Top Chef Masters Winners: Where are they now?

Season 5 of Top Chef Masters started last week and the competition looks just delicious. But ever wonder where the last 4 Top Chef Masters Winners ended up? Have their wins boosted their already-established careers? Take a look at the winners from the past 4 seasons. Recap time!

The season 1 winner of Top Chef Masters was Rick Bayless. Being an expert on Mexican cuisine and visiting several Mexican restaurants, in 2010, Rick became head chef at Red O in L.A.  He continues to contribute towards his own restaurant Frontera Grill in Chicago.  Rick has a busy couple of years with being a contender for the White House Executive Chef for President Obama to giving Google talks on Mexican food, his cookbooks and his experiences on Top Chef Masters. In 2012, Rick also ventured into the world of theatre with a Play titled “Rick Bayless in Cascabel”. He was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy for his work on Mexico: One plate at a time.

Season 2 saw the very talented and unique Marcus Samuelsson win $115,000 for the UNICEF TAP project. In 2010 he opened his new restaurant Red Rooster in Harlem. The Red Rooster in 2011 also hosted a Democratic National Committee fund raiser. The $30,800 per plate event was a huge success.  Asked if he was aiming to be the next Martha Stewart, he said he was just busy being Marcus!

Season 3 of Top Chef Masters had even more variety with Floyd Cardoz winning. Known for his contemporary Indian cuisine his restaurant Tabla was considered one of the best in Manhattan. After 12 years it finally closed in 2010. Floyd is now the head chef and partner of a new American style bar and grill called North End Grill. Seafood and single malt whiskey is the focus of this new restaurant.

Season 4’s winner, Chris Cosentino, has been quoted saying “no more television” but we saw him again on the pilot of Time Machine Chefs; which he won again! A huge supporter of Farmers Markets Chris can often be seen as the San Francisco’s Ferry Plaza farmers market. He is the Executive Chef of Icanto.

How do you think Season 5's competition measures up to these Top Chef Masters?