Kentucky 'Top Chef' finalist to compete for world champ title in new season. What to expect

Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal
·3 min read
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A popular chef from Paducah, Kentucky and the runner up on Season 16 of "Top Chef" is ready to jump back into the frying pan.

We first met chef Sara Bradley when she was a contestant on Season 16 of Bravo's "Top Chef." The award-winning television series, hosted by Padma Lakshmi, spent two months in Kentucky in 2018.

Now Bradley is back for seconds. She's signed on to compete in Season 20 as "Top Chef" heads overseas to England and France.

Chef Sara Bradley is the chef-owner of Freight House, a three-year-old restaurant in Paducah — population 24,000. She will be competing in Season 16 of "Top Chef," which was shot earlier this year in Kentucky.
Chef Sara Bradley is the chef-owner of Freight House, a three-year-old restaurant in Paducah — population 24,000. She will be competing in Season 16 of "Top Chef," which was shot earlier this year in Kentucky.

This epic showdown marks the first time the flagship edition of "Top Chef" has gone abroad for an entire season. Winners and finalists representing 11 different "Top Chef" versions around the world will vie for the ultimate "World All-Stars title" as the show travels throughout London, England and holds the finale in Paris, France.

Lakshmi will be joined on the global stage by judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons, plus numerous distinguished judges from the international versions of "Top Chef." In case you are wondering, there are 29 international versions of the show.

When "Top Chef" filmed in Kentucky, Bradley and her fellow "cheftestants" traversed the Bluegrass State competing at various popular Kentucky hot spots like Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Rupp Arena, Muhammad Ali Center, Foxhollow Farm, Seelbach Hotel and Maker's Mark Distillery.

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Bradley finished Season 16 in second place and her instant celebrity turned into instant popularity for her freight house restaurant in Paducah, Kentucky .

"We're seeing people coming in from Louisville, Lexington, and Cincinnati," Bradley told The Courier Journal previously. "We're closer to Nashville than Louisville, and St. Louis than Louisville, so we're seeing people from all over the region come and it's been really amazing."

"Top Chef" season 19 will premiere March 3, 2022. Pictured: (l-r) Gail Simmons, Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio
"Top Chef" season 19 will premiere March 3, 2022. Pictured: (l-r) Gail Simmons, Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio

What's expected from Season 20 of "Top Chef"?

The winning chef of Season 20 will be crowned “Top Chef” World All-Star, taking home the grand prize of $250,000 provided by the Saratoga Brand, a feature in Food & Wine and an appearance at the 40th annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.

The new season of "Top Chef" premieres March 9 at 9 p.m. on the Bravo Channel. The entire sizzling season of supersized episodes will air Thursdays from 9-10:15 p.m. Episodes will be available the next day on Peacock.

background:We got to tag along with the crew of 'Top Chef' 16. Here's what we saw

Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.

Meet the cheftstants in Season 20 of 'Top Chef'

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Sara Bradley will be competing on 'Top Chef' Season 20. What to expect