# Top Chef: Kentucky > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Top_Chef:_Kentucky > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Top_Chef:_Kentucky.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Chef%3A_Kentucky > Source revision: 1346282776 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) ***Top Chef: Kentucky*** is the sixteenth season of the American reality television series *[Top Chef](/source/Top_Chef)*. Initial details about the season and its cast were revealed on October 18, 2018.[1] The competition was filmed at various locations in [Kentucky](/source/Kentucky), including [Louisville](/source/Louisville,_Kentucky), [Lexington](/source/Lexington,_Kentucky), and [Lake Cumberland](/source/Lake_Cumberland), with an additional episode set in [Nashville, Tennessee](/source/Nashville,_Tennessee).[2] The season finale took place in [Macau](/source/Macau).[3] [Padma Lakshmi](/source/Padma_Lakshmi) returned as host, with [Tom Colicchio](/source/Tom_Colicchio), [Graham Elliot](/source/Graham_Elliot), and [Nilou Motamed](/source/Nilou_Motamed) forming the judging panel.[1] Due to being on [maternity leave](/source/Maternity_leave) for the majority of filming, *Top Chef* regular [Gail Simmons](/source/Gail_Simmons) did not appear as one of the main judges for the season.[1][4] *Top Chef: Kentucky* premiered on December 6, 2018, and concluded on March 14, 2019.[1] In the season finale, [Kelsey Barnard Clark](/source/Kelsey_Barnard_Clark) was declared the winner over runner-up [Sara Bradley](/source/Sara_Bradley_(chef)).[5] Barnard Clark was also voted Fan Favorite.[6] ## Contestants Main article: [List of Top Chef contestants](/source/List_of_Top_Chef_contestants) Fifteen chefs competed in *Top Chef: Kentucky*.[1] In addition, like the previous season, three returning competitors competed in the *Last Chance Kitchen* to earn the chance to join the competition: *[Top Chef: Colorado](/source/Top_Chef:_Colorado)* contestants [Carrie Baird](/source/Carrie_Baird) and [Brother Luck](/source/Brother_Luck), and *[Top Chef: Charleston](/source/Top_Chef:_Charleston)* contestant Jim Smith.[7] Following the sixth episode of *Last Chance Kitchen*, Luck was selected to join the main cast. ### New contestants Name[3] Current Residence[a] Eric Adjepong Washington, D.C. Sara Bradley Paducah, Kentucky Kelsey Barnard Clark Dothan, Alabama Edmund "Eddie" Konrad Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Pablo Lamon Miami Beach, Florida Natalie Maronski Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Michelle Minori San Francisco, California Nini Nguyen Brooklyn, New York Brandon Rosen San Mateo, California Kevin Scharpf Dubuque, Iowa Caitlin Steininger Cincinnati, Ohio Justin Sutherland St. Paul, Minnesota David Viana Asbury Park, New Jersey Adrienne Wright Boston, Massachusetts Brian Young Boston, Massachusetts Eric Adjepong and Nini Nguyen returned to compete in *[Top Chef: All-Stars L.A.](/source/Top_Chef:_All-Stars_L.A.)*[8] Sara Bradley returned for *[Top Chef: World All-Stars](/source/Top_Chef:_World_All-Stars)*.[9] ### Returning contestants Name[7] Current Residence[a] Season Carrie Baird Denver, Colorado Season 15 Brother Luck Colorado Springs, Colorado Season 15 Jim Smith Montgomery, Alabama Season 14 ## Contestant progress Episode # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Quickfire Challenge Winner(s) Justin Pablo Sara David David Michelle Justin Adrienne Eddie Sara Justin Michelle Michelle Contestant Elimination Challenge Results 1 Kelsey IN IN HIGH LOW HIGH IN WIN LOW IN LOW IN WIN LOW WINNER 2 Sara IN HIGH IN LOW LOW LOW HIGH HIGH LOW HIGH WIN LOW WIN RUNNER-UP 3 Eric IN IN IN HIGH WIN IN HIGH IN WIN WIN IN LOW LOW OUT 4 Michelle IN IN IN LOW IN IN LOW WIN OUT IN HIGH OUT 5 Adrienne LOW HIGH IN HIGH IN HIGH LOW IN HIGH LOW LOW OUT 6 Justin IN IN IN LOW IN HIGH HIGH HIGH HIGH LOW OUT 7 Eddie IN IN HIGH HIGH HIGH WIN LOW LOW IN OUT 8 David HIGH HIGH IN LOW IN IN LOW OUT 9 Brian IN IN LOW WIN LOW LOW OUT 10 Brandon IN LOW IN LOW IN OUT 11 Brother OUT 12 Nini IN WIN WIN OUT Pablo HIGH LOW LOW OUT 14 Kevin LOW HIGH OUT 15 Natalie WIN OUT 16 Caitlin OUT - The chef(s) did not receive immunity for winning the Quickfire Challenge. - Following [Episode 6 of *Last Chance Kitchen*](#LCK), Brother was introduced as a regular competitor. - Despite Justin making one of the judge's favourite dishes, he did not plate a sufficient number of dishes and was thus ineligible to win. - As a reward for winning the Quickfire Challenge, Eddie did not have to compete in the Elimination Challenge. - Michelle won *Last Chance Kitchen* and returned to the competition. - (WINNER) The chef won the season and was crowned "Top Chef". - (RUNNER-UP) The chef was the runner-up for the season. - (WIN) The chef won the Elimination Challenge. - (HIGH) The chef was selected as one of the top entries in the Elimination Challenge, but did not win. - (IN) The chef was not selected as one of the top or bottom entries in the Elimination Challenge and was safe. - (LOW) The chef was selected as one of the bottom entries in the Elimination Challenge, but was not eliminated. - (OUT) The chef lost the Elimination Challenge. ## Episodes Main article: [List of Top Chef episodes](/source/List_of_Top_Chef_episodes) ## *Last Chance Kitchen* Main article: [Top Chef#Last Chance Kitchen](/source/Top_Chef#Last_Chance_Kitchen) No. Title Original air date ## References **Notes** 1. The contestants' city and state of residence during time of filming. **Footnotes** 1. Fecteau, Jessica (October 18, 2018). ["The Trailer for the New Season of Top Chef Is Here! Get an Exclusive Sneak Peek"](https://people.com/food/top-chef-season-16-sneak-preview/). *[People](/source/People_(magazine))*. Retrieved October 18, 2018. 1. Fecteau, Jessica (February 14, 2018). ["Bravo Reveals the Filming Location for the Next Season of Top Chef"](http://people.com/food/top-chef-season-16-filming-location/). *[People](/source/People_(magazine))*. Retrieved February 14, 2018. 1. Gomez, Patrick (October 18, 2018). ["Top Chef heads to Kentucky! A sneak peek at season 16"](https://ew.com/tv/2018/10/18/top-chef-season-16-kentucky-sneak-peek/). *[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly)*. Retrieved October 18, 2018. 1. Campbell-Schmitt, Adam (October 18, 2018). ["Here's Your First Look at 'Top Chef' Season 16 in Kentucky"](https://www.foodandwine.com/news/top-chef/top-chef-kentucky-trailer). *[Food & Wine](/source/Food_%26_Wine)*. Retrieved October 19, 2018. 1. Loosemore, Bailey (March 14, 2019). ["'Top Chef' Kentucky season finale recap: And the winner is..."](https://www.courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/television/2019/03/15/top-chef-kentucky-finale-names-season-16-winner/3106947002/). *[The Courier-Journal](/source/The_Courier-Journal)*. Retrieved March 14, 2019. 1. Ussery, Peggy (March 14, 2019). ["Dothan chef Kelsey Barnard Clark wins 'Top Chef'"](https://www.dothaneagle.com/news/local/dothan-chef-kelsey-barnard-clark-wins-top-chef/article_a51af4c8-46ce-11e9-97aa-0359a45bae8a.html). *[Dothan Eagle](/source/Dothan_Eagle)*. Retrieved March 14, 2019. 1. Gomez, Patrick (November 28, 2018). ["Top Chef favorites are headed back to the Last Chance Kitchen — and possibly season 16"](https://ew.com/tv/2018/11/28/top-chef-kentucky-season-16-last-chance-kitchen-returning-contestants/). *[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly)*. Retrieved November 28, 2018. 1. Huff, Lauren (December 12, 2019). ["Unpack your knives: Top Chef announces all-star lineup for season 17"](https://ew.com/tv/2019/12/12/top-chef-all-star-lineup-season-17/). *[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly)*. Retrieved December 12, 2019. 1. Leasca, Stacey (January 25, 2023). ["'Top Chef' Is Back, These Are the All-Stars Competing This Year"](https://www.foodandwine.com/top-chef-all-stars-season-20-premiere-date-7098988). *[Food & Wine](/source/Food_%26_Wine)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230125174157/https://www.foodandwine.com/top-chef-all-stars-season-20-premiere-date-7098988) January 25, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 25, 2023. ## External links - [Official website](http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Top Chef: Kentucky](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Chef%3A_Kentucky) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Chef%3A_Kentucky?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.