40 Surprising Facts You Didn't Know About Top Chef
The judges' table takes how long?!
With nearly 20 seasons under its belt, Top Chef is one of the longest-running reality shows on television, and the series doesn't appear to be slowing down. Fans are undoubtedly familiar with how Quickfire challenges and the judges' table work, and they've watched more than one Restaurant Wars, but there are still Top Chef facts that allude them. These 40 surprising facts about Top Chef may surprise even the show's most avid viewers.
Padma Lakshmi eats up to 8,000 calories a day during filming.
In a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter, Lakshmi revealed that she consumes between 5,000 to 8,000 calories a day testing contestants' meals.
Only one contestant has ever been disqualified.
Cliff Crooks was asked to leave the competition after pinning down fellow contestant Marcel Vigneron and attempting to shave his head.
The judges' table can last for hours.
While viewers only see a few minutes of debate, judge Gail Simmons revealed to Parade the judges' table takes about four hours.
Filming the rest of the episode takes even longer.
It's not just the judges' table that seems to last forever. Contestants must be able to commit around six weeks total to the show. In 2012, it was revealed that each episode could involve filming for 16 to 18 hours per day.
Groceries cost a lot of money.
In an interview, a culinary producer for the show revealed they spend up to $5,000 on groceries.
Padma wears an earpiece.
It would be quite the script to remember during Quickfire and the judges' table, so Padma wears an earpiece that feeds her information.
Producers get leftovers.
All that food has to go somewhere. The producers get to chow down on the leftover dishes and groceries.
The worst dish was in season two.
According to frequent judge Eric Ripert, the worst dish he ever had was season two's Ilan Hall's chocolate ganache with chicken liver.
Chefs make two of each dish.
According to a 2007 interview, contestants must make two of each dish—one for photos, the other for the judges.
There's sometimes an unofficial fifth judge.
Since the judges' choices must all be unanimous, it can sometimes be hard to come to a final decision. In 2010, a camera operator named T-Bone would help break any ties, since he was able to taste all the dishes after taking close-up shots.
No outside contact allowed.
Like many other reality shows, Top Chef contestants can't have contact with the outside world.
No contact with the judges is allowed, either.
In order to keep the competition fair, chefs are supposed to skip the small talk with judges and only communicate about their dishes. Season five's Stefan Richter broke this rule when he gave Padma Lakshmi leftover roses he had used on his plate, which a producer took away from her almost immediately.
Gail Simmons doesn't like black beans.
In a 2010 panel, Simmons admitted that black beans give her "the heebie jeedbies."
Padma Lakshmi loves fried chicken.
If you ever find yourself on Top Chef, whip up some fried chicken to get on Padma's good side. It's the host's "go-to meal," and she often cooks it with green mango powder to give it a special flavor.
Chefs aren't eating the fancy stuff.
In a 2017 interview with Delish, finalists Brooke Williamson and Shirley Chung revealed that the chefs don't want to cook elaborate meals for themselves. Instead, they eat mostly carbs and junk food.
Some challenges are created around brand deals.
From container brands to special types of equipment, certain challenges are given to the contestants because of sponsorships. It's especially easy to tell if you see the camera focus in on a Breville blender's logo, for example.
The show is not entirely unscripted.
In fact, retakes are common if lines are flubbed. When you see a close-up of a judge's face talking to a contestant, it's possible that the chef was already dismissed and is not even standing there at all.
No haircuts.
This rule is specifically related to Marcel Vigneron, who wasn't allowed to cut his hair due to "continuity errors," according to the show.
Time restraints are real.
Quickfire time limits are enforced, and the same is true of the four-hour challenges. The competition keeps things fair.
No clean-up required.
Chefs aren't responsible for the clean-up of the kitchen. It's done by production.
Shea Simmons is an experienced lifestyle writer based in Atlanta, Georgia with particular interests in beauty and wellness. Her work has appeared in Bustle, OpenFit, LifeSavvy, and USA Today’s Make It Grateful.
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