If you’re a foodie, a chef, or otherwise love cooking competitions, Top Chef is probably one of your favorite shows. In case you haven’t heard of it, it is a cooking contest that features several chefs that compete against one another in various challenges. For example, the most recent season takes place in Colorado. Chefs must take into account elevation differences when creating their meals to ensure that they are properly cooked — which is only a small part of the challenges of Top Chef.
The show is currently in its fifteenth season, and still has two more episodes to go (which will be released on February 1st and 8th, respectively). While you are killing time waiting for another episode — or another season, depending on when you are reading this article — you may want to check out some other cooking shows. In this article, we will go over Five Shows You Will Like If You Like Top Chef.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38se5CRRB8g
MasterChef
This show is a competition that is based on the British series of the same name. The show invites amateur and home chefs to compete in a variety of cooking challenges. They are judged by Gordon Ramsay (the famously-callous judge from Hell’s Kitchen), as well as other prominent people in the cooking scene. MasterChef revolves around a 4-event cycle — including Mystery Box, Elimination Test, Team Challenge, and Pressure Test events — that occur over the course of two episodes. The varied challenges help to keep this show fresh. MasterChef is currently in-between seasons, but is slated for another season that will begin in the summer of 2018.
Beat Bobby Flay
This cooking competition features a unique opportunity for the everyday chef to face off against the famous Bobby Flay. It is judged by two special guests — usually a celebrity chef and friend of Flay. It starts off with two contestants competing to create the best dish they can in 20 minutes. The winner goes on to challenge Flay himself. Bobby Flay is a force to be reckoned with. He has won on the vast majority of episodes — which is significant due to the blind taste-testing involved. The show also is currently in its 15th season, so there is plenty of material already filmed (though a 16th season has not yet been confirmed).
Chopped
One of the most popular cooking shows is Chopped. This is a reality-based game show hosted by Ted Allen. It features a standard four-chef, three-round formula with a twist. In each round, the chefs must incorporate four random ingredients into a dish. They are generally odd combinations that are not normally used together, and serve as a great test of a chef’s creativity. Of course, the chefs are also given access to a fully-stocked pantry and refrigerator. Chopped has been very successful, and has consistent airings every Tuesday at 10pm on the Food Network. With 34 seasons already filmed, and a 35th confirmed for a July 2018 premiere, this show isn’t going anywhere. It is a great choice if you like Top Chef.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyEo7G5T4B4
Food Network Star
This series first came out in 2005, and was originally called Next Food Network Star. The name was dropped to Food Network Star in the seventh season. The show features weekly challenges, where chefs compete to avoid elimination (as one chef is eliminated per week). The winners of the show are often offered excellent career opportunities, enabling them to become full-time chefs. Some even went on to have their own cooking shows. Food Network Star concluded its thirteenth season recently, and is currently auditioning for season 14.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7XU_wGw2fI
Cutthroat Kitchen
This cooking show is one of the more unique shows on our list. It came out in 2013, and is hosted by chef Alton Brown. The show uses a standard formula, but has a significant twist. The four chefs may purchase “inconveniences” for other chefs that could prevent them from making the best dish possible. For example, they may have to work around a queuing rope system to move from station to station.
This show filmed fifteen seasons at a breakneck pace, completing around five seasons per year. This was an incredibly high pace for the host, who decided to take a break from the show in 2016. It is unclear whether we can expect to see Cutthroat Kitchen return to the air anytime soon, but we do hope that Alton Brown decides to return to this show.
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