Any of the winners of Top Chef have been both talented and charismatic. On their famous Instagram pages, their personalities show through.
When it comes to reality cooking shows, Top Chef has reigned supreme for over a decade. There are a lot of them, but none of them seem to pit talented chefs against each other in such a fun way. There’s a reason the show has earned so many Emmy nominations and also won one for Outstanding Competition Program.
With so many talent competing each season, the winners are truly exceptional. Many of them are fan favourites who have gone on to star on other cooking programs, and as a result, their Instagram accounts got a blue badge and have reached a significant number of followers. Let’s take a closer look on the top.
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10. Paul Qui
Top Chef was clearly established as the premier culinary competition series by the time season nine rolled around. The season was notable for the debut of Last Chance Kitchen, which allowed anyone who had been disqualified to return to the cast.
Paul Qui, the recipient of the James Beard Award, took home the prize. Qui also operates the restaurants Pao in Miami and East Side King and Thai Kuhn in Austin. There aren’t many personal pictures on his Instagram site, but there are lots of shots of delicious-looking food.
9. Jeremy Ford
Even if you’ve never seen a single episode of Top Chef, you’re still familiar with Jeremy Ford. Ford is also one of the three hosts of Fast Foodies, a charming program on which chefs put their own twist on famous fast food dishes.
Ford has captivated fans with his endearing style, which he extends to his Instagram account. Followers can see photos of him with celebrities on Fast Foodies, as well as photos of his lovely family. The show’s 13th season, which took place in California, was won by Ford.
8. Mei Lin
Mei Lin’s journey has been one of the most intriguing of any Top Chef contestant. She was an instant challenge on season two in Boston when she was Michael Voltaggio’s sous chef. Lin went on to become Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef since competing.
She’s stayed busy, and in 2019 she’ll open her own restaurant, Nightshade. Lin does not feature in as many series as previous champions, but she is brilliant in everything she does. Her Instagram feed is full of delicious food, throwback shots, and much more.
7. Kelsey Barnard Clark
Kelsey Barnard Clark, one of the most recent champions on this series, performed a rare feat. She was successful in winning a Top Chef season in her home state of Kentucky. Clark has a sizable social media following, particularly because she earned the “Fan Favorite” award for her season.
Clark is a very active person on Instagram. She updates her blog several days a week, and she doesn’t post a lot of food. Instead, there are many photographs of her children. Her fans also enjoy having the opportunity to cook with her on Zoom.
6. Stephanie Izard
Stephanie Izard surpasses both the 100K and 150K threshold from this point on, resulting in a significant increase in fans. Izard was the first female champion of Top Chef for a long time, winning the title in season four. It took until season 10 for the next woman to win.
Izard is a formidable opponent, having beaten chefs such as Bobby Flay and Michael Symon to win the Iron Chef title. She has opened many restaurants and earned several accolades. Her Instagram feed is a near-perfect mix of food and family photos.
5. Melissa King
Melissa King is the most recent recipient on this series. King returned for Top Chef: All-Stars in 2020 after coming up just short as a finalist in season 12 and won the entire competition. She was voted “Fan Favorite” and won more elimination challenges than anyone else in the series’ history.
For the most recent season of Top Chef, King returned as a guest judge. Fans enjoy following her Instagram because of her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights and the numerous charities she supports, in addition to the obligatory shots of her impressive food.
4. Brooke Williamson
Brooke Williamson seems to be almost invincible. Her first appearance on Top Chef was in the tenth season, where she came in second place by a razor-thin margin. She returned for Season 14 and dominated the competition the entire time.
She didn’t make many appearances after winning, but she did turn up for the Tournament of Champions, where she defeated Michael Voltaggio and Antonia Lofaso to win it all. Williamson has a wonderful Instagram account, which contains photos from her restaurant Playa Provisions, family photos, and even workout videos.
3. Michael Voltaggio
Michael Voltaggio was dubbed “the most creative” by head judge Tom Colicchio after winning his season of Top Chef. Despite the fact that the sixth season was full of talent, including Michael’s brother Bryan, Michael stood out. He has continued to excel in all areas.
His Instagram account reflects his imagination. It’s full of lovable stuff, from funny images to his incredible meals to fantastic pictures with his brother or celebrities like Guy Fieri. Voltaggio now runs his own restaurants and is a contestant on Tournament of Champions.
2. Kristen Kish
Brooke Williamson, as previously said, lost in season 10 when she played. The defeat came against the amazing Kristen Kish, who went on to become the show’s second female winner. The talented woman is currently the chef de cuisine at Menton in Boston.
Kish has a large following on Instagram for a variety of reasons. There’s her delicious food, but thanks to her job as one of the hosts of Fast Foodies, there are also shots of celebrities. Kish also made her relationship with her then-girlfriend public on Instagram.
1. Richard Blais
When it comes to the most famous Top Chef winners on Instagram, it’s no surprise that Richard Blais is at the top of the list. Blais has appeared on several cooking shows and has competed in several seasons (he was runner-up in season four before returning to win in season eight, which was an All-Star season).
Fans are baffled as to how Blais manages to do what he does. He’s worked in a number of restaurants, served as a judge on a number of shows, and even made a cameo appearance in the 2016 film Why Him? His Instagram is a perfect one to watch because he’s always up to something interesting.
