Meet the 'Top Chef: Las Vegas' Contestants

Pack up your knives: 'Top Chef' is headed for Las Vegas.

The hit reality show's sixth season returns tonight (9PM on Bravo) with 17 new cheftestants. They'll each compete for a feature in Food & Wine magazine, a showcase at Aspen's Annual Food & Wine Classic, $100,000 of merchandise provided by Macy's and an additional cash prize of $125,000.

Returning this season are 'Top Chef''s usual suspects: Emmy nominees Tom Colicchio and Padma Lakshmi, along with Gail Simmons and love-him-or-hate-him judge Toby Young.

Also on the menu is a smorgasbord of celebrity guest judges, including Natalie Portman, Wolfgang Puck, Penn & Teller, Nigella Lawson, Tyler Florence and Daniel Boulud.

Want to know more about the 'Top Chef: Las Vegas' contestants (two of the competing chefs are brothers, and three are from Atlanta)? Check out their bios below, courtesy of BravoTV.com:


Ash Fulk
Age: 29
Location: New York City (Hometown: Pleasant Hill, California)
Profession: Sous Chef at Trestle on Tenth
Culinary Education: Self-taught


Ashley Merriman
Age: 32
Location: Seattle (Hometown: Center Sandwich, New Hampshire)
Profession: Chef at Branzino
Culinary Education: Institute of Culinary Education, New York, N.Y.

Bryan Voltaggio
Age: 33
Location: Urbana, Maryland (Hometown: Frederick, Maryland)
Profession: Chef/Partner at VOLT Restaurant
Culinary Education: A.O.S Culinary Arts, C.I.A.


Eli Kirshtein
Age: 25
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Profession: Executive Chef, Eno Restaurant and Wine Bar
Culinary Education: A.O.S. Culinary Arts, C.I.A



Eve Aronoff
Age: 40
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Profession: Chef-Owner, Eve
Culinary Education: Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France



Hector Santiago
Age: 41
Location: Atlanta, Georgia (Hometown: San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Profession: Chef-Owner, Pura Vida ~ Latino Tapas Restaurant & Bar
Culinary Education: AOS Culinary Arts, Culinary Institute of America

Jennifer Carroll
Age: 33
Location: Philadelphia
Profession: Chef de Cuisine 10 Arts by Eric Ripert
Culinary Education: The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College, Philadelphia


Jennifer Zavala
Age: 31
Location: Philadelphia (Hometown: Cromwell, Connecticut)
Profession: Sous Chef, Xochitl
Culinary Education: Self-taught


Jesse Sandlin
Age: 30
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Profession: Executive Chef, Abacrombie Fine Foods
Culinary Education: Self-taught



Kevin Gillespie
Age: 26
Location: Atlanta
Profession: Executive Chef & Partner, Woodfire Grill
Culinary Education: Art Institute of Atlanta



Laurine Wickett
Age: 38
Location: San Francisco (Hometown: Rochester, New York)
Profession: Chef / Owner Left Coast Catering
Culinary Education: A.O.S Culinary Arts, C.I.A


Mattin Noblia
Age: 29
Location: San Francisco (Hometown: Biarritz, France)
Profession: Owner, Iluna Basque
Culinary Education: C.A.P. de cuisine in southern France, the Basque Region


Michael Isabella
Age: 34
Location: Washington, D.C. (Hometown: North Jersey)
Profession: Executive Chef, Zaytinya
Culinary Education: Self-taught



Michael Voltaggio
Age: 30
Location: Los Angeles (Hometown: Frederick, Maryland)
Profession: Chef de Cuisine at The Dining Room, Langham Huntington Hotel & Spa
Culinary Education: The Greenbrier Hotel Culinary Apprenticeship Program

Preeti Mistry
Age: 33
Location: San Francisco
Profession: Executive Chef, Google, Bon Appetit Management Company
Culinary Education: Le Cordon Bleu, London


Robin Leventhal
Age: 43
Location: Seattle (Hometown: Sun Valley, Idaho)
Profession: Chef, Artist and Teacher
Culinary Education: Self-taught



Ron Duprat
Age: 40
Location: Hollywood and Naples, Florida (Hometown: Mare Rouge, Haiti)
Profession: Executive Chef, formerly of Montauk Yacht Club
Culinary Education: College Aimee Cesaire and La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine