What to Know About NBC's Yes, Chef! Cooking Competition Series

Are you ready to watch 12 bold chefs get served a side of humble pie? NBC’s newest competition series, Yes, Chef!, is stirring the pot, and we’re already obsessed. Hosted by none other than culinary icons José Andrés and Martha Stewart, this show isn’t just about cooking – it's about growth, grit, and maybe a little drama. 

If you love the chaotic energy of the kitchen, unpredictable personalities, and watching egos get chopped down like overcooked carrots, this show’s for you. 

When does Yes, Chef! premiere?

Mark your calendars and preheat your TV screens: Yes, Chef! premieres Monday, April 28 at 10p ET/PT on NBC, right after The Voice. Missed it live? Don’t worry. You can stream episodes next day on Peacock. 

Who are the hosts of Yes, Chef!?

Only two of the most iconic names in food and lifestyle: José Andrés and Martha Stewart. Yes, that Martha Stewart. 

José brings a humanitarian heart and Michelin-star skills. Martha brings elegance, precision, and a healthy dose of criticism. Together, they’ll whip these chefs into shape with humor, tough love, and the kind of feedback that’s served best at room temperature. 

Who are the 12 competing chef contestants?

Here’s the full lineup of chefs ready to spice up your Monday nights: 

Emily Brubaker | Carlsbad, CA

Emily Brubaker is the Resort Executive Chef at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. A classically French-trained chef with a focus on American, Italian, and French fine dining, she has worked with multiple culinary legends and is passionate about sourcing quality ingredients to create exceptional, elevated dishes. Emily tends to become impatient and stubborn with her staff, which has created a glass ceiling in her career alongside her self-confidence. Her husband, Jake, thinks that Yes, Chef! will help Emily grow in her career. 

Julia Chebotar | New York City, NY

Chef Julia Chebotar is a private chef in New York who specializes in elevated dishes with organic and health-supportive ingredients. Julia won Chopped in 2019 and Kitchen Crash in 2021, so it’s no surprise that she loves competition. Julia’s competitive nature and blunt approach to things makes it hard for her to work with others, so her friend Lauren hopes that Yes, Chef! will help refine her confidence and learn to collaborate more effectively. 

Michelle Francis | Santa Monica, CA 

With more than 27 years of experience under her belt, Chef Michelle Francis is on the culinary team at Jar in Los Angeles. Specializing in Mediterranean cuisine, she has worked in various positions in the fine-dining world. Michelle struggles with perfectionism and doesn’t always play nice with others, but knows that that if she doesn’t change, it may get in the way of her dream to be a traveling chef. Her daughter Sophie hopes that Yes, Chef! will help Michelle with maintaining respect, even when others upset her. 

Lee Frank | South Berwick, ME 

James Beard Award nominee Chef Lee Frank is the Executive Chef at Otis in Exeter, N.H., specializing in American farm-to-table dining. Lee also previously appeared on Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay, walking away victorious on the latter appearance. Lee has a chip on his shoulder after being overlooked in the past. His sous chef, Jonathan, thinks that this resentment is hindering his growth in the industry, especially with Lee’s goal of starting his own restaurant group. By entering Yes, Chef!, Lee wants to show his community that he’s not just a great chef, but he’s able to improve on his self-doubt.

Torrece ‘Chef T’ Gregoire | Bristol, VA 

Chef Torrece Gregoire, or Chef T as she’s better known by, is the owner and chef at Union 41 in Bristol, Va. She has headlined food festivals and appeared on popular food competition shows. Chef T dreams of being a James Beard Award winner and realizes she needs to tone down her no-holds-barred attitude to achieve this. Her line cook Alex nominated her for Yes, Chef!, believing this would give her the opportunity to become a more effective communicator. 

Zain Ismail | Los Angeles, CA 

Zain Ismail is the Executive Sous Chef of Fork n’ Film, an immersive dining and cinema experience in Los Angeles. Zain’s dishes have an exotic influence on account of her ties to the island of Mauritius, where her family is from. Zain is unfiltered in the kitchen and tends to come across harsh when dealing with others – something both Zain and Cole, her Executive Chef, want her to work on. With goals of landing on prestigious chef lists and opening her own restaurant, they hope Yes, Chef! will help Zain soften her attitude. 

