Watch Top Chef Masters Season 3 Episode 1

"Restaurant Wars"

The third season of the American reality competition show Top Chef Masters was announced on March 2, 2011. In addition to the announcement, it was announced that celebrity chef Curtis Stone would serve as the new host. Food critic and author Ruth Reichl also joins as a new series judge. The season will premiere on April 6, 2011 with 12 award-winning chefs competing against each other in weekly challenges. Unlike previous seasons, the chefs are no longer judged on a five-star rating system, but in elimination-style challenges similar to the format of the original Top Chef series.

Master Contestants:

12 chefs will compete in this season of Top Chef Masters. In alphabetical order by last name, the contestants are:

Hugh Acheson — Five & Ten, The National, and Gosford Wine (Athens, GA)
Floyd Cardoz — Union Square Hospitality Group (New York, NY)
John Currence — City Grocery Restaurant Group (Oxford, MS)
Traci Des Jardins — Jardiniére, Public House and Manzanita, and Mijita Cocina Mexicana (San Francisco, CA)
George Mendes — Aldea (New York, NY)
Mary Sue Milliken — Border Grill Restaurants and Truck (Los Angeles, CA)
Naomi Pomeroy — Beast (Portland, OR)
Suvir Saran — Dévi (New York, NY)
John Rivera Sedlar — Playa (Los Angeles, CA)
Alessandro "Alex" Stratta — Alex and Stratta (Las Vegas, NV)
Celina Tio — Julian Restaurant (Kansas City, MO)
Sue Zemanick — Gautreau's (New Orleans, LA)