Top Chef: Carolinas

Top Chef: Carolinas

Top Chef: Carolinas is the twenty-third season of the American reality television series Top Chef. Filming was centered around Charlotte, North Carolina, with additional episodes shot in Greenville, South Carolina. It premiered on TV on March 9, 2026, though early access to the first episode began on March 3 on Peacock, Bravo's YouTube channel, and video on demand.

Last Chance Kitchen returned with a couple of format changes. The web series began after the third and fourth eliminations, leaving the first two eliminated chefs without second chances. In addition, only one contestant was allowed to rejoin the main competition.

Production

Top Chef: Carolinas

Filming for Top Chef: Carolinas took place between August and October 2025. The season was produced in partnership with the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) and VisitGreenvilleSC. The show was approved for a North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant, receiving a $2.5 million grant rebate. The CRVA paid $1.2 million for the "integration of Charlotte assets" into Top Chef; these included verbal mentions, challenges, and reality segments filmed throughout Charlotte; highlights of local history, culture, and ingredients; and the participation of local chefs and restaurateurs. The Top Chef kitchen set was built inside a warehouse in Steele Creek, North Carolina. Grocery shopping segments were filmed at the Uptown Charlotte Whole Foods Market.

The season's US$250,000 grand prize was furnished by a new sponsor, Graza Olive Oil, while the Quickfire Challenge's "quick cash" prizes were once again provided by Wells Fargo. Other sponsors included Bosch Home Appliances, Cracker Barrel, Duke's Mayonnaise, Finish Dishwasher Detergent and Additives, Josh Cellars Wine, Morton Salt, and Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto.

Contestants

Top Chef: Carolinas

Fifteen chefs competed in Top Chef: Carolinas. The cast notably includes identical twins, Brandon and Jonathan Dearden, and a pair of life partners, Jennifer Lee Jackson and Justin Tootla, competing against each other.

<table><thead><tr><th>Name</th><th>Hometown</th><th>Current Residence</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Sieger Bayer</td><td>Chicago, Illinois</td></tr><tr><td>Jaspratap "Jassi" Bindra</td><td>Kanpur, India</td><td>Houston, Texas</td></tr><tr><td>Sherry Cardoso</td><td>Belo Horizonte, Brazil</td><td>Brooklyn, New York</td></tr><tr><td>Brittany Cochran</td><td>Columbus, Ohio</td><td>Charlotte, North Carolina</td></tr><tr><td>Oscar Diaz</td><td>Chicago, Illinois</td><td>Durham, North Carolina</td></tr><tr><td>Brandon Dearden</td><td>Sterling, Virginia</td><td>Hamilton, Montana</td></tr><tr><td>Jonathan Dearden</td><td>Sterling, Virginia</td><td>Alexandria, Virginia</td></tr><tr><td>Duyen Ha</td><td>Binghamton, New York</td><td>Los Angeles, California</td></tr><tr><td>Jennifer Lee Jackson</td><td>Statham, Georgia</td><td>Suttons Bay, Michigan/Detroit, Michigan</td></tr><tr><td>Anthony Jones</td><td>Sunderland, Maryland</td><td>Alexandria, Virginia</td></tr><tr><td>Day Anaїs Joseph</td><td>Fort Lauderdale, Florida</td><td>Atlanta, Georgia</td></tr><tr><td>Laurence Louie</td><td>Boston, Massachusetts</td><td>Quincy, Massachusetts</td></tr><tr><td>Rhoda Magbitang</td><td>Antipolo, Philippines</td><td>Kailua-Kona, Hawaii</td></tr><tr><td>Justin Tootla</td><td>Detroit, Michigan</td><td>Suttons Bay, Michigan/Detroit, Michigan</td></tr><tr><td>Nana Araba Wilmot</td><td>Cherry Hill, New Jersey</td></tr></tbody></table>

Contestant progress

Top Chef: Carolinas

Episode #	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
Quickfire Challenge Results	Jennifer ★ Jonathan ★ Laurence ★	Laurence ★ Nana ↑ Oscar ↑ Brittany ↓ Duyen ↓ Sieger ↓	Anthony ★ Duyen ↑ Rhoda ↑ Brittany ↓ Laurence ↓ Nana ↓	Jennifer ★ Justin ★ Sieger ★
Contestant	Elimination Challenge Results
	Anthony	HIGH	HIGH	HIGH	LOW
	Brandon	HIGH	IN	HIGH	IN
	Duyen	HIGH	IN	LOW	IN
	Jennifer	IN	HIGH	LOW	LOW
	Jonathan	HIGH	HIGH	LOW	IN
	Justin	IN	LOW	LOW	IN
	Laurence	IN	IN	WIN1	HIGH
	Oscar	IN	HIGH	LOW	IN
	Rhoda	WIN1	WIN1	LOW	IN
	Sherry	IN	IN	LOW	HIGH
	Sieger	IN	HIGH	LOW	WIN1
12	Brittany	IN	HIGH	LOW	OUT
13	Nana	LOW	LOW	OUT
14	Jassi	IN	OUT
15	Day	OUT

Quickfire Challenge:  ★  The chef won the Quickfire Challenge.  ↑  The chef was selected as one of the top entries in the Quickfire Challenge but did not win.  ↓  The chef was selected as one of the bottom entries in the Quickfire Challenge. Elimination Challenge:   (WINNER) The chef won the season and was crowned "Top Chef".   (RUNNER-UP) The chef was a runner-up for the season.   (WIN) The chef won the Elimination Challenge.   (HIGH) The chef was selected as one of the top entries in the Elimination Challenge but did not win.   (IN) The chef was not selected as one of the top or bottom entries in the Elimination Challenge and was safe.   (LOW) The chef was selected as one of the bottom entries in the Elimination Challenge but was not eliminated.   (OUT) The chef lost the Elimination Challenge.

