Who's Going to Be the Top Chef: Kentucky Winner?

It's anybody's game in season 16 of the Bravo reality series

By Chris Harnick Jan 17, 2019 5:00 PMTags
Top ChefBravo

Top Chef: Kentucky, the 16th season of the Bravo reality series, is about halfway through the competition…and the frontrunner was sent home.

Nini Nguyen, the contestant with the most wins (two), was sent home during the two-part Restaurant Wars challenge. She made her way to Last Chance Kitchen where she was bested by season 15 contestant Brother Luck and he returned to the competition in week six.

For weeks it looked like Nini was the one to beat. Now? It's anybody's game.

We've broken down the competition below, looking at the remaining contestants wins so far, as well as placement in the top and bottom.

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Meet the Top Chef: Kentucky Contestants
ELIMINATED: Caitlin Steininger

Wins: 0

Caitlin was the first to be eliminated with her tomato cobbler, salt and pepper biscuits and homemade ricotta.

ELIMINATED: Natalie Maronski

Wins: 1

Despite winning the first challenge, Natalie was sent home in week two for her meyer lemon curd pie with mascarpone and bourbon glaze.

ELIMINATED: Kevin Scharpf

Wins: 0

Kevin went home in week three for his ricotta cake with ricotta whipped cream and macerated cherries.

ELIMINATED: Pablo Lamon

Wins: 0

Pablo was sent home during the two-part Restaurant Wars challenge. His dish was the seared scallops with sunchoke, apple puree and lime.

ELIMINATED: Nini Nguyen

Wins: 2

Nini was sent home during the two-part Restaurant Wars challenge. She served front of the house and provided the cocoa nib sorbet, chocolate crumble and chocolate ganache.

ELIMINATED: Brother Luck

Wins: 0

Brother Luck, a season 15 contestant, returned to the competition via Last Chance Kitchen...and then was eliminated the same episode he returned in.

ELIMINATED: Brandon Rosen

Wins: 0

Brandon found himself in the bottom twice a few times, and finally got the boot during the big cut of beef challenge.

ELIMINATED: Brian Young

Wins: 1

While he has one win so far, Brian was also in the bottom three twice before getting sent home after the party boat challenge.

ELIMNATED: David Viana

Wins: 0

Despite taking home two Quickfire Challenge wins, David never won a main challenge before being sent home.

ELIMINATED Eddie Konrad

Wins: 1

One win to his name, for Eddie, the big cuts of beef challenge. He didn't make it to the semi-finals.

ELIMINATED: Justin Sutherland

Wins: 0

Justin has skated by through most challenges, not once getting a top dish.

ELIMINATED: Adrienne Wright

Wins: 0

After nearly being eliminated in the first episode, Adrienne went on to place high a few times...but was sent home in China.

Sara Bradley

Wins: 1

Sara found herself in the bottom a few times, but has stuck in the competition.

Michelle Minori

Wins: 1

Michelle was another middle of the pack contestants before picking up a win in Nashville. However, she was eliminated, but returned after Last Chance Kitchen.

Kelsey Barnard Clark

Wins: 2

Kelsey had a few dishes in the top category, and finally won in the boat challenge. She took home the first win in China.

Eric Adjepong

Wins: 3

Eric was middle of the pack until a recent top dish and win.

In the Thursday, Jan. 17 episode of the cooking competition, Lena Waithe surprises the cheftestants and challenges them to make their best version of the Hot Brown, an open-faced sandwich of turkey and bacon, covered in Mornay sauced and either baked or broiled until the bread becomes crisp and the sauce browns, a trademark Kentucky dish. Nancy Silverton and Dario Cecchini show the remaining chefs how to break down a whole cow and then they must cook with it and locally-sourced Kentucky ingredients.

Top Chef airs Thursdays, 8 p.m. on Bravo.

(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)