Guy Fieri's Tournament of Champions season 4: Contestants, guest judges and more

Tournament of Champions season 4 is all set to hit our television screens on Sunday, February 19 at 8 pm ET on Food Network

Hosted by renowned chef celebrity, Guy Fieri, the hit Food Network reality culinary competition series will showcase a bracket-style cooking competition that will include a “randomizer wild card” twist, where each round gets progressively harder and harder. For the season 4 finale on April 9, Guy is pulling off the ultimate twist in the series, by bringing in a surprise judge who is regarded as one of the best chefs in the world.

Two "Iron Chefs," four "Top Chef" champions, five James Beard Award winners, and two "TOC" champions are among the chefs participating in season 4 of TOC.

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The official synopsis, as stated on Food Network's website, about the pre-series preview set to air on Friday, February 17 titled 'The Bracket Reveal' reads:

"It's that time of year again when 32 of the world's best chefs descend upon the Tournament of Champions arena to battle it out for culinary supremacy. Before the competition officially kicks off, Guy Fieri and his TOC sideline reporters, Justin Warner and Simon Majumdar, reveal this year's bracket, break down each matchup and give sneak peeks of the first round battles."

There are 32 contestants in Tournament of Champions season 4

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After 8 weeks and 32 rigorous head-to-head matches, one creative chef will emerge victorious. The one who wins the coveted belt from the Tournament of Champions series will also win a $100,000 cash award. Fans may want to look back at the Road to Tournament of Champions IV in an hour-long special on Saturday, February 11 at 11 pm ET on Food Network before the action starts on Sunday.

The Tournament of Champion contestant chefs is divided into two hemispheres of competitive quadrants. The chefs representing the East Coast are:

Tiffani Faison (winner of the Tournament of Champions III)
Eric Adjepong
Karen Akunowicz
Kelsey Barnard Clark
Maneet Chauhan
Leah Cohen
Madison Cowan
Tobias Dorzon
Graham Elliot
Darnell Ferguson
Jose Garces
Ilan Hall
Stephanie Izard
Christian Petroni
Britt Rescigno
and Jonathon Sawyer

And representing the West Coast are:

Carlos Anthony
Nate Appleman
Shirley Chung
Tiffany Derr
Elizabeth Falkner
Mei Lin
Antonia Lofaso
Crista Luedtke
Brian Malarkey
Shota Nakajima
Viet Pham
Joe Sasto
Tracey Shepos Cenami
Adam Sobel
Jet Tila
and Lee Anne Wong

A rotating panel of the best figures in the food industry will judge each bout blindly while the cooks observe the evaluations from backstage.

Meet the Judges of Tournament of Champions season 4

The judges in the Tournament of Champions season 4 in addition to chef Alex Guarnaschelli are chefs Michelle Bernstein, Scott Conant, Cat Cora, Rocco DiSpirito, Lorena Garcia, Nancy Silverton, Daniela Soto-Innes, Ming Tsai, Jonathan Waxman, Andrew Zimmern, and one of the most highly recognized chefs, to be revealed in the finale. Let's look at each of them.

1) Alex Guarnaschelli (guarnaschelli)

Alex Guarnaschelli, a chef of international fame, started her career at the Guy Savoy in Paris, a restaurant with three Michelin stars. After that, Guarnaschelli worked for Butte Chaillot for four years, where she was quickly promoted to sous chef. She returned to the United States and joined Daniel Boulud at his restaurant, Daniel, after having great success in France.

Chef Guarnaschelli was offered the chance to broaden her skill set and take on the role of executive chef at Butter in 2003. Since then, she has developed her own unique American and green-market-inspired menu. The Tournament of Champions judge serves as a regular on the hit Food Network program Chopped. In 2012, she defeated nine other chefs to take home the coveted Iron Chef title after winning The Next Iron Chef: Redemption.

The Tournament of Champions season 4 judge has also been featured as a guest co-host on Beat Bobby Flay. Guarnaschelli is also the author of the cookbooks Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook (2013) and The Home Cook: Recipes to Know by Heart (2017).

2) Michelle Bernstein (@chefmichy)

With her vivacious and vibrant food, Chef Michelle "Michy" Bernstein is pioneering the way for bold Latin tastes and prominent ingredients in the culinary world, both in restaurant kitchens and in the media spotlight. As the Tournament of Champions judge travels the world, the renowned chef combines her culinary skills to create her own unique brand of interesting cooking. She has a string of restaurants under her culinary prowess.

A James Beard Foundation Award-winner, Chef Bernstein is no stranger to television; she presently hosts two programs: Check, Please! South Florida (PBS) and the Emmy-winning SoFlo Taste (Channel 10). Chef Bernstein also frequently participates as a guest judge on nationally broadcast culinary competition shows like Top Chef (Bravo TV) and Chopped (Food Network), and she continues to appear in food segments on Good Morning America (ABC).

The Tournament of Champions judge is frequently asked to work with and advise other restaurants and corporate chefs on menu and concept creation because of his reputation as a gourmet tastemaker. She is a Lexus Culinary Master and worked with American Express to design the cuisine for the Centurion Lounge at Miami International Airport (MIA).

3) Scott Conant (conantnyc)

Chef Scott Conant has established himself as one of the top chefs in the world with a career spanning more than 35 years, a portfolio of recognized restaurants, manuals, television series, and an ever-expanding brand.

Conant, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, established himself early in his career as an exceptional leader and chef by managing the kitchens of renowned Italian restaurants like il Toscanaccio, Chianti, and City Eatery, all of which received rave reviews during his time there.

The Tournament of Champions judge is well-known to his viewers all over the world thanks to his appearances on the Food Network, notably his prolonged tenure as a judge on "Chopped" for more than ten years. He hosted "Best Baker in America" seasons 2 and 3 and started presenting the dessert-themed spinoff "Chopped Sweets" in 2019. He also frequently co-hosts "Beat Bobby Flay." Conant has also frequently appeared as a guest on shows like "The Today Show," "The Kelly Clarkson Show," "The Rachel Ray Show," and "Good Morning America," among others.

Chef Conant has also written Bold Italian, New Italian Cooking, and Peace, Love, and Pasta: Simple and Elegant Recipes from a Chef's Home Kitchen, all of which will be available in 2021.

4) Cat Cora (@catcora)

Chef Cat Cora is a well-known chef, author, restaurateur, contributing editor, television host, and television personality. She is also a lifestyle entrepreneur, an expert in health and fitness, and a loving mother of six children. The Jackson, Mississippi native made her television debut in 1999 as co-host of Food Network's Melting Pot with Rocco Di Spirito.

Chef Cora received her training at the Culinary Institute of America and later worked as a chef at two 3-star Michelin restaurants in France. Later, she was one of the featured hosts on Fine Living's Simplify Your Life and hosted My Country My Kitchen: Greece and Date Plate. Cat Cora is another lady who has achieved a number of "firsts" for female chefs.

Following her Iron Chef debut, the upcoming Tournament of Champions judge appeared frequently on a variety of television programs, including "Around the World in 80 Plates" on BRAVO, "My Kitchen Rules" on FOX, and ABC's "Family Food Fight."

The Tournament of Champions judge also received the "Teacher of the Year Award" from Bon Appetit Magazine in 2006 and was appointed the publication's Executive Chef. She has forged her own path in the culinary industry ever since, becoming the first woman to be honored in the American Academy of Chefs' Culinary Hall of Fame.

Chef Cora also received two awards from President Barack Obama: The President's Volunteer Service Award and The President's Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to addressing the most urgent needs in her community.

5) Rocco DiSpirito (@roccodispirito)

Chef Rocco DiSpirito has been named as 1999 F&W Best New Chef. (Image via ROY ROCHLIN / GETTY IMAGES)

Chef Rocco DiSpirito is a champion of a healthy lifestyle, a James Beard Award-winning chef, and a well-known author of thirteen books, five of which have reached the top of the New York Times bestseller list. He is well known for his motivational weight reduction journey and has devoted his life to demonstrating that eating well and enjoying it are not incompatible concepts.

The Tournament of Champions judge is frequently asked to speak at events like the Partnership for a Healthier America summit in Washington, D.C., where he is lauded as an inspirational health expert. DiSpirito developed a love of cuisine early on thanks to his mother, who would create exquisite dishes with just a few real ingredients.

Chef Rocco attended Boston University and the Culinary Institute of America because of his love of cooking. He was working in the kitchens of renowned chefs all over the world by the time he was 20. The Tournament of Champions judge was a culinary icon for many years in New York City's Union Pacific, a 3 Michelin star establishment. He resides in New York City and takes part in triathlons and cycling.

