307: Top Chef 23 Exit Interview: Jonathan Calls Seiger's Judges' Table Confrontation 'Very Uncomfortable'
From The Exclusive With Sharon Tharp by The Exclusive With Sharon Tharp
June 10, 2026 · 20 min · Episode 307
About this episode
Chef Jonathan Dearden reflects on his elimination from Top Chef Season 23 and discusses various aspects of the competition.
Chef Jonathan Dearden joins The Exclusive following his elimination from Top Chef Season 23 to reflect on his journey through the competition, the ambitious pumpkin and brioche dish that ultimately sent him home, and why he believes the judges were forced to nitpick as the field narrowed. Jonathan opens up about the pressure of cooking alongside his brother Brandon, shares his unfiltered thoughts on the controversial challenges, and reveals why he was surprised to find himself on the bottom. He also discusses Sieger's heated Judges' Table confrontation, calling the moment "very uncomfortable," explains what viewers didn't see from the exchange, weighs in on Rhoda's eventual victory, and reveals whether he'd return to the Top Chef kitchen for another shot at the title.
People in this episode
Host: Sharon Tharp
Guest: Jonathan Dearden
Topics covered
- Top Chef
- cooking competition
- judges' table
- elimination
- chef interviews
Keywords
- Top Chef
- Jonathan Dearden
- elimination
- judges' table
- cooking
- competition
- interview
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Top Chef
More episodes of The Exclusive With Sharon Tharp
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- 304: Top Chef 23 Exit Interview: Brandon Deaden on Restaurant Wars & Fighting With His Brother · May 22, 2026 · 20 min
- 303: Top Chef 23 Exit Interview: Oscar Diaz Breaks Down the Mistakes That Sent Him Home · May 22, 2026 · 19 min
- 302: Survivor 50 Exit Interview: Tiffany Nicole Ervin Says She Would Have Won · May 21, 2026 · 15 min
- 301: Survivor 50 Exit Interview: Rizo Velovic on the Family Visit That Almost Happened · May 21, 2026 · 11 min
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