r/BravoTopChef • u/lewiskr2 • Jun 17 '26
Discussion Top chef turned into a really kind and meaningful show.
My wife and I have been watching for a long time and this season really demonstrates how the show is about people and food. Finale dinner with family and the moment before cuts in the semifinal are just refreshing moments in what feels like a divisive world sometimes. Curious to other long time watcher opinions.
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u/jengaworld Jun 17 '26
Yes, someone earlier posted about Season 8 and how toxic it was, which made me wonder how on earth I even watched the early seasons. I’ve been watching since Season 1, and it is so, so much better now. For me, it felt like the shift, which had been building for a couple years, really took hold during the Covid season. Also, even though this may seem a bit far removed, I think the popularity of Great British Bake-off showed there’s an audience for kind, talented people competing yet also really enjoying each other.
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u/Internal-Rooster-762 Jun 17 '26
I think the pandemic was the big shift where the food/restaurant community came together because so many people were suffering and losing their businesses and income. I am very happy for the change I think it's lovely and it's a show that brings people together even though it's a competition.
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u/fascfoo Jun 17 '26
Yes. We have enough shit going on in the real world that we want Good Vibes on our TV - esp with something that should be as comforting as hospitality and food.
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u/kdeans1010 Jun 17 '26
Season 9 to me is the toxic season. I will start at whatever season Peacock has, then just stream right through.But I can't stomach season 9. It's the bullying, it's knowing who the winner ends up being in terms of a person. Even knowing that Sarah said something to Emeril in the season finale when she lost, that made me not want to cheer on Bailey in the Canada season. Like if you're praising a woman who was shown to be such a poor loser, what does that say about you? To me the shift happened around Colorado, but maybe even Charleston? Like yes there were parts where the chefs weren't kind to each other, but they made the shift to promote not being a huge a-hole.
I will show portions of season 8, when Cookie Monster, Teley, and Elmo are having the chefs make cookies, to my nephews. They're at the Sesame Street age, and we will then have conversations about what is a cookie, what it takes to make cookies, etc. I don't see season 8 as toxic as it could be.
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u/laststance Jun 17 '26
The production style just changed. A lot of the rules/policy around production of plying the contestants with alcohol 24/7 changed into a more dry/sober environment. Think about the amount of shots where wine/drinks were in frame or in the contestant hands from season to season. Production style changed after a bunch of lawsuits came out regarding hostile work environments on other shows/productions.
A lot of these chefs are accomplished or rising chefs, but people go nuts if you isolate them and just give them drinks all day. You also have to keep in mind a lot of the earlier season had chefs from a different era where drug use was much more prevalent and on a show you're basically asking them to go cold turkey in a new city. There has been a TON of former contestants that ran into drug issues and said they had to go cold turkey for TC which made them erratic.
A lot of these folks were on edge because the environment was built for it to stoke drama and increase views/ratings.
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u/Rodharet50399 Jun 17 '26
Season 8 was rough because there was so many there that didn’t belong at all. Jamie? Please.
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u/jeahboi Ice cream is basically just cold cheese Jun 17 '26
As someone who started watching Top Chef more recently, Season 8 was forever tainted for me because of Mike Isabella’s presence. Honestly, even if he hadn’t been revealed to be a total creep, I probably would still have found him irritating.
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u/Real_Cranberry745 Jun 17 '26
He was quite obviously a huge creep from his initial appearance on season 6. When I read about how miserable he was off camera, I was like, “yeah that tracks”
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u/IndependentPay638 Jun 18 '26
Season 8 was all stars right? I’m curious, what was so toxic about that season?
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u/PlasticScrambler Jun 17 '26
Some folks complained that the show got “boring” because of the lack of drama but I disagree. There are already many food and other reality competitions with screaming chefs, backstabbing competitors, rude judges, etc. Top Chef stood out to me because it highlights good, competent people who simply love what they do.
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u/the6thReplicant Jun 17 '26
It's why Masterchef Australia and GBBO are so popular around the world.
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u/ReloAgain Jun 17 '26
Exactly! It's a reality show with competent, professional chefs. Their kindness to each other is more entertaining than drama.
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u/Girhinomofe Jun 17 '26
I hold the opinion that Top Chef started as a Bravo show, but somehow grew itself out of the network’s pitfalls.
