"Top Chef" judges dig into Charlotte's food scene
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L-R: Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, Kristen Kish. Photo: David Moir/Bravo via Getty Images
As Bravo's "Top Chef" films Season 23 in Charlotte, the show's stars have been visiting some of Charlotte's best restaurants.
Why it matters: Charlotte is hungry for culinary clout, and having Bravo's Emmy-winning cooking competition here puts the city's food scene in the national spotlight.
State of play: The show, set to air in 2026, will showcase Southern hospitality and regional flavors.
- It will also shoot in Greenville, S.C.
What they're saying: I sat down with the cast, who have been filming around Charlotte since mid-August and asked them where they've eaten so far.
- Kristen Kish: "I've frequented Bojangles twice … Lang Van, Supperland, Kindred, Milkbread. Really delicious." She says her DMs are flooded with Charlotte restaurant recommendations.
- Gail Simmons: In just under two weeks, she's hit Kindred, Albertine, Yunta, Church & Union, Milkbread, Supperland, Customshop and Lang Van. "I love Customshop … the perfect little local neighborhood restaurant."
- Tom Colicchio: Supperland, Kindred, Lang Van and Milkbread are on his list. He admits he doesn't research — "I just say, 'Gail, where are we going for dinner tonight?'"
The intrigue: This is Kish and Simmons' first trip to Charlotte. They said they've been enjoying Charlotte's trails and green space, including the Whitewater Center.
- Colicchio tells me he visited once before, about eight years ago, looking to open a restaurant here that never materialized. A lot has changed since then, including "a lot more buildings," he notes. "But it looks like it's grown up food-wise" as well.
Between the lines: Charlotte's restaurant boom mirrors a national trend, according to Colicchio — chefs leaving big cities to return to their hometowns and open smaller, independent spots.
- "It seems that there are a lot of smaller restaurants that are chef-owned … and a few hospitality groups opening multiple restaurants, too, which is usually a good barometer for a city kind of starting to grow up."
What's next: Charlotte's season of "Top Chef" will air in 2026.