Top Chef, also known as Top Chef Spain or Top Chef España, is a Spanish television show based on the American format of the same name. The base of the program is a cooking competition that features chefs competing for the title of best chef in the country. Atresmedia produces the show for its main channel Antena 3 in association with production company Boomerang TV.
History In January 2013, Atresmedia confirmed it had bought the rights to adapt the Top Chef format in Spain, which rival group Mediaset España had previously discarded producing for its channel Cuatro. As the details of the adaptation were revealed, the show was initially meant to air on Atresmedia's second channel laSexta, which at the time had the success of Pesadilla en la cocina (the Spanish adaptation of the Kitchen Nightmares franchise) to its credit. However, after seeing the success of similar format MasterChef on public channel La 1, Atresmedia decided to air Top Chef on its main channel Antena 3 instead. The first season premiered on October 2, 2013.
Format Top Chef searches for the best professional cook in the country, who will get a cash money prize and supplies for his or her restaurant. In order to become the "top chef", contestants must face weekly challenges on each episode: Trial by fire: A quick challenge where the contestants must prove their skills to work against the clock. The winner gets immunity and/or privileges for the next challenge. Team challenge: The contestants are thrown into teams for an outdoor task where they will cook for a collective whose votes will decide the winning team. Last chance: The members of the losing team in the previous task face each other with the judges of the show deciding who cooked the best plate. The loser of this challenge gets eliminated from the competition.
First season (2013) The first season ran from October 2 to December 18, 2013, and featured chefs Alberto Chicote, Ángel León and Susi Díaz as judges. On week 9 the eliminated contestants returned for a repechage challenge where the chefs still in contention served as judges. The special panel of judges for the finale featured Pedro Subijana, Martín Berasategui, Joan Roca, Quique Dacosta, Eneko Atxa, Juan Mari Arzak and Karlos Arguiñano.
Contestants ChefsAgeOriginOccupationRankingBegoña Rodrigo37XirivellaLa Salita restaurant owner and chefAntonio Arrabal32ZaragozaAbba Burgos hotel executive chefMiguel Cobo29SantanderEl Vallés rest. co-owner and executive chefJesús Almagro40MadridPedro Larumbe rest. executive chef4th / 9th evictedJavier Estévez30MadridEl Mesón de Doña Filo rest. executive chef8th evictedBárbara Amorós43ValenciaBárbara te cocina catering owner and chef7th evictedAntonio Canales35TarragonaGrupo Fuente Pizarro executive chef6th evictedElisabeth Julianne33MenorcaArs Café rest. executive chef5th evictedBorja Letamendía45San SebastiánBorja Letamendía Catering owner and chef3rd evictedHung Fai40Hong KongIgeretxe hotel executive chef2nd evictedIván Hernández22ÁvilaEl Rondón rest. manager chef1st evictedEduardo Sánchez48MadridMinistry of Defence Head of HostelryFinal casting eliminatedEnrique Lozano63SevillaAlfonso XIII hotel former executive chefErika Domínguez28A CoruñaLa Solana rest. sous-chefVicente Cubertorer25CastellónMotoGP kitchen manager
Weekly stats chart P. 01P. 02P. 03P. 04P. 05P. 06P. 07P. 08P. 09P. 10SemifinalFinalBegoñaCSUOUOSUOSSJUOUOFWinnerArrabalCUOSSSUOUOSJUOSFRunner-upMiguelCUOUOUOUOISSJUOSESCJesúsCUOSSERSEJavierCSSISSUOUOJESCBárbaraCUOSUOUOSSECanalesCSISUOSEElisabethCSUOSSEBorjaCSUOEHung FaiCIEIvánCEEduardoNCEnriqueNCErikaNCVicenteNC
Second season (2014) The second season premiered on September 8, 2014, and ended on December 17, 2014. Alberto Chicote and Susi Díaz returned as judges, with Yayo Daporta replacing Ángel León. On week 2 the contestants dropped on the final castings (week 1) were given another chance to earn a place on the competition against the losers of the week's team challenge, and featured again the repechage challenge, that took place on week 11. The special panel of judges for the finale featured Martín Berasategui, Pedro Larumbe, Andoni Luis Adúriz, Carles Gaig, Toño Pérez, Francis Paniego and Ángel León.
Due to an agreement with McDonald's, this season also featured a "burger challenge", which was won by Javier García Peña. As a result, his creation would be commercialized for a limited time in the Spanish McDonald's restaurants as the Grand McExtrem Top Chef.
