There's some real talent lined up to learn from Gordon Ramsay, the celebrity chef who clearly has a Midas touch when it comes to hosting hit TV shows. Read More: Do the Contestants Get Paid to Appear on AGT? According to the Sydney Morning Herald, a mere $630 allowance each week was handed out to the 2013 contestants, which is only slightly more than the minimum $583 a week for an entry level cook. 2023 E! If you thinkThanksgiving dinner with your weird relatives gets intense when politics come up, just wait until you hear about how long judges' deliberation can take. How Much Do the Contestants on Hells Kitchen Get Paid, Do School Kitchen Assistants Get Paid in the Holidays, How Far Should Kitchen Faucet Extend into Sink, A Chic Swimming Pool Alternative for Small Backyards. A Top Chef in New York, NY earns an annual salary of $64,220 on average. "Chopped" has been airing on the Food Network for over 45 seasons. The number one on the list could be Trisha Yearwood. "Top Chef" is an expensive show to run, so naturally they have to supplement some of that cost with ad revenue. During the interview, Chung also shared that she resorted to packing a banana every day. Therefore, we did a little investigation into the matter, and heres what we learned! Top Chef contestants are not paid for appearing on the show, but they do get a stipend for ingredients and travel expenses. I've seen it happen. A huge part of being a chef is sourcing your ingredients, but the contestants on Top Chef get a pass here. "So we try and think about that. At this stage, theyre also asked to prepare a dish for the panel of judges. What is the prize money? Padma Lakshmi (Tamil pronunciation: **l*k**mi **p*d**m**; born September 1, 1970) is an Indian-born American author, activist, actress, model, philanthropist, and television host based in Los Angeles, California. However, Tom does have one rule when it comes to the cheftestants: he won't hire them in his restaurants following their time on Top Chef. Marcel was able to get away, locking himself in the bathroom for the rest of the night, but was left bruised, and revealed 10 years later that it was actually worse than what aired. With his extensive experience in the culinary industry, he is one of the highest-paid chefs on television. The contestants have to consistently prove themselves across a variety of challenges such as Skills Tests, Mystery Box Challenges, Team Challenges, and Pressure Tests to advance to the next round. According to former contestants, there is a very short window between being accepted on the show and when filming begins. In addition to his regular salary, he can also receive additional money if he wins a challenge or is chosen as a fan favorite. Though the exact number isn't known, it's reported to be somewhere between $750 and $1000 a week. Offers may be subject to change without notice. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider According to reports, Top Chef contestants do not earn enough money to cover their living expenses. "We have a camera set up in the area that we call the food-porn area, because we want the food to look as sexy as possible.".