Milwaukee chef will compete on ‘Top Chef’ Season 21, premiering in March
By now, you likely know that the upcoming season of “Top Chef” will be set in Wisconsin. The Emmy-winning cooking competition show spent about six weeks late last summer filming in locations split between Milwaukee and Madison, pushing hopeful chefs to the limit while showcasing the state’s fresh produce, world-class dairy products and exceptional culinary scene.
But aside from tuning in to see our state shine on the small screen, there’s a new reason to be even more excited: a Milwaukee chef will be competing on his home turf for the title of Top Chef, a cash prize of $250,000, and a feature in Food & Wine and an appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.
Dan Jacobs, chef and co-owner of Milwaukee’s DanDan, 360 E. Erie St., and EsterEv (soon to open in its new space in Bay View), is among 15 “cheftestants” from across the country competing on “Top Chef” Season 21, premiering March 20.
Bravo released a trailer for the new season and announced the premiere date and full lineup of contestants Wednesday morning.
“It’s amazing to see Milwaukee represented in such an incredible way," Jacobs said in a statement. "As the only Wisconsin-based contestant on this season, I take a lot of pride in representing our incredible culinary community that has inspired me to be where I am today.”
Jacobs, a native of Chicago, moved to Milwaukee in 2011 and worked in kitchens at Roots, Wolf Peach and Odd Duck before opening Chinese-American restaurant DanDan with chef and co-owner Dan Van Rite in 2016. That year, the duo also opened their fine dining tasting-menu restaurant EsterEv, located inside DanDan.
Jacobs and Van Rite recently earned their sixth James Beard semifinalist nomination for their work at EsterEv.
“Top Chef” is a notoriously grueling competition, with challenges that require contestants to create exemplary dishes in less-than-ideal conditions under limited time constraints. As if the pressure wasn't enough, Jacobs competed while battling the effects of Kennedy’s Disease, a neuromuscular condition he was diagnosed with in 2016 that causes muscle atrophy and slowly deteriorates the ability to swallow, speak, walk and use hands for everyday tasks.
“A big reason I wanted to compete on ‘Top Chef’ was to inspire people with disabilities," Jacobs said. "I hope this platform allows me to inspire people who are differently-abled to pursue their passions, especially in the culinary world where physical constraints can be a big barrier.”
On March 3, just before his "Top Chef" debut, Jacobs will host Dim Sum and Give Some, a culinary event raising funds for Kennedy’s Disease research and awareness. “Top Chef” Season 4 winner Stephanie Izard and “Top Chef” Season 15 winner Joe Flamm will be in attendance, as will Jacobs’ fellow “Top Chef” Season 21 competitor Kaleena Bliss of Cindy’s Rooftop restaurant in Chicago.
Challenges throughout the season will highlight Wisconsin traditions and culinary staples, including a cheese festival competition, a Door County fish boil, creating a supper-club menu and showcasing the versatility of Wisconsin-grown cranberries and Door County cherries. Even the Milwaukee Brewers' Famous Racing Sausages will get in on the action.
Here is the full cast list for Season 21 of "Top Chef":
Kaleena Bliss - Chicago, IL
Kevin D’Andrea - Austin, TX
Alisha Elenz - Chicago, IL
Danny Garcia - New York, NY
Valentine Howell Jr. - Boston, MA
Dan Jacobs - Milwaukee, WI
Manny Barella Lopez - Denver, CO
Savannah Miller - Durham, NC
David Murphy - San Francisco, CA
Kenny Nguyen - Athens, GA
Laura Ozyilmaz - San Francisco, CA
Charly Pierre - New Orleans, LA
Amanda Turner - Austin, TX
Rasika Venkatesa - San Francisco, CA
Michelle Wallace - Houston, TX
Season 21 will be the first hosted by “Top Chef” Season 10 winner Kristen Kish, who took over after longtime host Padma Lakshmi stepped down last year. Judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons will return to the show.
Top Chef Wisconsin: Kristen Kish, Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio talk about the things they enjoyed while filming here
This season will feature a few fun twists to the competition. First, each episode will be 75 minutes long (more time to show off Wisconsin!). Additionally, contestants will have the chance to win cash at every Quickfire Challenge, and immunity will be up for grabs at Elimination Challenges, meaning the winner will be automatically safe in the next episode.
Throughout the competition, “Top Chef” winners, finalists and favorites return to lend their guidance and expertise, including Sara Bradley, Joe Flamm, Jeremy Ford, Gregory Gourdet, Stephanie Izard, Carla Hall, Ed Lee, Mei Lin, Buddha Lo, Kwame Onwuachi, Shota Najikama, Amar Santana, Justin Sutherland and Bryan Voltaggio.
An elite group of rotating judges and panelists will also appear throughout the season, including an appearance from Milwaukee's Dane Baldwin, chef and co-owner of The Diplomat; restauranteur Paul Bartolotta; Adam Seigel, executive chef and owner of Lupi & Iris; Madison's Tory Miller, executive chef and co-owner of L'Etoile; Itaru Nagano and Andrew Kroeger, chefs and owners of Madison's Fairchild restaurant; Joe and Shaina Papach, co-owners of Madison's Harvey House; Elena Terry, executive chef and founder of the Wisconsin Dells' Wild Bearies; Wisconsin native and comedian Charlie Berens; and former Milwaukee Brewer Ryan Braun.
Other panelists include Dominique Crenn, Curtis Duffy, Clea Duvall, Emeril Lagasse, Hunter Lewis, Bricia Lopez, Carrie Nahabedian, Justin Pichetrungsi, Sofia Roe, Sean Sherman, Helmi Smeulders, Art Smith, Brittany Snow, Christina Tosi, Erick Williams, and David Zilber.
While most of the challenges were taped in Wisconsin, the season finale will take place aboard a Holland America cruise ship, where finalists must create a four-course meal for the judges.
“Top Chef” Season 21 will premiere on Bravo at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20. Episodes will be available the following day on the Peacock streaming service.
Watch the full trailer below for a sneak peek at 'Top Chef' Season 21.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 'Top Chef' Wisconsin premieres in March; Milwaukee chef a contestant
