PORTLAND, Ore. — Heads up, Portland foodies. Bravo’s hit TV show Top Chef is heading to Portland for its next season.
It’s the first time the show will be coming to the Rose City. The network made the announcement Monday.
“Portland has been on our radar for the last few years as a burgeoning culinary destination known for its innovative dining scene driven by independent, chef-owned restaurants, local farms and purveyors,” Shari Levine, executive vice president, current production, Bravo, said in a statement. “The city’s unique culture alongside Oregon’s natural pantry of indigenous ingredients and incredible scenic beauty makes it the ultimate chef’s playground and an ideal destination for ‘Top Chef’ to explore.”
The new season, which will be the show’s 18th, will come in 2021. In addition to the Portland, the show will explore the Hood River Fruit Loop, Columbia River Gorge, Mount Hood territory, Tillamook Bay, Tualatin Valley and Willamette Valley wine country.
“Considering all our community is facing this year, ‘Top Chef’s selection of Portland as its filming location means more than if we had been selected any other year because it recognizes that, in spite of everything, our city remains a world-class culinary destination," Jeff Miller, Travel Portland president and CEO, said in a statement. "The show will serve as a window into what Portland has to offer when viewers are ready to travel again. This confirms what we know to be true, that the collaborative spirit and innovation of our chefs, purveyors and local brands make this one of the premier culinary communities in the world.”
Production on the new season is underway with safety standards in accordance with CDC COVID-19 guidance, according to Bravo. Host Padma Lakshmi, head judge Tom Colicchio and judge Gail Simmons will all be back.
