Padma, Tom, Gail, Graham, and a new batch of Cheftestants are bringing the heat in Season 16. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, sweepstakes, and more! Welcome to the Bluegrass State! Bravo's Top Chef is heading to Kentucky for Season 16, home of bourbon, college basketball greatness, and one of the biggest horse races in the world, when it premieres Thursday, December 6 at 9/8c. Get ready to meet a whole new batch of 15 talented chefs from all across the country looking to be crowned Top Chef. They'll compete against the backdrop of the diverse Kentucky culinary scenes in Louisville, Lexington, and Lake Cumberland. Is Kentucky the new Hollywood? Because Season 16 of Bravo's Top Chef is filled with so much star power. So many famous faces will be part of the Cheftestants' journey this season, including Laila Ali, Lena Waithe, Lily Aldridge, Kings of Leon's Caleb Followill, Eric Ripert, Emeril Lagasse, and the University of Kentucky's head men's basketball coach John Calipari. We'll even see some familiar faces to Bravo fans as Below Deck's Captain Lee Rosbach finally joins forces with Below Deck Mediterranean's Captain Sandy Yawn for a house boat challene in Lake Cumberland. Of course, your favorite Bravo's Top Chef judges will be back to join this Kentucky adventure, including Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Graham Elliot, Gail Simmons, and Nilou Motamed. They're throwing all of the twists, surprises, and curveballs at the chefs this season, including shocking double eliminations and the earliest and first-ever three-team Restaurant Wars. So who will take home the top prize in this sweet 16 of a season? Find out when Bravo's Top Chef returns Thursday, December 6 at 9/8c. Until then, see everything that's in store for the Cheftestants in Kentucky, above. Then check out Season 15's Joe Flamm and Adrienne Cheatham's thoughts on this season's location, below.<doc-sep>The hit Bravo show takes on the Bluegrass State for its 16th season. The Trailer for the New Season of Top Chef Is Here! Get an Exclusive Sneak Peek The premiere of the newest season of Top Chef is less than 8 weeks away — and we’ve got an exclusive sneak peek at what’s to come this season The 16th season takes place in Kentucky and features host Padma Lakshmi, head judge Tom Colicchio, Graham Elliot, and Nilou Motamed with Gail Simmons making smaller appearances due to maternity leave. Get push notifications with news, features and more. This winter, 15 cheftestants are competing for the coveted title, hailing from cities across the country like Philadelphia, Miami Beach, Boston, and Brooklyn. One contestant, who is from the Bluegrass State, tells the camera in the preview clip: “I’m the Kentucky girl. I’d like to win it for my state.” The season appears to have many highs and lows, and Lakshmi announces there will be not two, but three restaurants competing in the famous Restaurant Wars challenge this year — an unprecedented event. Guest judges include Dear White People‘s Lena Waithe, chef Emeril Lagasse and country singer Hunter Hayes. Simmons makes a special appearance through webcam, showing off her growing baby belly: “I’m literally days away,” she says. The Canadian chef and her husband Jeremy Abrams welcomed son Kole Jack Abrams on May 23. RELATED VIDEO: Padma Lakshmi’s Message To Immigrant Kids: ‘The Beauty Of America Is Anything Is Possible’ In February, Bravo announced the new season would take place in Kentucky for the first time ever. “We are always looking for rising culinary destinations and are looking forward to planting our flag in Kentucky and soaking up a diverse region of the country that we haven’t yet explored on Top Chef,” said Shari Levine, executive vice president, current production, Bravo Media. “Kentucky has a strong food identity and we know our incoming chefs will be inspired by the bourgeoning culinary scene, known for its innovative takes on Southern cuisine, melding flavors and use of Kentucky’s agricultural bounty.” Here’s the full list of contestants and their hometowns: Eric Adjepong – Washington, DC Sara Bradley – Paducah, KY Kelsey Barnard Clark – Dothan, AL Edmund “Eddie” Konrad – Philadelphia, PA Pablo Lamon – Miami Beach, FL Natalie Maronski – Philadelphia, PA Michelle Minori – San Francisco, CA Nini Nguyen – Brooklyn, NY Brandon Rosen – San Mateo, CA Kevin Scharpf – Dubuque, IA Caitlin Steininger – Cincinnati, OH Justin Sutherland – St. Paul, MN David Viana – Asbury Park, NJ Adrienne Wright – Boston, MA