Top Chef Season 23 Finale: Who Won This Year’s Coveted Prize?

After weeks of intense cooking battles, Top Chef Season 23 has officially crowned its winner. The finale featured a tough competition between finalists Laurence Louie, Rhoda Magbitang, and Sherry Cardoso.

The final decision was made with the help of an impressive judging panel that included celebrated chefs Val Cantu, Eric Ferguson, Brandon Jew, Camari Mick, and Nok Suntaranon. Former Top Chef contestants Sara Bradley, Joe Flamm, and Stephanie Izard also returned as guest judges alongside Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons.

With creativity, pressure, and high expectations shaping the finale, the chefs delivered some of their best dishes of the season in hopes of securing the win. Keep on reading to find out who won the title this year and who missed their opportunity in the Season 23 finale.

Who Won Top Chef Season 23?

Rhoda Magbitang won Top Chef Season 23 after delivering a standout performance in the finale. With the victory, she earned the title of Top Chef along with the grand prize package, which included $250,000, a feature in Food & Wine magazine, an appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, and an exclusive dinner at the James Beard House in New York (Bravo).

Rhoda Magbitang | Credit: Bravo

Celebrating her big win, Rhoda proudly said in her confessional, “I am Rhoda Magbitang, and I am Top Chef.” Host Kristen Kish also praised the chef’s journey on the show, saying, “You served us a great meal of toasts. Watching you through this entire competition has been a complete honor.”

Rhoda later reflected on how her final dishes in a 2026 interview with GQ, saying, “I thought I knew exactly what to make that will show everyone that I’m worthy of the title.” However, she explained that as the competition continued, she became more emotionally connected to her cooking and relied more on instinct. By the finale, her menu was driven mainly by passion and emotion.

After fighting her way back through Last Chance Kitchen, Rhoda has become the first contestant since Joe Flamm in Season 15 to return and win the show. Kristen Kish previously achieved the feat in Season 10, followed by Brooke Williamson in Season 14. Rhoda is also the first female winner since Melissa King in Season 17 and only the seventh woman to win the franchise in its 20-year history.

What Were the Challenges in the Top Chef: Carolinas Finale?

The finale of Top Chef: Carolinas challenged the finalists to create the best progressive four-course meal of their careers. Each chef was paired with a former finalist as a mentor and selected a sous chef to help execute the menu. Sherry worked with mentor Sara Bradley and chose Anthony as her sous chef, Rhoda teamed up with Joe Flamm and selected Sieger, while Laurence was mentored by Stephanie Izard and partnered with Jonathan.

The chefs used their menus to tell personal stories through food. Laurence honored four generations of his family while Sherry explored her journey as a chef through dishes. The winner of the season, Rhoda, focused on memories from her culinary life with her progressive four-course meal.

Here are the four-course meals prepared by contestants in the Top Chef Season 23 finale.

Sherry impressed the judges with bold flavors but had issues with her dessert presentation, while Laurence struggled with timing during his duck course. Rhoda’s menu stood out for its balance, execution, and consistency across every course. The judges especially praised how smoothly her meal progressed and ultimately named her the winner of Top Chef Season 23.

What do you think of the Top Chef Season 23 winner? Who did you expect to win Top Chef: Carolinas? Share with us in the comments below.

Top Chef Season 23 is streaming on Peacock.