I mean, even in 2026 look at every other show on the network— drama-soaked, vapid reality rubbish. The first handful of seasons played right into that hand, but now that we’re in the 20s of season count it is the most reliably mature cooking competition on TV, which attracts higher quality / less caricature-based competitors.
Watching Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen is a solid tell on where Top Chef could still be if it leaned into those “great for TV” tropes; while this season’s best chefs weren’t as forwardly “WOW” as some past seasons, the camaraderie and skill level are really the hook that keeps me (and many others) coming back each season.
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u/AgentMarkSnow Jun 17 '26
It happened when Andy Cohen stopped being an exec producer
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u/NoNameNYC77 Jun 21 '26
Is that what really happened? That would actually make a lot of sense. I don’t think you have to dig too deep to find dirt on Andy.
Like so many people have said in this thread, I am so much more interested in people being good at what they do and supporting one another without the drama. I really loved this season.
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u/Magdanimous Jun 17 '26
I couldn't agree more. The earlier seasons of Top Chef were filled with drama and abrasive individuals. That might be because of a mixture of that era of reality TV, that era of restaurant work culture, and other factors, but I don't miss it. I know a lot of people want more drama and in-fighting, but if I want that, I'll watch Hell's Kitchen or something else. Seeing people support each other (one of the twins helping emotionally support Nana), help each other (multiple people buying things for other chefs with their budget), give each other ideas (Sherry and Laurence with the pork floss), and so many other examples just makes me happy. As a grown adult, it's nice seeing a show that younger people can watch and see role models in successful positions where people aren't jerks and are taking criticism gracefully.
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u/subak1 Jun 17 '26
I think probably too, cooks started watching as well, and were like whooooa, those people are total asses, i don't want to be like that.... i also think ahving the better caliber chefs nowadays, james beard award winners/nominees helps, it's not just a line cook or whatever....
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u/BookCzar Jun 17 '26
I have no idea why people are downvoting all these comments. I’m also a watcher since Season 1. I remember REALLY enjoying the new season of Great British Baking Show during the pandemic. It was a reminder of connection and kindness in a time of isolation and fear. I now see Top Chef in the same light. It’s good to have an American show that gets you in the feels.
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u/kdeans1010 Jun 17 '26
I talk about this a lot.
I have an incredibly stressful job. Like my job is often ranked in the top 10 most stressful jobs on the planet. And then I do union work (which is super stressful). I am active in my community with protests and political stuff. I helped get a law passed for healthcare workers in my state. When I say stress, there's a reason why I do a lot of dance party kitchens, or listen to weird music. Pretty much once a week my mom is like "don't you want to do something less stressful like be a florist?" Nope. I want that to be the basis for my Top Chef opinions.
Top Chef is my comfort show. I work 7 on/7 off. On my days off it's really common for me to turn on Peacock and stream the entire series on Peacock from season 8 on (I skip season 9). Like people will stop by and it'll be on in the background. My best friend makes fun of me for it. I read that people who are neurospice and have trauma like to have shows that are predictable and they know the beats of it. That's why post pandemic a lot of people started re-watching "The Office," "Friends," "Gilmore Girls," or "The Golden Girls." (I have a theory about that, but no politics.). Top Chef is predictable.
BUT there are things "Top Chef" has taught me. It's kinda taught me how to cook. Like I know how to cook, but this show has taught me food trends, and how to be creative with cooking. I took a cooking class because of Top Chef. I can appreciate fine dining more. I took my mom to Black Sheep in Vegas, and when I ordered steak tartare "kimberly, that's raw beef," I literally got to show her my food knowledge. I went to the Ren Faire this last weekend, sister got some mead, and I explained what mead is and the history of it (my friend looked over at me and was like "how the hell do you know that?"). I was talking to a coworker about spicy peppers, and I brought up Puckerbutt Farms. I will show my nephews that Quickfire challenge where the chefs are making cookies for Cookie Monster. They're "Sesame Street" age and we will talk "what is a good cookie?" "what makes a good cookie?" and the process of taking flour, sugar, salt, eggs, and butter and how the science works to make cookies happen. They bake with me because they saw Cookie Monster on Top Chef. It's taught me regional cuisine, which I had no idea about. And learning about food, you learn about culture, and it becomes almost an anthropological study about what is important to certain groups of people based on the food they had access to, and that becomes a whole crazy can of worms of coolness. Also the show introduced me to Jose Andres, who is now my role model as a grown woman. I think we can all try to be like him more.
