Here are the familiar spots around Charlotte you’ll see on ‘Top Chef’ episodes

By Heidi Finley

Updated April 28, 2026 8:43 AM

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.

‘Top Chef’ filmed most Season 23 episodes at a Steele Creek warehouse hub.
Key Charlotte sites included La Belle Helene, Super G Mart, and The Casey.
Production used a 143,500-sq-ft facility to house sets, crews, and operations.

‘Top Chef Carolinas’ was filmed in Charlotte

Bravo’s hit reality TV show “Top Chef” filmed most of Season 23 in Charlotte and a few episodes in Greenville, SC, to create “Top Chef Carolinas.” The show’s announcement said: “This season will showcase the finest in southern hospitality, embracing the rich history, agriculture, and outdoors, as a new batch of accomplished and renowned chefs vie for the ultimate Top Chef title.”

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Charlotte is shining bright as new episodes of “Top Chef” hit streaming screens for Season 23 of the Bravo culinary competition.

The Queen City is just as much of a star as the judges and chefs, as it played host to most of “Top Chef” Carolina’s episodes. A few were shot in Greenville, SC, as well.

While in Charlotte, “Top Chef’s” home base was an empty manufacturing facility in Steele Creek, a nondescript warehouse where the show’s iconic judge’s table and kitchen set the stage for much of the filming.

The expansive 143,500-square-foot building also held dozens of production assistants, camera crews, editing and audio staff, and other team members that helped bring the production to life, along with dressing rooms for the hosts and other meeting spaces.

Viewers won’t see the behind-the-scenes inner workings, of course. But there’s plenty of Charlotte’s beauty on full display.

Here are the local locations featured on the show so far — and you’ll want to keep checking back for updates as the season goes on:

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Location: 5555 Concord Pkwy S, Concord, NC 28027

“Top Chef” judges touted a NASCAR race in Daytona via social media on Aug. 22, shortly after their arrival in Charlotte. Sure enough, the premiere episode featured a challenge at Charlotte Motor Speedway with Jimmy Johnson and Kyle Busch as guest judges.

Two chefs in green aprons are focused on food preparation. One chef is pouring a yellow liquid from a metal bowl into white plates while another chef with a “I’ll keep you wild” tattoo works nearby. — Chefs Brittany Cochran, Justin Tootla and Jassi Bindra cook outside in the Carolina heat at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Paul Cheney/Bravo

Whole Foods

Location: 400 E Brooklyn Vlg Ave Unit A, Charlotte, NC 28202

Early episodes show the “Top Chef” cheftetsants racing around the uptown location of Whole Foods a couple of times. In one shot, the sign for The Francis apartments next door is visible.

La Belle Helene

Location: 300 S Tryon St #100, Charlotte, NC 28202

Film crews were spotted outside La Belle Helene, a French restaurant in uptown Charlotte co-owned by “Top Chef” alum Jamie Lynch, on Aug. 18.

The premiere episode featured an elimination challenge there, with Lynch and James Beard Award-winning chef Sean Brock of Nashville as guest judges. James Beard Award finalist Cheetie Kumar of Ajja Eats in Raleigh and James Beard semifinalist Chayil Johnson of Community Matters Cafe in Charlotte joined them as guest diners.

The image shows five judges seated behind a long, white marble-top table at a restaurant, including a person with hand and neck tattoos wearing glasses and a dark grey blazer, a person with a beard and glasses wearing a blue patterned blazer, a person wearing a dark maroon blazer, a bald person wearing a light blue blazer over a white shirt and a person with reddish-brown hair, wearing a light purple blazer. The setting is an upscale dining room with a black and white tiled floor, green velvet booth seating in the background, and various floral arrangements and gold lamps. — “Top Chef” alum chef Jamie Lynch of Charlotte and chef Sean Brock of Nashville join host Kristen Kish and judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons as guest judges in “Top Chef’s” Carolina Roots episode, the first of Season 23. Paul Cheney/Bravo

Puckerbutt Pepper Co.

Location: York County, SC

Teasers released on Bravo.com and Facebook show the chefs meeting Puckerbutt Pepper Co.’s Ed Currie — who’s famous for cultivating the hottest peppers in the world: the Carolina Reaper and Pepper X peppers — and visiting his York County farm for a pepper-based challenge in Episode 2.

A wide shot from inside a large greenhouse where two rows of chefs in white coats and colored aprons are working at long metal prep tables. The kitchen setup is divided into two teams, one wearing green aprons and the other in red. The structure features a curved translucent roof, hanging industrial lights, and fans, with a gravel floor and lush greenery visible through the glass at the far end. — “Top Chef” contestants Rhoda Magbitang, Oscar Diaz, Anthony Jones, Brittany Cochran, Sieger Bayer, Brandon Dearden, Sherry Cardoso, Duyen Ha, Laurence Louie, Justin Tootla and Jassi Bindra compete in a pepper challenge. Paul Cheney/Bravo

Supperland

Location: 1212 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28205

Season 23’s Episode 3 features a colorful food elimination challenge set in the kitchen and dining room at Supperland. There, iconic chef and guest judge Emeril Lagasse joined the “Top Chef” team at the dining table, along with restaurant owners Jamie Brown and Jeff Tonidandel, and NYC baker Amirah Kasssem of Flourshop.

