'Top Chef' Season 18 Full Cast List: Meet Avishar Barua, Dawn Burell, Jamie Tran and others on Bravo's reality show
It's that time of the year when the knives are out and the chefs are ready to do their magic. Bravo's 'Top Chef' has returned with its 18th season, which stars 15 contestants who bring rare creativity and unique culinary skills to the mix.
They'll work in teams for the quickfire challenges and later, on their own before judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons critique their dishes. With a retired Olympian, artist, and James Beard nominees, the roster this year is an interesting blend. Let's take a look at who all are vying for the $250,000 cash prize.
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Brittany Anderson
When the two-time James Beard Award semi-finalist is not nestled in her cozy abode with her husband and their two dogs, she runs as many as four establishments - Metzger Bar and Butchery, Brenner Pass, and Black Lodge in Richmond, VA, and Leni in Washington, D.C. But before she could build businesses, she attended the French Culinary Institute in New York City and later sought an apprenticeship at the Blue Hill at Stone Barn where she learned all about sustainability and farm-to-table cuisine. What followed was a long list of culinary experiences and accomplishments that make her what she is today.
Avishar Barua
He is the Executive Chef & General Manager of Service Bar in Columbus, Ohio. Born to immigrant parents from Bangladesh, Avishar studied biology and psychology in his early days before he took up cooking having realized where his true passion was. He trained under Wylie Dufresne at Michelin starred WD~50, New York City. "He returned to Ohio to open Service Bar for Middle West Spirits, a local grain to glass distiller, where he has since gained national recognition from FOOD & WINE Magazine for his signature dish, the Cheesy Brisket Crunch," his bio on Bravo reads.
Dawn Burrell
The Olympian turned chef found her passion for cooking while traveling with the USA's Track & Field team. After competing in the 2000 Summer Olympics she enrolled in Culinary Arts at the Art Institute of Houston. And before she could pick up her global comfort cooking style and James Beard Award nomination, Dawn worked with famed chefs and was employed as a sous chef at Uchiko, Austin. Recently, she joined Chef Chris Williams’ Lucille’s Hospitality Group as a Partner/Executive Chef.
Gabe Erales
Chef Gabe developed an interest in cooking when he was just 15. It was easy for him to appreciate food at such an early age because of the kind of meals his parents would prepare. Born in El Paso, Gabe moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas where he graduated with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. It was during this time that he realized what he was good at and enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu, Austin. After graduation, he spent time working with Austin's notable Chefs and drew inspiration from their kitchen. Gabe is married with four children and is currently working on a new restaurant concept.
Nelson German
He is the Executive Chef/Owner of Oakland-based alaMar Kitchen and Sobre Mesa Afro-Latino cocktail lounge. Nelson went to the NY Art Institute where he learned Mediterranean-style cooking that included French techniques. The Dominican-American started as a line cook but progressed to lead several famed kitchens in New York such as the Gramercy Park Hotel, Jerry’s Café, Joseph’s, and Citarella. "He believes in letting his food tell the stories of his journey, derived from childhood memories, inspirational travels, food escapades and his own original ideas," his bio reads.
Byron Gomez
This self-taught chef has blazed his way through Michelin-starred kitchens like it's a walk in the park. Born in Costa Rica and raised in New York, Chef Byron is currently the Executive Chef of Aspen's finest - 7908. Over the years, he has trained under the best chefs and mentors in the food industry, which makes him such a force to reckon with. After working as a Sous Chef at EMP, he "traveled with the Eleven Madison Park teams to their pop-up restaurants in the Hamptons and Aspen, before deciding to settle down in the Rocky Mountains."
Sasha Grumman
Sasha picked up all things food from her early days. She was raised in a large Sicilian family where food was the central focus and therefore, it only felt right when she decided to attend the French Culinary Institute in New York and the ALMA culinary school in Parma, Italy. "She graduated at the top of her class and moved to San Francisco to work at Delfina Restaurant," her bio read and added that she has since cooked for storied chefs across cities. During the pandemic, Sasha kickstarted a focaccia business that she hopes to build on.
