Top Chef: Wisconsin

 

Since 2006, Bravo’s Top Chef has brought their competition to culinary hotspots including Los Angeles, New York City, Charleston, and London. For Season 21, they set up shop in... Wisconsin.

It may seem an odd choice to some, but not us. The License Lab called Milwaukee home for our first ten years, with some of our team members still based in the Brew City. This quote from our 2020 in post titled Why Milwaukee sums it up:

Milwaukee may not be as shiny or trendy as the big coastal cities, but we’ve proven that a production music company can stay competitive while being a part of a community that simultaneously enjoys the benefits of a larger metropolitan downtown and a small town feel.

It’s clear that the same concept applies to the culinary scene, not only for Milwaukee but the entire Badger State. Just take a look at 2024’s these 2024 James Beard award semi-finalists:

See? We’re not mincing words.

Great things are cooking (and brewing) in Wisconsin and it’s a joy to see Top Chef share that with its audience. In addition to the long-running Bravo show’s first return to the midwest since 2008’s Chicago season, for the first time in 17 years Top Chef will also be without host, judge, and executive producer Padma Lakshmi — who also featured Milwaukee on episode two of her show Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi — with previous Top Chef winner Kristen Kish taking over the hosting duties. Viewers can also expect special guest appearances from legendary Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, comedian, chef, and actor Matty Matheson (The Bear), the singular Emeril Lagasse (bam!) and yes, even The Famous Racing Sausages of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Expect the number of beer, brats, and cheese references to be through the roof, as evidenced by the trailer.

From quickfires to surprise challenges with limited pantry options (perhaps Three Ingredients or Less?) and even the infamous “Restaurant Wars”, we know that the beauty, quirkiness, and midwestern charm of our company’s home for over a decade will shine through and make an impact on the country’s ambitious, curious culinary minds.

Here’s a small tasting menu of a few thematically appropriate albums that can provide a little Wisconsin flavor. Beer and cheese, anyone?

 
StoriesNathan Honoreproduction music, library music, music licensing, #3ING, #ThreeIngredientsOrLess, Bravo Top Chef, Top Chef Wisconsin, Wisconsin Top Chef, James Beard Award, James Beard Wisconsin, James Beard Milwaukee, Top Chef Milwaukee, Padma Lakshmi, Kristen Kish, Cooking competition