It’s Official: Top Chef Is Coming to Boston

Last week, Eater floated the rumor that Top Chef may be taking a trip up north for its next season. Per a press release that landed in our inbox this morning, it’s now fact: Top Chef is heading to Boston for Season 12.

Here’s an excerpt of the release:

…“Top Chef” will travel to Boston, MA for the series’ twelfth season. Chef’testants will battle it out knife-to-knife in the “Birthplace of the American Revolution” to see if they have what it takes to earn the title and culinary bragging rights.

“Boston has always been at the top of our wish list as a location for ‘Top Chef,’ not only because of its rich historical significance, but also because of its robust and ever-growing culinary scene,” said Shari Levine, SVP of Current Production for Bravo. “’Top Chef’ will showcase the many facets of the city which in turn will bring its fresh, unique flavor to Season 12.”

Production will begin this spring, so we hope that we’ll be able to catch wind of challenges happening around the city in real time—and decipher what “battling it out knife-to-knife in the ‘Birthplace of the American Revolution'” really means.

For now, we’re just left with questions: Will Sweet Cheeks’ Tiffani Faison (Season 1) be involved? How about Season 10 winner Kristen Kish and Season 11’s Stephanie Cmar? Just how many “chowdah” jokes will there be, and will the contenders have to make it with one arm tied behind their back? Will there be a fancy shirt-off with Ken Oringer and Ming Tsai? Only time will tell.