"I was just one more away" — Top Chef star César comments on his elimination ahead of the finale

Top Chef season 22 released episode 13, titled Vivo Milano!, on June 5, 2025. The segment saw the four remaining chefs — Tristen, Bailey, Shuai, and César — travel to Milan, Italy, for the last phase of the competition, hoping to secure their spots in the finale. However, only three could move ahead. César, despite his efforts, failed to outperform his opponents, resulting in his elimination.

While speaking to the Top Chef cameras, César expressed his disappointment, saying:

"I'm just telling myself over and over, like, how proud I am of me. I got to go to Europe for the first time. I get to see myself grow as a person and as a chef. The part that I'm bummer out about, I was just one more away from, like, the final cook. I just wanted that one more."

César was pitted against Bailey in the last round of a three-part contest, in which each stage challenged the chefs to feature ingredients from Milan and Cortina. Shuai and Tristen had already progressed to the finale, having defeated César and Bailey in the first two rounds.

The third round required César and Bailey to cook a dish, highlighting gorgonzola cheese. While César prepared a noteworthy plate of food, it failed to highlight the key ingredient, resulting in his elimination.

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"Top-notch" — Top Chef judge Kristen Kish comments on César's creativity

In honor of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, the chefs were challenged to create dishes highlighting ingredients from Milan and Cortina and present them to the judges and Team USA Olympians and Paralympians, who appeared as guests in the episode.

As the challenge ensued, the Top Chef contenders put their best foot forward to impress the panelists. Shuai won the first round, in which he created a polenta dish, and Tristen won the second with his beet dish, garnering a positive reaction from the experts.

Ultimately, César and Bailey remained and had to compete in the third and final round, in which they had to use gorgonzola as their key ingredient.

César planned to serve a squash casserole with Mornay sauce made with gorgonzola. While explaining the inspiration behind his creation, he said:

"My chef de cuisine, John, this is one of his recipes. Just kind of like a little nod to him."

Bailey, on the other hand, prepared a polenta gratinata, which would include a crispy polenta topped with gorgonzola. Although it was a "strong dish," Bailey was determined to present her best performance and beat César.

While tasting César and Bailey's dishes, Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio said that they aptly represented the chefs' personalities.

"Whatever happens, you guys have done a great job," he added.

Gail Simmons echoed the sentiment, saying they were "both very rustic, very warm, comforting dishes." One of the guest panelists praised Bailey's preparation, noting that it almost tasted like a cheese pie. Another agreed, complimenting Bailey for nicely caramelizing the gorgonzola.

While reviewing César's dish, Kristen Kish mentioned:

"César's creativity is really top-notch."

Gail agreed, praising the cook of the squash. They also liked the "herbaceous taste" cooked through the gorgonzola, as it made the overall dish "lighter and very smooth." However, the experts pointed out that his dish had some "salty" bites. Tom explained that gorgonzola in itself was a salty cheese, and when cooked into a bechamel, it would become "more intense."

Soon after their deliberation, the Top Chef judges called César and Bailey to announce their verdict. Ultimately, Kristen asked César to pack his knives and leave the contest. Tom explained that although his dish was "great," Bailey's had a better focus on the gorgonzola.

César was disappointed to leave the competition. However, he was "proud" of how far he had come and his growth as a chef.

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