Telemundo’s Top Chef VIP Is About to Heat Up: 20 Celebrity Contestants Take on the Challenge Beginning Tuesday, September 1 at 7pm/6c

Carmen Villalobos Returns as Host of Spanish-language Television’s Hit Cooking Competition, Where the Winner will Take Home $200,000 and the Top Chef VIP Title

MIAMI, FL – July 13, 2026 – Top Chef VIP returns to Telemundo on Tuesday, September 1 at 7pm/6c for an intense and thrilling fifth season. Carmen Villalobos is back as host of the most famous kitchen on Spanish-language television, where 20 new celebrities will put their talent, courage, and determination to the test as they compete to impress the demanding panel of judges, Antonio “Toño” de Livier, Chef Tita, and Chef Betty Vázquez. In a competition filled with high stakes, excitement, and plenty of flavor, contestants will battle to become the next Top Chef VIP and win the $200,000 cash prize.

The 20 celebrities competing this season are:

• Athenea Pérez – Model and reality TV star known for representing her native Spain as Miss Universe® 2024 and for competing on Telemundo’s reality competition Los 50.
• Aylín Mujica – Cuban actress and television host with an extensive career spanning hit telenovelas and TV shows. She was a contestant on the third season of Telemundo’s La Casa de los Famosos and has also served as a guest host on La Mesa Caliente, among other projects.
• Carlos “Caramelo” Cruz – Dominican reality TV star and content creator who won Telemundo’s hit reality La Casa de los Famosos All-Stars edition.
• Carlos Ferro – Mexican actor recognized for his roles in successful Telemundo productions, including Perro Amor, Mi Corazón Insiste en Lola Volcán, and Reina de Corazones, among other television projects.
• Carlos Ponce – Puerto Rican actor, singer, and television host who has built a successful career across Spanish-language television and Hollywood. At Telemundo, he starred in productions including Perro Amor, Santa Diabla, and Silvana Sin Lana, while in Hollywood he appeared in acclaimed television series and films such as 7th Heaven and Couples Retreat.
• Diana Haro – Mexican actress who has appeared in telenovelas and television series in her native Mexico and has built a strong connection with audiences through social media channels.
• Gaby Borges – Mexican actress who has appeared in numerous productions, including Telemundo series Velvet, Sed de Venganza, and Jenni Rivera: Mariposa de Barrio, among others.
• Guty Carrera – Ecuadorian-Peruvian reality TV star and actor, known for competing in hit reality shows including the first season of La Isla and the fourth season of Telemundo’s La Casa de los Famosos.
• José Joel – Mexican singer and actor who has honored the artistic legacy of his father, the legendary José José. He has performed in the musicals Timbiriche Vaselina.
• Kelly Ríos – Athlete and reality TV personality who has gained popularity for her authenticity on social media and her participation in the eighth season of Exatlón Estados Unidos.
• Lupillo Rivera – GRAMMY®-winning regional Mexican music singer and one of the genre’s most recognizable voices. He competed in the fourth season of La Casa de los Famosos as well as the 2024 All-Stars edition, where he finished as the third finalist.
• Mauricio Garza – Mexican actor known for his performances in television series and productions, including Telemundo’s Betty en NY, among others.
• Miguel Arce – Peruvian actor and television personality with experience in scripted series and reality shows such as Telemundo’s Los 50, where he became a finalist on season two..
• Nailea Norvind – Renowned Mexican actress with an accomplished career in film, theater, and television. She is considered one of the most iconic figures in popular Mexican telenovelas.
• Nievelis González – Puerto Rican reality TV star who was a semifinalist in the second season of Telemundo’s La Isla and the second season of  Los 50.
• Ninel Conde – Mexican actress and singer, one of the most recognizable figures in Hispanic entertainment, who has appeared in numerous productions, including El Señor de los Cielos.
• Pedro Luis “La Divaza” Figueroa – Venezuelan influencer, content creator, and media personality with millions of social media followers. He competed in the fourth season of La Casa de los Famosos.
• Roberto Romano – Mexican actor known for his appearances in telenovelas and competition reality shows, including the first season of La Casa de los Famosos, Exatlón Estados Unidos, and Telemundo series Lobo Morir Matando, Sed de Venganza, and El Señor de los Cielos, among others.
• Sheynnis Palacios – Model and Miss Universe® 2023 titleholder, who made history as the first Nicaraguan woman to win the international pageant.
• Stephanie Salas – Acclaimed Mexican actress with a distinguished career in music, television, and theater, who has appeared in major productions such as Netflix’s series The House of Flowers (La Casa de las Flores).

