Casey Thompson Top Chef, Seasons 3 & 8
Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
Resides: Fort Worth, TX
Casey’s tenacity, skill, and charm earned her the admiration of judges and the adoration of fans during her first Top Chef run in Miami, as evidenced by her spot in the Season 3 finale and her title of Fan Favorite. Casey’s lasting impression also earned her a spot as one of Season 8’s Top Chef All-Stars. Before her maiden Top Chef voyage, the proud Texan was Sous Chef under celebrity chef Dean Fearing at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek and Executive Chef at Shinsei in the Lone Star state. Casey then travelled the world, adding to her skill set through experiences in Thailand, Argentina, the Napa Valley, and beyond, before returning to Texas to serve as Executive Chef of Brownstone Restaurant & Lounge in Fort Worth. Settled in Texas, her routine now includes trips to the gym 4-5 times a week, and plenty of skim milk, Greek yogurt, and portion control. “I really believe that you have to watch the amount protein you eat,” she says. “You can have protein — say it’s a seared steak, or even a ribeye — eat it, just eat a small portion of it.”
Ryan Scott Top Chef, Season 4
Hometown: Los Banos, CA
Resides: San Francisco, CA
A natural born chef — his childhood Christmas lists included kitchen utensils, a wok and food dehydrator — Ryan has turned his boyhood passion into a cottage industry since competing on Season 4 in Chicago. Before competing on Top Chef, Ryan’s talent for creating simple, healthy and delicious Mediterranean and French-influenced cuisine drew long lines and wide acclaim at Myth Café in San Francisco, where he was chef from 2005 to 2008. After wowing judges and TC viewers, Ryan went on to launch his own culinary consulting and catering company, cooking classes, a food truck, and the Harvest From the Heart organization. He credits his hectic work schedule with helping him keep fit, estimating that he walks roughly three to four miles a day. He also tries to make smart choices when deciding what goes on his own personal menu. “On an average day I taste over 400 things a day, so when I do sit down for a meal, I want a meal that’s actually going to energize me and make me feel good about myself,” he explains.
Sara Nguyen Top Chef, Season 3
Hometown: Santa Monica, CA
Resides: Chicago, IL
A native of Santa Monica, California, Sara brought her passion and impressive pedigree to Season 3. After graduating at the top of her class from the Institute of Culinary Education, Sara went on to hone her craft at Per Se, Chef & Company, Stone Rose, and Boucarou before entering the TC kitchen. Sara impressed in Miami, making it deep into the competition, And while she didn’t win the ultimate prize, she walked away from Top Chef a winner nonetheless — she now serves as Sous Chef at Season 3 castmate Dale Levitski’s Sprout in Chicago. She also takes a holistic approach to her health, biking and jogging, eating healthy — she even snacks on tomatoes — while also striving for balance between her professional and personal lives. “It’s wonderful to look good, but that goes hand-in-hand with feeling good,” she says.
Tre Wilcox Top Chef, Seasons 3 & 8
Hometown: Duncanville, TX
Resides: Dallas, TX
No fusion of “healthy” and “Top Chef” would be complete without this famously buff chef. Before entering the Top Chef kitchen in Season 3 — and long before healthy living became a way of life — Tre began his career at the age of 17 in fast food. He quickly worked his way up the ladder, and his determination to explore the culinary world led him to his first foray into fine dining at Toscana. From there, he made his way to Dallas’ acclaimed Abacus, and soon earned two James Beard Foundation nominations for “Rising Star Chef,” as well as the title of “Rising Star Chef” from the Dallas Morning News in 2004. Following his appearance on Top Chef: Miami in 2007, Tre became a private chef, traveling the country for the next two years, cooking for celebrities including Russell Simmons and Jerry Stackhouse and leading cooking classes. And following his run as a Top Chef All-Star in Season 8, Tre left his post as Executive Chef at the acclaimed Loft 610 in Plano, Texas to launch his own restaurant, Marquee Grill, in Dallas. And his rise through the culinary ranks went hand-in-hand with a personal transformation from a self-described 280 lbs. “plump guy” to the lean, health-conscious chef fans met on Top Chef. “I live by exercise at least 3-5 days a week, and I live by minimizing my intake of unhealthy foods,” Tre says.
Meet the Chefs
Casey Thompson
Top Chef, Seasons 3 & 8
Read Bio >
Ryan Scott
Top Chef, Season 4
Read Bio >
Sara Nguyen
Top Chef, Season 3
Read Bio >
Tre Wilcox
Top Chef, Seasons 3 & 8
Read Bio >