Jake Lawler | Madison, WI 

Chef Jake Lawler is the Executive Chef at Vintage Brewing Co. in Madison, Wisc. where he curates menus for five different restaurants. With experience in Michelin-starred kitchens, his specialty is French and Italian cuisine. His friend and front of house manager, Brandon, has seen Jake’s defensiveness and temper lead to a negative impact in the kitchen. Brandon knows Jake has the potential to excel with this experience on Yes, Chef! 

Ronny Miranda | Oakland, CA 

Chef Ronny Miranda currently serves as the Conference Lead Chef at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia in Napa, Calif., which has been hailed as a foodie wonderland. His dishes are influenced by his Portuguese heritage, but he lacks the self esteem to find his own identity as a chef. Combined with his tendency to get easily frustrated with his colleagues, Ronny acknowledges a reputation that he’s eager to change. His boss, Courtney, nominated him for Yes, Chef! in the hopes that the experience will help him embrace his authentic self in the kitchen and become more confident. 

Christopher Morales | Melbourne, FL 

Chef Christopher Morales is currently the Executive Chef at Gregory’s Steakhouse in Cocoa Beach, Fla. He specializes in fresh fish, steaks and homemade pasta. Although he never went to culinary school, Christopher has worked in high-end kitchens across the country and landed on the Los Angeles Times Best Young Chef Under 30 list. Christopher’s former sous chef Zach nominated him because of his militant style of running his kitchen and harsh critiques of his staff. Zach and Christopher are hoping that this time on Yes, Chef! will help him be a better mentor and leader in the kitchen. 

Petrina Peart | Cheyenne, WY

Chef Petrina Peart is the Executive Chef at the Wyoming Governor’s Mansion, with her work being recognized in publications such as Cheyenne Living and Cowboy State Daily. While she’s experimental in her dishes, Petrina struggles with perfectionism, often setting impossibly high standards for herself. Her brother and sous chef, Hubert, nominated her for Yes, Chef! hoping she’ll learn to embrace mistakes and trust in her abilities. For Petrina, this competition is more than showcasing her talents, it’s about overcoming self-doubt and realizing that one misstep doesn’t define her. 

Peter Richardson | Islip Terrace, NY

Chef Peter Richardson is a private chef from Long Island, NY who specialized in kosher meals. At only 23, Peter is often the youngest chef in any kitchen and on the receiving end of disrespect from fellow chefs, which doesn’t help his short fuse. Dov, his boss, nominated him for Yes, Chef! out of both admiration and concern for his outbursts. For Peter, joining Yes, Chef! is about more than just winning, it’s a chance to grow as a person and in his craft. 

Katsuji Tanabe | Raleigh, NC 

Chef Katsuji Tanabe is a seasoned restaurateur, owning 13 establishments across the United States that showcase a diverse range of cuisines. Known for his competitive spirit, he has become a familiar face in televised culinary showdowns, appearing on Top Chef, Top Chef Mexico, Top Chef Junior, Bobby’s Triple Threat, Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay and Cooking Under Fire. In the kitchen, Katsuji has a reputation for pushing buttons that led his business partner, Esther, to nominate him for Yes, Chef! Both agree that if Katsuji wants to sustain his upward trajectory, it’s time for a change. 

What does each episode of Yes, Chef! entail?

Each week, the chefs will be thrown into a series of intense challenges that test their culinary skills and their ability to work as part of the team (or at least not sabotage each other). Every episode crowns a Most Valuable Chef (MVC), who earns the power to shake things up in a surprise cook-off that could change the course of the competition.  

At stake? A $250,000 grand prize and the bragging rights to say, “I survived Martha and José.” 

Can I watch a sneak peek?

Yes, you can! To get a better idea of the culinary fireworks that await, check out the latest first look from NBC: 

Hungry for more? Check out the premiere of Yes, Chef! on Monday, April 28 at 10p ET/PT on NBC, and stream episodes on Peacock starting Tuesday, April 29.