6) Lorena Garcia (@lorenagarciadiez)

Chef Lorena Garcia is a prominent celebrity chef iand the author of two best-selling cookbooks. She is most recognized for her television work on Top Chef Masters, America's Next Great Restaurant, and other Telemundo and Univision shows. She initially enrolled in Venezuelan law school with the intention of becoming a lawyer, but she quickly learned that cooking was her true passion.

As a result, the Tournament of Champions judge moved to the US to attend cooking school. She earned an honorary doctorate in culinary arts after earning a bachelor's degree in the subject from Johnson & Wales University. The Tournament of Champions judge began her career as an apprentice at the Ritz Carlton in Paris before moving on to work in Italy, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and China as she traveled the world, picking up skills and ideas along the way.

With the help of the award-winning worldwide hospitality company 50 Eggs Inc., Chef Garcia started her most ambitious restaurant project in 2017, which brought her to the renowned Las Vegas Strip. The Venetian hotel's CHICA by Lorena Garcia is a spectacular celebration of Latin American cuisine and hospitality that combines and reimagines flavors, influences, and culinary methods from Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico in Garcia's individual global style.

7) Nancy Silverton (@nancysilverton)

Chef Nancy Silverton's career started off as a pastry chef at Spago in 1982 when Wolfgang Puck hired the California-born chef, restaurateur, and author. She later went on to co-found the renowned La Brea Bakery and Campanile and, together with partners Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich, eventually co-owned Osteria Mozza.

Chef Nancy was selected as the "Best New Chef" by Food and Wine Magazine. She was awarded the James Beard Foundation's highest accolade for "Outstanding Chef" in 2014. The Tournament of Champions judge was named one of the Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink that year by Fortune as well as Food and Wine.

In addition to Desserts (1986), Breads from the La Brea Bakery (1996), Pastries from the La Brea Bakery (2000), Sandwich Book (2005), Twist of the Wrist (2007), and the Mozza Cookbook (2011), the Tournament of Champions judge is the author of eight other cookbooks.

8) Daniela Soto-Innes (@danielasotoinnes)

Chef Daniela Soto-Innes is descended from generations of ladies who enjoy cooking and eating. Her curiosity only piqued more when she went to Mexico City's culinary markets and eateries as a child. Soto-Innes started working when she was only 14 years old.

She began working for Marriott Hotels as an intern, which led to an employment that lasted through high school and brought her to The Woodlands Waterway Marriott in Austin. Soto-Innes remained there for three years, honing his skills within the framework of a formal dining establishment. The Tournament of Champions judge relocated to Austin, Texas in search of more intensive instruction, where completed her studies at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.

From there, it was all about exploration. Chef Soto-Innes traveled and staged at restaurants in Texas, New York, and Europe, finally returning to Texas to stage at Marks Restaurant with Chef Mark Cox. Eventually, she joined the opening crew of Brennan's of Houston under Chef Danny Trace, where she met mentor Bobby Matos, and rotated around the kitchen, helping develop the restaurant’s tasting menus.

Two years later, Soto-Innes continued exploring, at progressive American restaurant Triniti and charcuterie-driven Underbelly with Chef Chris Shepherd. The Tournament of Champions judge also worked under Gerardo Vazques Lugo, owner of Nicos in Mexico City, one of Soto-Innes’ most inspiring mentors, Lugo helped her figure out her own path and plan. That led Soto-Innes back to Pujol for a full-time position working alongside culinary icon Enrique Olvera—whom she also counts as a mentor.

When Olvera was looking to bring his operation to New York City, he tapped Soto-Innes for the chef de cuisine position. Now at the helm of Cosme, the Tournament of Champions judge works on menu development with Olvera and kitchen management with fellow chef de cuisine Mariana Villegas, never forgetting the inspiration or cooking lineage that came before.

9) Ming Tsai (@mingtsai)

Chef Ming Tsai, who was raised in Dayton, Ohio, attended Phillips Academy Andover. Ming then went on to Yale University to complete his mechanical engineering degree. The Tournament of Champions judge spent these summers studying at Le Cordon Bleu and working as an apprentice at local Parisian eateries. Following his graduation from Yale, Ming relocated to Paris where he studied under renowned pastry chef Pierre Herme before continuing his training with sushi master Kobayashi in Osaka.

Chef Ming's Blue Ginger received the IFMA Silver Plate Award for Independent Restaurant Excellence in 2009, which recognizes national excellence. Blue Ginger was listed as one of the 50 Best Restaurants by Boston Magazine in 2012. Ming stopped Blue Ginger in June 2017 after 19 years of success in order to seek other opportunities.

