"UFC of culinary" Guy Fieri talks about Tournament of Champions and its inception 

As Tournament of Champions prepares for its sixth season, creator Guy Fieri reflects on the show's unique format and unexpected success.

"This is the UFC of culinary. That's what I was trying to create," Fieri explained from his Santa Rosa home.

Elaborating:

"I'm a fan of giving people a platform. There are other culinary competitions out there, but they're a little more drama-oriented. I want to cut the (BS) and just see the best of the best going through the most."

The show pits chefs from across the country against each other in head-to-head battles, with dishes judged blindly by culinary experts. What sets it apart is "the Randomizer" - a spinning board that determines each round's requirements, from proteins to cooking styles.

As the show returns with qualifying episodes on February 16 and its full season on March 2, it continues to make history. No man has ever won the competition or even made it to the final two, a streak that began with its first winner, Brooke Williamson.

How does Tournament of Champions work, and what do past winners have to say about it?

Tournament of Champions follows a bracket-style elimination format. Chefs must adapt to whatever "the Randomizer" throws at them - whether it's cooking grasshoppers paella-style or combining unusual ingredients like mussels and cabbage.

The judges work from private trailers, completely separated from the cooking action. This blind judging system has become a cornerstone of the show's credibility.

The show's most remarkable feature is its unbroken streak of female champions. Most recently, Maneet Chauhan won her second title, becoming the first two-time champion in the show's history.

Tiffani Faison, season three winner and James Beard Award recipient, credits the blind judging system:

"It completely removes implicit bias. There's no one in front of you that looks a certain way, that speaks a certain way, that wants to tell you about what this dish means to them or where it's from. It (is) just the food."

The success of women on the show is particularly notable, given industry statistics. Only 23.3% of chefs and head cooks in the U.S. were women in 2023, while women run just 6% of Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide.

Season 4 winner Mei Lin attributes women's success to their approach:

"I think that part of the reason why women do so well on 'ToC' is because we are a little bit more focused. We're a lot more organized in the kitchen. We just put our heads down and work, and that's really all it is."

What to expect from season 6 of Tournament of Champions?

The sixth season promises even more intense competition. For the first time, all four former champions will take on new roles as judges, joining culinary stars like Wolfgang Puck, Martha Stewart, and Marcus Samuelsson.

The season will feature 31 head-to-head battles over eight weeks, with the winner claiming the championship belt and a $150,000 prize. Twenty-four returning competitors will face off against new challengers who earn their spots through qualifying rounds.

As Fieri reflects on the show's success, he remembers his reaction to Williamson's first-season victory:

"I didn't know her. Holy (expletive). She just knocked it out."

That moment convinced him that Tournament of Champions was truly something different in the world of culinary competition.

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Tournament of Champions airs a qualifiers special on Feb. 16, where 16 chefs vie for eight spots before the tournament begins on February 23 at 10 p.m.