Bravo’s “Top Chef” will return for Season 21 on March 20, and while it takes place in Wisconsin, Georgia viewers can expect to see representation from the Peach State.
Kenny Nguyen, executive chef at the Expat in Athens (owned by Atlanta-Journal Constitution drink columnists Jerry and Krista Slater), will be one of 15 contestants to take on this season’s set of culinary challenges, according to a news release.
A Philadelphia native, Nguyen took classes at the Art Institute of Atlanta before working in restaurants around New York City, according to his Bravo biography. During the pandemic, he moved back to Georgia where he took a job as executive chef at the Expat in Athens’ Five Points neighborhood. He is set to turn his Vietnamese pop-up concept Pretty Boy into a brick-and-mortar in Athens later this year.
According to a news release, this season brings contestants to a cheese festival with award-winning Wisconsin cheesemakers; to American Family Field, the home of the Milwaukee Brewers, where participants had to work with five different types of sausages; and to a traditional Door County fish boil. The season also features chef Matty Matheson from “The Bear” as a guest judge.
And this year, unlike previous seasons, contestants have a chance to win a cash prize for every Quickfire Challenge, with the overall season champion receiving $250,000.
Kristen Kish, chef and partner of Arlo Grey in Austin, Texas, and host of “Restaurants at the End of the World,” takes over Padma Lakshmi’s role as host after 17 years. Kish also won season 10 of “Top Chef.”
The popular reality series has visited about 15 states over its 21 seasons and featured 10 Atlanta contestants, including Hector Santiago (El Super Pan, El Burro Pollo), Hugh Acheson (By George, Five & Ten in Athens) and Kevin Gillespie (Gunshow).
But despite Atlanta’s culinary representation on the show, “Top Chef” has never selected Atlanta or any city in Georgia as a host.
Viewers can cheer on Nguyen as he cooks his way across Wisconsin every Wednesday night from 9-10:15 p.m. starting March 20.
About the Author
