Houston chefs Tristen Epps and Henry Lu join Top Chef Season 22 as Texas representatives
Houston gets rare, high-profile representation on Bravo’s long-running cooking competition
Two chefs working in Houston are set to compete on Bravo’s Top Chef Season 22, positioning the city as one of the most visible culinary markets in the contestant lineup. Chef Tristen Epps, chef-owner of Epps & Flows Culinary, and chef-owner Henry Lu of JŪN and byKin will both appear in the season, which premieres March 13, 2025, with episodes available for streaming the following day on Peacock.
The pair’s participation also reframes early claims that a Houston chef was the only Texas contestant this season. While both chefs live and work in Houston, the broader cast includes at least one chef with Texas roots listed as being from Dallas, even if they currently work elsewhere.
What Season 22 is and how it will be judged
Season 22 features 15 contestants and is led by host Kristen Kish, alongside longtime judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. The season is billed as a Canada-based edition, with challenges structured around the show’s familiar format of time-limited tests, judged tastings, and eliminations.
For Houston’s restaurant community, national television exposure can be consequential: chefs often see increased demand for reservations, event appearances, and brand partnerships after the show airs. The series’ influence has grown further as episodes are released for next-day streaming, expanding viewership beyond live cable audiences.
The two Houston contestants: backgrounds and culinary identities
Tristen Epps is a Houston-based chef and the chef-owner of Epps & Flows Culinary. During the season, he was positioned as a chef seeking to bring Afro-Caribbean food into fine-dining contexts. At the time of casting announcements, he was also linked to plans for a Houston concept named Buboy.
Henry Lu is the chef-owner of JŪN and byKin, a Houston operation known for cross-cultural influences. JŪN has drawn national attention in recent years, including recognition in James Beard Awards semifinalist categories.
How the story ended: Houston’s contestant went on to win
By the end of the season, Epps emerged as the champion of Top Chef Season 22, winning the televised finale and the $250,000 grand prize. The final episode aired June 12, 2025, with Epps defeating fellow finalists Bailey Sullivan and Shuai Wang.
The win gives Houston another high-visibility national platform moment, reinforcing the city’s growing reputation as a place where chefs build distinctive cuisines that can compete on the country’s biggest food-television stages.
With two Houston-based chefs in the same season and a championship outcome for one of them, Season 22 became an unusually consequential chapter in the city’s recent culinary narrative.