A wide shot from a high-end restaurant or culinary competition set. In the foreground, several guests sit at a long wooden table decorated with bright yellow and purple flowers, partially obscured from the back. In the background, two chefs in white coats and black aprons stand attentively near a tiled bar with tufted leather stools, appearing to present a dish or listen to feedback. The modern space features white brick walls and warm, ambient lighting. — “Top Chef” contestants Laurence Louie of Boston and Brittany Cochran of Charlotte present dishes for judging at Supperland to Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, Emeril Lagasse and Amirah Kassem. Supperland owners Jamie Brown and Jeff Tonidandel joined them. Paul Cheney/Bravo

Deep Roots CPS Farm

Location: 2401 Primm Rd, Charlotte, NC 28216

Episode 4 puts the contestants at Wisdom and Cherie Jzar’s Deep Roots CPS Farm, where they learned about and gathered ingredients for a challenge that involved turning James Beard Award finalist chef Greg Collier’s side dishes into main dishes.

Fine & Fettle

Location: 4905 Barclay Downs Dr, Charlotte, NC 28210

Also in Episode 4, the chefs got to work in the kitchen at Fine & Fettle in SouthPark, where Collier serves as executive chef. He joined them for the judging panel, along with his wife, Subrina Collier, and last season’s winner, Tristan Epps.

A group of people are seated at a long, wooden dining table in a bright, modern restaurant, tasting various dishes. Two chefs in white coats and black aprons stand at the head of the table, attentively watching the diners’ reactions. The table is set with a light blue runner, wine glasses, and floral arrangements, while the background features a unique wall of geometric mirrors. — TOP CHEF -- "Pick a Side" Episode 2304 -- Pictured: (l-r) Subrina Collier, Tristen Epps, Kristen Kish, Oscar Diaz, Laurence Louie, Gail Simmons, Tom Coliccho -- (Photo by: Paul Cheney/Bravo) BRAVO Paul Cheney/BRAVO

U.S. National Whitewater Center

Location: 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28214

“Top Chef’s” Episode 5 showcases scenes from the U.S. National Whitewater Center, where the contestants got a little downtime while rafting, climbing and ziplining. They also fed a judges panel there that included Katy and Joe Kindred of Kindred, Milkbread and Albertine, along with chef Savannah Miller of Durham, a finalist in “Top Chef” Season 21 in Wisconsin.

Splendor Pond Flower Farm

Location: 388 Rocky River Rd, Mooresville, NC 2811

To take on the challenge of whole hog barbecue, the “Top Chef” team headed to Splendor Pond Flower Farm in Mooresville to stay up all night cooking. The judging panel was filled with some of the Carolinas’ top pitmasters, including Sam Jones of Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh and Lewis Donald of Sweet Lew’s in Charlotte, plus “Top Chef” Season 21 pitmaster Michelle Wallace.

A focused, professional shot of a chef at an outdoor cooking station. The chef, wearing a white coat, a dark grey apron, a blue patterned bandana, and sunglasses, uses a blue blowtorch to carefully char green leaves on a stainless steel prep table. — Chef Oscar Diaz cooks with whole hog barbecue on “Top Chef’s” Episode 6 in Season 23. Paul Cheney/BRAVO

Super G Mart

Location: 10500 Centrum Pkwy, Pineville, NC 28134

Super G Mart’s Pineville store, which stocks an enormous variety of Asian ingredients and other international items, was among the shopping locations for the chefs. Some visited the store at The Centrum at least twice: once for the barbecue episode and once again for Restaurant Wars.

Curated Events

Location: 800 Gesco Street, Suite 210, Charlotte, NC 28208

Curated Events, a party rental company in Charlotte, was the spot where the “Top Chef” contestants shopped to outfit their restaurants for Restaurant Wars, picking out linens, plates, chairs and more.

La Unica Supermarket

Location: 5323 E Independence Blvd SUITE A-B, Charlotte, NC 28212

La Unica Supermarket, another hotspot for global ingredients was among the stores the chefs shopped at for Restaurant Wars.

The Casey by Beau Monde

Location: 1837 N Tryon St #102, Charlotte, NC 28206

The show’s famous “Restaurant Wars” episode was filmed Sept. 10 at The Casey by Beau Monde, an event space near Lockwood and Tryon Hills that was built in 1922. It has 22-foot-high ceilings and more than 12,000 feet that made it possible to set up two makeshift restaurants — one for each team of competitors.

A chef in a blue suit stands and speaks to four seated diners at a white-clothed table. The setting features a modern coral-pink background with a minimalist green wall sconce. The diners, including women in a green blazer and a brown button-down, look on as the chef gestures with his hands during the presentation. — Chef Oscar Diaz chats with guests during “Top Chef’s” Restaurant Wars episode. Paul Cheney/Bravo

This story was originally published March 16, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Here are the familiar spots around Charlotte you’ll see on ‘Top Chef’ episodes."

Heidi Finley

The Charlotte Observer

Heidi Finley is a writer and editor for CharlotteFive and the Charlotte Observer. Outside of work, you will most likely find her in the suburbs driving kids around, volunteering and indulging in foodie pursuits. Support my work with a digital subscription