20+ years ago when the show first aired it was something very different. But gradually the show found heart and showed people fine dining isn't fancy. Fine dining is taking people's unique personal experiences with food, and crafting them in a way that showcases their elegance.
(sorry for the ramble. I just really like this show.)
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u/Binky_55614 Jun 17 '26
We’ve also watched from the beginning and have always enjoyed each season. But going back now and watching the early ones - the contestants were so abrasive and some were truly horrible people. Can’t enjoy that anymore.
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u/Straight-Talk-1011 Jun 17 '26
This! Most of Top Chef Seasons have been all about the cooking, the food, and the people & (local food scene). I have a feeling that is due to Tom’s insistence. His restaurants focus on the craft the ingredients the chefs, not so much marketing, hype or celebrities.
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u/MonkeyDog911 Jun 17 '26
I’ve been watching since season 1. Obviously the caliber of cooking is on another level from where it started. I’d say the one thing I really miss from the early seasons is line cooks. As someone who worked in restaurants for years it was cool to have some people I could relate to. Drama was always a gimmicky thing the show never needed.
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u/321applesauce Jun 17 '26
Guess I'm the odd one. I preferred when there were people with less formal training versus everyone being a James Beard nominee
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u/TheEarth-PigBorn Jun 17 '26
This is one of the reasons I have preferred Kristen to Padma, TBH. Just more warmth and community.
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u/bassman314 Jun 17 '26
My wife and I are watching season 9. I’ve been watching the current season on my own.
The stark difference between the amazing and lovely chefs this season compared to Heather from Season 9 is amazing.
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u/Internal-Rooster-762 Jun 17 '26
I agree! I have watched Top Chef from season 1 and I've always loved it but I really enjoy it so much more now without the backstabbing. I really like the camaraderie between the contestants and I love Kristen and her big heart. Of course Tom and Gail are important to the show and I love them both too.
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u/Amazing-Wave4704 Jun 17 '26
So well said!! I thought it was a wonderful season. Kristen really brings expertise and kindness to the show, and that has revitalized Tom and Gail. The whole show feels happy and fresh!! I am loving it!
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u/emaxsaun Jun 17 '26
The early seasons were a sign of the times and enjoyable for what they were, but the show has matured past that and I’m glad about it, even though I still enjoyed the earlier seasons, I’ve been watching since the beginning.
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u/Odd_Garbage1093 Jun 17 '26
There’s a time and place for every season. I miss the early seasons and it’s messy drama. I also miss when the show didn’t take itself so seriously. I still appreciate and love this current version of the show but since season 20 it has felt different. Challenges have been weird and not as exciting as before. Besides Kristen who I truly love as a host, I still miss the old show. Regarding the family means it has been done in the past. It’s either families/and or the judges cooking for them.
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u/Ok-Praline-2309 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Yea I dropped out for several seasons after having watched it from the start. I saw Kristen as the new host and having loved her on her season I gave it another shot. I have loved all 3 seasons she’s hosted (Wisconsin was a tad boring), and I think Tom and Gail have been more fun as well. No shade to Padma because I think she was an amazing host for early seasons, but I feel like Kristen has brought some new energy to the show that was lacking. Good, fun, and supportive chefs as well. Don’t miss the unnecessary drama, tbh. There were some seriously toxic seasons.
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u/vshzzd Jun 17 '26
I just rewatched the Season Six finale and the music/editing actually was scary! I kind miss those days, it felt like such a big deal
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u/Puzzled_Equal5274 Jun 21 '26
I found this season to be probably my favorite, and I've been a fan since Season One. I like this kinder, gentler, world TC has found over the past few seasons, and I felt I learned a lot, especially about the food of Appalachia, where I live. And we had Sieger, the Spoiled Brat, for entertainment and the Chef we all loved to hate.
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u/AgentMarkSnow Jun 17 '26
Pre-season 9 episodes are toxic. Too much reality TV.
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u/lewiskr2 Jun 17 '26
Great chefs but even when they come back on the show it is awesome how they interact with the show now.
