We are less than a week out from the season debut of Top Chef: Wisconsin, the 21st season of the hit cooking competition. For avid fans there will be a significant rule change, as the Quickfire Challenge will no longer award immunity. Instead, the elimination challenge winner will get immunity for the next challenge. It will also be the first season with Season 10 winner Kristen Kish taking over the hosting duties.
Filmed primarily in Milwaukee, the show did make a stop at RotoWire's hometown of Madison. As such, we wanted to bring you our competition cheatsheet to help you take home the title of Top Chef Fantasy Champion.
The Favorites
Kevin D'Andrea - While the favorites are presented in no particular order, D'Andrea probably should be considered the leading candidate in the field when you consider he previously competed on Top Chef France and finished runner-up. While the rule changes could be a factor, his experience with the format will be invaluable.
Alisha Elenz - It's hard to argue against including Elenz in the favorites category considering she is a two-time James Beard nominee. The knock on her could be the fact that she's currently a private chef, rather than working in a fast-paced kitchen.
Charly Pierre - Another two-time James Beard Award nominee, Pierre grew up in the kitchen, following in his father's footsteps. His restaurant, Fritai, serves up Haitian-inspired dishes and was named Eater NOLA's 2022 Restaurant of the Year.
Danny Garcia - There may not be a James Beard nomination on Garcia's resume, but he has experience in cooking competitions having competed with Team USA at the biennial Bocuse d'Or -- an experience that will undoubtedly benefit him in Top Chef.
Amanda Turner - In addition to being named a James Beard semifinalist for Emerging Chef back in 2022, Turner likely turned to former boss and Top Chef Season 9 winner Paul Qui for advice before the competition.
Home-Kitchen Advantage
Dan Jacobs - Originally from Chicago, Jacobs currently lives in Milwaukee, where he runs two different restaurants. Considering challenges often highlight an ingredient or cuisine native to the host location, Jacobs should be extremely familiar with these foods, including cheese, cranberries and brats.
The Main Pack
Valentine Howell Jr. - A finalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Northwest in 2023, Howell has experience hosting pop-up kitchens, which should help him roll with the punches during various challenges.
Savannah Miller - According to her Top Chef bio, Miller believes in utilizing locally available ingredients at her restaurant in North Carolina. That skill that will be invaluable when trying to incorporate those Wisconsin ingredients.
Rasika Venkatesa - Nothing says pressure like working in a three-star Michelin restaurant that focuses on French cuisine. Look for Venkatesa to remain cool under pressure in the competition.
David Murphy - While he may not have the James Beard nominations, Murphy is a product of Le Cordon Bleu, a prestigious culinary school that focuses on classic French cuisine.
Kaleena Bliss - Before coming on Top Chef: Wisconsin, Bliss also won Food Network's Chopped Casino Royale. Her current role in Chicago includes banquets and event catering, something that features prominently in many Top Chef challenges.
Laura Ozyilmaz - A quick look at Ozyilmaz's background shows an extensive list of Michelin-rated restaurants, including in New York and San Francisco -- not to mention being a 2024 James Beard Best Chef semifinalist in California.
The Underdogs
Manny Barella - Perhaps it's a stretch to include a James Beard semifinalist an underdog, but he wasn't originally headed for a culinary career, having previously been in law school before trading in his law books for cookbooks.
Michelle Wallace - Similar to Barella, Wallace wasn't originally working in the culinary world before she started whipping up meals for a cousin playing in the NFL and his teammates.
Kenny Nguyen - There aren't a ton of accolades on Nguyen's resume and his focus on Vietnamese cuisine doesn't exactly scream Wisconsin, which is why he finds himself in my underdog category.
