Meet the Competing Chefs and See the Winning Dishes From 'House of Knives' Season 1

Food Network welcomes top chefs to a new culinary arena in House of Knives, a high-stakes cooking competition where talent, strategy and survival skills determine who reigns supreme. Hosted by Scott Conant, the new series premiered Tuesday, March 18 at 9|8c, with the competition building to an epic finale on Tuesday, May 6 at 9|8c, where one chef claimed the throne and a $100,000 grand prize.

Scroll through the gallery to see the chefs who competed in the arena and at the judges’ table, and feast your eyes on some of Season 1’s most unforgettable dishes. Fair warning: spoilers ahead!

Each episode of House of Knives brings six elite chefs into the arena to compete in high-stakes challenges inspired by their personal stories, food influences and cultures. The competition begins with the Battle for the Throne, where all six chefs have 60 minutes to create a dish that proves they are worthy of ruling. Each chef selects a signature ingredient to showcase in their dish, which the esteemed Culinary Council then judges. The chef who ranks highest is crowned The Ruler, securing their place on the throne (and eligibility for the season finale), while the lowest-ranking chef is banished from the competition permanently.

Since the arena always holds six competitors, a new legendary chef enters the game after each elimination. The next challenge, the Contender Battle, gives the remaining chefs 45 minutes to cook a dish based on a theme chosen by The Ruler. The winner of the challenge then faces a crucial decision: face The Ruler themselves or force another competitor into the battle, potentially securing their own advantage.

The episodes culminate in another epic Battle for the Throne, where The Ruler and a challenger go head-to-head. After 45 minutes, the Culinary Council returns to judge the final dishes. If The Ruler wins, they remain on the throne and the contender is banished. But if the challenger triumphs, they claim the throne, earn eligibility for the season finale and The Ruler is sent back into the competition pool.

With every episode, the pressure intensifies. Only the strongest will survive — and only one will claim the ultimate $100,000 prize in the season finale.

Renowned for his bold, soulful approach to cooking, Scott Conant is one of New York’s most respected chefs and a longtime judge on Chopped. Now, he steps into the spotlight as the host of House of Knives, guiding competing chefs through the high-stakes, strategy-driven battles in this all-new eight-episode series on Food Network.

Bringing expertise, innovation and a global perspective, House of Knives’ Culinary Council is led by two of the industry’s most distinguished chefs, Marcus Samuelsson and Judy Joo.

Together, these esteemed judges set the bar high, pushing contenders to bring their best to the arena as they battle for the throne.

Chef Marcus Samuelsson, an eight-time James Beard award winner, has left an indelible mark on the culinary world, from cooking at President Barack Obama’s first state dinner to running several acclaimed restaurants across the globe. An award-winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, philanthropist and food activist, Marcus brings his distinguished style to the "battlefield."

Chef Judy Joo, a best-selling cookbook author and the first-ever female Iron Chef UK, is a globally celebrated chef and restaurateur known for her bold flavors and mastery of international cuisine. Drawing on her unique personal experiences uniting Asian, American and European cuisines, Judy brings her seasoned expertise to the judging table.

Dubbed a culinary prodigy, Chef Poppy O’Toole cut her teeth in Michelin-starred kitchens before skyrocketing to fame as the self-proclaimed "Potato Queen." With more than 1 billion video views on TikTok and Instagram, this two-time cookbook author blends fine dining expertise with viral appeal, bringing her signature style and competitive edge to House of Knives.

Chef Poppy O’Toole’s house has fallen, bringing her time on House of Knives to an early end after just one challenge. Despite a strong showing, the competition proved formidable, and her journey was cut short before it could ever truly begin.

“Ugh, I’m out. It’s a shame. I’m disappointed. I knew I could have done a lot better, but the pressure of that kitchen got to me completely today and I wasn't mentally prepared for how serious it is in there and how good the competition is.” —Chef Poppy O’Toole

After training at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Tuscany, chef Anne Burrell went on to lead the kitchens of some of New York City’s top restaurants. An Emmy nominee, a New York Times best-selling author and the winner of Chopped All-Stars, she is also a familiar face as a guest judge on Beat Bobby Flay. Anne joins the House of Knives arena in the very first episode, stepping into the competition after the first contender elimination.