Brian Young – Boston, MA<doc-sep>We already knew that Bravo's Top Chef would be heading to Kentucky for Season 16, when it premieres Thursday, December 6 at 9/8c. But now we have your first look at all the action — see what's about to go down on Top Chef Kentucky in the clip above! A fresh crop of 15 talented chefs from across the country will begin the competition in Louisville, Lexington, and Lake Cumberland, Kentucky, all looking to be crowned Top Chef — but where on earth will the lucky finalists vie for the big prize? Well, now we know that too: The final four will head to Macau, China. For his part, judge Graham Elliot is thrilled with the destination. "I have a restaurant in Macao, at the MGM Cotai, and to be out there to showcase some of the food and the culture with the rest of the crew and also the cast, Tom and Padma — it’s really magical," he told The Feast last night at PaleyFest NY 2018 — where a Top Chef panel included Graham, Padma, Tom, Gail, Season 4 Winner Stephanie Izard, and Season 15 winner and Joe Flamm. "I think it’s gonna be really eye-opening for a lot of people that are watching." He also told The Feast that the Kentucky location is going to be "amazing" overall. He said, "Every season is different because of where we’re at — the food, the culture, the people. And this one’s really amazing. I think it’s a great blend of what’s going on right now in the country. But also, you have the outdoors, you’ve got the rolling hills, the horse culture, bourbon, and also the city of Louisville. It's been great!" -Reporting by Laura Rosenfeld<doc-sep>
Here come the cheftestepants: The 16th season of Top Chef, Bravo’s time-honored culinary competition, premieres Thursday, December 6, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, the network announced Thursday. Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Graham Elliot, and all their friends head to Kentucky for a new set of challenges that, if the just-released trailer is any indication, will be laden with plenty of bourbon, horses, and that patented Top Chef drama. How much drama? Just take a look at a few of these choice lines spoken in the sneak-peek video: “Stop! You guys listen to me, and you don’t talk to them!” “I seem like a Southern belle, but shock factor is my secret weapon.” “I’m not going to make it on corn! That’s all the corn and it’s on the floor!” Wow, hold on to your big derby hats. Regular judge Gail Simmons will appear only sparingly this season since she was on maternity leave during filming, according to People. In Simmons’ stead, former Food & Wine editor-in-chief Nilou Motamed will step up to offer her expert opinion on all of the chefs’ triumphs and disasters. Among the roster of guest judges this year are celebrity chefs (including Emeril Lagasse and Eric Ripert), musicians (country singer Hunter Hayes and Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill), sporting figures (boxer Laila Ali and University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari), and television stars (Lena Waithe of Dear White People and Master of None fame and Captains Lee Rosbach and Sandy Yawn from Bravo’s Below Deck). The cast of combatants includes culinary pros from the usual big cities, but there is some small-town representation, as well, including a local rooting interest. • Sara Bradley (Paducah, Kentucky) • Eric Adjepong (Washington, D.C.) • Kelsey Barnard Clark (Dothan, Alabama) • Edmund “Eddie” Konrad (Philadelphia) • Pablo Lamon (Miami Beach) • Natalie Maronski (Philadelphia) • Michelle Minori (San Francisco) • Nini Nguyen (Brooklyn, New York City) • Brandon Rosen (San Mateo, California) • Kevin Scharpf (Dubuque, Iowa) • Caitlin Steininger (Cincinnati, Ohio) • Justin Sutherland (St. Paul, Minnesota) • David Viana (Old Bridge, New Jersey) • Adrienne Wright (Boston) • Brian Young (Boston) The winner of Top Chef Season 16 will, as per usual, receive a big check for $125,000, a spread in Food & Wine magazine, and a showcase appearance at next year’s Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado. This season’s spoils also include a $50,000 prize package from Williams-Sonoma and a headlining gig on the Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage at the 2019 BottleRock music festival in Napa Valley, California. • Watch Your First Look at ‘Top Chef’ Kentucky [Official] • The Trailer for the New Season of ‘Top Chef’ Is Here! Get an Exclusive Sneak Peek [People] • All Food TV Coverage [E] • All Pop Culture Coverage [E]