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**Disclaimer: This Tournament of Champions article is based on the writer's opinion. Readers' discretion is advised.**
Tournament of Champions season 6 ended on April 20, 2025, with Antonia Lofaso finally winning the title after coming close in past seasons. In an exciting finale, she went up against Sara Bradley, a strong first-time finalist.
The Randomizer gave them a tough challenge: they had to cook with wagyu beef, huitlacoche, and a sausage stuffer, to make a spicy hot dish and a sticky cold one. Antonia made a glazed sticky beef salad and a spicy wagyu sausage with huitlacoche mash. Her dishes earned her a clear win with a score of 88–82, giving her the championship belt and a $150,000 prize.
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While the season had many intense cook-offs, one thing that stood out was the wildcard round. In the “West Wild Card Play-In,” four chefs faced off in sudden-death battles to win the final spot in the West bracket. This round brought extra excitement and gave chefs a second chance to show what they could do.
In my opinion, the wildcard round made the competition more balanced. It gave skilled chefs—who might have lost early due to tough Randomizer picks—another shot. Making wildcard rounds a regular part of future seasons could make the show even fairer and more exciting for fans.
A wildcard round adds fairness and balance to the Tournament of Champions competition
Tournament of Champions is known for its fast pace and unpredictable format. One tough Randomizer draw or tricky piece of equipment can send even a highly skilled chef home in the first round. That’s part of what makes the show exciting—but it also means great chefs sometimes don’t get the chance to show what they’re fully capable of.
In my opinion, that’s exactly why wildcard rounds matter. They offer a second chance to chefs who might have been knocked out early due to the format’s randomness rather than a lack of skill.
We saw a version of this in season 6 with the “West Wild Card Play-In,” where four chefs competed in sudden-death matches to claim the final spot in the West bracket. It added excitement and fairness to the competition.
A strong example of why this should be a regular part of the show is Claudette Zepeda. In season 6 of Tournament of Champions, she faced Nini Nguyen in the first round and got a difficult Randomizer combo: turkey breast, cantaloupe, radicchio, citrus, and a double boiler.
She created turkey carnitas—a dish full of identity and flavor—but was eliminated due to slightly overcooked meat. One tough ingredient combo ended her run, even though her talent and creativity were clear.
A wildcard round could have given Claudette—and others like her—a chance to bounce back and continue proving themselves in Tournament of Champions. For chefs and viewers alike, that second shot could make all the difference.
Wildcard rounds make the show more exciting for viewers
Wildcard rounds haven’t just added fairness—they’ve made Tournament of Champions more entertaining from the very beginning. In past seasons like season 2, wildcard play-in rounds were used in both the East and West regions. Four chefs in each region competed for the final eighth seed in their respective brackets, and those sudden-death matchups brought intensity right from the start.
These wildcard episodes often feel like mini-finals. With only one spot up for grabs, chefs go all in. The results are high-pressure, fast-paced battles that keep the energy up and give viewers a reason to invest early in the season.
In my opinion, including wildcard rounds creates stronger storylines. We’ve seen chefs who entered as wildcards go on to upset higher-seeded competitors. It adds an underdog element that keeps fans guessing and allows for unexpected arcs throughout the bracket. Even if these chefs don’t win it all, their journey becomes a key part of the season’s momentum.
Wildcard rounds also introduce us to more chefs. Not everyone makes it into the main 16 at first, but wildcard matches give newcomers and returning competitors a shot at proving themselves. This helps broaden the show’s appeal and creates more connections between the audience and the chefs.
Season after season, wildcard rounds have brought value—not just in fairness but in fun. They raise the stakes, deepen the roster, and keep the tournament format from feeling predictable.
Watch the latest episodes of Tournament of Champions on Food Network.