"It’s a stunner of a dish. Classic presentation for a classic Tuscan dish. I think the quail is beautifully executed and nicely cooked. She’s got something creamy, something tangy. It’s just a symphony at work.” —Judge Judy Joo

“I think what chef Burrell is showing us here is that years of experience matters.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“This dish just defines rustic elegance.” —Host Scott Conant

“This is the nicest chicken adobo I’ve ever been served. This is really tasty. It’s food that hugs you back at the end of the day.” —Judge Judy Joo

“It’s rustic, yet elegant. I love the onion in the bottom because it really makes the dish a little bit sweeter. It’s just a bunch of flavors coming back at you, and this is just so craveable.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“My egg is perfect. Gorgeous. This is the best oatmeal I’ve ever had … she’s playing the greatest hits of breakfast right here, but then elevated them into something that is truly sublime.” —Judge Judy Joo

“The roast on the shiitake gives you that extra texture and umami, and then the egg yolk is actually the sauce. She’s showing America: Anne Burrell is still boss.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

Once praised by Anthony Bourdain as the most talented chef he’d ever worked with, chef John Tesar has built a reputation for his mastery of meat and bold culinary vision. In 2022, he earned his first Michelin star for his work at Knife & Spoon in Orlando, Florida. As the chef behind two critically acclaimed Knife steakhouses in Texas, John brings precision, expertise and fierce competition to House of Knives.

In his first cooking competition in over four years, chef John Tesar performed admirably, but his time on House of Knives came to an end when his house fell during Episode 4.

“I am truly grateful for this opportunity. I'm retiring from competitive cooking. I’ve been doing culinary competition shows since the early 2000s and this is definitely me handing the baton over." —Chef John Tesar

A culinary phenom from the great state of Alabama, chef Kelsey Barnard Clark sharpened her skills in Michelin-starred kitchens across New York City before returning home to redefine Southern cuisine. The first Southerner to win Top Chef and a fierce competitor who took down the Titans on Bobby's Triple Threat, Kelsey is an absolute force in the kitchen, bringing her fearless flavor and battle-tested edge to House of Knives.

With her opening dish, chef Kelsey Barnard Clark brought Southern flavor to a bowl of ramen — a creative blend that would make her hometown proud.

“I love a bowl of ramen, and I love a bowl of pimped-out ramen even more. It is so fun to eat. She’s thinking about the flavors, as well as the textures. You’ve got things that are hot and spicy. You have things that are fresh, something crispy like this little water bread on the side.” —Judge Judy Joo

“For me, the collard greens on top are light, crispy. The noodles, they’re cooked perfectly.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

Chef Kelsey Barnard Clark entered the competition in Episode 5 and fought valiantly to make her way onto the throne but, unfortunately, was never successful. However, even though she never sat on the throne, she never lost a battle against the ruler, which means her house remains intact. Perhaps we’ll see Kelsey the next time we play this game.

“I’m bummed, but you know, I knew that I was going to have to come in and fight, fight, fight, and I definitely did Southern cooking proud. What an honor to be around total rock stars in this industry. So, win or lose, I’m still winning.” —Chef Kelsey Barnard Clark

In 2010, chef Jonathon Sawyer nabbed the Best New Chef award from Food & Wine magazine and has since gone on to win the James Beard award for Best Chef: Great Lakes. Jonathon, aka the Wild Card, has opened more than 20 restaurants and has never met a cooking style he couldn’t master.

“This looks extremely elegant, especially for something as humble as a farro grain … The farro is cooked absolutely perfectly, has a nice bite, a little bit al dente.” —Judge Judy Joo

“The farro for me is the star of the whole dish. It takes a lot of confidence to have that beautiful beef and not make the beef the star.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“The visual presentation is spectacular. Very fine dining … welcome back to the game, chef Sawyer.” —Host Scott Conant

“Extremely old cuisine. I love the little dusting of the sumac, the dusting of the za’atar, how he’s made this his own twist. This is good. This is really good.” —Judge Judy Joo

“The textures of this dish are amazing, right? The avocado against the chicharron and the potato chips to get so many things done in 45 minutes, but also to do it at this precision, like everything is cut in an impeccable way.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

Winner of the very first challenge in the House of Knives arena, chef Jonathon Sawyer’s time came to an end after a showdown with chef Claudette Zepeda in Episode 6.

“Thank you for the opportunity. I think that my food showed who I am, and I'm so glad to share it with a broader audience … This competition is a pressure cooker, and I'm bummed I don't get the chance to win that culinary crown or that $100,000, but I'm proud of everything I brought to the table.” —Chef Jonathon Sawyer

Chef Viet Pham is a culinary force with the accolades to prove it — a three-time James Beard award nominee, Food & Wine Best New Chef and the only competitor to beat Bobby Flay not once but twice. Now, he brings that same fearless intensity to Food Network's House of Knives, with every intention of swooping in at the last minute to steal the crown. With his sights set on the throne, Viet’s ready to raise the bar once again and take home the $100,000 grand prize.

