The 22nd season of “Top Chef” premieres on Bravo tonight — giving a viewing audience of foodies another reason to get excited over the thrill of competition and recipes you can see, but not actually taste through the television screen. The show helped influence the era of reality cooking shows and has seen its share of Las Vegas chefs as contestants. A few of them have restaurants you can visit right now.
🍸 Boom Bang Fine Foods & Cocktails
Elia Aboumrad reached the final four of Season 2 and returned for a brief appearance on “Top Chef: All-Stars.” She now runs her own Henderson restaurant, Boom Bang Fine Foods & Cocktails, a stylish brasserie that puts a gourmet spin on burgers, corndogs, and thin-crust Connecticut-style pizza (offered exclusively on the happy hour menu, which also runs during the day on weekends). You can even try fine-dining level mashed potatoes, inspired by those made famous by Aboumrad’s mentor Joël Robuchon.
🥗 Stubborn Seed
Jeremy Ford just opened Stubborn Seed at Resorts World, giving Las Vegas its first restaurant by a “Top Chef” winner. After conquering Season 13, Ford opened the first Stubborn Seed in Miami Beach, earning a Michelin star in 2022. The menu is a combination of global influences with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients, best experienced in a choice of two tasting menus.
🐮 STK
Stephen Hopcraft appeared on Season 7, then opened STK at the Cosmopolitan, where he remains in place as executive chef to this day. Such longevity in one place is rare on the Las Vegas Strip, but Hopcraft serves up steaks and shareable sides that match the restaurant’s lounge atmosphere, which was years ahead of the vibe-dining trend. The menu is standard Strip pricing, but small plates are just $7 during happy hour.
🍖 SoulBelly BBQ & Pepper Club
Bruce Kalman made a name for himself long before appearing on Season 15, which is especially memorable since the chef became a dad while in the middle of filming. He later wound up in Vegas, opening SoulBelly BBQ as the Arts District was building its reputation as a culinary destination. Kalman recently took on the role of food and beverage director and curator of Midtown, which plans to break ground this year on new condo buildings in the north end of the Arts District. So far, he’s revamped the Pepper Club inside the English Hotel, shifting to a Mediterranean-influenced menu alongside head chef Manny Rivera.
🍜 Black Sheep
Strip-veteran, Jamie Tran opened her own restaurant, Black Sheep, in the Southwest Valley before joining Season 18. Her quirky personality made Tran a fan favorite and while she didn’t win, she received a second chance in the competition by emerging victorious on “Last Chance Kitchen.” Black Sheep continues to go strong, blending American cookery with inspiration from the chef’s own Vietnamese heritage.
🐷 Ai Pono Café
Las Vegas has a big Hawaiian population, but is surprisingly short on Pacific Islander cuisine. Season 5 contestant Gene Villiatora helps fill in the gap with Ai Pono Café inside the Durango Casino and Resort. The fast-casual counter has its own small dining room inside the Eat Your Heart Out food hall, serving inspired takes on curry oxtail soup and chicken katsu.
- Need more restaurant suggestions? City Cast Las Vegas has some advice on where to find the best sandwiches in Las Vegas 🥪 [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]
