And the Winner of 'Top Chef Colorado' Is.....

"Top Chef" crowned Joe Flamm (Chicago, IL) the winner of season 15 in an epic showdown at The Little Nell in Aspen. Flamm was awarded the coveted title of “Top Chef” and will receive $125,000 furnished by S.Pellegrino®, a feature in FOOD & WINEmagazine and a showcase at the annual FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen.

The high stakes Colorado season ended with a battle between two Southside Chicago natives Adrienne Cheatham and Joe Flamm as they cooked the four course meal of their lives for host Padma Lakshmi and the judges Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons and Graham Elliot, as well as, culinary superstars Nancy Silverton, Jonathan Waxman and Curtis Duffy. In the end, Flamm charmed the judges with his four course Italian-inspired meal to earn the highly lauded title of “Top Chef."

During the season Flamm won various Quickfires including the “Mis en Place” and Rocky Mountain Oyster challenges. He also wowed the judges with his dishes and successful performance as front of house at Top Chef’s signature “Restaurant Wars” episode earning him his first elimination challenge win. Unfortunately, the tide quickly turned and in the next episode Flamm found himself on the bottom and had to pack his knives for his risotto dish in a Sudden Death Quickfire. Nonetheless, he persevered and clawed his way back into the competition by winning “Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen.” He proved his place in Telluride and also garnered a crucial win at the penultimate elimination challenge cooking a vegetarian dish on a Cowboy Cauldron at the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen.