Let the flames begin. Bravo’s highly anticipated fourth season of the Emmy Award-nominated No. 1 food show on cable returns with “Top Chef: Chicago,” premiering Wednesday, March 12 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Get ready to sharpen your knives as the newest crop of 16 rising chefs from across the country take on the windy city. Returning to the kitchen, cookbook author, actress and host Padma Lakshmi presides over the judge’s table alongside head judge Tom Colicchio, renowned culinary figure and chef/ owner, Craft Restaurants, judge Gail Simmons of Food & Wine Magazine, and judge Ted Allen, Emmy-winning cookbook author and TV personality. In what will prove to be the most exciting season yet, some of the biggest and most respected chefs will guest star on “Top Chef: Chicago.”

Following are the 16 new “Top Chef: Chicago” chef’testants:

- Andrew, 30 - Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Resides in N.Y. C.
- Antonia, 31 - Hometown/Resides in: Los Angeles, Calif.
- Dale, 29 - Hometown: Chicago, Ill.; Resides in N.Y.
- Erik, 38 - Hometown: Chappaqua, N.Y.; Resides in San Francisco, Calif.
- Jennifer, 35 - Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.; Resides in San Francisco, Calif.
- Lisa, 27 – Hometown: Toronto, Canada; Resides in N.Y.C.
- Manuel, 33 - Hometown: Laredo, Texas; Resides in N.Y.C.
- Mark, 29 - Hometown: Invercargill, New Zealand; Resides in N.Y.C.
- Nikki, 35 - Hometown/Resides in: N.Y.C.
- Nimma, 26 - Hometown: Peachtree City, Ga.; Resides in Atlanta, Ga.
- Richard, 35 - Hometown: Uniondale, N.Y.; Resides in Atlanta, Ga.
- Ryan, 28 - Hometown: Los Banos, Calif.; Resides in San Francisco, Calif.
- Spike, 27 – Hometown: Clearwater Beach, FL; Resides in Williamsburg, N.Y.
- Stephanie, 31 - Hometown: Stamford, Conn.; Resides in Chicago, Ill.
- Valerie, 32 - Hometown/Resides in: Chicago, Ill.
- Zoi, 30, - Hometown: Seattle, Wash.; Resides in San Francisco, Calif.

Bravo’s “Top Chef” offers a fascinating window into the competitive, pressure-filled environment of world-class cookery and the restaurant business at the highest level. The series features sixteen aspiring chefs who compete for their shot at culinary stardom and the chance to earn the prestigious title of “Top Chef.” Each episode holds two challenges for the chefs. The first is a quickfire test of their basic abilities and the second is a more involved elimination challenge designed to test the versatility and inventiveness of the chefs as they take on unique culinary trials such as working with unusual and exotic foods or catering for a range of demanding clients. The challenges not only test their skills in the kitchen, but also uncover if they have the customer service, management and teamwork abilities required of a Top Chef. The competing chefs live and breathe the high-pressure lifestyle that comes with being a master chef, and each week someone is asked to “pack up their knives” and go home.