Pack your knives and grab your remote because Top Chef: Carolinas is serving up an early treat. Starting today, March 3, 2026, fans can stream the first episode of Season 23 on Peacock, YouTube, and various VOD platforms ahead of its official Bravo premiere on March 9. Host Kristen Kish returns alongside head judge Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons to oversee a competition centered in the culinary hubs of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Greenville, South Carolina.

This season features a historic cast of 15 chefs, including the show's first-ever identical twin competitors, Brandon Dearden and Jonathan Dearden. Adding to the drama, real-life partners Jennifer Lee Jackson and Justin Tootla, who co-own the Detroit-area restaurants Voyager and Bunny Bunny, will also face off. The cheftestants are vying for a massive $250,000 grand prize provided by Graza Olive Oil, along with a featured spot in Food & Wine magazine and a prestigious dinner at the James Beard House.

The competition kicks off at full throttle with a Quickfire Challenge at the Charlotte Motor Speedway featuring NASCAR legends Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch. Throughout the season, the chefs will tackle regional challenges involving North Carolina sweet potatoes, whole hog BBQ, and a fishing derby in Greenville with guest judge Danielle Brooks. Other celebrity appearances include Fortune Feimster, Melissa Benoist, and The Try Guys stars Keith Habersberger and Rachel Ann Cole as the show explores the rich flavors of the American South.