Top Chef’s Final Three Discuss Culinary Identity, Growth, and the Road to the Season 23 Finale
After traveling through the Carolinas, the Top Chef Season 23 finalists long to hear four coveted words: “You are Top Chef.” Ahead of the finale, FlickDirect spoke to Sherry Cardoso, Laurence Louie, and Rhoda Magbitang about their experience and how their final cook stayed true to their culinary point of view.
Throughout the season, the three Top Chef finalists experienced highs, lows, eliminations, and triumphs. The cheftestants have been a tight-knit group. Even though tempers flared occasionally, their bond extends beyond the kitchen. The competition pressure is intense. But their appreciation for each other as people and chefs is clear.
For the Season 23 finale, the cheftestants create a progressive four-course meal. While this premise has played out over most of the Top Chef seasons, it is more than just a moment in time. It is a reflection of an edict that the cheftestants hear over and over. The judges want to see “them on a plate.”
Chef Laurence Louie understood the brief early in the season. Regardless of going out early or making it to the finale, he was intentional with his choices. For him, it was about “using the platform in a meaningful way.”
“The judges want to see ‘them on a plate.’”
In every challenge, Chef Laurence sought to showcase his cultural identity. Chinese food had a big stage on the Top Chef platform. Most importantly, he said his goal was “to make my city, my community, my family, and everyone as proud as possible, regardless of the results.”
Chef Sherry Cardoso had a similar perspective on her journey. Having gained momentum towards the end of the season, Chef Sherry rode a wave of success into the final cook. While she admitted that her 20 years of professional cooking made her set in her ways, she understood it truly represents who she is as a chef.
Specifically, Chef Sherry said, “I’m so proud of the food that I was representing.” Infusing her Brazilian background into challenges was a key to her successful season. She admitted, “I don’t think I would have changed anything.”
For Chef Rhoda Magbitang, her journey to the Top Chef Season 23 finale had the biggest swings. Returning to the competition through Last Chance Kitchen after several early challenge wins, she appreciated the journey as a whole. Although she would change elements if offered a do-over, she does not dwell on the “woulda coulda, shoulda” aspect of the competition.
Specifically, Chef Rhoda believes that there needs to be a “level of surrender” in the moment. Overall, she said that “at the end of the day, it's what felt right in the moment; you go with your instinct, you go with your gut.”
In the end, all three finalists walked away from Top Chef with an experience that will benefit their culinary careers. From being immersed in regionally inspired challenges to stepping outside of their comfort zone, these cheftestants proved that culinary storytelling creates connection and nourishes people long after they leave a table.
Which cheftestant earned the coveted title and will join an elite group who can be called Top Chef winner? Tune in to the Top Chef Season 23 finale at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo. Episodes can be streamed the next day on Peacock.
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