2025-05-02 03:34:09

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The 22nd season of Top Chef, titled Destination Canada, premiered on March 13, 2025 — just nine days after the Trump administration reinstated 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports. Though the season was filmed before Donald Trump returned to office, the backdrop of renewed political and economic tensions between the two nations has made the season’s concept feel unexpectedly topical. Judge Gail Simmons, a Toronto native, summed it up in a conversation with Variety published May 1, stating, "I mean, the whole thing feels so outlandish. The fact that we have to explain that in the first place, but also, who would have ever thought that we would be at a point in our relationship between our two nations where there was a reason to defend Canada, and think about trade between our two countries?” Despite the geopolitical undertones, Top Chef continues its culinary focus, with host Kristen Kish and judges Tom Colicchio and Simmons highlighting Canada’s vast food culture. Top Chef Judges open up about political relations between America and Canada View this post on Instagram Instagram PostIn a May 1 interview with Variety, Simmons admitted that the political climate had overshadowed the show’s original focus on food. She expressed surprise at how tensions between the two countries had escalated to the point where there was even a need to defend Canada.Simmons noted that the timing of the premiere, just days after the U.S. announced tariffs, unintentionally placed Top Chef into a political spotlight. This was further intensified by Trump’s rhetoric about making Canada a “51st state.”“It seems like [the tariffs] are being held off for a little bit, but we’ll see what transpires,” she added. “Other countries are distinct nations that don’t care as much about America as America maybe cares about itself. And by that, I don’t mean the citizens of America necessarily.”Head judge Tom Colicchio was even more blunt, stating in the same interview: “It’s indicative of the stupidity coming out of this administration.” Simmons compared the political behavior to “bullies in a playground,” reinforcing the discomfort many on the Top Chef set felt as real-world tensions escalated around the airing of a season meant to celebrate Canada’s cultural richness. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostSimmons also pointed out that having to explain Canada's uniqueness through a culinary show highlights the deeper misunderstandings between the two countries. She noted that the show's premiere happened to align with the week tariff discussions were taking place, which made the timing feel especially relevant—though she acknowledged the irony wasn't lost on the team.The Top Chef judges reflect on the competitionDespite the political backdrop, the focus of Top Chef remains its competition. Kristen Kish, who became host after winning season 10, described how contestants prepared for the Canadian setting. “Before you go on the show, you do a Google,” she told Variety. “You learn as much as you can about a place… there’s going to be nods to iconic foods that show up as, like, the Top 5 on Google.”Kish cited quirky discoveries such as the fact that “Hawaiian pizza was invented by a Greek man in Canada,” and Gail Simmons added, “Canadians consume more pickles than any other nation! I learned a lot.” This season of Top Chef has featured unusual challenges like a pickle-centric round, during which contestant Shuai Wang accidentally threw out Henry Lu’s entire mise en place, leading to Henry’s near-elimination. The competitive field has been particularly strong. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostAt the season’s halfway mark, high-profile chefs like Corwin Hemming and Katianna Hong have already been eliminated. Simmons, noted the range of culinary styles, saying, “When we talk about Canada, people will always ask me, ‘What’s Canadian cuisine?’” She pointed out that the question of what defines Canadian food is just as complex as defining American cuisine. She explained that Canada is 100 years younger than the United States and described growing up in an incredibly multicultural environment. She credited the richness of Canadian food to both Indigenous roots and the contributions of immigrants. Tom Colicchio added, “There’s no one thing. It’s all regional. If you look at Canada, the food up in Nova Scotia is very different from food in Vancouver.” Simmons echoed the sentiment: “We weren’t just going to one small place. We went from the East Coast all the way to the Rockies.”Fans can stream Top Chef on Bravo.