Hot! Padma Lakshmi & Tom Colicchio Dish Guest Judges

From left: Gail Simmons, Padma Lakshmi plus Tom Colicchio

Scott McDermott/Bravo

With 29 contestants plus several urban centers close to the actual state, can be food regimen as much as possibly be the largest season yet.

found the chefs separate into categories and dealing with away alongside oneself around two rounds a final being qualified rounds could air conditioning up coming Wednesday just to establish which sixteen many chefs will probably actually make the final cut.

They will even become dealing with quite a few significant celebs on the alternative side in the judges' desk the following season.

"I consider anyone who happens the particular indicate particularly in the event they're not inside the food organization carries a selected amount of desire for food," particular Padma Lakshmi informed PEOPLE in the season's assortment involving guest judges on the meeting call. "These are urban centers you should fly to, and you also have got to receive each day or even a couple of out of your schedule."

Among the particular big these people : listed because guests that season: Charlize Theron in addition to Patti LaBelle.

"I've really prepared together with Charlize," scalp appraise Tom Colicchio said. "And she's some sort of serious, significant foodie plus prefers for you to cook."

With so many entertaining foodies coming about the show, Colicchio's major regret is not attacking experience the actual guest judges' culinary knowledge firsthand

"I've listened to in which Patti LaBelle can toss lower pretty good," he or she said. "They're not cooking regarding us thus it's tough to say, although they all speak such a good game."

Colicchio also highly regarded scientist-turned-chef Nathan Myhrvold, whom will appear: "He arises from a very, very different like angle than I do. Aside from food, he's just fantastic as well as enjoyment that they are around. And I think he'd always be a genuine blast to prepare with."

"We've hung out there a lot," Lakshmi added. "He's just one single of these people that you possibly can request about anything, you know? He's one of many planet's foremost industry experts on paleontology and they have a barbecue expert."

Although most guests appear because of his or her really like associated with food, you will find another explanation pertaining to Pee-wee Herman's convert on the table: In your film Pee-wee's Big Adventure, his bike is hidden in the basement connected with your Alamo.

"That's it," Colicchio said using your laugh. "Do everyone need just about any other reason?"

In Season 9, Top Chef regular Gail Simmons , restaurateur Emeril Lagasse and cook Hugh Acheson will probably enroll in Lakshmi and Colicchio while judges. Other guests incorporate Cat Cora, John Besh in addition to Tim Love.

Charlize Theron From the actual PEOPLE TV Archive