Yes, Chef! is NBC's newest cooking competition show, and here are the 12 contestants competing for the grand prize. The series follows these chefs as they battle it out in the kitchen to prove their culinary skills and overcome personal challenges holding them back. Like many reality cooking competitions, the show promises unexpected twists and challenges that will turn up the heat. Whether they are ready or not, the experience will test their determination—not only to win the $250,000 prize, but to also unlock their full potential.

NBC revealed in an article that Emmy Award winners Martha Stewart and José Andrés will be hosting and judging the competition. These two culinary legends will guide the chefs through each challenge, offering advice to help them sharpen their skills and confront their personal challenges. The contestant who achieves personal growth while excelling in the kitchen will take home the cash prize. Here are the 12 participants ready to prove themselves and earn their spot at the top.

Christopher Morales

An Executive Chef

Christopher Morales is the executive chef at Gregory's Steakhouse, in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Though he didn't attend culinary school, he has a lot of experience working for many high-end kitchens across the country. His specialties include fish, steaks and homemade pasta.

Christopher was nominated by his former Sous Chef, Zach, who hopes the series will help him become a better leader in the kitchen.

After working closely with Christopher, Zach experienced his belligerent management and harsh critiques in the kitchen—traits that may be holding him back from becoming the mentor his team needs. Audiences can most likely expect to see Christopher's words ruffling a few feathers with other contestants on NBC's Yes, Chef!

Emily Brubaker

A Resort Executive Chef

Emily Brubaker is the Executive Chef at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa, located in Carlsbad, California. She was classically French-trained with a concentration in American, Italian and French fine dining. Though Emily has worked with renowned chefs, her husband Jake nominated her in hopes of furthering her career. While she's a strong leader, her impatience and stubbornness with others have created professional roadblocks. As a result, her confidence has suffered—something she hopes to rebuild through the cooking competition.

Jake Lawler

An Executive Chef

Jake Lawler serves as the Executive Chef at Vintage Brewing Co. in Maddison, Wisconsin. His culinary journey includes working in Michelin-starred kitchens, and specializing in French and Italian cuisine. He was nominated by his front-of-house manager and friend, Brandon, who hopes the show will help him take the next step in his career. However, he's also seen Jake become defensive and lose his temper in the kitchen. Viewers can likely expect Jake to butt heads with other contestants as the tension rises. Nonetheless, Vintage has already shared their excitement about his appearance on their Instagram (@vintagebrewingco).

Julia Chebotar

A Private Chef

Julia Chebotar is a Private Chef based in New York, specializing in organic and nutritious cuisines. However, she is no stranger to the spotlight, having won cooking competitions like Chopped in 2019, and season 2 of Kitchen Crash in 2021. While she thrives in competitive environments, Julia struggles to collaborate with others. Her friend Lauren nominated her for Yes, Chef! in hopes that Julia could overcome this challenge and learn to work as part of a team—an essential skill she'll need if she hopes to take home the grand prize.

Katsuji Tanabe

A Seasoned Restaurateur

Katsuji Tanabe is a seasoned Restaurateur with over 13 restaurants nationwide, each offering a variety of cuisines. Like Julia, he's no stranger to television, having appeared on shows like Top Chef, Bobby’s Triple Threat, Chopped, and many others. Known for his competitive spirit and habit of challenging others in the kitchen, Katsuji was nominated by his business partner, Esther. She hopes the experience will help him shift his approach and attitude, so he will continue to grow both personally and professionally.

Lee Frank

An Executive Chef

Lee Frank is the Executive Chef at Otis in Exeter, New Hampshire. During his culinary journey, Lee has developed a strong skill set in American "farm-to-table" cuisine, and has even been a James Beard Award nominee. Lee has also competed in Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay, winning against Bobby in his episode titled, "A Little Bit Country". However, despite his achievements, Lee has struggled with resentment from feeling overlooked throughout his career.

Therefore, his Sous Chef, Jonathan, nominated him in hopes that he will let go of that past and move forward. If not, it might get in the way of Lee reaching his full potential and his goal of starting his very own restaurant group. With that in mind, Lee also hopes to prove to his community that he can overcome his self-doubt on Yes, Chef! He's even shared on his Instagram (@chefleefrank) his excitement as the premiere nears.

Michelle Francis

A Sous Chef

Perhaps the most experienced of all the contestants, Michelle Francis is the Sous Chef at Jar in Los Angeles, a notably recognized restaurant that's appeared in feature films. With over 27 years of experience in the culinary world, she has held many different positions in fine dining and specializes in Mediterranean cuisine. However, her perfectionist nature has affected how she collaborates with others. Her daughter, Sophie, nominated her in hopes that the show will help Michelle regain respect for her peers and adjust her approach—ultimately helping her achieve her dream of becoming a traveling chef.

Peter Richardson

A Private Chef

At 23 years old, Peter Richardson is a Private Chef based in Long Island, New York with a specialty in kosher cuisine. Often considered the youngest in the kitchen, Peter has faced disrespect from fellow chefs, which has fueled his short temper. His boss, Dov, nominated him not only for his talent but out of concern for his attitude. In fact, in the teaser trailer (@nbc), Peter is seen screaming inside an industrial fridge and later shouting "Is anybody listening? Hello!," giving viewers a taste of the tension and potential outburst we might see from him this season.

Petrina Peart

An Executive Chef

Petrina Peart serves as the Executive Chef at the Wyoming Governor's Mansion. Her talents have been recognized in publications like Cheyenne Living and Cowboy State Daily, especially after her apperance on Beat Bobby. Flay. With such high-level recognition and high standards, Petrina struggles with perfectionism. Her sous chef and brother, Hubert, nominated her in hopes that she will learn to embrace her mistakes, and overcome her self-doubt. Through Yes, Chef!, Petrina aims to let go of her fear of making mistakes, and start trusting her own abilities.

Ronny Miranda

The Conference Lead Chef

Based in Napa, California, Ronny Miranda is the Conference Lead Chef at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) campus. According to Indie Chefs, he's spent most of his life cooking in kitchens across the Oakland Bay Area—from ice cream shops to Michelin-level restaurants. Influenced by his Portuguese heritage, his dishes blend cultural tradition with modern California cuisine. However, Ronny struggles with confidence in his identity as a chef and often clashes with his coworkers. His boss, Courtney, hopes Yes, Chef! will help him embrace his identity and grow.

Torrece “Chef T” Gregoire

Owner and Chef

Torrece Gregoire, also known as "Chef T," is the Owner and Chef at Union 41 in Bristol, Virginia. Her career includes headlining festivals, and appearing in two seasons of Hell's Kitchen. However, during her time on the show, her unapologetic, unfiltered personality led to her elimination both times. If she continues with her current temper, she may struggle to grow in her career. Her nomination came from line cook, Alex, who hopes the series will help Chef T become a better communicator, especially as she dreams of winning a James Beard Award.

Zain Ismail

Executive Sous Chef

Zain Ismail is the Executive Sous Chef of Fork n' Film located in Los Angeles, California, where she creates an immersive dining experience. Her dishes are heavily inspired by her roots on the islands of Mauritius. However, her fiery ion for cooking has sometimes led to unfiltered and blunt communication, which she recognizes needs improvement. Zain's executive chef, Cole, nominated her for Yes, Chef! in hopes of helping her refine her communication style, especially if she dreams of opening her very own restaurant one day.

Yes, Chef! premieres on Monday, April 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

Sources: Vintage Brewing Co/Instagram, Lee Frank/Instagram, NBC/Instagram, NBC, Food Network, Jar, Cowboy State Daily, Indie Chefs, Fork n' Film