If you’ve ever wanted to bring the flavors of Top Chef into your own kitchen, these recipes are a great place to start, with dishes from contestants and judges alike. You can try Season 4 winner (and 2011 F&W Best New Chef) Stephanie Izard’s Anticuchos de Pollo — Peruvian chicken skewers slathered in chile marinade — or Season 10 winner (and Season 21 host) Kristen Kish’s creamy Acorn Squash with Coconut Custard side. We also have recipes from Tom Colicchio, Carla Hall, Padma Lakshmi, Gail Simmons, the Voltaggio brothers, and more contestants. Here’s how to cook like a Top Chef contestant or judge at home.
Beef Negimaki
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Shota Nakajima (Season 18)
Nakajima calls negimaki a classic mom recipe: These rolls of thinly sliced beef and scallions glazed in teriyaki sauce are a dish “every Japanese person grows up with.” Quick and easy to make, they come together in only 20 minutes and can be assembled the day before.
Emperor’s Pork
Buddha Lo (Season 19)
Buddha Lo learned this recipe for braised pork belly from his father, the late Australian restaurateur Tony Lo. The glaze is sweet and savory, flavored with rock sugar and soy, cinnamon, and MSG.
Monkfish Piccata
Tiffani Faison (Seasons 1 and 8: All-Stars)
Faison’s lemon butter sauce is made even more rich with the addition of white miso. Briny capers and caperberries are pops of flavors alongside firm, sweet monkfish.
Clams in Garlic Sorrel Cream
Eric Adjepong (Seasons 16 and 17: All-Stars)
Adjepong prefers sorrel with his steamed clams, but he offers fresh basil with a little extra lemon juice as a suitable substitute for when the tangy, leafy green isn’t in season.
Kai Jeow Moo Sab (Thai Fried Omelet with Pork)
Leah Cohen (Season 5)
Leah Cohen says that her French culinary school training was turned upside the first time she tried this style of omelet on a street in Thailand. “I had never eaten a deep-fried egg, and I was shocked that it was crispy but still tender.”
Chickpea Doubles with Tamarind and Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce
2019 F&W Best New Chef Kwame Onwuachi (Season 13)
This recipe for Trinidadian doubles wraps hot curried chickpeas, tamarind sauce, and grated cucumber in fresh bara (flatbread): a steamy and richly spiced meal designed to be eaten on the go. Any leftover tamarind sauce can be used drizzled on fresh mango, mixed into a margarita, or served with roast pork.
Smoked Ham Hock and Lentil Soup
Nina Compton (Season 11)
This soup is a favorite of 2017 F&W Best New Chef Nina Compton for when the weather begins to cool. “The ham-hock aroma hangs around the kitchen beautifully; the smell alone makes you warmer.” She adds ginger and lemongrass, an echo of her childhood in St. Lucia, and local okra, to ground her in her present-day home in Louisiana.
Shrimp Aguachile with Coconut and Avocado
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Claudette Zepeda (Season 2 of Top Chef Mexico and Season 15 Top Chef U.S.)
Zepeda shares a delicate, delicious aguachile that will have you drinking the lemongrass-infused and coconut water-based “chile water” that gives the dish its name. The shrimp is “cooked” for 35-40 minutes in lemon juice and should be served immediately once done. Timing is critical — and the result well worth it.
Grilled Quail with Sweet-and-Sour Plum Glaze
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Melissa King (Season 17)
King’s sweet-savory glaze of plums and blackberries shines when served with just-charred quail, but it’s also delicious with bone-in chicken thighs and pork chops. Serve with a summery salad and an earthy Italian white like Garofoli Macrina Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi.
Hong Kong Milk Tea Tiramisu
Melissa King (Seasons 12 and 17: All-Stars)
King’s rich, subtly sweet milk tea-inspired tiramisu opts for the flavors of the iconic Hong Kong drink (via a concentrated powder that’s often used to make bubble tea) in place of traditional espresso.
Cheddar Cheese Pound Cake with Brandy Caramel Apples
Dawn Burrell (Season 18)
Cheddar is mixed into Burrell’s pound cake batter, then sprinkled on top during baking, to give this dish a salty, savory edge. Served with Brandy Caramel Apples, it’s got major autumnal apple pie vibes. This recipe can be baked in one large Bundt or tube pan, or split into two loaf pans.
