Bright knives, big city. On Top Chef: New York, the fifth season of the No. 1 food show on cable, 17 new cheftestants take on the Big Apple and compete for their shot at culinary stardom. Cookbook author, actress and host Padma Lakshmi once again returns to the judges’ table, alongside head judge Tom Colicchio, renowned culinary figure and chef/owner of Craft Restaurants, and judge Gail Simmons of Food & Wine magazine. Beyond host Padma Lakshmi, we spotted 3 other Asian American contestants: Eugene “Gene” Villiatora, Leah Cohen (part Filipino) , Radhika Desai (Indian American). ( Last season, only one chef was Asian American Dale Talde from Top Chef Chicago)

Bravo’s Emmy- and James Beard Award-winning Top Chef offers a fascinating window into the competitive, pressure-filled environment of world-class cookery and the restaurant business at the highest level. Each episode holds two challenges for the chefs. The first is a Quickfire test of their basic abilities, and the second is a more involved Elimination Challenge designed to test the versatility and inventiveness of the chefs as they take on unique culinary trials, such as working with unusual and exotic foods or catering for a range of demanding clients. The challenges not only test their skills in the kitchen, but also reveal whether they have the customer service, management and teamwork abilities required of a Top Chef. The competing chefs live and breathe the high-pressure lifestyle that comes with being a master chef, and each week someone is asked to pack their knives and go home.

Eugene “Gene” Villiatora is currently developing menus for major corporations and is the soon to be Executive Chef of a new concept for a major hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Born and raised in Hawaii, he relocated to Las Vegas and began his career as a dishwasher. Through hard work and dedication over the years, he has experienced all facets of life in the professional kitchen. He has gained wisdom and experience in management positions at various restaurants and has been blessed to work for and with some of the most extraordinary chefs in the world. His cooking philosophy has always been “think outside the box” and his love for pacific fusion compliments his cooking style. He is trained in basic French and Italian with an emphasis on Pacific Rim, Hawaiian fusion, and the art of sushi.

Meet Eugene “Gene” Villiatora

Leah Cohen currently works as a Sous Chef at Centro Vinoteca in New York City. Apart from the year and a half that she worked at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Italy, she has spent her entire life in New York and comes from a Filipino, Russian-Romanian Jewish background. Her favorite chef is Marco Pierre White and she counts salt, olive oil, butter, garlic and any pork product as her must-have ingredients. She loves Italian, Filipino and Thai cuisine, but homemade pasta is what she enjoys making the most.

Meet Leah Cohen

Radhika Desai currently works as the Executive Chef at Between Boutique Café & Lounge in Chicago. A first generation Indian American, Radhika was born in Ohio and raised in an eclectic Indian-tradition home. Trained in classic French and Indian cuisine, she has worked alongside notable chef Vikas Khanna and has staged at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. She has traveled the world over learning new techniques and flavor profiles and brings spice and bold flavors to the table combined with grace and restraint. Her favorite dish to prepare is spicy chicken and potato curry with cumin scented rice with clarified butter and mint. She describes her cooking style as globally eclectic with a huge spoonful of love.

Meet Radhika Desai