You Would Not Believe How Many Top Chef Winners Have Opened — And Closed — Restaurants

Chef Ilan Hall won season two of the show and went on to open (and close) The Gorbals in Los Angeles and Esh in Brooklyn, NY. He hosted the reality cooking show Knife Fight on Esquire Network for a bit, and now owns and runs Ramen Hood, in Los Angeles.

Top Chef's first female winner, Stephanie Izard, opened her award-winning restaurants — Girl and the Goat, Little Goat Diner, and Duck Duck Goat — all in Chicago, with another restaurant on the way. She's put out two books (one in 2011 and another in 2018). She even defeated some of the most well-known names in the food world (Bobby Flay, Michael Symon, and Masaharu Morimoto) to win Iron Chef Gauntlet in 2017.

Chef Kevin Sbraga opened an closed a few restaurants in his hometown of Philadelphia and also in Jacksonville, FL. He had a guest spot on season seven of MasterChef with Gordon Ramsay and Christina Tosi, and he's planning to open Fitler Club in Philadelphia this year.

One of the most notable winners of Top Chef, Richard Blais, has done a huge amount of work since winning the show. He's had his hands in a chain of chicken spots in Southern California called The Crack Shack, multiple locations of Flip Burger Boutique in the South, and San Diego's Juniper & Ivy. When he's not at one of his restaurants, he's either running his podcast or pitching in on a cooking show on Food Network and Bravo. He's also released two cookbooks.

Kristen Kish has kept busy with a variety of things since winning season 10 of Top Chef. She hosted the food and travel show 36 Hours on the Travel Channel, dropped a cookbook, and opened her first restaurant, Arlo Grey, in the Line Hotel in Austin, TX.

Chef Nicholas Elmi was actually in the early stages of opening his Philadelphia restaurant Laurel while season 11 of Top Chef was airing. He still owns and runs the restaurant, as well as its sister wine bar, In the Valley.

After winning the show in 2015, Chef Mei Lin did a lot of travelling and cooking here and there. She started writing travel and food guides for Robb Report and opened her restaurant, Night Shade, in downtown Los Angeles in 2018.

Jeremy Ford took the top honour on season 13, and after leaving his post as chef de cuisine at Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Matador Room in Miami, he opened his own place, Stubborn Seed. He's currently in the planning stages of his next restaurant, Afishonado, also in Miami.

Chef Brooke Williamson has only gained success since taking the crown the 14th season of the show. She keeps busy with the restaurants she owns and runs with her husband: Hudson House, The Tripel, Playa Provisions, Small Batch, and Da Kikokiko, all in the Los Angeles area. She even launched her own beer called Girl Grey with The Bruery last year.

Chef Joe Flamm won the latest season of Top Chef and has kept busy with being the executive chef at Spiaggia and Café Spiaggia in Chicago. He's talked of possibly owning his own restaurant with his winnings and newfound fame, but for now, he's busy being a dad to his first-born son, Luka.