Who Is Melissa King? 5 Things to Know About the ‘Top Chef’ Season 17 Champ

Melissa King has been very successful after winning season 17 of Top Chef in 2020. After finishing fourth place on the competition show in season 12, the chef — who is an Asian-American and queer woman — returned six years later to secure the championship. The chef took home the $250,000 grand prize and another $10,000 for being the Fan Favorite, which she donated to various charities, including Black Visions Collective, The Trevor Project, Asian Americans for Equality and Asian Youth Center. “I feel very strongly that Top Chef has given me more than just a platform for food,” she explained to