Chicago-based chefs have stepped back into the arena for Season 7 of Guy Fieri’s hit series “Tournament of Champions,” which premieres March 1.
Joe Sasto and Jonathon Sawyer are among the 32 chefs selected to compete in the latest installment of the high-stakes Food Network showdown. Both are seasoned competitors, with appearances across the network, including “24 in 24: Last Chef Standing,” which Sawyer won just months before entering the “Tournament of Champions” bracket. Fellow Chicagoan Stephanie Izard, the chef behind multiple restaurants, including Girl & the Goat, previously won Food Network’s “Iron Chef Gauntlet” and Bravo’s “Top Chef,” is also competing this season.
“I think it’s like the difference between a 5,000-meter and a 40-meter (race),” Sawyer said. “They’re both two of the hardest competitions you could ever fathom in the culinary arena. One just happens to go on for 31 hours, not 24 hours … and the other one has the most complicated sprints right out of the gate that you could ever possibly deal with.”
The series pits chefs from around the nation — many with major accolades such as James Beard Awards and Michelin stars — in a single-elimination, bracket-style tournament. Each round is decided by a head-to-head battle, with the infamous Randomizer wheel determining the required ingredients, cooking style, equipment and wild card element.
Win and move on. Lose and go home. After 31 battles, one chef walks away with the coveted “Tournament of Champions” belt and a $150,000 prize.
For Sasto, this marks his fifth season competing in TOC. Although he may have seniority, he said he still made a point to prepare.
“I watch some tape just like athletes do,” Sasto said. “I watch the previous seasons again to get my mind back in the game, how you approach the Randomizer, how you approach the different categories.”
Season 7 also features an added twist: Four global culinary icons joined the competition as surprise entrants. Their identities were kept under wraps, even from fellow competitors, until the tournament was already underway.
“I can’t worry about who I’m versus,” Sawyer said. “It doesn’t matter who’s on the other side of the Randomizer versus me. I have to be the best version of myself.”
Though the chefs face fierce competition, many of the contestants share long histories, whether they have competed against one another before, collaborated on dinners or built friendships over the years.
“There’s more that we have in common than there is different,” Sawyer said. “So there’s a natural friendship to be had with all 32 competitors every single year.”
Originally from Chicago, Sawyer moved to Ohio as a child before returning to the city with his family about six years ago. Representing Chicago on a national stage carries weight, he said.
“We are a proud culinary city with, in my opinion, the greatest restaurants, the greatest diversity and density of restaurants in America,” Sawyer said. “People like to pretend like New York’s the best food city in America, but the truth is that it’s Chicago.”
As the chef partner of Kindling inside Willis Tower, Sawyer balances television appearances with running a restaurant in one of the city’s busiest buildings.
He hosts monthly “Suppers with Sawyer” at the restaurant, cooking for 15 guests around the hearth. Many dishes are inspired by his TV appearances, and some are later adapted for the restaurant’s menu.
Beyond the kitchen, he has also launched the Sawyer Foundation, which supports hospitality workers pursuing sobriety. Now more than 45 months sober, Sawyer said the platform that comes with national television has allowed him to connect with others.
“Guy (Fieri) gave me the confidence to know that people wanted to hear my story, and that really inspired me to speak more publicly about my journey,” Sawyer said. “I’ve worked very hard to stay here.”
Sasto is the chief culinary officer of Ripi, a gourmet frozen pasta brand, as well as the founder of Tantos, which he calls “the world’s first puffed pasta chip.”
Known for his signature handlebar mustache, Sasto began his culinary career on the West Coast, where he connected to his roots and developed his passion for Italian cuisine.
He worked in several kitchens before moving to Chicago about four years ago. He said the city has become an ideal home base as he balances television competitions, content creation, a tour for his cookbook, “Breaking the Rules: A Fresh Take on Italian Classics” and his food brands.
“Between Tantos, Ripi and my cookbook, I want to bring pasta to the people no matter where they are,” Sasto said.
Despite the pressure of the competition, he said stepping into the arena remains a validating experience.
“It’s always just gratifying,” Sasto said. “A good kind of pat on the back, like, OK, I’m supposed to be here. I’m amongst the best of the best in the industry.”
While he wasn’t able to reveal any details, Sasto said this round of TOC is particularly exciting.
“If you’ve never watched the season before, this is definitely the season to watch,” Sasto said.
To see who makes it to the end, tune in to the Food Network on Sundays at 7 p.m. CT, or stream on HBO Max and Discovery+.
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