Inside Next Gen Chef, Netflix’s new culinary competition with a $500,000 prize

Next Gen Chef, a new cooking competition, started on Netflix on September 17, 2025. Episodes 1 - 7 are currently available, and Episode 8 will air on September 24, 2025. The show is hosted by Olivia Culpo with judges Kelsey Barnard Clark (Top Chef Season 16 winner) and Carlton McCoy (a well-known wine expert). 

In this series, 21 young chefs take on the challenge of winning the $500,000 prize. The show is filmed at the Culinary Institute of America campus located in Hyde Park, New York.

Initially, there is a very competitive cooking test for the 21 chefs. They are divided into teams and will execute a seven-course meal. Immediately, half of the chefs are sent home without them even moving into the dorm. 

The remaining 12 chefs face additional cooking tests that examine their skills. They will create a family-style meal, a dish using various pieces of food that are typically thrown away, fast-food-style dishes for the campus stalls, and fine-dining menus with their fancy chefs. 

The guest judges include recognizable names like Christina Tosi, Kwame Onwuachi, Susan Feniger, Cat Cora, Thomas Keller, and Daniel Boulud. Each round increases the difficulty of the challenge, and one contestant earns the title of Next Gen Chef.

The first big challenge in Next Gen Chef 

The show begins at the Culinary Institute of America, often called “Hogwarts for chefs.” The 21 contestants arrive, excited to start their journey. But as Olivia Culpo explains, they must prove themselves from the very beginning. The first challenge is a seven-course meal, made in teams.

The chefs are divided into three groups. They need to work together to create seven dishes that show skill, teamwork, and creativity. One contestant says,

“It’s not just about cooking. It’s about learning how to share the kitchen and the spotlight.”

Judges Kelsey Barnard Clark and Carlton McCoy watch closely as the dishes are prepared and served. Kelsey says during the tasting,

“Every dish tells us something about how well they can handle pressure.”

At the end of the challenge, the judges make a big decision. Half of the chefs are sent home. Only 12 chefs remain to move forward in the competition and live in the CIA dorms.

This tough first round shows how serious the contest is. Every dish matters, and even the smallest mistake can end a chef’s chance. For the 12 who stay, the journey has only just started.

Cooking with creativity in Next Gen Chef 

After the first cut, 12 chefs continue to compete. They face many new challenges that test their creativity.

During one round, they will create family meals that are approachable and comfortable, but also original. In another round, they will create delicious dishes that use food waste items such as stems or peels. 

Judge Carlton McCoy says, "Great chefs find the value in each part of the ingredient." This indicates how important it is to consider waste and maximize each ingredient.

In the next round, the chefs will design fast-casual concepts, which will be food concepts that could be manufactured daily at campus food stalls or bakeries.

This challenges chefs to create food that is convenient and affordable, but at the same time, interesting. They will also do fine dining tasting menus, which focus on craftsmanship, detail, and future food trends. 

Guest judges, such as Kwame Onwuachi and Christina Tosi, share their advice. Tosi says,

"Your dish needs to embody who you are as a chef. That's what you want the dish to be memorable."

Each step helps the chefs grow and share their perspective. 

The chefs are being tested as if they are capable of running any style of cooking, from the everyday to the extremely creative. Only one will make it to the finish and be awarded the trophy.