TOP CHEF Returns on March 19

Bravo's "Top Chef" jets to the City of Angels for Season 17 with All Stars LA, premiering with a supersized episode on Thursday, March 19 from 10 - 11:15 pm ET/PT. The Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series returns with 10 Finalists and 5 Front Runners, chasing THE ONE thing that eluded them all -- the coveted title of "Top Chef." It has been nine seasons since the first All Stars competition, and these chefs aren't holding any punches as they battle it out for the largest cash prize in "Top Chef" history. The chefs will compete across iconic locations in Los Angeles including the Griffith Observatory, The Getty Center, The Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Coliseum, and for the first time in show history, an epic finale in Italy. The series returns with host Padma Lakshmi, head judge Tom Colicchio, and judge Gail Simmons, along with some of the biggest names in the culinary world, as well as some of your favorite celebrity foodies.

companion series "Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen," hosted by Tom Colicchio, returns for season nine as the eliminated chefs go head-to-head to try to cook their way back into the competition. Presented by BMW of North America, each week's episode will be available on Bravotv.com, On Demand or wherever you stream Bravo's "Top Chef" at the conclusion of each week's episode.

In this spectacular season, the chefs will be challenged on the biggest trends hitting the food stage in Los Angeles, including mastering Kaiseki for Michelin-winning chefs of N/Naka, creating a tribute for the Pulitzer Prize winning and critically acclaimed food critic, the late Jonathan Gold, and honoring one of the most influential restaurants in the country, Michael's in Santa Monica. Along with these celebrated names, the All Stars will get to cook for some of the biggest players in food, Olympic legends, as well as A-list celebs such as Ali Wong and Randall Park, Kelly Clarkson for a Quickfire challenge themed to her new DreamWorks Animation film Trolls World Tour, dynamic duo Jon Favreau and Roy Choi, music maestro Gustavo Dudamel, and LA legend and taco maven, Danny Trejo. And with the help of OpenTable to run the restaurants, Top Chef's signature elimination challenge Restaurant Wars is back with a two-part throw down you won't want to miss.

The cheftestants also must impress a host of culinary megastars including: Nancy Silverton, Ruth Reichl, Jeremiah Tower, Marcus Samuelsson, Michael Cimarusti, Suzanne Goin, Ludo Lefebvre, Jeremy Fox, Timothy Hollingsworth, Hunter Lewis, Stephanie Izard, Brooke Williamson, Kelsey Barnard Clark, Sherry Yard, Carol & Niki Nakayama, Jonathan Waxman, Mauro Delgreco, Clare Smyth and Dario Cecchini.

The winning chef will earn the coveted title of "Top Chef," the largest cash prize ever, $250,000 furnished by S.Pellegrino(R) Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, a feature in FOOD & WINE magazine and an appearance at the annual FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen. Also with "Top Chef" official beer sponsor, Peroni, contestants will have the chance to imbibe in style after their hard-won efforts in the kitchen.

This season, from the beach to the mountains, the competition heats up as the chefs go to sleepaway camp for the ultimate cookout-inspired challenge, sponsored by BUSH'S(R) Beans, and recreate a famous chef's dish while being guided by their family members over the phone, powered by wireless sponsor Metro by T-Mobile. Thanks to the spacious luxury of the BMW X7, with its Intelligent Personal Assistant, they'll arrive on time and in style to every destination.

Meet the All Stars:

· Eric Adjepong (Season 16: Kentucky) Washington, D.C.

· Karen Akunowicz (Season 13: California) Boston, MA

· Jennifer Carroll (Season 6: Las Vegas, Season 8: All Stars & LCK Season 7)

· Stephanie Cmar (Season 11: New Orleans) Boston, MA

· Lisa Fernandes (Season 4: Chicago) Brooklyn, NY

· Kevin Gillespie (Season 6: Las Vegas) Atlanta, GA

· Gregory Gourdet (Season 12: Boston) Portland, OR

· Melissa King (Season 12: Boston) San Francisco, CA

· Jamie Lynch (Season 14: Charleston) Charlotte, NC

· Brian Malarkey (Season 3: Miami) San Diego, CA

· Nini Nguyen (Season 16: Kentucky) New York, NY

· Joe Sasto (Season 15: Colorado) Los Angeles, CA

· Angelo Sosa (Season 7: Washington D.C. & Season 8: All Stars New York) San Diego, CA

· Bryan Voltaggio (Season 6: Las Vegas) Frederick, MD

· Lee Anne Wong (Season 1: San Francisco & LCK Season 7) Maui, Hawaii

*For more information on the cheftestants, please visit Bravotv.com/top-chef.

Foodies craving more "Top Chef" can check-out Metro by T-Mobile's all new "What Would Tom Do" video series on Bravotv.com featuring Tom Colicchio and Nilou Motamed as the tables are turned, and they replicate and reimagine the same dishes that the chefs cooked on the show.

Coinciding with the premiere, Bravo is teaming up with Universal Studios Hollywood for the inaugural Bravo's TOP CHEF Food & Wine Festival on March 19-20, 2020, inviting guests on a culinary excursion. The festival will feature an all-inclusive eclectic menu inspired by the series, live cooking competitions, food & wine pairings and panels with 'Top Chef' Alums. To learn more and to purchase tickets: click here.

With last season averaging nearly 1 million P18-49 and more than 1 million P25-54, "Top Chef" ranks as the #1 food show across all of cable in 2019-TD among both demos. (Nielsen L7)

"Top Chef" is produced by the Emmy Award-winning production company Magical Elves with Casey Kriley, Doneen Arquines and Tara Siener serving as executive producers.

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