Ready for the return of Top Chef? This Monday, October 14, 2024, the members of the jury gathered on the terrace of the Printemps Haussmann in Paris for the first round of the new season. While Philippe Etchebest and Hélène Darroze continue to play a central role in the program, as do Paul Pairet and Glenn Viel, it's the return of Stéphanie Le Quellec that is attracting attention. Season 2 winner and two-time Michelin-starred chef, she made her mark last year by guiding her candidate Jorick to victory.
But there is one notable absence: Dominique Crenn, the three-star chef from San Francisco, has chosen not to take part in this new edition.
Dominique Crenn, who impressed with her comeback last year, has decided to stay in the USA to concentrate on her professional activities. Owner of a three-star restaurant in San Francisco, the chef had already juggled numerous trips back and forth between France and the USA during the previous season. This year, she prefers to focus on her restaurant and her other projects. "Her restaurant is her second family," explains Hélène Darroze of her colleague. Her departure leaves a void in this year's edition, but also creates a new dynamic within the jury, which returns to a five-member configuration.
The new edition of Top Chef kicked off in a spectacular setting: the terrace of the 7ème Ciel at Printemps Haussmann. Under the watchful eye of Stéphane Rotenberg, the chefs began the first rounds of what promises to be an exciting season. After celebrating the program's 15th anniversary with an exceptional jury of six Michelin-starred chefs, season 16 returns to a tighter format. Philippe Etchebest and Hélène Darroze, pillars of the show, will be on hand to coach the new talents. For his part, Paul Pairet returns for his sixth consecutive year, while Glenn Viel, with his experience since 2021, takes his place once again.
The big news is the return of Stéphanie Le Quellec, winner of season 2 of Top Chef and two-time Michelin-starred chef. Her first appearance on the jury last year resulted in victory with her protégé, Jorick. She enthusiastically expresses her desire to repeat the feat: "I hope to meet the right candidate and experience such a wonderful human encounter," she tells Le Parisien. However, her return does not mean that the jury remains unchanged. One unexpected absence stands out.
Dominique Crenn, the three-star chef based in San Francisco, has chosen not to reprise her role in this new edition. Despite her outstanding impact last year, she now prefers to concentrate on her projects in the USA. Last year, she had already juggled her restaurant and film shoots in France, a challenge she does not wish to renew. As Hélène Darroze points out, "her restaurant is her second family", and that's where Dominique Crenn has decided to devote herself fully.
With this absence, the Season 16 jury now has five members. This smaller configuration could well change the dynamics of the program, as Stéphanie Le Quellec suggests: " Given that we've reduced the number of jurors to an odd number, I think we're moving towards five brigades ". This new balance could lead to even more competitive events and new relationships between chefs and candidates.
While we await the broadcast of Top Chef in 2025, one thing is certain: we can expect moments of culinary tension, but also great stories of transmission and competition between these great names in French gastronomy. Stéphanie Le Quellec, ready to do anything to defend her title, already embodies this fierce determination to make her brigade shine once again.
Ready for more evenings of Top Chef salivation ? See you next March!
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