After one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory, Rhoda Magbitang emerged as the winner of Top Chef: Carolinas, becoming the latest chef to join the franchise’s elite circle of champions. Her victory was notable not only because she claimed the $250,000 grand prize, but also because she became the first woman to win the competition since Melissa King and only the fourth contestant in the show’s history to return from Last Chance Kitchen and ultimately win the title.

Months after filming concluded, Magbitang is still processing everything that came with the experience.

“I’m still wrapping my head around actually winning,” she admitted in a post-finale interview. While fans have pointed out the historical significance of her victory, Magbitang said she hasn’t spent much time dwelling on records and milestones.

“I think it’s cool to do all these things that maybe would bring this season a little more attention in terms of setting records and doing all the different things that haven’t happened in a few seasons,” she said. “But I’m still wrapping my head around actually winning.”

Her path to the title was anything but straightforward. Earlier in the season, Magbitang was eliminated and forced to battle her way back through Last Chance Kitchen. Looking back, she believes the competition became more about mental toughness than culinary skill.

“At this level, you already know how to cook,” she explained. “It’s just a matter of getting your head in it and locking in.”

She described Top Chef as a psychological challenge as much as a cooking competition, requiring contestants to navigate stress, exhaustion, and countless unexpected obstacles.

“You have to count all those things in and make sure you can push through challenges outside the actual challenge,” she said.

One of the boldest decisions of the finale came when Magbitang chose not to serve a traditional dessert course. In a competition where chefs often finish with an elaborate sweet finale, the move raised eyebrows.

However, for Magbitang, it felt like the only logical choice.

The final challenge required contestants to create a progressive meal built around a series of personal toasts. While fellow finalists Laurence Louie and Sherry Cardoso incorporated desserts into their storytelling, Magbitang felt her own narrative did not naturally lead to one.

“With the theme of the challenge, it didn’t make sense to me to have a dessert,” she said. “I didn’t have a toast to dedicate a dessert for.”

She acknowledged that the choice was risky but insisted it was never about avoiding the challenge.

“I definitely thought it was a risk, but I never felt it was a copout. It just spoke to me, and I had to make sure I felt right by it.”

That confidence ultimately paid off. Her final meal, which celebrated her family, Filipino heritage, and culinary journey from the Philippines to California and eventually Hawaii, impressed judges Kristen Kish, Tom Colicchio, and Gail Simmons enough to earn her the title.

Another major talking point from the finale involved her choice of sous chef. Magbitang selected fellow contestant Sieger Bayer, whose emotional elimination earlier in the season became one of the most controversial moments of the year.

While some viewers were surprised to see Sieger return for the finale after his highly publicized outburst, Magbitang said there was never any doubt about wanting him by her side.

“I was hoping I would get Sieger as a sous chef,” she said. “He was my first choice.”

Despite the controversy surrounding his exit, she remained confident in his abilities.

“Whatever happened, I knew he would show up for me, and he did. He was such a great addition to our team.”

According to Magbitang, Sieger’s work ethic and technical skills made him an invaluable partner during the final cook.

“He just puts his head down and works. I appreciate that about him.”

Winning the competition also comes with life-changing rewards. Alongside the $250,000 prize, Magbitang earned a feature in Food & Wine, an appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, the opportunity to headline a dinner at the James Beard House, and a presenting role at the 2026 James Beard Awards.

For now, however, she has no elaborate plans for the prize money.

“It’s going to sit somewhere for a little bit and get nice and heavy,” she joked.

Instead, she hopes to travel and spend time with family members scattered across the Philippines, Seattle, and other locations.

“I do want to see them very soon,” she said of her parents, who remain in the Philippines.

As for her future career plans, Magbitang is embracing uncertainty. Before joining Top Chef, she had intended to move to Costa Rica, only to relocate to Hawaii instead. The competition itself was another unexpected detour.

“I’ve planned a lot of things,” she said. “This wasn’t on my plan either.”

Rather than map out every step, she intends to see where the opportunity takes her.

“So far, the non-plan plan has been working,” she said. “Maybe I’ll stick with that and see where it takes me. It’s more fun that way.”

One thing she knows for certain is that the friendships formed during the competition remain strong. The cast still communicates daily through a group chat humorously named “Cava and Meat Sticks,” a reference to the meals they frequently ate while filming.

“We text every day,” Magbitang revealed. “We check in on each other.”

Several cast members, including Brittany Cochran, Oscar Diaz, and Sieger Bayer, have even traveled to Hawaii to collaborate on pop-up events with her since the season ended.

Ultimately, Magbitang believes the biggest lesson from Top Chef had little to do with cooking.

“At the end of the day, your resilience is going to carry you through the entire time,” she reflected. “Talent is sort of secondary.”

For a chef who fought her way back from elimination, trusted her instincts in the finale, and walked away with the title, that lesson may have been the key ingredient behind one of the most memorable victories in recent Top Chef history.