As the host of the longest-running PBS culinary program, Chef Ming was nominated for two Emmy Awards for "Outstanding Culinary Program" and "Outstanding Lifestyle/Culinary Host" and won two Bronze Telly Awards for "Lighting" and "Art Direction." The Tournament of Champions judge started preparing meals for viewers of television on the Food Network, where he hosted the East Meets West with Ming Tsai program that won an Emmy Award in 1998. Food Network also featured the well-known food adventure series Ming's Quest.

10) Jonathan Waxman (@chefjwaxman)

Chef Jonathan Waxman, a native of California, grew up in a household that valued the culinary arts. He returned to California to work at Domaine Chandon and later with Alice Waters at the renowned Chez Panisse after getting the Grand Diplôme from La Varenne Cooking School in Paris. The Tournament of Champions judge took up the position of executive chef at Michael's in Santa Monica in 1979, where he created his own interpretation of California cuisine.

In 1984, Chef Waxman established himself in New York with the now-iconic Jams. Waxman currently serves as the chef and proprietor of Barbuto in the West Village of Manhattan, Jams at 1 Hotel Central Park, and Baffi in Atlanta. Numerous awards have been given to him, but the 2016 James Beard Award for Best Chef: New York City stands out.

Top Chef Masters, Top Chef, Recipe for Deception, and MasterChef are just a few of Chef Waxman's countless TV appearances. Citymeals on Wheels and the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation are among the organizations the Tournament of Champions judge supports with donations. Three cookbooks, including "The Barbuto Cookbook," "A Great American Cook," and "Italian, My Way," were written by Waxman. Waxman, his wife, and their three kids reside in Manhattan's Upper West Side.

11) Andrew Zimmern (@chefaz)

Iconic Celebrity Chef Andrew Zimmerman is a television personality, chef and author. He is known for his exquisite and out-of-the-box food explorations in his travelogues of food experiences. Fans are familiar with the chef from TLC's Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmerman.

Chef Zimmerman has won four James Beard Awards and an Emmy. He has dedicated his life to investigating and advancing cultural acceptance, tolerance, and understanding through food. He is the creator, executive producer, and host of the Bizarre Foods franchise, Andrew Zimmern's Driven by Food, MSNBC's What's Eating America, Magnolia Network's Family Dinner, and the Emmy-winning The Zimmern List.

Additionally, the Tournament of Champions judge serves as a judge for the epic Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend cooking competition on Netflix and teaches live-fire cooking on Andrew Zimmern's Wild Game Kitchen on the Outdoor Channel. He has authored four books, including AZ and the Lost City of Ophir, which won the Ippy Gold Medal.

Zimmern's fourth James Beard Award came in 2017 for "Outstanding Personality/Host". His first prize was for "Television Food Personality" in 2010, his second was for "Television Program on Location" in 2012, and his third was for "Outstanding Personality/Host" in 2013. For his Travel Channel online series, Bizarre Foods in the Kitchen, Bizarre Foods also won two CableFax awards in 2009; one for "Best Television Program: Food" and another for "Best Online Extras."

In the struggle to safeguard restaurants impacted by Covid-19, Chef Andrew is a founding member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition and the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture. Lovin' Spoonfuls, ONE, the Food Policy Action Committee, No Kid Hungry, and Giving Kitchen are some of the other nonprofits that Andrew works with. In his free time, the Tournament of Champions judge unwinds in Minneapolis with his family, his dogs, Luca and Clemmie the Lagottos, and his friends.

While the Tournament of Champions season 4 is underway to premiere soon, Food Network has provided fans of the series with a bracket challenge to determine and select who they think will win every hurdle in the series by clicking a snap of their TOC bracket and posting it on Twitter by using tag #TOCBracketChallenge.

Betsy Ayala, senior vice president of programming and development at Food Network, reportedly stated about the series:

“’Tournament of Champions’ is consistently Food Network’s highest-rated series with nearly 11 million viewers at the edge-of-their-seats last season. This season will not disappoint. We have some of the most impressive competition chefs to date, alongside some very talented fresh new faces. Don’t expect to know who’s going to win because this season it’s truly anyone’s game.”

Tournament of Champions season 4 premieres on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. ET/ PT only on Food Network.

Edited by Siddharth Dhananjay