The Emmy and James Beard Award-winning culinary competition series returns for a new season in Portland, Oregon, with host Padma Lakshmi, head judge Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. For the first time ever, they will be joined by a rotating judging and dining panel of "Top Chef" all-star winners, finalists and favorites, including Richard Blais, Carrie Baird, Nina Compton, Tiffany Derry, Gregory Gourdet, Melissa King, Kristen Kish, Edward Lee, Kwame Onwuachi, Amar Santana, Dale Talde and Brooke Williamson. Season 18 also features appearances by José Andrés, Massimo Bottura, Gabriel Rucker and Alice Waters, plus "Portlandia" stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein.
