2 bay area star chefs of season 22 of Top Chef, first on March 13

“Top chef” is starting a new season on March 13 and, as often happens, some of the star competitors are from the Bay region.

During season 22, viewers will meet Anna “Anya” El-Wattar who worked as a chef at Birch & Rye de San Francisco. This restaurant recognized by Michelin in the Noe valley served a high Russian cuisine inspired by the childhood of the chef in Russia, like Einkorn Pelmeni Dumplings and spelled Khachapuri. The restaurant closed in 2024, El-Wattar saying that it was difficult to stay afloat using high-end ingredients and high temporal techniques.

Then there is Vincenzo Loseto, from New York who is the chef of the press in St. Helena. Directed by Vintner Samantha Rudd, the Napa Valley restaurant specializes in locally livestock ingredients and manages an aggressive wine program, with the largest Napa wines collection in the world. The Michelin guide has awarded a star to the press for his “contemporary and Californian dishes such as Kusshi oysters with whipped stinging; Vivaneau to citrus with Caillé Yuzu; And the risotto of the white truffle which is simply sophisticated. »»

Of the 15 competitors, a third is also from California – Kat Turner, executive chief and partner most likely in Los Angeles according to Resy, Turner is not only a chief, but an “art graduate (who) wore a platinum blonde mohawk, has done a tour with cracastic pumpkins as private chief, and worked as go -go dancer, among others”.

The “top chef” of this year will see the cooks as well as the Kristen Kish judges, Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons head for Canada to compete. The filming places include Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Canmore in the rocky mountains of Alberta and Prince Edward’s island.