Top Chef (season 12)
| Top Chef (season 12) | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 15 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Bravo |
| Original release |
October 15, 2014 – February 11, 2015 |
| Host(s) | Padma Lakshmi |
| Judges |
Tom Colicchio Gail Simmons Hugh Acheson Richard Blais |
| No. of contestants | 16 |
| Winner | Mei Lin |
| Season chronology | |
October 15, 2014 – February 11, 2015
Top Chef: Boston is the twelfth season of the American reality television series Top Chef. The season was formally announced on August 20, 2014, and premiered on October 15, 2014. Filming for Season 12 took place from May through June 2014 in locations around Boston, Massachusetts, concluding with a finale in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato and the surrounding area.Top Chef: Chicago finalist and Top Chef: All-Stars winner Richard Blais debuted as a recurring judge, joining Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, Hugh Acheson, and host Padma Lakshmi on the judging panel.Last Chance Kitchen also returned for its fourth season, beginning with a two-part redemption mid-season and continuing until the first part of the finale. In the season finale, Mei Lin was declared the Top Chef, defeating Gregory Gourdet. Unlike previous seasons, no Fan Favorite Award vote was held.
According to reports by Deadline Hollywood, members of Boston's local Teamsters Union allegedly harassed and intimidated Lakshmi and other Top Chef staff during the production's June film shoot at the Steel & Rye restaurant in Milton, Massachusetts. The Teamsters Local 25, upset that Bravo hired non-union personnel to drive cast and crew around Milton, protested the filming, threatening staff using racist, sexist, and homophobic language, and slashing the tires of several crew-owned vehicles. While the network insisted the incident was isolated, sources for The Boston Globe reported that the threats did prompt Bravo to change the locations of some tapings. Teamsters Local 25 released a statement denying the allegations. Four Teamsters were later indicted on charges of conspiracy to extort, attempted extortion, and aiding and abetting.
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