5 Things to Know About Rhoda Magbitang, the Filipina Winner of Top Chef Season 23

Filipina talent knows no bounds. No matter the field or profession, you can count on Filipinas to succeed in their respective industries locally and abroad. Just look at the culinary world and the growing number of Filipinas making a name for themselves in the industry and even on TV. For fans of Korean cooking competition shows, Cavite-born pastry chef Jessica Panoy was featured on the Korean series Bite Me Sweet as a contestant earlier this year, where she competed as a pair with Korean celebrity Bae Min-ki.

​Now, another Filipina chef is making history with Rhoda Magbitang’s recent win on Season 23 of Top Chef. She bested 14 other chefs to win the title, becoming the first Filipina in the show’s history to do so, the first female winner in six seasons, and the first chef of Filipino heritage to be named the winner since Paul Qui in Season 9.

​As the winner of Top Chef Season 23, Magbitang is taking home a slew of awards and opportunities, such as her recently being a presenter at The James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards in Chicago. What makes the accomplishment even more impressive is that it serves as a redemption moment for Magbitang, given her unconventional run on the show. Get to know more about the talented Pinay chef below.

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She’s From the Philippines

Rhoda Magbitang was born and raised in Antipolo City, Rizal. The eldest of six children, her love for cooking started, in typical Filipino fashion, at home in her family’s kitchen. Specifically, Magbitang credits her grandmother for inspiring her to take up cooking because of her food stall and the Filipino food she’d teach Magbitang how to make. Those formative moments served as the building blocks of Magbitang’s passion for cooking, one she’d further hone in her adult years.  

She’s Worked at a Handful of Top Restaurants

Eventually, Magbitang would move to the US at 17. Initially, she did so to pursue a career in teaching. But her love of culinary arts was too strong to ignore, and she changed courses by enrolling at the famed Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, California. It was clear that she had a gift for cooking, as Magbitang’s resume is filled with stints at several acclaimed and Michelin-star-winning restaurants and kitchens, such as Mélisse, Suzanne Goin’s A.O.C., Bazaar by José Andrés, Chateau Marmont (she was the former executive chef), and République.

She Settled Down in Hawai’i

Magbitang currently lives in Hawai’i, which she also represented in Top Chef. In 2024, she began her tenure as the executive chief of the oceanfront restaurant CanoeHouse at Mauna Lani, becoming the first woman to do so and a position she still holds today. As executive chef, she heads the restaurant’s Hawaiian and Japanese-inspired menu. Also, adding to her list of accolades, Magbitang is the first chef from Hawai’i to win Top Chef, making history for both her homeland and adopted home.  

She Won the Season With Filipino Food

During the season’s finale, Magbitang bagged the win by channeling her Filipino roots. The final three chefs were tasked with preparing a four-course progressive menu that reflected their history, heritage, and things that hold special meaning in their lives. For Magbitang, that meant her take on Filipino food, which elevated classic and well-loved local flavors. In the first course, she cooked roasted sweet potato with miso butter, uni, and charred sweet potato leaves. For the second dish, Magbitang served her reimagining of lugaw in Abalone lugaw with Abalone liver mousse.

The third course was a Tortang Talong: grilled eggplant omelet with XO sauce, vinegar, crispy pork belly, and chili and fish sauce. In the fourth and final course, Magbitang prepared the judges a Filipino favorite, Kaldereta, a short-rib stew with liver sauce and vegetables. With a commitment to craft, technique, and storytelling, Magbitang’s Filipino four-course meal earned her the title of Top Chef Season 23 champion. It’s also even more proof that Filipino cuisine is worthy of the global spotlight.    

She Was Eliminated Earlier in the Show

Winning Top Chef is an accomplishment in itself. But for Magbitang, the feat is even better following her journey filled with ups and downs. At the start of the competition, she won the first and second elimination challenges, becoming the first contestant in the show’s history to do so. However, her frontrunner status was wiped when she was eliminated during episode 5. That wasn’t the end of Magbitang’s time, though, as she still got to compete in Last Chance Kitchen, a secondary competition where eliminated chefs compete for a chance to get back into the show.

Slowly but surely, Magbitang worked her way back into the competition, eventually securing her return in episode 9. The rest, which included her third challenge win in episode 12, is history. From being seen as a frontrunner to getting eliminated, earning a ticket back, and finally winning the whole season, Magbitang’s journey on Top Chef was one of resilience, hard work, and determination in following your dreams no matter the hurdles along the way.

Featured Image and Photos: RHODA MAGBITANG (via Instagram), AUBERGE COLLECTION (via Instagram)