Tournament of Champions V: Release date, what to expect, and more

Tournament of Champions is a cherished gem on the Food Network, with its last season's finale drawing in 11 million viewers on the channel, according to Betsy Ayla, the food content head for Warner Bros. The coveted show has finally returned for season 5, featuring winners of the previous four seasons battling against each other alongside other expert chefs.

The show's phenomenal reach is a result of its unique plotline, which makes winning chefs from other TV shows compete against each other. The new season will see 32 chefs from the East and West Coast facing off, mirroring the format of previous seasons. Season 5 of Tournament of Champions premieres on February 18, airing on Food Network at 8 pm ET/PT.

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Tournament of Champions season 5 to feature 32 accomplished chefs

Where to watch?

Tournament of Champions is easily Food Network's best show, as it sees only the crème-de-crème competing with each other, giving it its niche. For those unable to catch the episodes as they premiere on Food Network on Sundays at 8 pm, they can stream them on Max, available a day after their TV release.

While Max doesn't offer a free trial like some of its contemporaries, its subscription cost is cheaper than most, with monthly plans starting at $9.99. Additionally, the show can also be accessed on cable replacement platforms such as Sling, Fubo TV, Philo, Hulu Live, and YouTube TV.

As fans await the release of season 5, they can revisit previous seasons of the show on Discovery+.

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The premise of Tournament of Champions season 5, cast, judges, and more

In line with its previous seasons, season 5 of Tournament of Champions also follows a bracket system. The star chefs will be put through 31 grueling challenges spread over 8 weeks, with the ultimate winner claiming the $150,000 prize money.

Hosted by Emmy Award-winning chef and restaurateur Guy Fieri, contestants in the new season won't know their opponents, and their dishes will be blindly evaluated by some of the biggest names in the food world, according to Food Network's official description.

The judges this season include Donatella Arpaia, Scott Conant, Cat Cora, Rocco DiSpirito, Susan Feniger, Lorena Garcia, Carla Hall, Michael Mina, Eric Ripert, Marcus Samuelsson, Nancy Silverton, Ming Tsai, Michael White, Jonathan Waxman, Geoffrey Zakarian, and Andrew Zimmern.

On the East Coast team, the contestants are Eric Adjepong, Karen Akunowicz, Kelsey Barnard Clark, season 2 champion, Maneet Chauhan, Tobias Dorzon, season 3 champion, Tiffani Faison, Amanda Freitag, Jose Garces, Stephanie Izard, Marc Murphy, Britt Rescigno, Jonathon Sawyer, and Dale Talde.

The West Coast team looks equally competent, with Carlos Anthony, Shirley Chung, season 4 champion Mei Lin, Antonia Lofaso, Crista Luedtke, Brian Malarkey, Shota Nakajima, Joe Sasto, Adam Sobel, Casey Thompson, Jet Tila, Michael Voltaggio, season 1 champion Brooke Williamson, and Lee Anne Wong as contestants.

The trailer for season 5 opens with Guy spinning the ingredient wheels, revealing the most random things the chefs have to use for their dishes, all within 30 minutes. The challenge showcases star chefs Jet and Brian as they bravely tackle the difficult challenge.

Jet opts for a Korean flavor profile, while Brian goes for a Mediterranean-style Baba Ganoush. The trailer leaves viewers on a cliffhanger as it shows the chefs meticulously preparing their dishes but cutting exactly when it's time for the results.

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Tournament of Champions, which first premiered in 2020, has grown fast, with one season coming out every year- a testament to its quality.