Carmen Villalobos returns as host of Top Chef VIP, reaffirming the role she has held since the show’s inaugural season. Widely regarded as one of Hispanic television’s most versatile personalities, the actress and television host has built an impressive career starring in successful productions, hosting specials, and cultivating a powerful social media presence with millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok. The talented Barranquilla native will also soon return to Telemundo in a new season of the hit series Sin Senos Sí Hay Paraíso.

In this new season of Top Chef VIP, the 20 celebrities will put their culinary skills to the test in every episode under the watchful eyes of the demanding judges, who will evaluate their performance, challenge their growth, and decide who advances and who must leave the kitchen. In the end, only one contestant will earn the title of Top Chef VIP and take home the $200,000 cash prize.

Audiences will be able to watch Top Chef VIP on Telemundo, or catch up on the Telemundo app (available on Google Play Store and Apple Store) and Telemundo.com. New episodes will also be available to stream the next day on Peacock. Viewers can explore additional exclusive content by visiting Telemundo.com/TopChefVIP and following @TelemundoEntretenimiento on YouTube. Fans can join the conversation using the hashtag #TopChefVIP5 on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and X, and by following @TelemundoRealities.

Top Chef VIP is a RCN production for Telemundo based on NBCUniversal Formats’ Top Chef franchise, under the supervision of Adrián Santucho, Senior Vice President of Non-Scripted Content, alongside Pancho Calvo, Vice President of Entertainment, with Luciano Cardinali as Executive Producer.

The fifth season of Top Chef VIP was selected to receive the CINA incentive (Certificate of Audiovisual Investment), granted by the Colombian government and administered by Proimágenes Colombia, a tax rebate equivalent to 35% of the money spent on audiovisual services in the country.

About Proimágenes Colombia:

Dedicated to the development of the Colombian film industry, Proimágenes Colombia (Fondo Mixto de Promoción Cinematográfica) is a non-profit organization supported by the public and private sectors. It administers the Film Development Fund – FDC, which provides cash resources to national productions and co-productions, and promotes Colombian cinema in the international arena. It also has acts as the Colombian Film Commission which promotes the country as a filming location, channeling incentives to national and international productions with cash refunds and tax incentives for international audiovisual projects.

About NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises: 

NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises leads the media industry in the production and distribution of Spanish-language content for U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. The company serves U.S. Hispanics through its national broadcast network, the cable network Universo, and digital platforms including the Telemundo app, a suite of FAST channels, and streaming services, such as Peacock, among others. The Telemundo Network offers Spanish-language entertainment, news, and sports content reaching 95% of U.S. Hispanic TV households in 210 markets through 30 owned stations and 91 affiliate stations. Telemundo also owns an independent station serving Puerto Rico. Anchored on Telemundo Studios, the network is the #1 producer of scripted Spanish-language content in the U.S., and the only network to produce original content specifically for US Hispanic audiences. Offering over 600 hours of reality TV shows a year, and top-rated live specials such as the Billboard Latin Music Awards and Miss Universe, Telemundo is considered the undisputed Home of Live TV in Hispanic media. The network is also the exclusive Spanish-language home of the world’s two most popular sporting events, the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises is a division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

Press contact:

Gerardo Oyola

Director, Alternative Programming Publicity

[email protected]