'Tournament of Champions: All-Star Christmas' — Who's Competing

Spinning off of one of Food Network's most popular competition shows — Tournament of Champions — an all-new six-episode series has landed in the holiday queue. Host Guy Fieri brings his trademark high-octane enthusiasm to Tournament of Champions: All-Star Christmas. In the holiday series (premiering November 5 at 8|7c), 16 two-person teams of the country's top chefs square off in a challenge to create holiday dishes — both sweet and savory — in a contest for a $100,000 cash prize and additional cash for a designated charity. The chefs are geared up to face the "randomizer" (the show's device that doles out the specific cooking challenges) and sleigh their competition in hopes of securing the title of Christmas culinary champion. Here's your chance to meet the contestants and learn about their backgrounds, credentials and qualifications.

Antonia Lofaso is a celebrity chef, restaurateur and co-owner of three Los Angeles restaurants: Black Market Liquor Bar, Scopa Italian Roots and DAMA in Venice, California. She's also worked at well-known Los Angeles restaurants Spago and Foxtail. She has appeared on several Food Network shows, including Chopped, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, The Kitchen, Worst Cooks in America and more. She has also been featured on Bravo's Top Chef and won Tournament of Champions VI.

Alex Guarnaschelli is an accomplished chef, a cookbook author and the host of Food Network's Alex vs. America, Alex's Day Off, The Cooking Loft and Supermarket Stakeout. She is also a recurring judge on Chopped and has appeared on various other Food Network shows. In 2012, she was the season's winner on The Next Iron Chef. Her first cookbook, Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook, was published in 2013. Currently, she is the executive chef at New York's Butter Restaurant, where she has created her own eclectic American and green-market-inspired menu. She is a lifelong New Yorker and the daughter of noted cookbook editor Maria Guarnaschelli.

Graham Elliot is "a creative culinary wizard with an innate ability to successfully juxtapose four-star cuisine with humor, wit and out-of-the-box artistry." He gained notoriety in the restaurant business after being a three-time nominee for the James Beard Award. At 27, he became the youngest chef in the United States to receive four stars from a major publication, the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. His career as a celebrity chef took off with appearances on Iron Chef and Top Chef Masters. In 2012, he opened Graham Elliot Bistro in Chicago, which garnered him Michelin stars and a visit from then-President Barack Obama.

Giuseppe Tentori is a chef whose Chicago-based restaurants have included GT Fish & Oyster, GT Prime and BOKA Catering Group. According to Chicago Gourmet, when he opened GT Fish & Oyster, he "redefined the American seafood restaurant and earned critical recognition both regionally and nationally." Giuseppe places high priority on sourcing from local farmers and using seasonal ingredients — an innovative pairing that has become a trademark throughout all of his ventures.

Maneet Chauhan is no stranger to Food Network's Tournament of Champions. In fact, she's a two-time winner on the series, having won in 2021 and 2024. The Indian-American chef was born in Ludhiana, Punjab, and attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Her cooking style is identified as "global fusion" with roots in Indian cuisine. She has worked as the executive chef at Vermillion in Chicago and New York, and in 2014 opened her own restaurant, Chauhan Ale and Masala House, in Nashville, Tennessee. She has appeared on various Food Network shows and is the author of Flavors of My World: A Culinary Tour Through 25 Countries and the co-author of Chaat: Recipes From the Kitchens, Markets and Railways of India.

Stephanie Izard is the first woman to ever win Top Chef. She is also the recipient of a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes. She is the co-owner and executive chef at three award-winning Chicago-based restaurants: Girl and the Goat, Little Goat and Duck Duck Goat. She was featured on Food Network's Iron Chef Gauntlet, where she defeated chefs Bobby Flay, Michael Symon and Masaharu Morimoto to obtain the title of Iron Chef. She co-authored Girl in the Kitchen: How a Top Chef Cooks, Thinks, Shops, Eats, and Drinks.

Aarón Sánchez is a Mexican American chef, an entrepreneur and an author. He was born in El Paso, Texas, and began cooking very young, helping his mother prepare Mexican foods for her catering business. Eventually, the family moved to New York City, where his mother opened the acclaimed restaurant Café Marimba. Per Aarón's website, he is now the executive head chef and chef-partner of restaurants Johnny Sánchez, Showbird and Adobo Cantina. He is a judge on Chopped. Other Food Network appearances include Iron Chef America, Chopped Junior and more. In addition to his many culinary endeavors, Aarón is a partner of the famous tattoo shop and museum Daredevil Tattoo.

New Jersey native Amanda Freitag is an accomplished chef, an author, a podcaster and a television personality. She is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. According to her website, Amanda began her cooking career at Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Vong, Verbena and Il Buco in New York City. In 2003, she co-opened Cesca Enoteca & Trattoria on the Upper West Side. Amanda has appeared on Food Network's Tournament of Champions, Chopped and more. She has battled Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America. Her popular YouTube series "EasyAF" has become a lifestyle resource that covers recipes, bottled cocktails, spice blends and more. Her first cookbook, A Pro Chef's Recipes for Fun, Fearless Home Cooking, was written with the goal of "empowering home cooks with professional techniques made simple."

