Last Chance Kitchen returned with a couple of format changes.[5] The web series began after the third and fourth eliminations, leaving the first two eliminated chefs without second chances.[5] In addition, only one contestant was allowed to rejoin the main competition.[5]
Production
Filming for Top Chef: Carolinas took place between August and October 2025.[6][7] The season was produced in partnership with the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) and VisitGreenvilleSC.[8] The show was approved for a North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant, receiving a $2.5 million grant rebate.[9] The CRVA paid $1.2 million for the "integration of Charlotte assets" into Top Chef; these included verbal mentions, challenges, and reality segments filmed throughout Charlotte; highlights of local history, culture, and ingredients; and the participation of local chefs and restaurateurs.[9] The Top Chef kitchen set was built inside a warehouse in Steele Creek, North Carolina.[10] Grocery shopping segments were filmed at the Uptown CharlotteWhole Foods Market.[11]
Fifteen chefs competed in Top Chef: Carolinas.[13] The cast notably includes identical twins, Brandon and Jonathan Dearden, and a pair of life partners, Jennifer Lee Jackson and Justin Tootla, competing against each other.[13][4]
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs, split into teams of three, were asked to cook any dish of their choosing. In lieu of a traditional timer, the teams had however long it took a professional driver to complete 23 laps around the Charlotte Motor Speedway. In addition, they were not allowed to plate their dishes until the final lap. The winning team received $15,000. The guest judges were professional stock car racing drivers Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson.
Red Team: Anthony, Brandon, Sieger
Blue Team: Jennifer, Jonathan, Laurence
Yellow Team: Day, Duyen, Nana
Green Team: Brittany, Jassi, Justin
Purple Team: Oscar, Rhoda, Sherry
Winners: Jennifer, Jonathan, and Laurence (Crab & Shrimp Hushpuppy with HarissaAioli, Napa & Peach Salad)
Elimination Challenge: The chefs were randomly assigned one of five varieties of sweet potato (Covington, Norton, Purple Majesty, Murasaki, or Carolina Ruby) to highlight in their dishes. The contestants presented their dishes in groups of three, based on their designated sweet potato, though they competed individually. One person from each group was eligible to win the challenge, while those with the judges' least favorite dishes faced potential elimination. The dishes were served at the restaurant La Belle Helene. The winner received immunity for the next Elimination Challenge. The guest judges were Top Chef: Charleston/Top Chef: All-Stars L.A. contestant Jamie Lynch and chefs Sean Brock, Chayil Johnson, and Cheetie Kumar.
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs had 30 minutes to make savory dishes using regional ingredients inspired by a gelato or sorbet flavor for a Talenti-sponsored challenge. Their dishes also had to be paired with one scoop of their chosen gelato or sorbet. The winner received $10,000. The guest judge was Top Chef: Boston winner Mei Lin.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs visited the PuckerButt Pepper Company farms, owned by chili pepper breeder Ed Currie - the creator of the Carolina Reaper and Pepper X. They were then separated into two teams and asked to create seven-course menus with increasingly spicier dishes. The winner received immunity for the next Elimination Challenge. The guest judges were Currie and Heatonist founder/CEO Noah Chaimberg.
Red Team: Brandon, Duyen, Jassi, Justin, Laurence, Nana, Sherry
Green Team: Anthony, Brittany, Jennifer, Jonathan, Oscar, Rhoda, Sieger
Winning Team: Green Team
Winner: Rhoda (Pepper Braised Short Rib, Chili Pickled Pearl Onions & Blistered Cayenne)
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs had 30 minutes to turn livermush into an elevated dish. The winner received $10,000. The guest judge was chef Emeril Lagasse.
Winner: Anthony (Livermush Pâté with Tomatoes, Cayenne & Livermush Croutons)
Elimination Challenge: In honor of North Carolina's textile industry, the chefs were required to create dishes featuring at least two elements colored with natural food dyes, such as activated charcoal, blueberries, chlorophyll, hibiscus, matcha, saffron, turmeric, and squid ink. The dishes were served at the restaurant Supperland. The winner received immunity for the next Elimination Challenge. The guest judges were Lagasse, baker Amirah Kassem, and Supperland owners Jamie Brown and Jeff Tonidandel.
