Top Chef: The 10 Best Chefs, Ranked By Skill Level

Pitting some of the best professional chefs in the country against each other, Top Chef quickly became one of the most popular reality TV shows, thanks to its tough challenges and even tougher judges. First screened on Bravo in 2006, season 18 of the show is due to be broadcast in 2021.

Previous Top Chef winners have used the platform provided by their victory to launch successful culinary careers, but the format of the show means that it isn’t necessarily the best chef who wins the series. One bad day in the kitchen could easily see the most impressive cook being asked to pack up their knives and go.

10 Harold Dieterle

Harold Dieterle was the winner of the very first series of Top Chef back in 2006, and though some would argue that the quality of the cheftestants has only increased in that time, there is little doubt that Dieterle is one of the most talented cooks to appear on the show.

New York food critic Adam Platt even described his dishes as the most original Top Chef creations. He has opened several restaurants since taking the Top Chef title and now works as a consultant for others in the culinary industry.

9 Richard Blais

Season 4 runner-up Richard Blais made a triumphant return to the Top Chef kitchen for the All Stars competition in 2011 and was one of the few cheftestants who managed to win while remaining popular with his rivals!

After winning in 2010, Blais has opened his restaurant and published a cookbook that was nominated for a prestigious James Beard award – an annual award given out for extraordinary culinary achievements. Fans will have seen Blais make a couple of guest judge appearances on Top Chef, as well.

8 Hung Huynh

Set in Miami, season 3 of Top Chef was won by Vietnamese-American contestant Hung Huynh, who had dominated from day one and who was the hot favorite to win in the final against fellow cheftestants, Dale and Casey.

Huynh used his knowledge of Asian flavors and ingredients to great effect in developing his dishes, even creating his take on a classic fish and chips using a Japanese fish called hamachi. He always performed well when cooking fish dishes, so it is hardly surprising that he went on to open a series of seafood restaurants.

7 Bryan Voltaggio

As if Top Chef isn’t dramatic enough, the sixth season added a little extra spice by pitting two brothers against each other. The siblings, Bryan Voltaggio and his younger brother Michael, came second and first respectively, with Bryan going on to become the first cheftestant to compete in both Top Chef and Top Chef: Masters, a spin-off series which only features award-winning chefs.

Despite never winning the top prize, there is no doubt that Bryan is one of the most technically gifted cooks the show has seen.

6 Brooke Williamson

Brooke Williamson took two attempts to finally get her hands on the Top Chef crown. After finishing as runner-up in season 10, she made a winning comeback in season 14, which saw returning cheftestants take on rookie cooks.

At 22, Williamson became the youngest female chef ever to cook at the James Beard Foundation House, the high temple of American culinary arts, and she brought that same sense of determination and creativity that had seen her chosen for that honor to the Top Chef kitchen.

5 Kristen Kish

Williamson finished as runner-up to Kristen Kish in season 10, and Kish’s culinary career has gone from strength to strength since she won Top Chef in 2013.

The Korean-born chef combined Asian flavors brilliantly with her classical training, as well as being a natural in front of the camera. Kish’s win didn’t come easily, however, as she had to face the Last Chance Kitchen five times on her way to the final. She opened her restaurant in Austin, Texas, after her Top Chef success and even co-hosted a TV show on the Travel Channel.

4 Mei Lin

Having spent part of her early career working for Top Chef alum Michael Voltaggio, it is no surprise that Mei Lin took the competition by storm when she won season 12 in Boston.

Lin had also worked for Top Chef judge Wolfgang Puck, and after her win, she became Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef before opening her own restaurant. Lin impressed in the season 12 finale with a strawberry lime curd that judge Tom Colicchio said was the best dessert he had ever tasted on the show.

3 Stephanie Izard

Stephanie Izard was not only crowned the Top Chef champ in season 4 but was also voted the Fan Favourite by viewers of the show.

The first woman to win the series, Izard also won a prestigious James Beard award for her menu at one of her three Chicago restaurants. The final episode of season 4 saw a closely fought culinary battle between Izard and Richard Blais, who went on to win the All-Stars season and shows just how high the standards were in this particular year.

2 Michael Voltaggio

The youngest of the two Voltaggio siblings who competed against each other, Michael won the Top Chef title and bragging rights over older brother Bryan in season 6.

He opened an award-winning restaurant, called ink, as well as continued to work with his brother, so there are no hard feelings! Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio described Michael Voltaggio as the most talented chef that he had seen on the show (to date) with the temperament and talent to pull off some of the unusual and creative dishes that he presented.

1 Paul Qui

However, Tom Colicchio was soon to change his mind about the most talented cheftestant on Top Chef when Paul Qui arrived to take part in and eventually win the ninth season in 2011.

Even a few years later, Colicchio was still saying that Qui was the most talented chef he had seen on the show. His reputation took a dive in 2016 when he was arrested and charged with assaulting his girlfriend, but he has continued to try and rebuild his culinary career, despite the controversy.