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Tournament of Champions Season 6 wrapped on April 20, 2025, with Antonia Lofaso finally winning her first title after years of competing. She faced Sara Bradley in the finale, taking on a challenging Randomizer combination that included wagyu beef, huitlacoche, a sausage stuffer, and the task of making both a spicy hot dish and a sticky cold one. Her dishes earned her a decisive 88–82 win.
It was a memorable finale—but in my opinion, it also felt too quick. After weeks of single-elimination rounds, chefs go through intense matchups, only to have the entire season hinge on just one final cook-off. I believe the Tournament of Champions finale deserves more than that. It should be a best-of-three cook-off.
A final between the top two chefs should reflect everything TOC stands for: skill, adaptability, and consistency under pressure. In my opinion, one challenge—no matter how difficult—isn’t always enough to determine the better chef.
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A best-of-three would not only give both finalists a chance to recover from a misstep but also provide viewers with a more satisfying and well-rounded conclusion to the tournament.
A best-of-three final in Tournament of Champions would make the outcome more fair and complete
Tournament of Champions prides itself on fairness—blind judging, randomized challenges, and equal time limits. But in my opinion, the one-and-done structure of the final round doesn’t fully reflect that standard. After weeks of competition, it all comes down to a single cook. And sometimes, even great chefs can stumble once under extreme pressure.
In a best-of-three format, chefs would have the chance to demonstrate consistency over multiple rounds. One challenge might test technique. The next could focus on innovation or flavor balance. A final round could raise the stakes with a legacy Randomizer combo or fan-voted twist. In my opinion, this layered format would give viewers and judges a more complete view of each chef’s range.
It’s also a more forgiving structure. If a chef has a minor issue in one dish—say, overcooked protein or a plating misstep—it doesn’t instantly cost them the entire tournament. Instead, they can recover and respond, which is, in many ways, a more accurate reflection of how chefs work in real kitchens.
Chefs like Antonia Lofaso and Tiffani Faison have shown that they can compete at a high level round after round. In my opinion, asking finalists to do it three times instead of once wouldn’t be unreasonable—it would be a true test of championship ability.
More importantly, it would make the finale feel earned, not rushed. After weeks of effort, a single plate shouldn’t decide everything. A best-of-three cook-off could be the evolution TOC needs to make its final round match the weight of the journey.
A best-of-three format would give viewers a more satisfying finale
Finales are meant to feel big. And in Tournament of Champions, the finale is framed as the ultimate showdown between the two most consistent chefs of the season. But in my opinion, having that high-stakes moment come down to just one cook limits the emotional payoff for the audience.
A best-of-three format would extend the tension and excitement across multiple rounds. Viewers wouldn’t just be holding their breath for one dish—they’d be watching a real battle take place. Each round would carry weight, and in my opinion, the progression would give the finale the depth and pacing it currently lacks.
Right now, some Tournament of Champions finales feel like a continuation of the semifinals, with little buildup beyond the Randomizer twist. But if the final were split into three challenges—each testing a different skill or theme—it would turn the finale into a true culinary event. In my opinion, this would allow for more storytelling, more chef insight, and better engagement.
From a production standpoint, it would also create opportunities to showcase each finalist more fully. In my opinion, the best-of-three format wouldn’t just be fairer—it would make the conclusion more rewarding for the people watching, especially those who’ve followed every round from the qualifiers to the championship.
Fans can watch the latest season of Tournament of Champions streaming on Food Network.
