Bradley always felt out of place in the Midwest, where he grew up, so he left as soon as he could. At age 16 he spent a day with Thomas Keller at The French Laundry, which cemented his decision to become a chef. He is now the executive chef at The Sea Grill in Rockefeller Center. Bradley's been on Chopped twice before, so he knows what it feels like to be chopped and to win. He's using that as fuel in this competition to go up against Bobby. Previous episodes:Beer Here!, Chopped, Again!
Part 1: Demetrio Zavala — Washington, D.C.
Raised by his Cuban grandmother, Demetrio was learning to cook dishes from an early age. He eventually started working in local restaurants before leaving for New York City. Eventually he moved to Washington, D.C., where he is now the corporate executive chef for Presidential Restaurant Group. Demetrio is very determined, and he's more than capable of beating Bobby. He wants to win for his kids.
Spending summers in California with her grandparents greatly influenced the way Mackenzie sees and cooks food. Although she isn't classically trained, Mackenzie has love for food, which led her to restaurant work; she is now the executive chef of Time in Philadelphia, where she focuses the menu on seasonality with a French flair. She's competed on Chopped twice before, so she knows the ins and outs of the kitchen. If she wins, she plans to use the money for her upcoming wedding and honeymoon.
Born in Vancouver but raised in Denver, Jay now resides in the Bay Area. He's the executive chef at Bi‐Rite Market, which specializes in local and sustainable foods. He's influenced by California cuisine in coming up with his menu items. Jay is very competitive, as is evident from his passion for running and cycling. He's ready to compete, and if he wins, he plans to donate some of his money to charity.
While Cory was growing up in Utah, if he wanted something good to eat he had to make it himself. Neither of his busy parents spent much time in the kitchen, and Cory didn’t consider either of them good cooks at all. It inspired him to get into cooking, and eventually he found his first restaurant job at the Grand Canyon. He is currently the chef de cuisine at Rural Society in Chicago. He wants to win the money to invest in his future.
For Heather, cooking gave her a purpose in life. Raised in New Jersey by a single mom, Heather struggled with her weight and other health issues when she was a kid. But once in culinary school, she found her focus and worked on becoming healthier. She is currently a private chef, commuting between New York City and the Hamptons, where she works for Lady Sheila Stable. Heather has incredible energy, and she is ready to go to battle at the drop of a toque.
Shania's cooking is inspired by her multicultural background, which includes Native American, Korean and Creole, which is the type of cooking she's drawn to most. But Shania's love lies with baking. After she won the first Teen episode of Chopped, she used the money to attend the Culinary Institute of America for pastry. She is currently the pastry chef for Kat & Theo in New York City. She hopes to use the winnings from the tournament to start her catering business.
As a first-generation Japanese-American, Seis found himself drawn to football, which gave him a sense of belonging. But food was always at the center of his family's life in Yonkers, N.Y. His mom was a caterer and his dad owned an ethnic grocery store. His mom, however, convinced Seis to go to culinary school instead of playing football. In his current job as the executive chef at CenturyLink Field for the Seattle Seahawks, Seis is able to combine both loves. He wants to win for his family and show the other Chopped chefs that he's the best.
When Aarthi was growing up in India, her parents wanted to put her in an arranged marriage, but she saw more to her life. At an early age she realized how amazing cooking could be, and she decided to become a chef, a career move that departs from an entire family of doctors and engineers. Aarthi eventually made it to the States. She is the chef de cuisine at Junoon. She hopes to use her winnings to invest in her future.
Kathy grew up in San Francisco surrounded by Chinese influence. She says her nursery school was her parent's successful Chinese restaurant. Originally Kathy attended business school, but she decided to switch careers and attended Le Cordon Bleu. She is the chef-owner of Fang Restaurant. She'd like to win and donate a portion of the money to local charities to help her community.
Matt and his twin brother, Mike, grew up in a rural agricultural community in Michigan, north of Detroit. The boys' mom worked as a school cook and eventually bought a banquet hall, which was inspiring to Mike, but not so much for Matt, until he moved in with his brother and became equally as passionate about cooking. The brothers are in the process of opening a butcher shop, as butchery is Matt's specialty. Matt recently started a family, and he wants to invest his winnings in a home.
Mike always wanted to become a chef, unlike his twin brother, Matt. Both of them competed in a twins episode of Chopped. Mike started working in restaurants at the age of 15, and eventually he attended the Culinary Institute of America, before finding professional work. Mike runs The Mulefoot Gastropub with Matt as co-chefs and co-owners. They're working on expanding with a new butcher shop. Mike wants to use the winnings for his upcoming nuptials and honeymoon.
