Virginia chef wins, but Chicago delivers culinary showmanship in ‘Top Chef’ finale

Chicago came out as a winner of Bravo’s Top Chef Season 22, just not the way you might think.

Tristen Epps, chef and owner at Epps & Flows Culinary in Virginia, was ultimately crowned the night’s winner with Chef Zubair Mohajir — a Chicagoan — by his side as his sous chef. Among Epps’ two other competitors during the finale were Bailey Sullivan, the executive chef of Chicago’s Monteverde, and Shuai Wang, chef and owner at Jackrabbit Filly & King BBQ in South Carolina.

With three local chefs competing in the latest season of Top Chef, Chicago had the most contestants on the show. Mohajir, founder and executive chef of Lilac Tiger, Coach House, and Mirra; César Murillo, executive chef at North Pond, and Sullivan all stepped into the televised food arena before Sullivan ultimately edged them out due to her unique, creative pairings, and became the last Chicagoan standing.

“A lot of the things she tries shouldn’t work, but they do,” commented Gail Simmons in reference to a dish in which Sullivan paired charred octopus with creamy mozzarella—a combo most chefs tend to avoid due to conflicting textures and flavor profiles. Sullivan shared that the dish was inspired by her desire to marry different parts of her life into one, even if on the surface, they don’t seem to work.

Mohajir joined his fellow Chicagoan when he was brought back to serve as Epps’ sous chef after being eliminated in the fourth episode. For the final meal, finalists were instructed to "make the best four course progressive meal of [their] life.”

Sullivan shined when she leaned into contrasting flavors. An alpini anolini pasta dish in broth with porcini mushroom, robiola soft-cheese and pecans earned her high marks. She stumbled in her second course — an homage to her boss at Monteverde, Chef Sarah Grueneberg (who also came in second on Top Chef during her 2012 finale). The red fish dish was inspired by Grueneberg’s childhood activity of fishing with her grandfather. The judges felt “it didn’t have the brightness” they had come to associate with Sullivan. When she tried to be anything other than herself, it didn’t always work.

She regained her footing with a dessert inspired by frittelle di zucca, a pasta dish. Chef and Judge Tom Colicchio described the pizzelle cookie, mascarpone cream, espresso and stracciatella gelato cake as a “pumpkin spice tiramisu that worked.” The juxtaposition of ideas and flavors are her signature.

Learning to “trust all the weird stuff in her head,” is what Sullivan told the judges has gotten her so far.

Mohajir wasn’t the only Chicago surprise of the night. Genie Kwon and Tim Flores of Kasama, a Michelin starred and James Beard Foundation Award winner, joined the judges for the final sitdown meal.

In a high-stakes competition show, camaraderie shined. There was no backstabbing or angry outbursts. Before the three chefs learned their fate, they overlooked a piazza in Milan, Italy, and exchanged compliments, "I love yous" and a few tears.

With Epps' win, he became the first Top Chef to focus on African Caribbean cuisine.