Time to sharpen the knives for culinary and back-stabbing purposes; another season of “Top Chef” is nearly upon us.
The 12th season of Bravo’s venerable kitchen competition will kick off Oct. 15 at 10 p.m., the network said Wednesday.
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Bringing the action to Boston this year, “Top Chef” crew Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons and Hugh Acheson will test contestants’ mettle at local venues such as Fenway Park, Plimoth Plantation and The Bull and Finch Pub, the latter of which served as the inspiration for “Cheers.”
The upcoming season also provides a new twist; for the first time in the show’s history, a “Top Chef” winner — in this case, Richard Blais — will join the judging panel as a recurring judge.
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Celebrity guest judges for this season include “Shameless” star Emmy Rossum, George Wendt (“Cheers”), former Boston Red Sox pitcher Dennnis Eckersley and “Watch What Happens Live” host Andy Cohen.
Watch a sneak preview of the upcoming season below.