'Top Chef Amateurs': Air time, how to watch, news and gossip about Bravo show
If you are a culinary enthusiast, then brace yourself for Bravo's latest show 'Top Chef Amateurs', where amateur cooks from all walks of life will put their culinary skills to the ultimate test. With each of the competing chefs assisted by 'Top Chef' alumni, who are also a part of a rotating judges panel this season, the race is on to see who can survive the heat!
If you're looking for other culinary shows to check out, you might want to consider 'MasterChef Legends', 'The Chef Show', 'Chopped Junior' and 'BBQ Brawl'.
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Release date
'Top Chef Amateurs' premieres on Thursday, July 1 at 9pm ET/PT on Bravo,
How to watch
You can watch 'Top Chef Amateurs' on Bravo.
Plot
As per the show's official synopsis,"'Top Chef Amateurs' gives talented home cooks the opportunity of a lifetime to test their skills in the illustrious "Top Chef" kitchen. In each 30-minute episode, two amateur chefs will go head-to-head in some of the most iconic challenges from the 'Top Chef' archives including the mis-en-place race, blind taste test and they'll even try to break the curse of 'Top Chef's most dreaded dish – risotto."
Putting their kitchen skills to the test are a wide variety of amateur chefs ranging from an ex-CIA agent to a dental hygienist-turned-food-blogger as well as an architect. The amateur chefs will be paired with different 'Top Chef' finalists, frontrunners and fan-favorites who will cook alongside them and help the amateurs battle against the clock.
The All-Stars will also rotate in as guest judges alongside Gail Simmons to decide each episode's winner. Unpacking their knives are alums Eric Adjepong, Richard Blais, Jennifer Carroll, Shirley Chung, Stephanie Cmar, Tiffany Derry, Joe Flamm, Gregory Gourdet, Melissa King, Kwame Onwuachi, Dale Talde and Isaac Toups.
The winner of each episode will receive $5,000 furnished by season-long prizing sponsor Wells Fargo.
Cast
Gail Simmons
Simmons is a culinary expert, food writer who has been with the 'Top Chef' franchise since 2006. She was also the head critic on 'Top Chef Masters' and the judge in 'Top Chef Jr' She was also the host of 'Top Chef Just Desserts', 'Iron Chef Canada' and cohosted 'The Feed' on FYI.
Eric Adjepong
The chef and owner of Pinch & Plate, a custom dinner party catering service, chef Eric Adjepong was a finalist on season 16 of 'Top Chef' and participated in 'Top Chef: All-Stars' in Los Angeles. A first-generation Ghanaian-American, Adjepong is a personal chef, caterer and public health & nutrition professional who often draws inspiration from his roots and incorporates it in his food.
Richard Blais
A successful chef, restaurateur, author and television personality, Richard Blais is the runner up of season four of 'Top Chef' and the winner of 'Top Chef: All-Stars'. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and trained at The French Laundry. Blais has gone on to host a number of shows, such as 'Cook Your Ass Off' and 'Man v. Master'.
Jennifer Carroll
Jennifer Carroll was a finalist on 'Top Chef' season 6. Carroll has worked alongside some of the country's biggest and best names, such as Michelin Star chef Eric Ripert at Le Bernardin and his Philadelphia restaurant 10 Arts, with Chef Marcus Samuelsson at the Red Rooster and the Hamilton Princess. She is also the owner of Carroll Couture Cuisine and the co-executive chef at Spice Finch.
Shirley Chung
A celebrated chef, Chung was a finalist on season 11 of 'Top Chef'. Prior to appearing on the show, she held executive chef position at China Poblano by Jose Andres. She was also the runner up on season 14 of 'Top Chef'. In 2014, she opened Twenty Eight in Orange County - the menu featured modern Chinese cuisine. She is currently the owner of Ms Chi Café in Culver City, California.
Stephanie Cmar
Cmar was on season 11 of 'Top Chef'. With a passion for food that developed at a young age, Cmar was 15 when she began working in the food industry at the Muffin Shop in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and since then her culinary journey has grown in leaps and bounds. In 2015 she joined Fairsted Kitchen as the executive chef and later joined SRV in Boston’s South End.
Tiffany Derry
Tiffany Derry competed on 'Top Chef' season seven as well as season eight of 'Top Chef: All-Stars'. She later went on to become a recurring judge on 'Top Chef Jr'. Derry is known for her keen sensibility in the kitchen and is a food ambassador with the US Embassy.
Gregory Gourdet
Gourdet first appeared 'Top Chef' season 12. He is the chef and owner of Kann PDX, a restaurant that focuses on BIPOC cuisines, while shedding light on his Haitian heritage. He worked under celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten for seven years, where he perfected his skills, and is also a three-time James Beard Award semifinalist.
Melissa King
The finalist on season 12 of the show and the winner of 'Top Chef' season 17, King also won Fan-Favourite's title. Known to have the most title win in history of the show, she has worked alongside culinary legends such as Dominique Crenn and Ron Siegel. She is also a certified level 1 sommelier.
Kwame Onwuachi
A James Beard Award-winner, Onwuachi was on 'Top Chef' season 13. He is also the author of 'Notes from a Young Black Chef'. Kwame trained at the Culinary Institute of America and went on to open five restaurants all before the age of 30. He has many accolades to his name, such as being named one of FOOD & WINE’s Best New Chefs, Esquire Magazine’s 2019 Chef of the Year, and a 30 Under 30 honoree by both Zagat and Forbes.
Dale Talde
Talde participated in 'Top Chef' season 4 and 'Top Chef: All-Stars' season 8. Talde is no stranger to reality cooking shows, seeing that he has also competed on 'Chopped', 'Iron Chef America' and 'Knife Fight'. He went on to become the head judge on 'Knife Fight' season 4 and a guest judge on 'Chopped' and 'Beat Bobby Flay'.
Joe Flamm
The winner of 'Top Chef' season 15, he was the executive chef job at the Michelin-starred Spiaggia and Café Spiaggia. He recently opened his own restaurant, Rose Mary, in Chicago’s Fulton Market. Over his career, Flamm has cooked for presidents, celebrities and the James Beard Foundation.
Isaac Toups
A finalist of season 13 of the show, Toups' unique approach to Cajun cooking is what helped him make it all the way to the top. He went on to open Toups’ Meatery with his wife in 2012, and has gone on to become a James Beard Best Chef of the South semi-finalist twice.
Creators
'Top Chef Amateurs' is produced by the Emmy Award-winning production company Magical Elves. Casey Kriley, Jo Sharon, Doneen Arquines, Gayle Gawlowski, Zoe Jackson and Hillary Olsen serve as executive producers.
Trailer
For 24 'Top Chef' superfans, 'Top Chef Amateur' is the dream of a lifetime - these home cooks get a chance to not only cook in the 'Top Chef' kitchen, but also alongside the show's alumni, who will be assisting them along the way!
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