"America's Culinary Cup" Announces the Award-Winning Chefs Invited to Compete for the Biggest Prize in Culinary Television History
Jan 27, 2026 04:49PM ● By Kelsey Swire
AMERICA’S CULINARY CUP announced today 16 of the nation’s most decorated chefs who will compete on the new high-stakes culinary competition series, including six Michelin-starred chefs – an honor held by fewer than 1% of restaurants worldwide – two Bocuse d’Or medalists, two James Beard Award winners, 14 James Beard Award nominees and recipients of numerous other top-tier culinary honors. These standout chefs will battle through a season of signature challenges for the biggest cash prize in culinary television history – $1 million. The ultimate culinary showdown premieres with a 90-minute episode following SURVIVOR 50 on Wednesday, March 4 (8:30-10:00 PM, CT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*.
Hosted and executive-produced by Emmy® Award-nominated food expert Padma Lakshmi, with acclaimed chefs Michael Cimarusti and Wylie Dufresne serving as judges, the competition will test these elite chefs against the series’ 10 culinary commandments – meat, vegetables, sauces, dessert, innovation, flavors, sustainability, world cuisine, consistency, culinary science and technology. Lakshmi, Cimarusti and Dufresne will evaluate taste, creativity, presentation and technique to decide who advances, who is eliminated and who ultimately masters the commandments to claim America’s Culinary Cup.
Introducing AMERICA’S CULINARY CUP chefs:
Name: Kim Alter
Hometown: San Francisco, Calif.
Accolade: James Beard nominee
Name: Katie Button
Hometown: Asheville, N.C.
Accolade: James Beard winner
Name: Keith Corbin
Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
Accolade: James Beard nominee
Name: Rochelle Daniel
Hometown: Flagstaff, Ariz.
Accolade: Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame
Name: Diana Dávila
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Accolade: James Beard nominee
Name: Michael Diaz de Leon
Hometown: Denver, Colo.
Accolade: Michelin-starred chef
Name: Sol Han
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Accolade: James Beard nominee
Name: Russell Jackson
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Accolade: James Beard nominee
Name: Beverly Kim
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Accolade: Michelin-starred chef
Name: Buddha Lo
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Accolade: Michelin-starred chef
Name: Chris Morgan
Hometown: McLean, Va.
Accolade: Michelin-starred chef
Name: Matt Peters
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Accolade: Bocuse d’Or gold medalist
Name: Malyna Si
Hometown: Jackson, Wyo.
Accolade: Michelin-starred chef
Name: Cara Stadler
Hometown: Madison, Conn.
Accolade: James Beard nominee
Name: Philip Tessier
Hometown: Napa, Calif.
Accolade: Bocuse d’Or silver medalist
Name: Emily Yuen
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Accolade: James Beard nominee
AMERICA’S CULINARY CUP is produced by Padma Lakshmi for Delicious Entertainment and Susan Rovner for Aha Studios. Josh Silberman serves as showrunner.