There’s a new Top Chef winner—and she’s a Filipina!
Rhoda Magbitang, born and raised in Antipolo, was just crowned the winner of Top Chef: Carolinas, one of the most prestigious culinary competition TV shows in the world, on June 8, taking home the $250,000 grand prize (on top of the $40,000 she bagged from winning the challenges) after impressing judges with a finale menu drawn from Filipino flavors and family memories.
Her win was significant for several reasons. First, after a series of male winners, Magbitang became the first woman to clutch the elusive title since Melissa King (Season 17) and she is the first chef from Hawaii (where she’s currently based) to do so. She also joins one of the most exclusive clubs in the franchise’s history, becoming only the fourth chef to be eliminated, claw her way back into the show by edging out others in Last Chance Kitchen, and then ultimately beat the rest in the finale.
From Antipolo to Top Chef: How Rhoda Magbitang’s Filipino Heritage Shaped Her Winning Journey
Born and raised in Antipolo, 17-year-old Rhoda and her sister Katrina (she appears in the last episode) moved to California, where she had her professional culinary training at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena. Since then, she worked her way up the kitchen roster in several establishments including Mélisse, The Bazaar by José Andrés, and The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern. Today, she serves as Executive Chef of CanoeHouse, a Japanese-inspired restaurant at the Mauna Lani resort in Hawaii.
Despite the impressive culinary experience she amassed in these celebrated restaurants, it was her heritage that definitely helped define her Top Chef journey. Throughout the season, she cooked Filipino dishes that led her to win.
The Filipino Comfort Foods Behind Rhoda Magbitang’s Historic Top Chef Victory
She proved to be a formidable challenger from the very first episode when she won with a soy-glazed sweet potato dish inspired by the Filipino street side snack kamote cue. Then in episode 12, Rhoda amazed once again, this time with her take on a lumpia, presenting it as a shrimp-and-pork-stuffed cabbage roll. In the finale, she wont the hearts—and palates— of the judges by presenting them with a lugaw made with abalone as a tribute to the porridge her mom would make whenever she was sick; her childhood favorite tortang talong which she paired with an XO sauce, and a kaldereta short rib, which is her “toast” (theme of the final dish) to her dad.
Not only did she present these with the absence of any technical flaw, but she told them in a way many Filipinos can relate to— personal and rooted in family memories. Fittingly, the dishes that helped secure Rhoda the title weren’t the most elaborate. They were the ones closest to home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rhoda Magbitang was crowned the winner of Top Chef Season 23 on June 8, 2026.
Yes. Rhoda Magbitang was born and raised in Antipolo, Philippines before moving to the United States as a teenager.
Her winning finale menu included an abalone lugaw, tortang talong with XO sauce, and kaldereta short rib inspired by family memories and Filipino comfort food.
Rhoda Magbitang is the Executive Chef of CanoeHouse, a Japanese-inspired restaurant at the Mauna Lani resort in Hawaii.
