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Popular reality cooking competition Top Chef has returned with a brand new installment. Season 20 of the hit series aired its premiere episode on Thursday, March 9, 2023, at 9 pm ET on Bravo.
It documented chefs from previous seasons of the show, along with their spin-offs, battling it out against each other in hopes of a second shot at the coveted title. The All-Stars season was filmed in London.
While some Top Chef contestants managed to impress, others failed to do so. Samuel Albert forgot to devein his prawns in the elimination round and became the first contestant to leave the competition. He was crowned the winner of Top Chef France season 10 and is the Executive Chef and owner of Les Petits Prés in Angers, France.
Season 20 of the Emmy-winning series is hosted by Padma Lakshmi along with judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. The press release of the show reads:
"With national pride and the title of World All-Stars on the line, the chefs are at the top of their game as they compete on a global stage. They have access to the finest U.K. ingredients as they showcase their culinary skills, diverse roots, and international influences in a series of high-pressure challenges."
More about Top Chef contestant Samuel Albert and his journey on the show
Samuel Albert was born and raised in Soucelles, France.
The Executive Chef and owner of Les Petits Prés established quite a success at the restaurant. According to Bravo, it is based on his family’s home where he took his first steps in the kitchen and began his passion in the culinary industry.
The Top Chef winner is known for his meticulous details on his plating and his creativity. For 10 years, Samuel traveled all over the world to train himself in various cuisines and also gather new ideas and inspirations. He was 20 years old when he went to London and eventually worked under the legendary French chef and restaurantuer Joël Robouchon.
Following gathering enough experience, Samuel worked in renowned restaurants around the globe, including Australia, Switzerland, China, New Zealand, Shanghai and Japan. He also served as the Executive Chef for the Belgium Embassy in Tokyo. After winning season 10 of Top Chef France, he was recognized for his culinary skills by being awarded the honor of the Order of the Belgian Crown.
He detailed his experience in making his debut as the cast member on the French version of the franchise and stated on his official website:
"Top Chef is an incredible experience that began following a bet with my friend Franckelie Laloum, season 9 candidate, during an evening between chefs in Tokyo. I met a great friend there, Guillaume Pape. Friends and complementary, our duo managed to climb to the final."
Samuel confessed to the competition being an "extraordinary experience," where he was able to express himself and his cuisine which "pushes the boundaries of French and Japanese fusion."
In the season premiere of Top Chef season 20 on Bravo, Samuel paired up with Tom Goetter from the German version of the franchise for the Quickfire Challenge. He struggled with the differences in the format between the French and the American version of the competition. They presented a beautifully cooked salmon but the flavor of the same was interrupted by their brittle cabbage emulsion.
Even during the elimination challenge, Samuel, alongside fellow chefs, was nervous when they found out they had to shop for the ingredients. He seemed overwhelmed throughout his cook, trying to overcomplicate it by using different techniques. He was in the bottom three with fellow chefs Gabri (Gabriel Rodriguez) and Dawn Burrell.
Samuel made the mistake of not cleaning his prawns properly and serving judges the intestines, which ultimately led to his elimination. The chef, however, has the chance to redeem himself on Last Chance Kitchen.
The chef has over 41K followers on Instagram and keep his followers updated about his acitivites, restaurant milestones and pictures with his friends and family.
Season 20 of Top Chef has aired a very interesting premiere. In the coming weeks, more intriguing challenges are set to test the contestants' culinary abilities and their creativity as they present their dishes in hopes of moving forward in the competition. Viewers will have to stay tuned to witness all of it.
Don't forget to tune in to a brand new episode of Bravo's Top Chef next Thursday, March 23, 2023, at 9 pm ET.
