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Chef Britt Rescigno’s journey on Food Network’s Tournament of Champions Season 6 came to an emotional end on April 20, 2025, during the semifinal round. The New Jersey-born chef reached the final four for the third year in a row, continuing her streak as a consistent top-tier competitor on the high-stakes culinary series hosted by Guy Fieri.
However, after a tightly contested match against Chef Antonia Lofaso, Rescigno was eliminated by a single point in the taste category.
“This is the hardest thing,” Rescigno said following the decision. “You put everything into it, and sometimes it doesn't work out. It just felt like it this year, it really felt like it.”
In addition to Rescigno’s close loss, Sara Bradley defeated Lee Anne Wong to secure a spot in the final. In the end, Antonia Lofaso claimed the Season 6 title, becoming the newest champion of Tournament of Champions.
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Tournament of Champions: Britt Rescigno falls short by one point in semifinal showdown
In the finale episode of Tournament of Champions, Britt Rescigno faced off against Antonia Lofaso in the semifinal round. Both chefs were given a set of randomized elements from the show’s signature 'Randomizer' wheel, which selected the ingredients and cooking conditions: pompano as the protein, figs as the produce, lava rocks as the equipment, escabeche as the style, and the color purple as a wild card requirement.
Rescigno prepared poached pompano escabeche style, served with a tostada and an assortment of purple vegetables, including cauliflower, carrots, and cabbage. Lofaso countered with a whole fried pompano paired with vegetable escabeche and purple cauliflower purée.
The dishes were judged by chefs Brooke Williamson, Maneet Chauhan, and Mei Lin. Each dish was scored out of 100 points, divided among taste (40 points), presentation (20 points), and use of the Randomizer (40 points).
After the judging, both chefs received a total score of 82 points. In accordance with Tournament of Champions rules, the tie-breaker defaulted to the taste category. Rescigno earned 40 points for taste while Lofaso edged ahead with 41, securing her place in the finale.
“There’s this tiny little bowl of perfection in so many ways here,”
judge Brooke Williamson said of Rescigno’s dish. Despite the praise, the single-point difference ended Rescigno’s run in Season 6, a repeat semifinal appearance after also reaching the final four in previous seasons. Rescigno had advanced to the semifinals after defeating Chris Oh, Michael Reed, and Kaleena Bliss earlier in the bracket.
Her earlier wins included standout dishes such as a coffee-crusted top sirloin with braised and fried mustard greens, coffee-infused poutine gravy with whipped potatoes, butter-poached lobster with polenta and peas, and seared beef oyster steak served with farrotto, herb salad, and a savory pizzelle. In a confessional aired during the episode, Rescigno acknowledged the high level of her fellow semifinalists.
“All other competitors that are in the top four have worked for Michelin star restaurants, have a James Beard [Foundation Award] or have been nominated for one and I haven't,” she said. “But it doesn't matter because I can cook just like anyone else.”
What else happened in the episode
The second semifinal match on the April 20 episode of Tournament of Champions featured Lee Anne Wong and Sara Bradley. Wong and Bradley received the Randomizer elements: blue silkie chicken as the protein, sorrel as the produce, turmeric leaves for equipment, en papillote as the cooking style, and black as the wild card color.
After cooking and judging, Bradley won with a score of 85 to Wong’s 83, advancing to her first Tournament of Champions finale. In the final round, Lofaso and Bradley faced off under new Randomizer elements: wagyu beef, huitlacoche, sausage stuffer, hot and cold cooking styles, and two wild card elements — “sticky” and “spicy.”
These elements were distributed randomly between the chefs, with Lofaso receiving “spicy” for the hot component of her dish and Bradley using “sticky” for the cold portion. The finale was judged by Brooke Williamson, Maneet Chauhan, and Mei Lin — all previous Tournament of Champions winners except for Tiffani Faison, who served as a culinary commentator during Season 6.
With Maneet Chauhan having previously won Seasons 2 and 5, this season guaranteed a new champion. Bradley ultimately defeated Lofaso in the final round, becoming the sixth champion in Tournament of Champions history and continuing the trend of female winners in every season of the show.
Fans can stream the Tournament of Champions on Food Network GO.
