There’s a new cooking competition hitting the airwaves this spring, and it’s going to have some NoVA representation. Joon chef-owner Chris Morgan will compete on the first season of America’s Culinary Cup on CBS.
Morgan is one of 16 contestants on the new culinary competition. The show will feature signature challenges throughout the season as contestants compete for the $1 million grand prize. That’s the biggest cash prize in culinary television history.
“The competition will test these elite chefs against the series’ 10 culinary commandments – meat, vegetables, sauces, dessert, innovation, flavors, sustainability, world cuisine, consistency, culinary science, and technology,” according to a news release. Padma Lakshmi — the former host of Top Chef — is the host. Chefs Michael Cimarusti and Wylie Dufresne are the judges.
“Lakshmi, Cimarusti, and Dufresne will evaluate taste, creativity, presentation, and technique to decide who advances, who is eliminated, and who ultimately masters the commandments to claim America’s Culinary Cup,” the release said.
Morgan, a Michelin-starred chef himself, joins some of the nation’s most decorated chefs. There are five other Michelin-starred chefs, two Bocuse d’Or medalists, two James Beard Award winners, and 14 James Beard Award nominees, among other prestigious culinary honors.
Other contestants include Kim Alter, Katie Button, Keith Corbin, Rochelle Daniel, Diana Dávila, Michael Díaz de León, Sol Han, Russell Jackson, Beverly Kim, Buddha Lo, Matt Peters, Malyna Si, Cara Stadler, Philip Tessier, and Emily Yuen.
Before Morgan opened Joon in Vienna in 2023, he was the chef behind DC’s Maydān when it received a Michelin star. Since opening Joon, the Persian restaurant has been on Northern Virginia Magazine’s 2024 and 2025 Best Restaurants lists and The New York Times’ The Restaurant List 2024.
Episode one of the cooking competition premieres on Wednesday, March 4, at 9:30 p.m. on CBS and will be available for streaming on Paramount+.
Feature image of Chris Morgan by Jackie Brown/CBS
