Top Chef Masters premiered in June 2009 as a spin-off of Bravo's immensely successful reality competition cooking show Top Chef, and it soon earned a similar level of attention and admiration of audiences. Though Top Chef Masters only lasted for five seasons, ending its run in September 2013, it remains fondly remembered by Top Chef fans.
As the show's supporters await the debut of Top Chef Amateurs on July 1, it's worth looking back at the history of the Top Chef franchise as a whole. To this day, the winners of Top Chef Masters are some of the most favored by fans, notable for their delicious dishes and the way they contributed their winnings to charities of their choice.
Season 1: Winner - Rick Bayless / Charity - Frontera Farmer Foundation
On season 1 of Top Chef Masters, the three finalists were Rick Bayless, Michael Chiarello, and Huber Keller, with Bayless coming out on top when all was said and done. He impressed the judges with his brilliant barbecued quail and sizzling seared Ahi tuna.
Upon receiving his prize of $100,000, Bayless donated it to the Frontera Farmer Foundation, a nonprofit organization that is committed to promoting small, sustainable farms in the Chicago area and providing them with capital development grants.
Season 2: Winner - Marcus Samuelsson / Charity - UNICEF Tap Project
The finalists for season 2 were Marcus Samuelsson, Rick Moonen, and Susur Lee, and while it was a close race, Samuelsson won out in the end, delighting the Top Chef Masters judges with dishes such as smoked char and salt-cured duck.
Samuelsson donated his cash prize to the UNICEF Tap Project, a nationwide campaign initiated by the UN agency that provided clean water to children in impoverished nations from 2007 until 2016, when it was retired by UNICEF USA.
Season 3: Winner - Floyd Cardoz / Charity - Young Scientist Cancer Research Fund
Chef Floyd Cardoz was the season 3 champion, besting his Top Chef Masters competitors Mary Sue Milliken and Traci Des Jardins with his wild mushroom upma polenta and a savory rice flaked snapper, as judges devoured both dishes.
Cardoz chose to donate his $100,000 to the Young Scientist Cancer Research Fund at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, which supports individuals working on identifying new approaches to treat cancer and specifically enables high school and graduate students to pursue innovative cancer research.
Season 4: Winner - Chris Cosentino / Charity - Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson's Research
Chris Cosentino came out of Top Chef Masters season 4 as the victor, beating Kerry Heffernan in a particularly close final cook-off. In the end, it was Cosentino's tantalizing beef heart tartare and his tasty Trippa Napolitana that allowed him to get ahead in the competition and satisfy the stomachs of the judges.
Cosentino competed for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, a foundation established by the Back to the Future star in 2000 dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease through funded research. Additionally, it ensures the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's today, such as Fox himself.
Season 5: Winner - Douglas Keane / Charity - Green Dog Rescue Project
On the final season of Top Chef Masters, it was chef Douglas Keane who claimed the Top Chef title, besting both Bryan Voltaggio and Jennifer Jasinski with dishes like duck breast with sake roasted daikon and savory soba wrapped ocean trout.
Douglas donated his $100,000 to the Green Dog Rescue Project, the nation's first predominantly non-kennel shelter facility and education center. The rescue is devoted to positive dog socialization/rehabilitation/training techniques and professional adoption counseling.