The most recent season of High Chef is simply across the nook, set to air Thursday, March 13. Season 22, hosted by Kristen Kish, takes viewers to Canada to see 15 new cheftestants compete for $250,000, plus $125,000 in Delta flight credit, as they dive into the cuisines of Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, and Prince Edward Island. This yr, the prize additionally consists of a stint on the James Beard Home in New York, an occasion area run by the James Beard Basis identified for internet hosting dinners from cooks from across the nation, and the chance to current on the James Beard Awards in Chicago in June.
Should you’re placing collectively a bracket in anticipation of the competitors, or simply need all of the context on the newest crop of opponents earlier than you dive in, Eater’s editors throughout the nation have some helpful intel.
Regardless of the worldwide location, only one chef hails from Canada: Massimo Piedimonte of Cabaret l’Enfer in Montreal, which opened in 2022. (On the time, Piedimonte described his cooking philosophy, which marries his Italian heritage with French coaching, to Eater Montreal: “Generally, you’ll be able to develop flavors which can be fully new. Different occasions you develop flavors which can be just like ones you grew up with. Both approach, it’s a great time.”) There are just a few extra American contestants not positioned in a metropolis with Eater editors on the bottom, together with Paula Endara from Lexington, Kentucky (government chef of Granddam and Misplaced Palm) and Mimi Weissenborn from Portland, Maine (government chef at Sur Lie, Collect, Catface Cafe). However do examine again, as extra editors chime in with all of the need-to-knows on this season’s opponents.
Final season, New York chef Danny Garcia took house the win. And this yr, there are two contestants from New York Metropolis, each non-public cooks: Lana Lagomarsini of Lana Cooks in Harlem and Corwin Hemming, who is predicated in Brooklyn.
Los Angeles can be sending two of its most interesting to compete in Canada. Katianna Hong, a chef and associate Korean-American restaurant Yangban will be a part of Kat Turner, the manager chef and associate Extremely Doubtless, an all-day cafe with a number of areas.
Tristen Epps, the chef behind a much-anticipated Afro-Caribbean restaurant Buboy, will compete in opposition to fellow Houstonian Henry Lu, the chef of Southeast Asian restaurant Jūn (and people 13 different contestants).
Three Chicago locals may have the prospect to compete for an opportunity to pop over to the Lyric Opera Home to current an award this June. They embody Zubair Mohajir of Coach Home and Eater Finest New Restaurant Mirra; César Murillo of North Pond; and Bailey Sullivan of Monteverde.
San Francisco chef Anya El-Wattar of the once-heralded Russian restaurant Birch & Rye can be becoming a member of the forged this season; the restaurant closed in March of 2024 after two years in enterprise. Additionally showing this season is Vincenzo Loseto, the chef-de-cuisine at Press, a one-Michelin-starred restaurant positioned in Napa Valley’s St. Helena.
Shuai Wang of North Charleston’s Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ is the only real competitor from South Carolina.
