Top Chef (season 1)

Top Chef: San Francisco, originally broadcast simply as Top Chef, is the first season of the American reality television series Top Chef. It was first filmed in San Francisco, California, before concluding in Las Vegas, Nevada. The season premiered on March 8, 2006 and ended on May 24, 2006. The show featured chefs from around the United States living together in one house and competing in a series of culinary challenges. The prizes for the winner of the competition included a feature in Food & Wine Magazine, a showcase at the annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado, a Kenmore Elite kitchen set, and $100,000. The series was hosted by Katie Lee Joel, in her only season as a host, and judged by chef Tom Colicchio and food writer Gail Simmons.

The winner of this season was Lawrence Hyre.

This season was followed by season two.

Contestants
12 chefs were selected to compete in Top Chef: San Francisco.