Comfort Casts

[u/IlsaMayCalder]

Top Chef is (obviously, I suppose) a comfort rewatch show and I’m currently on S22 (Destination Canada) on a binge watch. It’s only my second time watching this season and I can’t get over how much I love the cheftestants on this season. They just feel like friends and even when they are annoying or snippy or stressed, I still just dig all of them. Which season’s personalities are your favorite? I don’t necessarily mean it’s your favorite season overall - just the best from a cast standpoint? For me, S22 and S15 (Colorado) are the top (honorable mention to S3!), while S6 (Vegas) and S9 (Texas) are the bottom for me.

[u/KenraScar]

It’s my comfort show too. Season 12 is one of my favorite casts. I really love Melissa, Gregory, Mai, Dougie, Katsuji even.

[u/DaRKSLuSHiE → u/KenraScar]

Agree with all except Katsuji. He just fires his mouth without thinking. He can be funny at times but most of the time he sounds like an arrogant asshole trying to stir shit up.

[u/willowthemanx → u/DaRKSLuSHiE]

I’m currently rewatching S14 and he is such an ass. Like deliberately provoking people for his own entertainment. Can’t stand him.

[u/emflan11 → u/KenraScar]

My answer too! I live in Portland and have been to Kann a couple times but finally made it to Grand Fir, Dougie’s brewery/restaurant. It was like the best possible version of bar food with great beer. I feel so lucky that they’re both Portland chefs!

[u/enforcetheworld]

Rewatching Season 18 now, the COVID year in Portland. And despite my dislike of the winner and even one of the others in top 3, I genuinely think Jamie might be the funniest chef in history. Every sentence and sound out of her is perfect.

And Shota with his pothead laugh is amazing.

[u/redbeansmonday → u/enforcetheworld]

18 is absolute comfort watch for sure.

[u/IlsaMayCalder → u/enforcetheworld]

Jaime is an absolute joy!

[u/Rodharet50399 → u/enforcetheworld]

18 was so nice because, honestly, people missed working and were lonely.

[u/coysrunner]

I feel like season 20 needs to be included. They were all great chefs and seemingly lovely people

[u/ChiquiBom_]

S4: Stephanie Izard, Richard Blais, Dale Talde
S10: Kristen Kish, Brooke Williamson
S12: Mei Lin, Melissa King, Gregory Gourdet
S14: Brooke again, Sheldon Simeon, Shirley Chung

My all time favs and comfort

[u/Optimal_Bet3221 → u/ChiquiBom_]

Blais is a tool

[u/Callimingo]

Any one with Sheldon

[u/biguyreacts → u/Callimingo]

What a man he is!

[u/Low_Focus_2215]

Top chef is my comfort show for sure. I love seasons 17 all stars, 15, & 14, but I’ll watch all of them really, lol.

[u/KenraScar → u/Low_Focus_2215]

I rewatch them all too. I’m currently rewatching season 11.

[u/e_hawthorne]

Season 4: Chicago and Season 8: All Stars for me please, I can watch them back and forth for like 48 straight 😂

[u/MyEggDonorIsADramaQ]

I’m watching season 1 for the first time, after watching the seasons available on Peacock. Boy has the show changed. There are several unlikeable characters in season 1.

[u/biguyreacts]

Is saying an all stars cast a cop out? I just adore the trio of Brooke Shirley and Sheldon so much so I want to say Charleston

[u/Responsible-Fly9976]

I also very much comfort-enjoy TC Masters. Hubert Keller is my absolute fav on that but I really enjoy watching titans in their fields just enjoy the challenges and the cooking and really caring about it. There are a few jerk moments, but generally -- it's such comfort enjoyment.

[u/Sylvana2612]

Kristen Kish, Richard Blaise and Stephan rictor were my favorite contestants

[u/Rodharet50399]

Love that season.

[u/Dapper_Medicine_2161]

I rewatch them and end up with new favorites every time. Except I can’t rewatch season 9. The bullying is too awful.

[u/firstnamerachel13]

Im actually gonna agree with your choices and your order! The Canadian season was such a breath of fresh air after what seemed like a few years of slogging through contestants.

[u/PetesDragon_26]

Where do you find Top Chef Canada?

[u/RudyPup → u/PetesDragon_26]

22 wasn't Top Chef Canada, it was Top Chef US having a season in Canada.

[u/FAanthropologist]

I think my favorite overall casts are:

• season 4: great mix of chefs to root for and ones with villainous tendencies, almost all the cast pulls their weight in terms of providing TV entertainment value, plus some really great cooking
• season 17: everything you could hope for from an all-stars season in terms of who they brought back, very few wasted spots, and top notch cooking
• season 18: not a lot of filler in this group of chefs, overall a well-rounded talented cast and some fun collaborations across the challenges
• season 20: another all-killer no-filler cast, a lot of the international chefs were wonderful surprises
• season 22: dare I say...the best of all of these casts? I'd argue they were right up there with the beloved retunees of season 17! Even the early eliminated chefs were cooking interesting food and made an impression. Top Chef could just re-do this season with the same chefs in a different location (perhaps having the original deserving but very dominant winner sit out) and I'd be perfectly happy to watch these same people do it all again.

[u/spicybrazzi]

seasons 6, 11, 12 and 14!

[u/Mysterious-Drink4002]

I think S6 was the best by far. All these chefs who became big names.

[u/TruCarMa → u/Mysterious-Drink4002]

Is that Vegas with the Voltaggios? I think so - that was a great season, for sure.

[u/Mysterious-Drink4002 → u/TruCarMa]

Exactly! The Voltaggios, Kevin Gillespie, Jennifer Carroll, Mike Isabella, Ashley Merriman. Cast was loaded.

[u/ttgirl452]

I rewatch all seasons, except Texas even though I love Ed Lee, but my favs are; Chicago, Boston, Seattle, both All Stars, Colorado (RIP Fatima) and, Portland.