On the Thursday, May 1 episode of Top Chef, which was the notorious “Restaurant Wars” face-off, the show welcomed another Top Chef alum as a guest judge — Chef Nina Compton, who first graced the Top Chef kitchen 12 years ago during season 11, Top Chef: New Orleans. Looking at her now, 12 years later, it seems like she has hardly aged a day.
Compton was a frontrunner all season on Top Chef: New Orleans, but she fell just short in the finale, taking second place to winner Nicholas Elmi, who was a hot-headed chef that fans were pretty surprised took the victory.
In fact, fans were so outraged that judge Gail Simmonswrote a Bravo blog addressing Elmi’s controversial win over Compton.
“[Judges table] went on and on for hours literally, until we sort of realized we had to think about who made the worst dishes of the night, who made the best dish of the night, and that went to a vote between all of us. … After much back and forth, long into the night, wherein I almost fell asleep at the table numerous times from sheer exhaustion we decided that Nick’s meal was the winning meal that night — and that he would be named Top Chef!” wrote Simmons.
Compton did not have any hard feelings, though — or at least, not enough to stay away from the show because she returned to Top Chef as a guest judge during seasons 16 and 18 and also on Top Chef: Family Style in 2021.
On Top Chef: Destination Canada, Compton had some sage advice for the final eight chefs as they embarked on Restaurant Wars, which is always a very hard challenge.
“I remember being in your shoes many years ago, and Restaurant Wars is the most difficult challenge, but really have fun with it and make sure that your concept is clean and concise,” advised Compton.
When it came time for the meal, contestant Lana Lagomarsini confessed to being super nervous to serve her culinary idol.
“I was shaking like a leaf, dude,” Lana told teammate Cesar Murillo. “I’ve looked up to Chef Nina forever.”
Nowadays, Compton can be found living in New Orleans, which she fell in love with while filming Top Chef. She has two restaurants there, Compere Lapin and Bywater American Bistro.