Contestants ChefsAgeOriginOccupationRankingDavid García26El Palá de TorroellaGrupo TO [+] owner and executive chefMarc Joli37GironaCal Músic tabern co-owner and executive chefFran Vicente27SalamancaCoque restaurant executive chefVíctor Rodrigo32CastellónSamsha rest. co-owner and executive chef11th evictedJavier García "Peña"34ValladolidLa Candela gastro-bar co-owner and executive chef10th evictedCarlos Medina30ValenciaAndré rest. creative director9th evictedInés Abril34VigoMaruja Limón rest. chef8th evictedMarta Roselló27Colònia de Sant JordiSal de Coco rest. owner and executive chef6th evictedHonorato Espinar49PalmaIberostar Hotels & Resorts Head of LogisticsF. c. eliminated / 5th evictedRebeca Hernández36MadridLa Berenjena gastro-tavern co-owner and executive chef4th evictedTeresa Gutiérrez34VillarrobledoAzafrán rest. owner and executive chef3rd evictedPablo González30SevillaArs Natura rest. executive chef2nd evictedJoaquín Espejo34Las PalmasMoorea rest. owner and executive chef1st evictedFrancisco Jerez43SantanderLas Carolinas hotel-school teacherFinal casting eliminatedIrina C. Herrera49CatacaosGastronomic teacher and consultantPedro Jerez43SantanderNovecento rest. chef
Weekly stats chart P. 01P. 02P. 03P. 04P. 05P. 06P. 07P. 08P. 09P. 10P. 11P. 12P. 13SemifinalFinalDavidCSIUOSUOUOIUOUOJSSSWinnerMarcCSUOUOUOUOUOSSIJUOUOUORunner-upFranCISUOSISERIUOEVíctorCUOSUOUOSSSISJSESCPeñaCSUOSSSISSUOJECarlosCUOUOIUOSSSUOEInésCSSSSUOSUOESCMartaCSSSSSESCHonoratoNCRSSUOERebecaCSSSETeresaCUOSESCPabloCSEJoaquínCEFranciscoNCIrinaNCPedroNC
Third season (2015) The third season ran from September 9 to December 16, 2015. Alberto Chicote and Susi Díaz continued as judges, while Paco Roncero replaced Yayo Daporta.
Contestants ChefsAgeOriginOccupationRankingMarcel Ress26MellrichstadtSimply Fosh restaurant executive chefAlejandro Platero32ValenciaMacel.lum and Come & Calla rests. executive chefMari Paz Marlo40CuencaMarlo rests. owner and executive chefSergio Bastard36SantanderLa Casona del Judío rest. chef and co-owner11th evictedOriol Lomas26GironaBocca Regencós rest. owner and executive chef10th evictedLuca Rodi38ItalyDabbawala rest. and Quilicuá catering executive chef and owner8th evictedMontse Estruch57VacarissesEl Cingle de Vacarisses rest. owner and chef7th evictedÁlex Clavijo31GuayaquilVadebacus rest. executive chef6th evictedCarlos Caballero37MálagaJosé Carlos García rest. R+D5th evictedMaría Espín39BarcelonaHotel Melia Barcelona Sky executive chef4th evictedJulio Velandrino31MurciaBack Pack executive chef, gastronomic adviser and teacher3rd evictedCarlota Bonder27IbizaBonder & Co. catering manager and private chef2nd evictedJesús Vega49MadridHotel Ritz departure manager1st evictedIván Serrano23TorricoTierra del Hotel Valdepalacios rest. sous-chefFinal casting eliminatedBorja Aldea23La GranjaEtxanobe rest. R+D headVanessa Merino37GironaLes Magnòlies rest. sous-chef
Weekly stats chart P. 01P. 02P. 03P. 04P. 05P. 06P. 07P. 08P. 09P. 10P. 11P. 12P. 13SemifinalFinalMarcelCUOSUOUOSIUOSSS -SSWinnerAlejandroCSUOSSUOSSISUO -UOUORunner-upMaripazCSSSSUOSUOSUOSSFESCSergioCUOUOSSUOUOSUOUOI -ESCOriolCSUOSUOSSIUOUOELucaCSSSSISSEMontseCISUOUOSUOEÁlexCSSSUOSESCCarlosCSSSSEMaríaCUOSIEVelandrinoCSSESCCarlotaCSEJesúsCEIvánNCBorjaNCVanessaNC
Fourth season (2017) This season ran from February 15 to May 17, 2017. The panel of judges from season 3 (Chicote, Díaz and Roncero) returned unchanged for this season.
Contestants ChefsAgeOriginOccupationRankingRakel Cernicharo32ValenciaKarak restaurant owner and executive chefVíctor Gutiérrez48AmazonasVíctor Gutiérrez rest. owner and executive chefPablo Montoro38EldaPrivate chefMelissa Herrera31GranadaDel Mar rest. executive chef4th and 10th evictedRichard Alcayde36MálagaGrupo La Pesquera gastronomic director9th evictedDavid Marcano39MadridMarcano rest. owner and executive chef8th evictedFederico Filippetti44Santa FeHaiku rest. owner and chef7th evictedManu Núñez32A CoruñaArume rest. co-owner and chef6th evictedMaría Rosa García56LeónArs Vivendi rest. owner and executive chef5th evictedJulio Miralles43MadridGrupo Pradal executive chef3rd evictedTomás López34OrihuelaDomgim rest. executive chef2nd evictedEva de Gil23BarcelonaCotton House Hotel rest. executive chef1st evictedFátima Pérez56ComillasLa atrevida rest. owner and chefFinal casting eliminatedXavier Viamonte23CalellaLa Tapa Teka rest. owner and chef
Weekly stats chart P. 01P. 02P. 03P. 04P. 05P. 06P. 07P. 08P. 09P. 10P. 11SemifinalFinalRakelCUOUOSIUOUOSIUOUOSWinnerVíctorCSISUOSUOUOSUOSUORunner-upMontoroCIUOISSUOUOSSSESCMelissaCSSUOERUOUOUOERichardCSUOUOSUOUOSUOESCMarcanoCSSSUOSUOIESCFilippettiCSSUOSSUOEManuCUOSSUOUOESCM.ª RosaCSSISEJulioCUOUOETomásCUOEEvaCEFátimaNCXaviNC
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