This post originally was published on Audible.com.
The 22nd season of Top Chef, everyone's favorite reality cooking competition, premiered on March 13, 2025. Host Kristen Kish and longtime judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons returned with a new crew of 15 up-and-coming chefs and culinary hopefuls from across the world. This season took to the road: Top Chef: Destination Canada was filmed in locations across Canada, including Toronto, Montreal, and Calgary. It celebrates Canada's vibrant culinary scenes, from Toronto's spectacular international cuisines to the rich culinary history of Prince Edward Island.
To get ready for what promises to be a mouthwatering season, we've curated some of the best listens by former Top Chef judges, hosts, and contestants. Most of these selections are a savory blend of memoir, food writing, travel writing, journalism, and recipes. They all reflect the incredible talent and creativity of the many chefs who've been a part of the show over the years. There's something here for everyone, whether you're interested in culinary history, the restaurant world, or are just looking for a new favorite meal. Just remember to grab a snack before you press play.
Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, co-founder of the Gramercy Tavern in New York, has served as Top Chef's head judge since the show's inception in 2006. In this blend of memoir and recipes, he shares stories from his long and storied culinary career, from the first recipe he cooked at age 13 to the kitchens of some of New York City's most beloved restaurants. Though he devotes plenty of time to Top Chef, he also writes about his childhood in New Jersey and his Italian American upbringing. The result is a full portrait of a fascinating life, superbly narrated by Will Damron.
After winning the 10th season of Top Chef, Kristen Kish became the show's host in 2023. In her new memoir, she explores her winding and often unexpected journey through kitchens and TV sets to the culinary career she never quite expected to have. She writes about her childhood as a Korean adoptee, her discovery of cooking, and her coming out as an adult. Kish herself reads the audiobook, and, like the memoir itself, her voice is full of humor and warmth.
Longtime Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi anchored every season from 2006 to 2023. In this poignant memoir about her life on and off the camera, she writes about the food, places, and, most importantly, people, who have shaped her life—from her childhood in New York to her grandmother's kitchen in South India. This is a wonderfully evocative story, rich with sensory detail. Lakshmi's narration is graceful and intimate, inviting you into her world for the duration of her story.
Kwame Onwuachi was a Top Chef contestant in 2015, and though he didn't win, he was beloved by fans for both his charisma and talent, and returned to the show as a guest judge in 2021. With incredible honesty and vulnerability, he shares his story in this memoir, which follows his sometimes rocky culinary coming-of-age in locales ranging from the Bronx to Nigeria to the kitchen of a Deepwater Horizon cleanup ship. Though Onwuachi fearlessly shines a spotlight on the struggles he's faced as a young Black man in the culinary world, his exuberant and defiant memoir is also full of joy. All of Onwuachi's passion comes through loud and clear in his narration.
When she appeared on Top Chef in 2017, Fatima Ali was voted the Fan Favorite, beloved for her indomitable spirit and creativity. Just after appearing on the show, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She spent the remaining time she had traveling the world, cooking, and speaking out about what mattered most to her as a queer Pakistani American woman and chef. This poignant, inspiring memoir, which includes her own writing as well as contributions from her mother, is an ode to family, culture, and food. In their thoughtful and loving narration, Nikhaar Kishnani and Deepa Samuel honor and celebrate Ali's incredible life.
Edward Lee, who appeared on Top Chef in 2011, has always been interested in the people and the stories behind the recipes. What makes a meal memorable or special? What makes one particular ingredient so important? Seeking to answer these questions and more, Lee set out on a culinary trip across America. In this memoir, he shares the remarkable stories of the people he encountered, from New Orleans to Brighton Beach. Along the way, he muses on his own life in the kitchen, and shares several mouthwatering new recipes. Narrator David Shih does a wonderful job bringing these many vibrant narratives to life.
Chef and restaurateur Richard Blais was the runner-up on his first Top Chef appearance in 2008 and later won the competition when he appeared on Top Chef: All-Stars. In this hilarious and creative podcast, he blends comedy and cooking in a game-show format that will have you laughing out loud. Blais invites chefs, writers, comedians, restaurateurs, and others on the show to debate a controversial topic in food. (Do pineapples belong on pizza? Are brownie centers or edges the superior bite? Should bagels be served toasted or untoasted?) Everyone gets their say, and then Blais makes the final judgment.
Carla Hall appeared on two seasons of Top Chef and was voted Fan Favorite in her second appearance in 2010. In this exuberant blend of memoir and recipe book, Hall celebrates the rich history, present, and future of soul food and Southern cooking. She shares stories from her Nashville childhood and explores the vegetable-rich soul food tradition across multiple continents. Narrated by Hall herself with charisma and charm, her deep knowledge and obvious love of food make this a delightful, unforgettable listen.
The late chef, food writer, and culinary trailblazer Anthony Bourdain made several appearances on Top Chef, both as a guest judge and as a main judge in Season 8, Top Chef: All-Stars. Shimmering with Bourdain’s typical irreverence, brash humor, directness, and honesty, Medium Raw explored how the food world has changed—for better and worse—in the years since his first book, Kitchen Confidential, was published. His sharp eye spares no one, including many past Top Chef contestants. This rollicking behind-the-scenes memoir, which Bourdain read himself, is a must-listen for anyone who loves food and the world of cooking.
Ruth Reichl, one of the most iconic American food writers and restaurant critics, judged three seasons of the Top Chef spinoff show Top Chef: Masters and appeared as a guest judge in Season 17 of the original show. In this now-classic food memoir, she shares the story of the time she spent as editor-in-chief of Gourmet, and how the magazine, and, with it, the food world, transformed under her leadership. Tender, wise, funny, and full of gorgeous descriptions of unforgettable meals, this audiobook will have you running for the kitchen. Reichl's down-to-earth narration only adds to its lasting charm.