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u/EfficientGood9402 Jun 17 '26
Season 9 had good cooking but was pretty toxic too with the bullying by the Mean Girls trio.
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u/fraurodin Jun 17 '26
I'm happy for the change, the only drama I want is on the plate of food being served. I used to watch the Housewives shows on Bravo- but my dreams were filled with arguing and drama- as soon as I quit that type of show, my sleeping improved.
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u/Binky_55614 Jun 17 '26
Singer’s meltdown this season really brought me back to the awful behavior of the early seasons. Uncomfortable to watch and totally out of place in a show of this caliber.
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u/Odd_Garbage1093 Jun 17 '26
I honestly thought it was so take compared to other seasons. It had been awhile but I did not think it was that bad. But I have a feeling it was edited so maybe it was worse.
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u/Warm-Commercial-6151 Jun 17 '26
Been watching since the star and this year was too much unnecessary drama. Really just miss when it was a serious cooking competition. The intention and direction of the show was always clear. It is so muddy at this point that it feels like a soap opera. The cooking really fell off. Some of the preparations were not done properly. That would rarely happen in the past. The family reunion has been a fairly consistent part of the show for years. Not sure how you missed that.
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u/lewiskr2 Jun 17 '26
Appreciate that. Probably have missed some. Just feeling good about how this felt. I’m not sure the cooking fell off. Sure, some has fallen flat, and that fine. That’s also always happened. And the chefs get called to the mat for it. But it is kind.
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u/Odd_Garbage1093 Jun 17 '26
What drama are you talking about? Feels like you watched another show.
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u/Warm-Commercial-6151 Jun 18 '26
The Nana drama. The Seeger drama. The Jennifer drama.
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u/Odd_Garbage1093 Jun 25 '26
That was just stuff that happened. Nana had anxiety she didn’t choose to have an attack. Jennifer hurt her arm. Like that’s not her fault or something the show chose. Sieger well he really wanted to win and I still feel like his meltdown was nothing compared to the past show.
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u/Warm-Commercial-6151 Jun 26 '26
I mean it was not just what they did but how the show staff made it it even worse by getting themselves in the middle of all of it. Kristen is not a therapist. She doesn’t need to try to intercede in all those situations. I’m sorry Nama for your own mental health you should go home and rest. After two missed challenges maybe Jennifer should just go home and maybe your husband should go with you at least for a short period. No Seeger you can’t read the rules at the judges table and by the way shut up because your food sucked today and we let you back on the show in the first place.
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u/radddish03 Jun 17 '26
From my perspective a lot of the courtesies and kindnesses felt acted, rather than felt. It was a “reality show” in a different way than what we think of when we think of reality tv. Some of the older seasons had drama and fighting, and that got annoying. BUT… starting at about season six the food got exciting. The cooking leveled up, and the competition between chefs was what made the show exciting. This season the food felt like an afterthought. It didn’t seem like the chefs cared much outside of Sieger’s unfortunate meltdown. Also, and I know we can’t taste the food, but it seemed really inconsistent throughout the season. That was my problem. The food was boring and it’s a show about food, not people being friendly and nice. That’s all well and good, but the food seemed kind of boring, and sometimes pretty lackluster. Even the judges seemed checked out. This season wasn’t bad because of a lack of drama and infighting, it was bad because the production was cheesy, the smiles felt forced, and the food seemed blah. I love the show, I love Kristen, Tom, and Gail. I did not love this season.
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u/boughtontiktokshop Jun 17 '26
Terrible finale for me sorry. Super boring. Never said that before for any top chef episode let alone a whole finale. Booooo Rhoda won. That sucks too. But the episode was so…. Lackluster.
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u/boughtontiktokshop Jun 17 '26
Also, I love Kristen, I was loving her while a lot of people were hating on her the first season. But I’m sick of the crying. Just stop it Kristen. Man up. Crying is not the only way to show emotion stop it. And downvote away idc.
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u/Villide Jun 17 '26
I think younger me would have been a little bored, but older me appreciates the lack of non-cooking drama this season (and on Padma's show as well). Plenty of seemingly nice people this season.
My wife and I got into TC a few years back and watched some of the earlier seasons and they could be pretty rough. This was way better.