Shirley Chung is a Chinese American chef and author who is trained in classic French and Italian cuisine. She has become widely known for her appearances on Top Chef and Tournament of Champions. As detailed on her website, Shirley was born in Beijing, China, and immigrated to the United States with her family when she was 17. In 2018, she founded Ms. Chi Cafe in Los Angeles. Shirley has worked with and opened restaurants for Thomas Keller, Guy Savoy and Mario Batali. After opening CarneVino and serving as chef de cuisine for the Batali group, the restaurant earned multiple awards internationally. In 2018, she published her first cookbook, Chinese Heritage Cooking From My American Kitchen.

Sherry Yard is an expert chef, a baker, a dessert specialist and a cookbook author. She has served as a chef in several Wolfgang Puck restaurants, including Spago and Tribeca Grill. Her Food Network appearances have included Halloween Baking Championship, Cake Wars and more. Her published books include The Secrets of Baking: Simple Techniques for Sophisticated Dessert and Desserts by the Yard: From Brooklyn to Beverly Hills: Recipes From the Sweetest Life Ever.

Marcus Samuelsson is an award-winning chef, a restaurateur, an author and a food activist. His most recent restaurant is New York City’s acclaimed Red Rooster Harlem, which opened in December 2010. Marcus was born in Ethiopia. He's been featured on Iron Chef, Chopped All-Stars and more — including his own show, The Inner Chef, on the Discovery Network. Marcus was honored as a guest chef at the White House under the Obama administration. He has been honored by the prestigious James Beard Foundation on multiple occasions and has authored several books.

Rachel Sherriffe is an up-and-coming celebrity pastry chef currently living in Washington, DC. According to her website, Rachel's passion for baking started at a young age when she would watch cooking shows every day. She spent a semester in Napa Valley, California, at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, where she trained under the guidance of Stephen Durfee, a James Beard Award winner. She also spent five years as sous chef with Jean-Georges in New York. She is currently the executive chef at Marcus DC, where she works with Marcus.

Sara Bradley is an American chef who was born in Paducah, Kentucky. Growing up, Sara's grandmother taught her the skills of cooking and preserving. After college, she attended the Culinary School at Johnson & Wales University in North Carolina. Sara began her cooking career working in Michelin-starred restaurants in New York and Chicago prior to returning to Paducah to open her restaurant, Freight House, which focuses on local seasonal ingredients. Her Food Network appearances include Chopped: All-American Showdown and Tournament of Champions.

Damaris Phillips was born in Lexington, Kentucky. In 2019, she was the winner of the ninth season of Food Network Star and, as part of her win, was given her own show on Food Network, Southern at Heart. The show ran for five seasons. Damaris later co-hosted The Bobby and Damaris Show with Bobby Flay. She also hosted Southern and Hungry, which premiered in 2017 on the Cooking Channel.

Michael Voltaggio is a chef, a restaurateur and one of Bobby Flay’s Titans on Bobby’s Triple Threat. He's competed on Tournament of Champions and made numerous appearances on shows, including Beat Bobby Flay, Supermarket Stakeout and Guy's Grocery Games. He is the winner of Top Chef Season 6, where he competed in the finale alongside his brother, Bryan. Michael earned a Michelin star at Dry Creek Kitchen and was a finalist for the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 2009.

Bryan Voltaggio is a chef, a restaurateur, an author and a multi-James Beard-nominated chef. He is a partner at Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse, Wye Oak Tavern and Showroom. He has made a number of Food Network appearances, competing in Tournament of Champions, Bobby's Triple Threat and 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing. Bryan is the author of Home: Recipes to Cook With Family and Friends and he co-authored VOLT ink.: Recipes, Stories, Brothers with Michael.

Kevin Lee is a Korean American chef and the founder of several restaurants, including Birdies, a Korean-inspired fried chicken restaurant in Edmond, Oklahoma, and Gogi Go in Oklahoma City. Kevin began his cooking career working in sushi restaurants in Las Vegas. He later relocated to Oklahoma, where he studied under chef Kurt Fleischfresser. He eventually became culinary director for the Social Order Restaurant Group before opening his own Korean-inspired restaurants. He won first place on Guy's Grocery Games and Alex vs. America.

Chicago native Dale Talde is a chef and cookbook author who rose to fame competing on Top Chef in 2008 and 2011. As detailed on his website, Dale is the son of Filipino immigrants, and his cooking style draws heavily on his cultural heritage. He opened his restaurant TALDE in Brooklyn in 2012. In 2019, he opened Goosefeather. In 2022, Dale was nominated for a James Beard Award for Best Chef in New York. He has appeared on Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay and more. His first book, Asian-American: Proudly Inauthentic Recipes From the Philippines to Brooklyn, was published in May 2025.

Britt Rescigno is a New Jersey native who grew up working in her grandparents' seafood restaurant, Allen's Clam Bar. She graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. She has worked as the executive chef at Delaware Avenue Oyster House in Long Beach Island, New Jersey, and has made frequent appearances on Food Network. In 2024, she was a finalist on Tournament of Champions and, in 2019, she was named winner on Chopped, Guy's Grocery Games and Beat Bobby Flay. In the latter, she did, in fact, beat Bobby by preparing her grandmother's chicken and dumplings.