Carla Hall’s Buttermilk Biscuits
Carla Hall (Seasons 5 and 8: All-Stars)
These towering, flaky biscuits, which combine cold grated butter and vegetable shortening for the ideal balance of flavor and tenderness, can be frozen and baked straight from the freezer. Just add a few minutes to the cooking time.
Anticuchos de Pollo (Peruvian Chicken Skewers)
Stephanie Izard (Season 4)
Perfect for an outdoor meal, these chicken skewers are coated in a thick chile marinade that becomes deliciously chewy and caramelized on the grill. The dipping sauce is made from herbal, tea-scented huacatay, or Peruvian black mint, which can be found in the form of jarred paste online or in Latin markets.
Double-Cut Rib Eye with Sweet Gorgonzola Butter
Suzanne Tracht (Top Chef Masters Season 1)
2002 F&W Best New Chef Suzanne Tracht knows steaks, and at her modern L.A. chophouse, Jar, she likes to serve this preparation in summertime. “This juicy, sweet combo of Gorgonzola and beef alongside fresh heirloom tomatoes is how I kick off the outdoor months.”
Fried Shrimp and Grits
Tiffany Derry (Season 7)
Shrimp and grits meets arancini in this inventive preparation. The crunchy, panko-coated fried balls swim in a smoky tomato sauce flavored with half-moons of andouille sausage.
Farro Mafaldine with Black Truffle Butter and Mushrooms
Karen Akunowicz (Seasons 13 and 17: All-Stars)
Akunowicz likes to make this hearty pasta with the real thing: fresh black truffles, available November through February, grated extra fine over the finished dish to maximize their swoonworthy aroma. But never fear, you can still make this creamy, nutty pasta all year round with jarred black truffle paste.
Croatian Langoustine and Squid Ink Risotto
Joe Flamm (Season 15)
There’s no cheese in this risotto, which was inspired by a dish Flamm tried at the seaside Dubrovnik restaurant Gverovic-Ors, and butter is only added at the end, which means that frequent stirring is key to the rice dish’s creaminess, offset by the dramatic color and gentle brine flavor of the squid ink.
Lemon-Tahini Cookies
Gail Simmons (Judge)
This easy yet visually striking tahini cookie from Simmons is scented with bright lemon zest and bittersweet cacao nibs. Roll into logs and then chill until firm for the easiest, and most aesthetically pleasing, cookie slices.
Pork Ribs Vindaloo
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Floyd Cardoz (Top Chef Masters Season 3)
The late chef Floyd Cardoz had already become an icon when he tragically died of COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic. This recipe transposes his mother’s vindaloo, usually made with pork shoulder, to St. Louis–style ribs. Here they’re braised in vinegar and tequila, a tangy and richly spiced sauce that is a worthy tribute to his memory.
Shrimp and Okra Kebabs with Grilled Peaches and Jalapeño-Bourbon Vinaigrette
Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson
Sue Zemanick (Top Chef Masters Season 3)
2008 F&W Best New Chef Sue Zemanick brings extra flavor to these grill-ready kebabs with a vinaigrette that combines the heat of jalapeño and the boozy kick of bourbon plus a side of juicy grilled peach. “Everything about this dish screams summer to me,” she says.
Sauce-Simmered Spaghetti al Pomodoro
Sarah Grueneberg (Season 9)
In this classic take on spaghetti and red sauce, Grueneberg infuses parboiled pasta with extra flavor by removing it from the pasta water and finishing it in the tomato sauce itself.
Acorn Squash with Coconut Custard
Kristen Kish (Season 10)
For this riff on her mother’s roasted acorn squash, the Top Chef winner turned host fills slices of the earthy, sweet gourd with a silky coconut custard that sets as the dish cools and slices beautifully once it reaches room temperature.
Beefsteak Tomato and Burrata Salad with Olive Streusel
Abby Hocking
Bryan Voltaggio and Michael Voltaggio (Bryan: Seasons 5: Masters, 6, and 17: All-Stars. Michael: Season 6)
Brothers and chefs Bryan Voltaggio and Michael Voltaggio sprinkle a crunchy kalamata olive streusel on top of this tower of fresh burrata and ripe beefsteak tomatoes. The quality of tomato can make or break this dish: Save it for peak tomoto season.
