'Secret Chef' Is a Cooking Competition With a Tasty Twist
Hungry for a new cooking competition? Secret Chef is on the menu. The Hulu show follows 10 contestants of all skill levels—professionals, home cooks and social media influencers alike—as they face off in isolated, underground kitchens connected only by a series of conveyor belts to protect their anonymity. The chefs will receive guidance from a cheeky, animated talking-hat (you read that right) who will task them with a variety of cooking challenges (ever try heating food with a clothing steamer?).
The show doesn’t have any official judges; instead, the chefs will rate each others’ dishes through a blind taste-test—no knowledge of who cooked what, and no personal biases influencing their decisions (at least that's the idea...).
Ready to dig in? Here's all there is to know about Secret Chef, including who is competing and what the winner will take home.
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Who hosts Secret Chef?
Secret Chef does not have a traditional host. The contestants will instead receive guidance from a “mischievous animated talking hat” that doles out challenges.
Chef and restauranteur David Chang, who founded the Momofuku restaurant group, is an executive producer on the Hulu series. He will also appear on the show.
Who are the judges on Secret Chef?
There are no judges on Secret Chef, at least not in the traditional sense. The premise of the competition is that the contestants will judge each other through blind tastings.
What is the release date for Secret Chef?
Secret Chef will premiere on Hulu on Thursday, June 29. The entire season will drop all at once, so viewers should plan their snacks accordingly!
Who is competing in Secret Chef?
Secret Chef will see chefs from all walks of life competing to win the series, including professional chefs, home cooks and social media influencers. The contestants are:
Alexa Santos of Fort Lauderdale, FL
Hulu
According to Hulu's bio of Alexa Santos, she's a "lifelong" foodie whose parents both worked in the restaurant/hospitality business. She studied journalism at Northwestern University and was a TV news reporter for five years before deciding to move to New York City to pursue a career in food media. She worked as a food editor at a popular online food publication until her personal foodie account @alexawhatsfordinner
took off and she struck out on her own.
Anthony Bar of Los Angeles, CA
Hulu
According to his LinkedIn, executive chef Anthony Bar is an "enterprising and highly-trained culinary professional" with more than a decade of experience. He also has a "proven ability in the design and execution of visionary recipes and restaurant menus." Impressive!
Anthony Langston, Denton, TX
Hulu
Anthony Langston is the culinary director of a cheese shop in Denton, TX, and a skilled home cook who specializes in New American and French cuisine and has a unrivaled flair for food plating.
Danielle Harris, Washington, D.C.
Hulu
Danielle Harris owns a sandwich shop, Little Food Studio, in Washington, D.C., where she names sandwiches after her culinary inspirations
"I am a Cleveland native with a passion for food and beverage that bloomed at age 11," she says on her LinkedIn. "My formal culinary journey began, like most chefs, as a dishwasher while in high school. After becoming a Sous Chef in my home state at the age of 19, I had the pleasure of working under the guidance of Iron Chef Stephanie Izard in one of Chicago's most high-volume restaurants while in college."
Her signature dish is coffee-rubbed ribeye with polenta.
Jazmin Tyler, Santa Monica, CA
Hulu
A self-trained home cook with a huge following on TikTok, Jazmin Tyler prides herself on her outdoorsy upbringing. But will her childhood spent camping and surfing help her survive this competition? That remains to be seen!
Joshua Walbolt, Union, NJ
Hulu
Joshua Walbolt is a private chef with a passion for Southeast Asian cuisine and the founder of Baby Daddy Hot Sauce.
A highly-skilled master in the kitchen, he attended the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York City for eight months before dropping out, then went on to work under esteemed chefs such as Iron Chef Morimoto in Orlando.
Leon Brunson, Tallahassee, FL
Jim Fiscus/Hulu
Leon Brunson is a private chef and owner of Leon’s at Lake Ella in Tallahassee, Florida.
Secret Chef isn't Brunson's first time competing in a kitchen. He also appeared on T-Pain's LG Homestyle Challenge on Twitch, among other online shows. But according to an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat, Brunson's upcoming Hulu show was the most challenging of the bunch so far.
"I've got to say, that was the most difficult thing I think I've ever done in my culinary career and I'm opening two restaurants," he told the local outlet.
Poonam Ribadia, Brooklyn, NY
Jim Fiscus/Hulu
Poonan Ribadia is a curriculum development manager at a leading EdTech company. According to her Hulu bio, her "love for cooking and her culinary skills are deeply rooted in her Gujarati Indian heritage...From a young age, Poonam was drawn to the art of cooking, often finding herself at the heart of the kitchen, eager to learn from her parents and grandparents."
Stephenie Simmons, Seattle, WA
Hulu
According to Hulu, Stephenie Simmons worked in social services and public education for several years after college, but "discovered that the way she connected deepest with her community was through food."
"During the height of the pandemic, Stephenie focused on her passion and began her career as a private chef and caterer, with a strong focus on farm-to-table cooking using fresh, locally sourced ingredients."
Sydney Buck, Queens, NY
Hulu
Private chef Sydney Buck is a self-trained culinary artist focused on sustainability. "I am obsessed with eating seasonally and using every part of everything I use," she's said. "Whether that is using vegetable scraps, carrot top or repurposing bones for a stock."
Born and raised in rural Pennsylvania, Buck started her professional life in NewYork City in the beauty industry before pivoting to the food world.
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How many episodes are in Secret Chef?
Secret Chef will consist of 10 episodes for its first season on Hulu. The series will drop all at once on June 29.
How to watch Secret Chef
You can stream the show on Hulu on June 29.
What does the Secret Chef winner get?
The winner of Secret Chef will get an astounding $100,000 grand prize. Bet you wish you paid attention in Home Ec now!
Is there a trailer for Secret Chef?
Yes! The trailer opens with the contestants waking up confused inside their underground cooking quarters. "It's like Alice in Wonderland but so much scarier," one of them says. (How did producers get them there? Best not to ask!)
Eventually, the contestants congregate and meet their animated hat host, "Cheffy," who reveals to the cast that there will be no judges in the competition. "Instead, you chefs will judge each other," the hat says. "But to make sure you judge fairly you’ll cook in secret, you’ll taste in secret and you’ll judge in secret." As the trailer continues, we learn that personality (and deception) may play a role in the judging process after all. Juicy!
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