Winner: Laurence (Bao Flight - Yellow Chili Pork, Green Curry Beef & Strawberry Matcha)
Quickfire Challenge: In reference to the Wright brothers and the first successful airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the chefs, split into groups of three, had 30 minutes to create a trio of dishes to be paired with a wine flight (one red wine, one white wine, and one rosé) for a Josh Cellars-sponsored challenge. The foundation of each team's "food flight" had to be based on the same dish or ingredient, though each preparation needed to be distinct, such as a flight of sliders featuring different proteins. The winning team received $15,000. The guest judge was Top Chef: Destination Canada winner Tristen Epps-Long.
Red Team: Anthony, Duyen, Jonathan
Blue Team: Jennifer, Justin, Sieger
Green Team: Brittany, Brandon, Oscar
Cream Team: Laurence, Rhoda, Sherry
Winners: Jennifer (Cabernet Sauvignon - Soft Scrambled Eggs with Roasted Grape Verjus & Croutons), Justin (Rosé - Braised Artichoke, Poached Quail Egg & Rosé Mayonnaise), and Sieger (Pinot Grigio - Poached Peaches with Sabayon)
Elimination Challenge: The chefs toured Deep Roots CPS Farm, an urban farm specializing in regenerative agriculture, where they harvested fresh produce. They were then tasked with transforming classic Southern side dishes into main courses, including Hoppin' John, hoecakes, red rice, fried okra, potato salad, collard greens, and smothered cabbage. The dishes were served to the judges and 40 guest diners at the restaurant Fine & Fettle. The winner received immunity for the next Elimination Challenge. The guest judges were Epps-Long and restaurateurs Greg and Subrina Collier.
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs were tested on their ability to improvise by creating dishes themed after three keywords provided by children invited to the Top Chef kitchen by comedian and guest judge Fortune Feimster. Their keywords were "Christmas", "Colorado", and "puffified". The contestants had 30 minutes to cook and were free to interpret the keywords however they wished. Halfway through the challenge, the kids added a mandatory ingredient for the chefs to use: corn nuts. The winner received $10,000.
Winner: Brandon (Colorado Vanilla Ice Cream with Nutella, Corn Nut Crunch & Maple Syrup)
Elimination Challenge: The chefs were challenged to make dishes showcasing dehydrated components. The dishes were served at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. The winner received immunity for the next Elimination Challenge. The guest judges were Top Chef: Wisconsin runner-up Savannah Miller and restaurateurs Katy and Joe Kindred.
Winner: Anthony (Cured Salmon with Banga Broth & Dehydrated Smoked Oyster Infused Rice)
Elimination Challenge: Competing in two teams, the chefs had to work through the night to prepare a whole hog barbecue at Splendor Pond in Mooresville. As the winner of the previous Elimination Challenge, Anthony became the captain of one team and had to choose the opposing team's captain; he picked Justin. The remaining chefs were then selected via schoolyard pick. Each team was responsible for cooking five dishes featuring pork shoulder, pork loin, pork belly, ham, and chopped pork. Their dishes were served in five head-to-head rounds to the judges, Top Chef: Wisconsin contestant and guest judge Michelle Wallace, and a group of local pitmasters from across the region, who voted for their favorite dish in each match-up (the pitmasters counted as one collective vote, decided by majority). The contestant who garnered the most votes won the round, earning themselves $5,000 and one point for their team. The first team to reach three points wins (the winners of each round are listed below in bold). While the judges declared an individual winner, who received immunity for the next Elimination Challenge, all members of the winning team received $500 each. In addition, late at night during the chefs' cooking period, Tom Colicchio stopped by and invited them to participate in an optional side challenge: making the best s'more. Oscar won with a spicy chili s'more and received $500.
Red Team: Anthony, Brandon, Duyen, Laurence, Sherry
Challenge: A newly eliminated chef did not enter Last Chance Kitchen (for reasons to be revealed in Episode 7). Instead, Tom Colicchio allowed Rhoda, Nana, and Brittany to compete for $5,000, with no elimination or re-entry stakes. They were presented with a random assortment of ingredients, which had been purchased by the non-eliminated contestants: Korean melon, pickled Vietnamese eggplant, li hing mui, durian, banana flowers, duck heads, coriander, bitter melon, shrimp and crab boilconcentrate, strawberry jellies, fish sauce, fried fish with peanuts, and liver spread. Rhoda, Nana, and Brittany had 20 minutes to create cohesive dishes using two ingredients of their choosing, available on a first-come, first-served basis, along with two mandatory ingredients chosen by Tom. Rhoda chose li hing mui and fish sauce, Nana chose coriander and fried fish with peanuts, Brittany chose shrimp and crab boil concentrate and Korean melon, and Tom chose duck heads and pickled Vietnamese eggplant.
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