America's Culinary Cup is an American reality competition cooking show television series that premiered on CBS on March 4, 2026. The series is hosted and judged by Padma Lakshmi.
Format
Production On April 17, 2025, it was announced that CBS had ordered the series with Padma Lakshmi as the host, judge, and executive producer. It is a production of former NBCUniversal chairman Susan Rosner Rovner's AHA Studios, making Rovner's return to network television following her departure from NBC in 2023. On November 17, 2025, it was announced that the series would premiere on March 4, 2026. On January 23, 2026, the judges, Michael Cimarusti and Wylie Dufresne, were announced. On January 27, 2026, the chefs were announced.
Chefs Contestant Accolade Hometown/Home country Result Rochelle Daniel Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame Flagstaff, Arizona Eliminated March 4 Russell Jackson James Beard nominee New York City, New York Philip Tessier Bocuse d'Or silver medalist Napa, California Sol Han James Beard nominee New York City, New York Kim Alter James Beard nominee San Francisco, California Eliminated March 11 Michael Diaz de Leon Michelin-starred chef Denver, Colorado Eliminated March 18 Malyna Si Michelin-starred chef Jackson, Wyoming Eliminated March 25 Emily Yuen James Beard nominee New York City, New York Eliminated April 1 Diana Dávila James Beard nominee Chicago, Illinois Eliminated April 8 Beverly Kim Michelin-starred chef Chicago, Illinois Eliminated April 15 Keith Corbin James Beard nominee Los Angeles, California Eliminated April 22 Katie Button James Beard winner Asheville, North Carolina Eliminated April 29 Buddha Lo Michelin-starred chef New York City, New York Eliminated May 6 Chris Morgan Michelin-starred chef McLean, Virginia Runners-Up May 13 Matt Peters Bocuse d'Or gold medalist Austin, Texas Cara Stadler James Beard nominee Portland, Maine Winner May 13
Elimination table Place ContestantEpisodes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1 Cara WIN SAFE SAFE SAFE WIN SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE WIN 2 Chris SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE WIN SAFE RUNNER-UP 3 Matt SAFE WIN SAFE WIN SAFE SAFE SAFE WIN SAFE WIN RUNNER-UP 4 Buddha WIN SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE WIN WIN SAFE OUT 5 Katie WIN SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE OUT 6 Keith WIN SAFE SAFE SAFE WIN SAFE SAFE OUT 7 Beverly SAFE SAFE WIN WIN WIN WIN OUT 8 Diana WIN SAFE SAFE WIN SAFE OUT 9 Emily WIN SAFE SAFE SAFE OUT 10 Malyna SAFE SAFE SAFE OUT 11 Michael WIN SAFE OUT 12 Kim WIN OUT 13 Sol OUT 14 Philip OUT 15 Russell OUT 16 Rochelle OUT
Episodes
Critical response
References
External links