"AMERICA'S CULINARY CUP" ANNOUNCES CHEFS MICHAEL CIMARUSTI AND WYLIE DUFRESNE TO JOIN PADMA LAKSHMI AS JUDGES IN THE ULTIMATE CULINARY ARENA

The Championship-Style Cooking Competition Series Premieres with A Special 90-Minute Episode March 4 on CBS

AMERICA'S CULINARY CUP announced today acclaimed chefs Michael Cimarusti and Wylie Dufresne to appear alongside Padma Lakshmi as judges on the new cooking competition series. The high-stakes culinary showdown, also hosted and executive produced by Emmy(R) Award-nominated food expert Lakshmi, will premiere with a special 90-minute episode following SURVIVOR 50 on Wednesday, March 4 (9:30-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs).

Cimarusti and Dufresne join Lakshmi to judge an exclusive lineup of America's most elite chefs in the ultimate culinary battleground. Chefs will be tested against the competition's 10 culinary commandments - meat, vegetables, sauces, dessert, innovation, flavors, sustainability, world cuisine, consistency, culinary science and technology - the very principles that define greatness in the kitchen. Cimarusti and Dufresne bring their unique perspectives to evaluate taste, creativity, presentation and technique, determining who advances, who is eliminated and who ultimately masters the commandments to win AMERICA'S CULINARY CUP and claim the biggest cash prize in culinary history - $1 million. Additional guest judges and chefs will be announced soon.

About Chef Michael Cimarusti

At the forefront of fine dining, Michael Cimarusti is a three Michelin-starred chef, acclaimed seafood authority, sustainability advocate and the executive chef and co-owner of Providence, which was named to the inaugural North America's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2025. With a career spanning more than three decades, he has helped define modern American seafood through refined technique, reverence for the ocean and an unwavering commitment to responsible sourcing. A James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: West (2019), Cimarusti is also a familiar presence on culinary television with appearances on "Top Chef," "MasterChef," "Hell's Kitchen" and "Mind of a Chef," where he continues to inspire the next generation of chefs.

As executive chef and co-owner of Providence in Los Angeles, Cimarusti has guided the restaurant to the pinnacle of West Coast fine dining since its opening in 2005. Providence has held Michelin stars continuously since 2008, earned the Michelin Green Star for sustainability and in 2025 became one of only two Los Angeles restaurants to receive Michelin's highest distinction of three stars. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in the same year, Providence remains synonymous with excellence, integrity and innovation in modern seafood cuisine.

About Chef Wylie Dufresne

Wylie Dufresne rose to international fame at his ground-breaking New York City restaurant, wd-50, where his innovative science-driven approach to cooking helped redefine modern American cuisine. During his three decades in the restaurant business, Dufresne has applied his whimsical style and cutting-edge kitchen techniques to some of our favorite foods, winning over diners with deep-fried mayonnaise and shrimp noodles at wd-50, turning out cult-favorite cake doughnuts at Du's Donuts and Coffee and more recently perfecting New York-style pizza at Stretch. His work has earned him some of the industry's highest honors, including a Michelin star, a top spot on New York Magazine's Best Restaurants list and a James Beard Award for Best Chef New York.

Beyond the kitchen, Dufresne has made memorable appearances as himself on acclaimed TV series including "Treme," BILLIONS and "The Bear," and he has been parodied on "Saturday Night Live" and "The Simpsons." Dufresne released his first cookbook, wd-50: The Cookbook (Ecco), in 2017. He lives in New York City with his wife and two teenage daughters.

AMERICA'S CULINARY CUP is produced by Padma Lakshmi for Delicious Entertainment and Susan Rovner for Aha Studios.

*Paramount+ Premium subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to on-demand the day after the episode airs.