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Food Network is hosting a new Tournament of Champions, we take a stab at the bracket

By Julian Coltre

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - JULY 26: (L-R) Amanda Freitag, Marcus Samuelsson, Alex Guamaschelli, Marc Murphy, Maneet Chauhan, Chris Santos of the television show "Chopped" for the Food Network speak during the Summer 2018 Television Critics Association Press Tour at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 26, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - JULY 26: (L-R) Amanda Freitag, Marcus Samuelsson, Alex Guamaschelli, Marc Murphy, Maneet Chauhan, Chris Santos of the television show "Chopped" for the Food Network speak during the Summer 2018 Television Critics Association Press Tour at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 26, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 13: Chef Aaron Sanchez presents onstage during Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival Presented by Capital One Grand Tasting presented by ShopRite featuring Culinary Demonstrations presented by Capital One at Pier 94 on October 13, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for NYCWFF)
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 13: Chef Aaron Sanchez presents onstage during Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival Presented by Capital One Grand Tasting presented by ShopRite featuring Culinary Demonstrations presented by Capital One at Pier 94 on October 13, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for NYCWFF) /

8. Aaron Sanchez

You want to talk battle tested Chefs? well that’s what you’re getting with Aaron Sanchez. His resume includes competing on Iron Chef America (Sanchez is one of the few chefs who has had his competition end in a tie when he and chef Masaharu Morimoto tied in the “Black Bass Battle”), judging over 44 episodes of Chopped, and competing to receive the title of Iron Chef on The Next Iron Chef.

Outside of that, Sanchez has also published two cookbooks and is an avid philanthropist. Sanchez certainly has the chops to take it all if he was to be selected for the Food Network Tournament of Champions.

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JULY 30: Marcus Samuelsson of “No Passport Required” speaks during the 2019 Summer TCA press tour at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 30, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JULY 30: Marcus Samuelsson of “No Passport Required” speaks during the 2019 Summer TCA press tour at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 30, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images) /

7. Marcus Samuelsson

While his success on Food Network speaks for itself, Marcus Samuelsson may be one of the handful of chefs on this rankings who has had just as much success outside of cable TV as he has had on it.

Sure, lots of people know that Samuelsson is a host for Chopped, Chopped: Junior and Beat Bobby Flay, and most people also know that he’s competed and won both Chopped: All-Stars and Top Chef: Masters. However, did you know that the Swedish-Ethiopian chef was once the James Beard award winner for “Best Chef: New York City”, or that he had the opportunity to cook for President Obama? 

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