Top Chef: California is the thirteenth season of the American reality television series Top Chef. The season was announced by Bravo on April 14, 2015. Similar to Top Chef: Texas, filming took place in several locations across California, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Oakland, and the greater Palm Springs area, concluding with a finale in Las Vegas, Nevada. Top Chef: California had a two-night premiere on December 2–3, 2015. Host Padma Lakshmi and head judge Tom Colicchio returned, alongside judges Gail Simmons, Emeril Lagasse, and Richard Blais, among others. The companion web series, Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen, also returned, premiering immediately following the second part of the season premiere on December 3, 2015. In the season finale, Jeremy Ford was declared the winner over runner-up Amar Santana. Isaac Toups was voted Fan Favorite.
Contestants
Seventeen chefs competed in Top Chef: California, which included one returning contestant, Grayson Schmitz, who originally competed in Top Chef: Texas.
NameHometownCurrent ResidenceAgeKaren AkunowiczKearny, New JerseyBoston, Massachusetts37Angelina BastidasMiami, Florida25Carl DooleyBoston, Massachusetts30Garret FlemingRockford, IllinoisWashington, D.C.33Jeremy FordJacksonville, FloridaMiami, Florida30Renee KellyShawnee, KansasMerriam, Kansas34Phillip Frankland LeeLos Angeles, California28Marjorie Meek-BradleyUkiah, CaliforniaWashington, D.C.30Kwame OnwuachiThe Bronx, New YorkWashington, D.C.25Amar SantanaQueens, New YorkOrange County, California33Grayson SchmitzNew Holstein, WisconsinNew York, New York32Jason StrattonSeattle, Washington35Frances Tariga-WeshnakManila, PhilippinesNew York, New York33Isaac ToupsRayne, LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana36Wesley TrueMobile, AlabamaAtlanta, Georgia38Giselle WellmanSan Diego, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California31Chad WhiteSpokane, WashingtonSan Diego, California32
Kwame Onwuachi returned for Top Chef: Colorado, competing in the Last Chance Kitchen. Karen Akunowicz returned for Top Chef: All-Stars L.A. Amar Santana returned for Top Chef: World All-Stars.
Contestant progress
Episode #123456789101112131415Quickfire ChallengeWinner(s) AmarFrancesRenee Grayson Wesley Jason Chad Jeremy Karen colspan=2 Isaac Marjorie Jeremy Jeremy ContestantElimination Challenge Results1 JeremyWIN INHIGH WIN IN IN INHIGH LOWLOWLOWWIN INWINNER2 AmarHIGH HIGH IN IN INHIGH INHIGH LOWWIN INOUTWIN3 Isaac INHIGH IN IN INLOW INLOWWIN IN INLOWOUT Marjorie INWIN IN IN IN INWINLOWHIGHLOWHIGH LOWOUT5 CarlHIGH IN IN IN IN INHIGH INHIGHHIGH WINOUT6 Kwame IN INWIN INWINHIGH LOW INLOWHIGHOUT7 Karen IN INHIGH HIGH LOWWIN IN INHIGHOUT8 Phillip INLOW IN INLOW INLOWWINOUT9 Chad IN IN IN IN IN INHIGH OUT10 Jason IN IN IN IN INLOWOUT11 Wesley IN INLOW INHIGH OUT12 AngelinaLOWHIGH LOWLOW INOUT13 Giselle IN IN IN INOUT14 GraysonLOWLOW INOUT15 Frances INLOWOUT16 Renee INOUT17 GarretOUT : The chef(s) did not receive immunity for winning the Quickfire Challenge. : Angelina lost the Sudden Death Quickfire Challenge and was eliminated. : Amar lost the Sudden Death Quickfire Challenge and was eliminated. : As the winner of the Quickfire Challenge, Jeremy automatically advanced to the finale; therefore, he did not have to compete in the Elimination Challenge. : Amar won Last Chance Kitchen and returned to the competition. (WINNER) The chef won the season and was crowned "Top Chef". (RUNNER-UP) The chef was a runner-up for the season. (WIN) The chef won the Elimination Challenge. (HIGH) The chef was selected as one of the top entries in the Elimination Challenge, but did not win. (IN) The chef was not selected as one of the top or bottom entries in the Elimination Challenge and was safe. (LOW) The chef was selected as one of the bottom entries in the Elimination Challenge, but was not eliminated. (OUT) The chef lost the Elimination Challenge.
Episodes
Last Chance Kitchen
No. Title Original air date
References Notes
Footnotes
External links Official website