Taking A Look At What Former "Top Chef" Winners Are Up To In 2023

We have faith in the Magical Elves — it's the production company that serves up "Top Chef" for Bravo. But, we can't deny that we were saddened to hear that Padma Lakshmi would be departing the series as its host. Although she was not the host of the first iteration of the series, she has been a reliable mainstay for 19 seasons. Arguably, she is also one of the show's best food judges, due to the amount of food she has sampled over the years. We are sending our thoughts and prayers to whoever takes over for Lakshmi. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill.

Lakshmi's departure from the show had us reminiscing about previous seasons of "Top Chef," and wondering what its previous winners are doing these days. Some have had scandals catch up to them, some are staying the course within the tumultuous and risky restaurant business, and a few are pursuing careers in front of the camera. Some are even launching product lines and releasing cookbooks to benefit home chefs. We're happy to catch you up to speed on how several of these past winners have parlayed a "Top Chef" win into ongoing success. If you have not yet watched Season 20 of the series — the most recent season — be advised that there are spoilers ahead.

Chef Paul Qui won "Top Chef" Season 9, which was set in Texas and aired from late 2011 to early 2012. But on top of that, Qui has also earned a James Beard award for his talent in the kitchen. He received the honor in 2012.

Following his time in the limelight, in 2016, Qui was arrested on charges of domestic violence. During the incident which led to his arrest, Qui's girlfriend claimed that Qui lunged at her, in order to prevent her from leaving the house. Qui, who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time, ended up injuring the woman. The charges were later dropped and Qui visited a drug rehabilitation center.

Despite his public arrest, Qui still has restaurants up and running, including KoKo Ni, an omakase-style eatery in Denver, Colorado, and Soy Pinoy, which has a Filipino-inspired menu in Houston, Texas. 

Season 16 of "Top Chef" was set in Kentucky, and although chef Kelsey Barnard Clark hails from a state a bit lower in latitude (Alabama) — it makes sense that the winner of this particular season would be from the South.

Currently, Clark is operating a successful catering business called KBC. She is also operating a restaurant by the same name that is located in Dothan, Alabama. The eatery features a mouthwatering lunch menu of delectable sandwiches that are stuffed with fried catfish, brisket tips, and pulled pork. Beyond that, there are plenty of burger options that are accentuated with everything you could possibly want between two buns from fig and onion jam, crisp and fatty slices of bacon, and various cheeses such as smoked Gouda and creamy Brie. Advance reservations are recommended and be advised that there is a corkage fee of $25 if you would like to bring in your own alcohol.

Chinese-born and Michigan-raised chef Mei Lin took home the "Top Chef" title in Season 12, which was set in Boston, Massachusetts. Since then, this globetrotting chef has seen success with her restaurant Daybird, located in the Arts District of Los Angeles. A previous restaurant endeavor, Nightshade, was launched at an unpredictably inopportune time: early 2020, literally weeks before Covid-19 lockdowns began. But as a resourceful and inventive chef, Mei Lin shuttered Nightshade and pivoted to a fast-casual concept with Daybird, so the business could accommodate take-out orders during cautious pandemic restrictions. It was a smart move that proved to be a hit with L.A. foodies.

Daybird's fried chicken sandwich, which utilizes Szechuan peppers for its heat, is considered one of the best fried chicken sandwiches in Los Angeles. The menu also recently debuted a fried fish sandwich coated in decadent caviar-laced tartar sauce, which looks amazing to us.

Though they sell out quickly, chef Mei Lin also sells a line of chili oils for home cooks called Umamei. These oils will add a punch to any meal. They include flavors like truffles and XO sauce.

Chef Melissa King has not only the honor of being the winner of Season 17 of "Top Chef," — which was titled "All-Stars L.A. — but in addition she was considered a fan favorite. It's not hard to like King after learning that she donated the entirety of her fan-favorite winnings to charitable causes close to her heart: Asian Americans For Equality, Asian Youth Center, The Trevor Project, and National Black Justice Coalition.

When she's not besting the kitchen competition with her signature dish of wontons stuffed with lobster and seasoned with yuzu and scallions, King has cooked for the likes of Oprah Winfrey and former vice president Al Gore. She also designed the menu for the 2022 Met Gala and was Grand Marshal for San Francisco Pride. She also knows her way around fine wine, as a certified sommelier. For a taste of King's food, you can order sauces and spice blends from her website. We are particularly intrigued by her caramel fish sauce.

It wasn't enough for chef Stephanie Izard to win Season 4 "Top Chef." She has since opened beloved and respected restaurants. In the windy city of Chicago, Illinois you'll find her curated menu at Girl & The Goat. Additionally, there is a location of Girl & The Goat in the Arts District area of Los Angeles, California.

Beyond opening restaurants, Izard has launched "This Little Goat," an impressive array of food condiments. If you're out of ideas for a gift when you have a hardcore foodie in your life, look no further than this lineup. Izard pushes a variety of crunchy chili crisp oils, which are made in collaboration with fellow "Top Chef" winner Brooke Williamson. Izard also procures hot sauce and dried seasoning blends that will amp up any meal. We've sampled a few from "This Little Goat" and while they're all winners, we need to give high praise to "This Little Goat Went to Yucatan" — it's been an essential drizzling on many taco platters we've had that have been both take-out and homemade. Another favorite is "This Little Goat Went to Belize" which is an easy weeknight spice blend to coat on fish filets, chicken cutlets, and sauteed veggies.

Chef Richard Blais is proof that just because you didn't win the first time around, it doesn't mean you won't win the second time. Don't overlook the fact that Blais started his culinary career by frying up Filet-O-Fish sandwiches at McDonald's. We all have to start somewhere, and humble roots and a misstep or two in the first round of "Top Chef" proved not to be a deterrent. Finishing as a runner-up in Season 4, Blais came back in Season 8 with a clear mission. The fact that he was surrounded by other all-star contestants on "Top Chef" was apparently not much of an intimidating factor, as he ended up walking away with the crown.

Since his second appearance and eventual win on the hit food competition series, Blais has proven he's not only adept in the kitchen but also camera friendly. When he's not sitting in on a cooking show judging panel, you might spot Blais' luxurious pompadour around the San Diego, California culinary scene with his steakhouse restaurant Ember & Rye in the San Diego suburb of Carlsbad. It's also possible to replicate his recipes via his cookbook: "Try This at Home: Recipes from My Head to Your Plate." The bottom line is Blais is keeping busy on all fronts.