The Top Chef kitchen headed north this season—way north—and three standout Chicago chefs packed their knives and entered the culinary fray.
Bravo’s hit competition series Top Chef: Destination Canada premiered March 13 and immediately showcased Chicago as a heavyweight contender in the kitchen.
Representing the Windy City were Zubair Mohajir (Coach House, Mirra), César Murillo (North Pond), and Bailey Sullivan (Monteverde) — the most from any single city, edging out Los Angeles’ two entrants.
This season, the chefs cooked their way across Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, and Prince Edward Island. For co-host Gail Simmons, a Toronto native, it was a homecoming. For Chicago food fans, it was a front-row seat to watch some of our city’s best take on the global stage.
Meet the Chi-Town Trio:
- Zubair Mohajir turned heads with his genre-blending flavors. His new restaurant Mirra mixes Indian and Mexican influences, while his tasting-menu concept, Coach House, has earned acclaim after evolving from a pop-up.
- César Murillo, a Mexican immigrant and Texas transplant, brought refined, thoughtful cuisine to the competition. Now executive chef at North Pond in Lincoln Park, Murillo has worked under Rick Bayless at Frontera Grill and held positions at Grace and Sepia.
- Bailey Sullivan is chef de cuisine at Monteverde. A La Grange native with deep culinary roots—her family owns Goldyburgers in Forest Park—Sullivan trained in Michelin-starred kitchens and under Top Chef alum Beverly Kim at Parachute.
The Showdown in Milan:
In the penultimate episode, the remaining chefs headed to Milan, Italy, for a double dose of pressure. A risotto-themed Quickfire Challenge saw César and competitor Shuai Wang gamble with unconventional takes on the dish—and come up short. Tristen Epps wowed with a jollof-rice-inspired risotto and pocketed a $15,000 win.
Then came the Olympic-style Elimination Challenge. The chefs crafted dishes using polenta, beets, and gorgonzola. Tristen and Shuai advanced early, leaving Bailey and César in a sudden-death cook-off. In a fierce Chi-town-on-Chi-town battle, Sullivan’s innovative brûléed gorgonzola dish narrowly edged out Murillo, sending him home.
Chicago Legacy Lives On:
Sullivan’s advance to the finale continues Chicago’s storied run on Top Chef, joining the ranks of local champs like Stephanie Izard and Joe Flamm. Her boss, Sarah Grueneberg—a finalist in Season 9—texted her excitement, calling Sullivan’s run “huge.”
Adding to the local pride, this year’s winner will earn a presenting slot at the James Beard Awards, which take place June 16 at Chicago’s own Lyric Opera House.
What’s on the Line?
The grand prize: $250,000 in cash, a $125,000 flight credit, a feature in Food & Wine, and an appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.
Top Chef: Destination Canada airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo. Can Bailey bring the title home to Chicago? Stay tuned.
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