Roscoe Hall
He wears many hats. Roscoe is a doting dad, an artist, and a chef. Like most chefs in the 'Top Chef' kitchen, his tryst with food started at an early age. Even though he was interested in cooking and would go on to become a successful chef, Roscoe has not had it easy. "He started as a dishwasher at a small local restaurant until he landed a job as a line cook at Chez Panisse, where he trained for two years under Alice Waters." Since then it's been a smooth ride. He worked under Chef David Chang at Momofuku Saam Bar and later moved to Birmingham, AL and served as Executive Chef for Rodney Scott’s BBQ. He is currently working on his art exhibition.
Sara Hauman
Sara's had to do a bit of back and forth between the USA and Spain before she could establish herself as one of the notable chefs in San Francisco. At age 22, Sara located to SF to work with Brandon Jew at Bar Agricole, which "shaped her simple approach to food." Over the years, she has earned several accolades and awards, which include a 3-star review by the San Francisco Chronicle, Eater Young Guns, Zagat 30 under 30, and a James Beard semi-finalist Rising Star Chef in 2016 and 2017. Currently, she works as the head chef at Soter Vineyards in Carlton.
Kiki Louya
Through food activism, Kiki fights for social injustices and fair wages, for which she has been lauded by The New York Times in its '16 Black Chefs Changing Food in America' list. "She received critical acclaim for her work as Chef/Owner of Detroit’s Folk & The Farmer’s Hand, two award-winning restaurants, before eventually stepping down from leadership in March 2020." Her food is heavily inspired by her Congolese immigrant background, which makes sense because she often uses food to kick start deeper discussions around racism and more. Kiki graduated from the Le Cordon Bleu and The University of Michigan.
Maria Mazon
Raised in Mexico, Chef Maria's style of cooking is inspired by her home and background, which explains the use of special ingredients and the emphasis on unique flavors and textures. Her experiments with food have earned her several accolades and why not, given how she has been pushing the boundaries by introducing new flavors and exotic ingredients to the world. "In 2020, Maria became a James Beard Award semi-finalist for Best Chef in the Southwest Region. When not at the restaurant, Maria loves cooking for her wife, Lilly, and their 12-year-old son," bio adds.
Shota Nakajima
He began his culinary journey at age 16 when he took up a job in one of Seattle's sushi restaurants. A couple of years later, he moved to Osaka to learn all about Japanese cuisine from the Michelin Star-rated Chef Yasuhiko Sakamoto. It was a career-defining experience for him that shaped his approach to food and hospitality. "Developing his own meticulous and imaginative culinary detail, and a stringent demand for high-quality, Shota set out to expand Japanese cuisine in the United States by bringing a fresh perspective on approachable Japanese comfort food through his two restaurants, Taku and Adana."
Gabriel Pascuzzi
Gabriel runs three establishments – Mama Bird, Stacked Sandwich Shop, and Feel Good - all of which were conceived out of his love for food, which was developed during the early stages of life. Growing up, he would visit his uncle's acclaimed restaurant in Big Fork, Montana, and wash lettuce and peel shrimps in exchange for a slice of pie. It served as an apprentice of sorts, which pushed him to take up Culinary Arts at the Johnson & Wales University. Gabriel then moved to New York to work with 'Top Chef' judge Tom Colicchio.
Jamie Tran
Jamie's the owner of and chef at Las Vegas' The Black Sheep. She serves casual modern Vietnamese American food, which is an interesting combination but what takes the cake is the backstory of her restaurant's name using which paid homage to her "playfully rebellious spirit and her drive to break through a male-dominated industry." Like most of her peers on 'Top Chef', she developed a liking for food when she was just four years old and standing atop a milk crate, cooking fried rice with her mother. She has come a long way since then.
Chris Viaud
Chris Viaud is the Chef and Owner of Milford-based Greenleaf and Culture. Raised in Boston, Chris earned a Bachelor's Degree in Culinary Arts from the Johnson & Wales University. Three years later, he returned to his hometown and landed a gig with French restaurant Deuxave. "His approach to food is rustic yet refined by classic techniques and his menus are driven by locally grown seasonal products," his bio reads and adds: "His strength and motivation build from the support of his family, friends and staff and he continues to push himself every day, especially now that he has a young daughter named Madeleine."
Catch all the new episodes of 'Top Chef' Season 18 on Bravo every Thursday at 8/7c. For more information, check your local listings.