Three Garden State chefs are currently competing on popular TV cooking competitions. Will Jersey culinary chops come out on top?
NJ chefs David Viana and Britt Rescigno are contestants on the Food Network’s Tournament of Champions. The winner of the show, hosted by Guy Fieri, gets a $150,000 prize.
Viana—the chef who runs Lita and La Otra in Aberdeen; Heirloom Kitchen in Old Bridge; and Judy & Harry’s in Asbury Park with partner Neilly Robinson—was born and raised in Little Lisboa in Newark. He was named a James Beard Award semifinalist for best chef earlier this year and has previously competed on the TV show Top Chef. He trained under Bobby Flay. Judy & Harry’s was on New Jersey Monthly‘s most recent Best New Restaurants list, and Lita was on our most recent 40 Best Restaurants list. Lita was previously named a James Beard Award semifinalist for best new restaurant in the country.
Britt Rescigno, who grew up in Burlington County’s Bass River Township, is also a restaurateur who has appeared on TV cooking competitions before, including Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay. She was executive chef at Delaware Avenue Oyster House in Long Beach Island.
And Nana Araba Wilmot of Cherry Hill is competing on the current season of Bravo’s Top Chef. Wilmot is a private chef and the owner of Georgina’s Private Chef and Catering Co. She’s also the Curator of Love That I Knead, a West African-inspired dinner series crafting immersive dining experiences. She draws her inspiration from the rich foodways of the African Diaspora, particularly her Ghanaian heritage. The head judge on this season’s Top Chef is New Jersey’s own celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, who grew up in Elizabeth and is well known for his many restaurants, including Gramercy Tavern and Craft in New York City. Colicchio was the Top Chef at the 2024 New Jersey Wine & Food Festival at Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg.
Plus: A beloved Keyport restaurant suddenly shutters, while a unique coffee lounge is coming to Caldwell.
Plus: NYC’s top-rated bagel spot is coming to Jersey, and Millburn Deli in Morristown temporarily closes for a relocation.
His new book, Stand, is out March 24, and he’s celebrating its release with none other than Jon Bon Jovi.
The Garden State’s dining scene has it all—from incredible Italian food to amazing Asian fare, French cuisine and more.