“I mean, how fine dining is this? It is beautifully executed. Everything is cooked perfectly.” —Judge Judy Joo

“I don’t think you can argue that chef Pham is coming in swinging. This is spectacular. Money on that cook of the rib eye. Just absolute perfection.” —Host Scott Conant

“It’s a super-successful dish. A good cooked shrimp, I like the crunch. The fattiness of the scallop with that cowboy, fried, beautiful rib eye. It’s really refined and it’s really cohesive." —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

While chef Viet Pham certainly came into the competition swinging, winning his first contender battle, his time in the arena was unfortunately short-lived. Coming in so late in the competition means one thing: you have to win — and win twice in one episode.

Viet gave a great effort but was unable to take down the current ruler, chef Claudette Zepeda, in the final challenge of Episode 7.

“Sucks, you know, you don’t want to come in here and lose. I came in here and gave it my best. I really felt that I had a really great chance of being in the finale. However, what really brings me comfort is knowing that I got to lose against such a great competitor.” —Chef Viet Pham

After 5 years in the Navy, Philadelphia native Martel Stone traded in his military gear for a chef's coat and has chalked up victories on other culinary competition shows, including Food Network’s Guy's Grocery Games and Chopped Next Gen.

“Only the best of the best are here to compete," said Martel. "But I am not intimidated at all. I want this win. I want this crown, and I especially want that $100,000 at the very end.”

“The texture of the omelet, with the shrimp and the tomato sauce, is so silky … I never knew that small frozen shrimp like this could be so delicious.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“This sauce. It just has that slight kiss of smoke at the end. I mean, he always brings it with the sauce. It’s really soul-satisfying.” —Judge Judy Joo

Chef Stone never lost a battle against the ruler, keeping his spot in the competition all season long. However, only one chef could advance to the final culinary clash — and in the end, his last dish came up just short.

“It's really disappointing not to win, but I'm proud of what I've cooked and it feels amazing to have cooked alongside the best of the best. I feel very proud that I was able to put West African cuisine on a stage that it hasn't been before, so I’m leaving with my head high." - Chef Martel Stone

Claudette Zepeda is a San Diego-based award-winning chef known for her fearless approach to regional Mexican cuisine. Not only has her restaurant earned a Bib Gourmand nod from the Michelin Guide, she has proven her competitive dominance on Food Network by defeating four Iron Chefs and taking down the Titans on Bobby's Triple Threat.

“I am 'The Machete' because I'm going to slash the competition," said Claudette.

“Stunning presentation … This is just so well-layered, so well-textured." —Host Scott Conant

“I love the juxtaposition. This is a street food snack and she’s elevated it. I mean, this is fine dining.” —Judge Judy Joo

“Very earthy, and then you have the flair of the avocado and then the smoked salmon on top of that.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“This is really just tasty. You get these hits of saltiness, savoriness from the sausage and then the herbs. It’s so incredibly well-balanced and delicious. She is seducing us every single round with her food. I’m starting to fall in love with this woman’s cooking.” —Judge Judy Joo

“The flavors are bright. The flavors are clean. The textures are unique. And then, that little bit of five-spice, it’s warming.” —Host Scott Conant

“Beautiful presentation … there are nuances of flavor in here. The green mole on top. You know, when you taste these things individually, they’re good. But when you taste it together, you get it.” —Host Scott Conant

“This is very elegantly done … The mushroom crema here has so much depth and layers, that’s a masterpiece by itself.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“She’s made it, you know, like naughty/nice, you know what I mean? You feel like wow, this is elevated but at the same time it’s so homey. And then she’s got this kind of meaty trumpet mushrooms, we get that earthiness, nuttiness from it.” —Judge Judy Joo

“Beautiful. And I love the color. This bright, bright orange, and it’s flecked with the green. But also, it is so fragrant.” —Judge Judy Joo

“This dish is fresh and light. I just love the nuance of these flavors.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“What I love about this rice in particular is that she used the ghee. It just adds layers of flavor. It’s really wonderful. I want to eat this every day.” —Host Scott Conant

“This is a beautiful, sexy dish. I like the use of color here with the little petals peeking out. It has 'eat me' written all over it … I get so many notes of flavor and I love the earthiness of those huitlacoche mushrooms and that white mole. And then, you go over to that tamale and it’s just so incredibly delicious. ” —Judge Judy Joo

“This speaks to me, because it has depth, heart and this is modern Mexican-American food that is absolutely on the highest level … it makes me speechless.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“She made this dish in honor of her father, and you just taste that depth, you taste that love, you taste that history and respect of culture.” —Host Scott Conant

Course 1: Street Snacks Trio: Fruit With Chamoy, Carne Asada Taco and Beef Aguachile

