Richard Blais Biography
Richard Blais is a well-known chef, restaurateur, author, and television personality who continues to evolve his craft and expand his influence across food, media, and hospitality. Blais is best known for winning Bravo’s Top Chef: All-Stars. He appears on FOX’s Next Level Chef as a Judge alongside Nyesha Arrington and Gordon Ramsay. He has also appeared in other tv shows like Iron Chef America, Guy’s Grocery Games, and Tournament of Champions.
Career Highlights: Culinary career and Top Chef
Blais trained formally at the Culinary Institute of America, where he earned his Associate’s degree in culinary arts. He later worked under legendary chefs at The French Laundry, Daniel, Chez Panisse, and elBulli — giving him a foundation in classical technique and avant-garde cooking.
In 2000, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to open his first restaurant called Fishbone. He is the founder of the culinary company Trail Blais. The company offers consulting, design, and operational services. Blais gained recognition for being a contestant in season 4 of Bravo’s Top Chef, where he finished as runner-up. He competed in season 8 of Top Chef: All-Stars and emerged as a winner.
Richard Blais TV Appearance
In recent seasons, Blais has maintained a strong television presence. Most notably, he co-hosts FOX’s Next Level Chef alongside Gordon Ramsay and fellow chef Nyesha Arrington, where he mentors and judges aspiring culinary talents. In addition, he hosts Food Court and Starving for Attention, blending chef debates and behind-the-scenes culinary insights. In 2024, he hosted a creative series called Flavor House, partnering with Campbell’s to innovate around classic pantry ingredients and showcase culinary challenges online. Other TV Shows he has appeared in include:
- Hungry Games
- Halloween Baking Championship
- Cutthroat Kitchen: Superstar Sabotage
- Masterchef
- Masterchef Junior
- HLN’s “Cook Your Ass Off.”
- FYI Network’s “Man v. Master.”
- Sugar Rush.
Richard Blais Restaurants
As a restaurateur, Blais owns his own restaurant called Fishbone and has his own culinary company called Trail Blais. He has been part of various restaurants either as a Chef or as a partner, including;
- La Zozzona, an Italian-American restaurant at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort.
- Tiki Taka (Japanese-Spanish tapas) restaurant opened in Scottsdale, Arizona.
- Kestrel launched in 2024 at Indian Wells Golf Resort in California.
- Four Flamingos, at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida.
- California English in San Diego and Ember & Rye in Carlsbad
Personal Life: Wife, Children, and Age
The television personality is happily married to Jazmin Blais. The two tied the knot in 2006. They have two daughters named Riley and Embry Blais. The couple has co-authored a cookbook called Plant Forward: 100 Bold Recipes for a Mostly Healthy Lifestyle. The book was published in 2023.
Richard was born on February 19, 1972, in Uniondale, New York, United States. He is 53 years old as of 2025.
Richard Blais Cook Books
- Try This at Home: Recipes From My Head to Your Plate – was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award 2014.
- So Good: 100 Recipes from My Kitchen to Yours- was released on May 16, 2017.
- Plant Forward: 100 Bold Recipes for a Mostly Healthy Lifestyle
Next Level Chef
Blais appears on FOX’s Next Level Chef as a judge and mentor. The show premiered on January 2, 2022. He appears alongside Nyesha Arrington and Gordon Ramsay. The 5th season of the show is set to premiere on January 29, 2026. The show consists of various types of cooks, including line cooks, home chefs, social media chefs, and food truck chefs. They get to compete against each other for the grand prize of $250,000 and the title of “Next Level Chef”.
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