Amar Santana feels hunger to compete again on ‘Top Chef’

TELEVISION

OC restaurateur takes on the world in show’s latest iteration

Santana, third from left at rear, is one of four Americans in a field of 16 competitors in “Top Chef World All-Stars,” which was taped in London. The 20th “Top Chef” season premieres this week. COURTESY OF DAVID MOIR

Amar Santana, owner of restaurants Broadway and Vaca, returns as a contestant to “Top Chef.” He has also served as a judge. COURTESY OF STEPHANIE DIANI

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By Caitlin Antonios

cantonios@scng.com

Southern California chef Amar Santana will return to compete in “Top Chef World All-Stars,” premiering Thursday on Bravo.

The Emmy- and James Beard Award-winning show will enter its 20th season, going entirely abroad for the first time and pitting 16 contestants from “Top Chef” iterations around the globe.

The series was filmed last fall throughout London, with some episodes taking place at iconic locations such as Highclere Castle and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the season finale set in Paris to name the champion.

Santana came to Southern California from New York in 2008 and went on to open Broadway by Amar Santana in Laguna Beach and Michelin Guide-recognized Vaca in Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza with partner Ahmed Labbate.

He first appeared on Season 13 — “Top Chef: California” — as a contestant and finalist before returning as one of the rotating guest judges on “Top Chef: Portland” a few years later.

“I remember after judging Season 18 of ‘Top Chef’ how I enjoyed it so much, being on the other side instead of running around,” Santana said. “When I was in Portland I told everyone I’m done competing; I’m too old for this.”

But the call to compete was too tempting to pass up, and when the time came for Santana to be a competitor on one of the biggest seasons in the show’s history, he had to say yes.

“I said, you know what, let me just give it a shot and see how the old man is gonna pair up against chefs from around the world,” Santana said.

Only four chefs were chosen from the United States, and Santana is the only contestant from California. The other contestants from the U.S. include Sara Bradley of Kentucky, Dawn Burrell of Houston and Buddha Lo of New York. Chefs from Lebanon, Jordan, Brazil, France, Germany, Thailand and more will also be competing.

“I always doubt myself; I always think I’m not good enough to compete,” Santana said. “I always put myself down like that, but it gives me the fire to do even better. I was honored they chose me from California.”

For Santana, the opportunity wasn’t just to see how he would hold up against the chefs at his “old” age, but a chance to learn from chefs with different cultural perspectives on food. And the level of competition made this season particularly hard.

“It’s probably the craziest thing I’ve ever done in my life when it comes to my cooking career,” Santana said. “Getting to meet all these chefs from all around their world, their culture, their cuisine, their style of cooking … so it was not only fun competing but also learning from them.”

Host Padma Lakshmi returns with judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons, plus rotating guest judges from international versions of the show. Episodes will air every Thursday at 9 p.m. and be available the next day on Peacock.