Chopped: Julia Child’s Kitchen — Meet the Competitors

Dan is the chef and owner of Heritage Tavern restaurant. He enjoys refined rustic fare cooking and often adds a local twist to classic dishes. He takes inspiration from Julia Child’s "mesmerizing" TV cooking and aspires to make his cuisine just as inviting. As a three-time James Beard Award nominee, classically French-trained chef, and motivated competitor, Dan knows that he will be a tough chef to beat.

Jenna is an urban farmer and personal chef. She calls Julia Child a "magnificent woman who lives for her taste buds" and aims to encapsulate her spirit in her own cooking. With years of experience under her belt, Jenna has perfected the art of approachable and fun cuisine. She remembers entering the industry when it was a more male-dominated space, and now she hopes to celebrate female empowerment and Julia Child’s legacy in the Chopped kitchen.

Janelle is an executive sous chef with a passion for cooking innovative new-age Caribbean cuisine with French techniques. She hopes to emulate Julia Child’s vibrant kitchen presence. She believes Julia Child has revolutionized the industry by being herself; Janelle plans to follow her lead and explains that her strategy for the competition is winning.

Victor is the proud chef and owner of La Onda restaurant. Julia Child inspires him to bring wittiness and laughter to the kitchen as a means of connecting with others through food. He grew up watching culinary TV and knew from a very young age that he wanted to be a part of the industry. Now he has experienced French training in Germany, and he’s ready to conquer Chopped.

Dom is the executive chef of Lonely Oyster restaurant. He is fond of coastal-style cuisine and cherishes his access to nearby seafood and quality coastal farms. His mother is his biggest influence and Julia Child’s cooking reminds him of her. He’s here to win and says he can already picture the caviar and fresh oysters waiting for him on his prize trip to St. Tropez.

Javauneeka is the sous chef at Frontera Grill in Chicago. She believes her Mexican culinary approach is like Julia Child’s approach to French cuisine. She’s inspired by Julia Child’s determination and drive, and plans to embrace the challenge on Chopped with help from her 'dream spirit' and Michelin background.

Al is a talented chef of cuisine who never attended culinary school. He looks up to Julia Child and appreciates her ability to make mistakes and experiment in the kitchen. His cooking style is clean and vegetable forward. Al is prepared to push boundaries in the Chopped competition so that he can win and fly his way into the European dining experience.

Sayeh is the chef and owner of Exquisite Host Catering. She’s proud to say she’s stayed at Julia house and cooked in her kitchen in Provence. While she specializes in Persian cuisine, her dishes often incorporate a French influence. She’s eager to test her expertise and creativity on Chopped so that she can follow her passions like Julia Child.

Briana is the executive chef and winemaker for Valentino Vineyard in the Chicago area. She strives for perfection and says one of her favorite 'perfect' pairings would be food and wine, like Julia Child. Briana admires how Julia Child lived like "an oddball with something to prove," as she too believes in the relentless pursuit of success... and Chopped is no exception.

Joy is the chef and owner of Urban Country, a small catering company based out of Philadelphia. Like Julia Child, Joy would like to infuse her infectious personality into her cuisine. She wants to show her two kids that success is all about showing up, regardless of winning or losing. No one can stand in her way, and she won’t be holding back. Joy is ready to kickstart the competition.

Rachel is an executive chef, owner and private chef in Paso Robles, California. She’s accustomed to working with wineries and adores French cuisine. She first fell in love with cooking through TV, and now credits Julia Child as one of her biggest culinary inspirations. She’s been told that she and her husband are the modern-day Julia and Paul. Her husband supports her dreams of pushing culinary limits and creating delicious foods.

Andrew is the chef and owner of Taylor May Dining in Jersey City. French cuisine is among his favorites, and he is grateful to Julia Child for casting light on French techniques. He says he aspires to emulate Julia Child’s "what the hell" attitude in his own cooking. With years of French fine dining experience, Andrew declares himself to be a serious Chopped threat.

Mike is the Chef of cuisine at Fisher’s restaurant in Orange Beach, Alabama. He is an admirably well-rounded and seasoned professional chef with experiences from Mexican to Southern cuisine. Despite his wide knowledge, Mike says he always finds his way back to French cooking techniques. He often returns to Julia Child’s recipes with the goals of modernizing the classics for elevated restaurant dining. He is taking on the competition with the belief that his next stop is Paris.

Natalie Blake is the executive chef of Spice Catering Company in Cleveland. She served in the navy before attending culinary school. She now uses her classical French training to create satisfying and comforting dishes. She claims that she’s "never had a problem being awesome" and that she feels connected to Julia Child’s French techniques. Like Julia, Natalie found her culinary passion later in life. Now she’s ready to find her way to the grand prize on Chopped.

Stanley is private chef based out of San Francisco. He remembers growing up watching Julia Child on TV while the other kids his age watched cartoons. Julia Child’s inviting cooking takes him on a mental journey to France— a power to travel through food that he hopes to recreate. He enjoys California-progressive style cooking with an abundance of beautiful colors and seasonings. Stanley says he’s excited and ready to "bring it on" in the Chopped kitchen.