Sweet-and-Spicy Spareribs with Korean Barbecue Sauce
Mei Lin (Season 12)
Lin’s sweet-and-spicy sauce — made from honey, hoisin, ketchup, and gochujang — transmogrifies into sticky, lick-your-finger glaze on these slow-roasted ribs. Serve with a dark, cherry-inflected, spiced Argentinean Malbec.
Crespelle with Ricotta and Marinara
Tony Mantuano (Top Chef Masters Season 2)
This recipe for ricotta-filled crêpes comes from Wine Bar Food by Tony and Cathy Mantuano. Baked in a rich marinara sauce, it’s especially delicious with a glass of a Tuscan red blend.
Mahi-Mahi Coconut Curry Stew with Carrots and Fennel
John Kernick
Padma Lakshmi (Former Host and Judge)
Lakshmi’s fish and coconut curry stew is perfumed with floral makrut lime leaves. She always makes enough for leftovers, which she likes to eat over noodles and serve alongside a fragrant Gewürztraminer from Alsace.
Shrimp and Grits with Mustard Seed Chowchow
Isaac Toups (Season 13)
Toups sources his grits from New Orleans’ Bellegarde Bakery, which also sells its stone-ground grits online. Bellegarde baker Graison Gill sings the praises of fresh-milled grains: “Freshly stone-milled flour is a living ingredient, full of flavor, texture, aroma, nutrition, and nuance.” Toups favors Bellegard’s grits for their especially creamy texture and buttered popcorn flavor.
Carrot Osso Buco
Lucy Schaeffer
Richard Blais (Seasons 4 and 8: All-Stars)
Blais brings the technique and flavors of osso bucco (traditionally made with veal shanks) to this delicious (and vegan) carrot main. The vegetables are braised in red wine and mushroom broth, and paired with the umami richness of ground dried porcini mushrooms.
Huli Huli Chicken Wings
Sheldon Simeon (Seasons 10 and 14)
Huli huli means “turn turn” in Hawaiian, and O’ahu-based chef Sheldon Simeon offers his take on this local classic. Fresh ginger and pineapple bring juicy, spicy sweetness to the huli huli sauce that doubles as the chicken wing marinade. Turn the wings frequently on the grill to ensure they crisp evenly.
Grilled Asparagus with Taramasalata
Nicole Franzen
Zoi Antonitsas (Season 4)
Antonitsas makes a creamy taramasalata — the Greek spread made with salty roe, olive oil, and bread — that provides the perfect bed for fresh grilled asparagus.
Poul Nan Sos (Haitian Chicken in Sauce)
Gregory Gourdet (Seasons 12 and 17: All-Stars)
A long marination is part of what makes this Haitian stew ultra-flavorful. For the staple of Gourdet’s childhood, chicken is nestled overnight alongside onions, garlic, thyme, chiles, and citrus, then cooked with a small mountain of bell peppers. “This dish is Haiti,” says Gourdet, “something we make time and time again. I suspect you will, too.”
Grilled Chicken with Banana Pepper Dip and Fattoush
Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson
2001 F&W Best New Chef Anita Lo (Top Chef Masters Season 1)
In her 2018 cookbook Solo, Lo dishes out joyful and delicious recipes for one. This weeknight-friendly chicken dinner is transformed by a simple, three-ingredient banana pepper dip.
Poached Peaches with Baked Ricotta
Michael Turek
Tom Colicchio (Judge)
Colicchio favors fruit in hot weather — and simplicity. These poached peaches swim in lemon verbena-infused syrup alongside squares of baked ricotta.
Creamless Creamed Corn with Mushrooms and Lemon
Frances Janisch
Kevin Gillespie (Seasons 6 and 17: All-Stars)
This dairy-free creamed corn recipe is inspired by Gillespie’s grandmother, who “taught me that when corn is very fresh, the juices are naturally creamy.” He amps up that effect by grating half the corn to make a sweet and substantial puree that sings of summertime.
Roast Chicken Thighs with Tomato-Tapioca Porridge
Antonis Achilleos
Wylie Dufresne (Top Chef Masters Season 2)
A wizard of molecular gastronomy, Wylie Dufresne offers a surprising (and surprisingly accessible) take on chicken confit, served with simple roasted carrots and a tomato-infused tapioca porridge, that’s ready in less than an hour.