Here's why I believe Tournament of Champions should feature past winning Randomizer combinations to raise the stakes
**Disclaimer: This Tournament of Champions article is based on the writer's opinion. Readers' discretion is advised.**
Tournament of Champions season 6 came to a close on April 20, 2025, with Antonia Lofaso finally claiming her first win after years of near finishes. She defeated Sara Bradley in the finale with a score of 88–82, completing a complex final challenge that, in my opinion, showed exactly why the Randomizer is both the show’s biggest risk and reward.
The chefs had to work with wagyu beef, huitlacoche, a sausage stuffer, and create both a spicy hot dish and a sticky cold dish—an unpredictable but defining combination. Over the years, the Randomizer has become the backbone of the show. Each round, it tests a chef’s ability to stay calm, think creatively, and adjust to strange or difficult ingredients and tools.
In my opinion, the feature has done exactly what it was meant to—but now, it has room to evolve. Rather than introducing only new combinations, Tournament of Champions should occasionally bring back past winning setups.
Some combinations—especially those from final rounds or major upsets—have become part of TOC’s history. Reusing them could raise the pressure even more. In my view, it would not only challenge chefs to recreate or surpass what others have done but also connect the current season to the legacy of past champions.
Past winning combinations of Tournament of Champions would add pressure and purpose to the Randomizer
The Randomizer has always been central to Tournament of Champions, creating surprise, chaos, and pressure in every round. It’s designed to level the playing field by giving all chefs an equal dose of unpredictability. But the next step in its evolution could be to include past winning combinations—setups that helped chefs win championships or pull off major upsets.
Take the season 3 finale, for example. Tiffani Faison and Brooke Williamson were tasked with cooking rabbit, using natto, incorporating an anti-griddle, preparing one ingredient three ways, and finishing it all in 60 minutes.
She delivered under that pressure and beat Brooke Williamson by a narrow score of 92–90. In my opinion, bringing back that exact combination in a future season would add a new kind of pressure to the competition. A chef wouldn’t just be cooking for the win—they’d be cooking under the shadow of a past champion’s success.
This change could turn the Randomizer from a tool of randomness into a symbol of legacy. Each reused combo would be a nod to a specific moment in TOC history, giving chefs a goal not just to advance, but to meet or exceed what’s been done before.
For new chefs, it could be a rite of passage. For returning chefs, it could be a redemption arc or a rematch with history. Either way, reusing proven combinations would raise the pressure and sharpen the storytelling without needing to adjust the rules of blind judging or scoring. In my opinion, it’s a natural next step for a competition that thrives on tension and performance under fire.
In my opinion, this would deepen the storytelling for chefs and viewers alike
Tournament of Champions has built a loyal audience not just because of its intense challenges, but because viewers get invested in the chefs’ journeys—season after season. In my opinion, using past winning Randomizer combinations would add another layer to that connection by linking current competitors to historic moments from earlier seasons.
When fans hear a chef is up against a combination that once led to a championship-winning dish, it creates immediate tension. There's a sense of “Can they match that?” or “Will they fall short?” It invites comparison and raises the emotional stakes without changing the competition rules. In my opinion, this is the kind of callback that keeps viewers more engaged.
For chefs, it creates narrative weight. A returning chef might get a chance to face the same challenge that once sent them home, or a new chef could get the chance to take on a combination tied to someone else’s win. Either way, it gives every round more context.
This shift wouldn’t just test skill—it would build continuity and deepen the show’s long-term storytelling. It would give TOC an added layer of meaning that rewards both memory and performance.
The latest episodes of Tournament of Champions are streaming on Food Network.
