce. And you’re just like, ‘Alright.’”
Simmons added that when chefs provide more variety in a challenge, it makes it easier on the judges, noting, “We don’t experience food fatigue that way.”
As season 22 kicked off on Thursday, the trio of judges were joined in the Great White North by 15 new chefs vying for $250,000 and prestigious opportunities. Simmons expressed her excitement about bringing Top Chef to her native country.
“I truly believe it feels distinct from any season we’ve done in the past within our kitchen,” she told Us, humorously noting that she was “trying not to be biased.”
Beyond highlighting Canada’s beauty, the new season showcases an impressive array of talent. “The contestants are very self-aware, intelligent, and they arrive with strong perspectives, which we seek. Usually, we only discover those by the time we’re three-quarters through the season,” Simmons elaborated. “This season, right from the start, they’ve revealed their true selves. They are both vulnerable and skilled, with an incredible diversity of cultures represented.”
The elevated talent pool brings more intense competition. “These are genuine chefs, and the challenges are designed to be tough, and what stands out is how demanding their work is,” Colicchio remarked to Us. “Halfway through the season, the remaining chefs often look at us and say, ‘We’re utterly exhausted.’ It’s a true test of endurance and culinary skills.”
So, what makes Top Chef a staple in food television for almost two decades? “It only keeps getting better,” Colicchio commented.
Top Chef airs on Bravo Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET, followed by Last Chance Kitchen. Episodes will be available the next day on Peacock.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
