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Bravo's Top Chef: Destination Canada has aired ten episodes and only seven contestants remain in the running to win the coveted title. The chefs have to isolate themselves during the run of the competition, as the reality show is filmed on the outskirts of Toronto inside Studio 550.
The showrunner Doneen Arquines spoke to TV Insider on May 13, 2025, and discussed how the isolation was the hardest part of the competition. She added that it was something that took a "lot of getting used to."
"It’s definitely something that takes a lot of getting used to. I think that weighs on a lot of people in the beginning because they are not used to it," Arquines said.
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Doneen also revealed that while it was hard for some contestants to get used to the isolation, initially, as time went on, they were able to adjust. Some Top Chef cheftestants even found that being away from the distractions at home was beneficial to their quest. However, others struggled with being away, depending on their personal circumstances at home.
Top Chef showrunner Doneen Arquines opens up about production secrets
In the same interview with TV Insider, Top Chef: Destination Canada showrunner Doneen revealed that the producers gave contestants a support system. Before filming, the Top Chef contestants met with mental health professionals.
The producers also had a casting team on standby 24/7 to assist contestants. Meanwhile, during breaks, the production team tried to keep contestants entertained and comfortable.
Talking about managing all the food that the contestants make during the run of the show, Doneen revealed they found an interesting way to categorize food items. The production team managed leftover food by discarding things that had been out too long. However, they also reduced waste by giving contestants produce that was near its expiry date.
Contestants who had apartments were given the option to take the food home. This way, the food didn't go to waste and benefited the team overall.
"What winds up happening if there is produce that is about to go bad or coming to the end of it’s lifespan and won’t make it to the next challenge, the culinary producers will actually give it to the chefs to take home with them," revealed Doneen.
In the interview, Doneen also noted that many people work behind the scenes to make the show happen and expressed her gratitude towards them. This team includes production staff, the art department, culinary experts, lighting and sound technicians, and more. Many had prior experience, which helped the production run smoothly. According to Doneen, each department played a role in the show's success.
As she discussed creating the various challenges during Top Chef, Doneen said that the team creates challenges by brainstorming new ideas or putting a fresh spin on previous ones. They consider fan feedback as well by reading tweets and listening to podcasts. Old team members, familiar with the show's format, take charge of the challenge development process.
"For the most part, a lot of our team have been around for several seasons and the biggest thing for us is to come up with challenges not done before," stated Doneen.
Sometimes, specific ideas come from team members, like the Depanneur challenge, which incorporated French ingredients. Collaborations with hosts like Punkie also influence challenge design. Ultimately, Doneen revealed that the goal was to create engaging, difficult, and entertaining challenges.
The latest episode of Top Chef aired on May 15, 2025, on Bravo.