Jonathon Sawyer is from Cleveland. According to Starchefs.com, he began his culinary career at The Biltmore Hotel in Miami before moving to New York City and working at Kitchen 22. Jonathon then worked for friend and colleague Michael Symon and became Symon’s executive chef at Parea. Jonathon has opened several restaurants in Cleveland, including The Greenhouse Tavern, a French and seasonally inspired gastropub; Noodlecat, a ramen shop focusing on local ingredients and sustainability; and Trentina, a northern Italian-inspired restaurant. He has been seen on Iron Chef America, Alex vs. America and more.

Adam Sobel is a chef and the founder of Aether Group, a cooperative focused on fostering successful restaurant partnerships. The group is also involved in organizing pop-up restaurant events and collaborating with celebrities to enhance brand visibility. Adam is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has built a career with key roles at Sorelle, Bourbon Steak at Essex House and RN74.

Christian Petroni is a chef and restaurateur who hails from the Bronx. He's been a recurring judge on Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay. He was previously the executive chef and part-owner of Fortina, an Italian restaurant chain operating three locations in New York and Connecticut. Christian holds the distinction of being the youngest chef in the Hudson Valley to have received a rating of "excellent" from The New York Times and is a frequent guest cook at the James Beard House.

Tobias Dorzon is an American chef, a restaurateur and a former professional football player. His culinary talents have been shaped by his West African heritage. Tobias is the son of Liberian immigrants and grew up in Maryland. Prior to his career as a chef, he played football for the Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2022, he opened Huncho House in Hyattsville, Maryland. He has appeared on Chopped, Last Bite Hotel and more.

Marcel Vigneron is the executive chef and CEO of his own event and production company, Modern California Cuisine. He attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York. While enrolled, he served as sous chef at the school’s award-winning Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici. Marcel has also spent time in Barcelona, Spain, where he took classes at El Taller with famed chef Ferran Adrià of El Bulli restaurant, named the top restaurant in the world in 2007 by Restaurant Magazine. He has worked at some of Los Angeles' best hotels and restaurants, including The Chateau Marmont, The Beverly Hilton and Lemon Grove at The Aster.

Lee Anne Wong is a Top Chef alumnus and chef-partner at Koko Head Cafe in Honolulu. She has written and been a podcast guest for Food & Wine, speaking and writing on a variety of subjects. In addition to being a restaurateur, Lee Anne has served as the executive chef of event operations at the French Culinary Institute and as culinary producer for four seasons of Top Chef. She is a passionate and committed advocate for matters relating to the health and psychological well-being of workers in the hospitality industry.

Zac Young is an accomplished pastry chef who studied at the Institute of Culinary Education and has worked at Bouchon Bakery and New York City's Butter Restaurant. In 2009, he became executive pastry chef at Flex Mussels in New York City, where he also ran a pop-up doughnut shop in Grand Central Station. Zac's been featured on various baking shows, including Chopped, Unique Sweets and Halloween Baking Championship. He has also appeared on Top Chef: Just Desserts.

Jet Tilakamonkul, known professionally as Jet Tila, is a celebrity chef, an author, a restaurateur and a restaurant partner and developer. He hails from Los Angeles, where he was born to Thai-Chinese parents who immigrated to the United States in 1966. His family traces their ancestry to the southern Chinese island province of Hainan. Jet is a developer of Dragon Tiger Noodle Co. and has worked as a developer with the national chain restaurant Pei Wei Asian Kitchen. He is a Food Network regular, having appeared on a plethora of shows. In 2013, he was awarded the honorary title of culinary ambassador to Thailand. Jet once participated in setting the record for the creation of the world's largest California roll.

Ashley Holt is a baker, cake artist and pastry chef who specializes in creating over-the-top culinary creations for celebrities. (Ashley, incidentally, is also well-known as a former fashion model.) She's widely known by the pseudonym Sugar Monster and Instagram handle @sugar_monsterr. (You can watch a video here featuring Ashley and her baking company.) In 2024, she was named to Food Network's "Hot List" of talent to watch as potential culinary rock stars.

Mei Lin is a Chinese-born American chef, a former Top Chef winner and a James Beard Award nominee best known for her fast-casual spicy fried chicken shop Daybird and 88 Club in Beverly Hills, where she balances Chinese heritage with creativity. Her cooking career began early, as she worked with her father at their family-owned restaurant outside Detroit. She worked for a time as the chef for the Detroit Lions and as Oprah Winfrey's personal chef, and she contributed recipes to Oprah's cookbook. She opened her first restaurant, Nightshade, in Los Angeles' art district in 2019. She has appeared on various Food Network shows.

Nini Nguyen is an American chef based in New Orleans, the city where she grew up. She first gained notoriety as a contestant on Season 16 of Top Chef. She has appeared on Food Network's Tournament of Champions, The Kitchen, Last Bite Hotel and Bobby's Triple Threat. In 2024, she published her first book, Đặc Biệt: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook.