Matthias Clamer/BravoThe Big Easy is being invaded!
Top Chef is heading to New Orleans for its upcoming 11th season, which will debut Wednesday, Oct. 2, Bravo announced on Monday. And host Padma Laskhmi and judges Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, Hugh Acheson and Emeril Lagasse are bringing along some famous friends to test some of the country's finest chefs culinary prowess; set to appear as guest judges in the new season are Glee's Lea Michele, Iron Man director Jon Favreau, Anthony Mackie and Questlove.
In addition to whipping up the season 11 premiere date, Bravo also unveiled a first look at the new season, which promises some of the best cooking in the series' history...and some of the juiciest drama, too!
"We're gonna have a hell of a season," Lagasse, a famous New Orleans restaurateur himself, gushes in the new promo, which features the cheftestants partying in the French Quarter, dealing with alligators and "going shrimpin'!"
And though it seems like the hopefuls vying for the $125,000 grand prize get along pretty well (maybe because "everyone's drunk in New Orleans"?), there is some drama going down in the kitchen this season. "I think he's faker than Pamela Anderson's breasts," one chef snarks about a competitor, while another warns, "I will turn into the evil guy very, very quickly." Yikes!
And if big personalities weren't enough, the chefs also have to deal with some pretty intense challenges, including cooking a meal with food found in dumpsters. Seriously.
Top Chef: New Orleans premieres Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 10 p.m. on Bravo.