''Top Chef: Boston'' is the twelfth season of the American reality television series ''
Top Chef
''Top Chef'' is an American reality competition television series which premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006. The show features chefs competing against each other in culinary challenges. The contestants are judged by a panel of professional ch ...
''. The season was formally announced on August 20, 2014, and premiered on October 15, 2014.
Filming for Season 12 took place from May through June 2014 in locations around
Boston, Massachusetts, concluding with a finale in
San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende () is the principal city in the municipality of San Miguel de Allende, located in the far eastern part of Guanajuato, Mexico. A part of the Bajío region, the city lies from Mexico City, 86 km (53 mi) from Queré ...
,
Guanajuato and the surrounding area.
[ '' Top Chef: Chicago'' finalist and '' Top Chef: All-Stars'' winner ]Richard Blais
Richard Blais (born February 12, 1972) is an American chef, television personality, restaurateur and author. He appeared on the reality show cooking show '' Top Chef'', and is known for his take on classic American cuisine. Blais was the runner ...
debuted as a recurring judge, joining Tom Colicchio
Thomas Patrick Colicchio (; born August 15, 1962) is an American celebrity chef. He co-founded the Gramercy Tavern in New York City, and formerly served as a co-owner and as the executive chef. He is also the founder of Crafted Hospitality, whic ...
, Gail Simmons
Gail Simmons (born May 19, 1976) is a Canadian-American food writer and cookbook author. She has served as a permanent judge on Bravo's Emmy-winning series ''Top Chef'' since the show's inception in 2006. Simmons was previously the head critic on ...
, Hugh Acheson
Hugh Acheson (born November 5, 1971) is a Canadian-born chef and restaurateur. He owns four restaurants in Georgia, and serves as a judge on the reality cooking competition show ''Top Chef'', and as an Iron Chef on Iron Chef Canada.
Early life
...
, and host Padma Lakshmi
Padma Parvati Lakshmi (; born September 1, 1970) is an Indian-born American author, activist, actress, model, philanthropist, and television host. She has hosted the cooking competition program ''Top Chef'' on Bravo continuously since season 2 ...
on the judging panel.[ ''Last Chance Kitchen'' also returned for its fourth season, beginning with a two-part redemption mid-season and continuing until the first part of the finale. In the season finale, Mei Lin was declared the winner over runner-up Gregory Gourdet. Unlike previous seasons, no Fan Favorite vote was held.
]
Production
According to reports by ''Deadline Hollywood
''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. The site is updated several times a day, wit ...
'', members of Boston's local Teamsters Union
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), also known as the Teamsters Union, is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of The Team Drivers International Union and The Teamsters National Union, the un ...
allegedly harassed and intimidated Lakshmi and other ''Top Chef'' staff during the production's June film shoot at the Steel & Rye restaurant in Milton, Massachusetts
Milton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States and an affluent suburb of Boston. The population was 28,630 at the 2020 census. Milton is the birthplace of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and architect Buckminster Fuller. ...
.[ While the network insisted the incident was isolated, sources for '']The Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' reported that the threats did prompt Bravo to change the locations of some tapings. Teamsters Local 25 later released a statement denying the allegations. Four Teamsters were then indicted on charges of conspiracy to extort, attempted extortion, and aiding and abetting
Aiding and abetting is a legal doctrine related to the guilt of someone who aids or abets (encourages, incites) another person in the commission of a crime (or in another's suicide). It exists in a number of different countries and generally allo ...
. The trial began on August 1, 2017. On August 15, 2017, a jury acquitted the four Teamsters of all charges.
Contestants
Sixteen chefs were selected to compete in ''Top Chef: Boston''.[
Katsuji Tanabe returned to compete in '' Top Chef: Charleston''. Tanabe also appeared as a contestant on the first season of ''Top Chef México'', the Mexican version of ''Top Chef'' from NBC Universo. Gregory Gourdet and Melissa King returned for '' Top Chef: All-Stars L.A.'']
Contestant progress
: The chef(s) did not receive immunity for winning the Quickfire Challenge.
: George lost the Sudden Death Quickfire Challenge and was eliminated.
: Katie lost the Sudden Death Quickfire Challenge against George. As a result, George was reinstated into the competition.
: There were no eliminations in Episode 11.
: Doug won ''Last Chance Kitchen'' and returned to the competition.
: (WINNER) The chef won the season and was crowned "Top Chef".
: (RUNNER-UP) The chef was a runner-up for the season.
: (WIN) The chef won the Elimination Challenge.
: (HIGH) The chef was selected as one of the top entries in the Elimination Challenge, but did not win.
: (IN) The chef was not selected as one of the top or bottom entries in the Elimination Challenge and was safe.
: (LOW) The chef was selected as one of the bottom entries in the Elimination Challenge, but was not eliminated.
: (OUT) The chef lost the Elimination Challenge.
Episodes
''Last Chance Kitchen''
Episodes
References
;Notes
;Footnotes
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Top Chef (Season 12)
Top Chef
Television shows set in Boston
Television shows filmed in Boston
Television shows filmed in Massachusetts
Television shows filmed in Mexico
2014 American television seasons
2015 American television seasons