Filipino chef Rhoda Magbitang wins 'Top Chef'

Filipino chef Rhoda Magbitang has been crowned winner of “Top Chef” Season 23. She is only the second Filipino  to win the competition following Season 9 champion Paul Qui.

According to People, her victory also marked the first time a woman has won Top Chef since Melissa King in Season 17.  She was eliminated in one of the episodes but was sent back in the competition after winning the Last Chance Kitchen contest. 

Magbitang is the first Last Chance Kitchen winner to capture the Top Chef title since Joe Flamm in Season 15.

She impressed the judges with a four-course finale menu that showcased her culinary creativity while paying tribute to her Filipino roots and family.

For her final meal, Magbitang created dishes that reflected key moments from her life and cultural heritage. She began with what she called “a toast to California”—roasted sweet potato with miso butter and uni (sea urchin). 

This was followed by abalone lugaw, a Filipino rice porridge inspired by the comforting dish her mother would prepare whenever she was sick.

Her third course was tortang talong, the grilled eggplant omelet she grew up eating. Rather than ending with a traditional dessert, Magbitang chose to finish with a deeply personal dish: caldereta, a short rib stew braised in liver and vegetables that her father made during the holidays.

“This is a toast to my dad—caldereta braised in liver and vegetables,” Magbitang told the judges.

When host Kristen Kish asked why she decided not to serve dessert, Magbitang said, “After we talked about all the courses being a ‘toast to something,’ it was important for me to honor my parents.”

Her emotional tribute resonated with the judges, which included Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio. Magbitang bested fellow finalists Sherry Cardoso and Laurence Louie to secure the Season 23 title and the competition’s $250,000 (P15.3 million)  grand prize.

Beyond the cash prize, Magbitang’s win opens the door to several high-profile culinary opportunities, including a feature in Food & Wine magazine, participation in the annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, an exclusive dinner at the James Beard House in New York, and an opportunity to present at the James Beard Awards.

Following her victory, Magbitang shared a heartfelt message on social media, expressing gratitude for the experience and the friendships she formed throughout the competition.

“Incredibly honored to cook with all of these chefs. My heart is at the precipice of bursting wide open every time I look back at this experience,” she wrote in an Instagram post.

“Anything worth doing is worth doing well. I think I did well for myself, no matter the outcome. I gained a whole crazy ass family. So grateful,” she added.

Her colleagues, friends and family also celebrated the achievement with messages of congratulations on social media.

According to Food & Wine, Magbitang has been a fan of Top Chef since its inaugural season. Whenever she wanted “a good cry,” she would rewatch the finales of her favorite seasons and imagine herself competing one day.

Despite her love for the show, she never applied at "Top Chef" or any other cooking competition. Instead, Bravo’s casting team reached out to her after being impressed by her background and culinary experience.

Who is Chef Rhoda Magbitang?

Born and raised in the Philippines, Magbitang moved to California at  17 with plans of becoming a teacher. Her passion for cooking started unexpectedly while teaching students how to prepare simple after-school snacks. Inspired by the experience, she enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu.

She later built an impressive career at some of Los Angeles’ most influential restaurants, including Mélisse under renowned chef Josiah Citrin and The Bazaar by José Andrés.

In 2024, Magbitang relocated to Hawaii where she became executive chef of CanoeHouse, a Japanese-inspired restaurant. A year later, a casting agent  encouraged her to apply for the show.  The rest is "Top Chef" history.