“Everything from chef Zepeda is just coming from her heart. She puts that love and passion inside her cooking.” —Host Scott Conant

“I love the aguachile. I love the play with the beef.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

Course 2: Stewed Porterhouse Steak With Bacon, Corn and Fried Beans

“The second course, her main course, is delicious. I love the corn, the sweetness, but that broth, there’s this backdrop of heat at the end. It’s got rich, deep complexity and another perfectly cooked tortilla that we love just dipping into this broth. It’s just completely addictive.” —Judge Judy Joo

“The flavors are spectacular.” —Host Scott Conant

Course 3: Spanish-Style Rice Pudding With Strawberry and Charred Red Pepper Sauce

“Really soul-satisfying rice pudding with unexpected flavors. The roasted pepper and strawberry just add this level of heat and smoke. The rice pudding is cooked perfectly.” —Judge Judy Joo

“I can’t stop eating this. I love that sauce. That charred pepper and strawberry sauce is so interesting and so unique.” —Host Scott Conant

“I love this. To come into a competition like this, it’s a final, you have to finish with a bang, and she crushed it.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

A fierce competitor on Top Chef for two seasons, chef Shirley Chung has earned the trust of culinary legends like Thomas Keller, Guy Savoy and José Andrés, who have put their restaurants in her capable hands. Known as the "Dumpling Queen," she brings bold flavors, precision and an unstoppable drive to House of Knives. "I’ve done a lot of cooking competitions, but nothing like this," said Shirley. "It’s such a high level."

"I’ll tell you, this looks spectacular. As soon as you take that cover off, you’re hit with this beautiful waft of flavor, even that little tease of tofu underneath the cod, everything about this looks inviting.” —Host Scott Conant

“This is what great food does. It makes you happy. I'm humbled and I’m blown away.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“It looks beautiful … I’m smiling both inside and outside, and I just feel like the luckiest guy in the world right now. We’re sitting here eating not good food, amazing food.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“This is actually better than anything on the street that I’ve ever had in Hong Kong. This is executed with such skill and technical precision. I mean, look at how even each side, top and bottom is the same thickness, perfectly thin. The meat is perfectly juicy and moist and full of flavor. This is food that gets you excited.” —Judge Judy Joo

“I think chef Chung did something remarkable here because she just makes this gorgeous dish, stunning, aesthetically pleasing with broken rice and a competition when it's all on the line … The best bite is the young coconut.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“Chef Chung here has broken all the rules. When you think of old-fashioned rice pudding, you think of cinnamon, you think of vanilla, you think of nutmeg. And here, she’s gone bright, vibrant, citrus. I mean, nuttiness with peanuts. Is this a new invention?” —Judge Judy Joo

“This is so fun to eat. Every single bite, you get something different. A different flavor. A different texture.” —Host Scott Conant

“I think it’s stunning. We have those beautiful layers of textures and colors … Chef Chung is showing what a masterful chef she is. The cabbage gives you this almost risotto vibe, exactly the kind of pillow you want this fish to land on.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“It’s cooked really nicely … and using that duck fat and that cabbage, it complements the oiliness of the fish, but then she cuts that oil with this beautiful glaze that’s like sour-sweet on top of the fish, and it really brings the entire dish together. This dish is practically hypnotic.” —Judge Judy Joo

Course 1: Daikon Radish With Shiitake Mushroom in Fish Broth

“This humble soup, it’s like a taste journey through China.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“This is unlike anything I’ve ever had before. The daikon, braised to perfection, just absolutely incredible.” —Host Scott Conant

“It’s rendering me speechless, honestly. It is so incredibly enticing.” —Judge Judy Joo

Course 2: Tea-Smoked Duck With Szechuan Pepper Pear

“The duck is cooked perfectly. She’s crisped up that skin beautifully, and then we dip it into this beautiful Beijing sauce. And then, you get this pear, you know, this sweetness and it just brings it all together.” —Judge Judy Joo

“She’s now introducing techniques here: smoking, steaming, crisping in the same dish. This is as close to perfection you’re going to get.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

Course 3: Trio of Lamb: Lamb Loin, Lamb Dumpling and Lamb Consommé

“I never in my life thought that in a competition that anyone would have the guts to make a consommé, and it is brilliant.” —Judge Marcus Samuelsson

“It’s the best thing that’s in front of us. But this dumpling is close to perfection. I mean, look at how even that dough is. She is the dumpling queen and you can see it right there.” —Judge Judy Joo

Host Scott Conant and judges Judy Joo and Marcus Samuelsson deliberated with the competitor chess pieces, trying to determine a winner of the epic first season of House of Knives.