Episodes

Top Chef: Carolinas

<table><thead><tr><th>No. overall</th><th>No. in season</th><th>Title</th><th>Original release date</th><th>US viewers (millions)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>331</td><td>1</td><td>"Carolina Roots"</td><td>March 9, 2026 (2026-03-09)</td><td>0.37</td></tr><tr><td>Quickfire Challenge: The chefs, split into teams of three, were asked to cook any dish of their choosing. In lieu of a traditional timer, the teams had however long it took a professional driver to complete 23 laps around the Charlotte Motor Speedway. In addition, they were not allowed to plate their dishes until the final lap. The winning team received $15,000. The guest judges were professional stock car racing drivers Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson. Elimination Challenge: The chefs were randomly assigned one of five varieties of sweet potato (Covington, Norton, Purple Majesty, Murasaki, or Carolina Ruby) to highlight in their dishes. The contestants presented their dishes in groups of three, based on their designated sweet potato, though they competed individually. One person from each group was eligible to win the challenge, while those with the judges' least favorite dishes faced potential elimination. The dishes were served at the restaurant La Belle Helene. The winner received immunity for the next Elimination Challenge. The guest judges were Top Chef: Charleston/Top Chef: All-Stars L.A. contestant Jamie Lynch and chefs Sean Brock, Chayil Johnson, and Cheetie Kumar.</td></tr><tr><td>332</td><td>2</td><td>"Puckerbutt"</td><td>March 16, 2026 (2026-03-16)</td><td>0.28</td></tr><tr><td>Quickfire Challenge: The chefs had 30 minutes to make savory dishes using regional ingredients inspired by a gelato or sorbet flavor for a Talenti-sponsored challenge. Their dishes also had to be paired with one scoop of their chosen gelato or sorbet. The winner received $10,000. The guest judge was Top Chef: Boston winner Mei Lin. Elimination Challenge: The chefs visited the PuckerButt Pepper Company farms, owned by chili pepper breeder Ed Currie - the creator of the Carolina Reaper and Pepper X. They were then separated into two teams and asked to create seven-course menus with increasingly spicier dishes. The winner received immunity for the next Elimination Challenge. The guest judges were Currie and Heatonist founder/CEO Noah Chaimberg.</td></tr><tr><td>333</td><td>3</td><td>"True Colors"</td><td>March 23, 2026 (2026-03-23)</td><td>0.34</td></tr><tr><td>Quickfire Challenge: The chefs had 30 minutes to turn livermush into an elevated dish. The winner received $10,000. The guest judge was chef Emeril Lagasse. Elimination Challenge: In honor of North Carolina's textile industry, the chefs were required to create dishes featuring at least two elements colored with natural food dyes, such as activated charcoal, blueberries, chlorophyll, hibiscus, matcha, saffron, turmeric, and squid ink. The dishes were served at the restaurant Supperland. The winner received immunity for the next Elimination Challenge. The guest judges were Lagasse, baker Amirah Kassem, and Supperland owners Jamie Brown and Jeff Tonidandel.</td></tr><tr><td>334</td><td>4</td><td>"Pick a Side"</td><td>March 30, 2026 (2026-03-30)</td><td>TBD</td></tr><tr><td>Quickfire Challenge: In reference to the Wright brothers and the first successful airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the chefs, split into groups of three, had 30 minutes to create a trio of dishes to be paired with a wine flight (one red wine, one white wine, and one rosé) for a Josh Cellars-sponsored challenge. The foundation of each team's "food flight" had to be based on the same dish or ingredient, though each preparation needed to be distinct, such as a flight of sliders featuring different proteins. The winning team received $15,000. The guest judge was Top Chef: Destination Canada winner Tristen Epps-Long. Elimination Challenge: The chefs toured Deep Roots CPS Farm, an urban farm specializing in regenerative agriculture, where they harvested fresh produce. They were then tasked with transforming classic Southern side dishes into main courses, including Hoppin' John, hoecakes, red rice, fried okra, potato salad, collard greens, and smothered cabbage. The dishes were served to the judges and 40 guest diners at the restaurant Fine & Fettle. The winner received immunity for the next Elimination Challenge. The guest judges were Epps-Long and restaurateurs Greg and Subrina Collier.</td></tr><tr><td>335</td><td>5</td><td>TBA</td><td>April 6, 2026 (2026-04-06)</td><td>TBD</td></tr><tr><td>336</td><td>6</td><td>TBA</td><td>April 13, 2026 (2026-04-13)</td><td>TBD</td></tr><tr><td>337</td><td>7</td><td>TBA</td><td>April 20, 2026 (2026-04-20)</td><td>TBD</td></tr></tbody></table>

Last Chance Kitchen

Top Chef: Carolinas

<table><thead><tr><th>No.</th><th>Title</th><th>Original air date</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>"Back to Basics"</td><td>March 30, 2026 (2026-03-30)</td></tr><tr><td>Challenge: Nana and Brittany had 30 minutes to create redemption-worthy dishes that represent themselves on a plate.</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>"Claws Out"</td><td>April 6, 2026 (2026-04-06)</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>"Surprise Showdown"</td><td>April 13, 2025 (2025-04-13)</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>"Let's Get Weird"</td><td>April 20, 2025 (2025-04-20)</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>"Last Bites"</td><td>April 27, 2025 (2025-04-27)</td></tr></tbody></table>