“Top Chef 2026”: The candidate eliminated before the final regrets “a stroke of bad luck”

Julien THEUIL / M6

We finally know the names of the finalists for “Top Chef 2026” on M6

Home stretch! This Wednesday, June 3, aficionados of Top Chef discovered the semi-finals of the 17th season on M6. Alexy, Victor and Viviana faced three challenges to win their place in the final.

The technicality was therefore there: making a chicken deboned from the inside, stuffed and reconstituted; enhance the snails; make ravioli in a checkerboard pattern. Each of them had only one goal, to win their own event and earn the most points on the other challenges.

SPOILER ALERT. If you do not want to know the identity of the candidate of Top Chef eliminated before the final, do not continue reading.

Thomas PADILLA / AGENCE 1827 / M6 / Thomas PADILLA / AGENCE 1827 / M6

Alexy Louise Nicolas Viviana Aboubakar Victor Stephane ROTENBERG

After these major tests, Alexy and Viviana obtained their winning ticket for the grand final of Top Chef 2026. Unfortunately for Victor, his adventure ends at the foot of the podium. After his elimination, he answered our questions.

Thomas PADILLA / AGENCE 1827 / M6

Victor Kuntz réagit à son élimination de « Top Chef 2026 »

You leave Top Chef on the verge of the final. Disappointed?

Obviously a little disappointed. It was already huge for me to reach the semi-final, since I wasn’t expecting it at all. Top Chef was not a goal in my career and it happened a bit by chance. For the record, I was approached on social networks by a caster, who sent me a message. I thought it was a joke and I didn’t answer. It was only a few days later that I did it and everything happened very quickly. I arrived with my little CV, facing the other guys on the star course, and my mentality as a chef who tried to break the codes and offer accessible cuisine. I immediately compared myself to them and I believed I had little chance of reaching this level of competition.

What state of mind were you in during these semi-finals?

Reboosted and hyper motivated. I knew that my strong point was technique. So I absolutely wanted to play on it and offer my opponents a test full of dexterity, something that would put them in difficulty. I put in as many constraints and techniques as possible, but I want to say that I hadn’t trained at all before. This is the first time I have done this technique and this cooking on a pigeon. A subject that bothers others, it has to be the same for me.

The hardest part is winning your challenge or that of others?

It’s about passing your own test. When we arrive at those of others, it remains unknown tests. Whereas on ours, we know the difficulties and the facilities. I had a little more pressure and didn’t really want to lose my challenge. Except that Alexy, through a stroke of bad luck, managed to win the point. I almost want to say that he didn’t do it on purpose, because if he hadn’t set fire to the pigeons in the barbecue, he certainly wouldn’t have gotten this result. What I love about this job is that no matter how well prepared you are, it only takes one little thing to go wrong and it can make a difference.

Were you touched by the words of Paul Pairet?

That’s what made the moment moving. To be with a chef like Paul Pairet, who impresses me with his personality, his work and his view on cooking, it’s incredible. During certain tastings, he was sometimes the only one to see things that we were trying to transcribe on our plates. When a person like him says these kinds of words, obviously it touches my heart.

What relationship did you form with him in the competition?

It was a real leadership relationship, which carried me through the last tests. The quarter-final day was very hard for me, because the mentality was no longer there. In these moments, the mentoring of the brigade leader becomes essential and it is thanks to him that I have not given up.

What is your best memory of the adventure?

If I had to choose one test, it would be that of Jordi Roca. It was exceptional to be able to serve this chef, and to see him having fun with my painting. And then to hear my boss yelling at the other end of the stage and the others applauding in unison, that was something. Plus, I managed to fly with Paul Pairet, it was a real treat (laughs).

What do you remember from your participation?
Avant Top ChefI thought a lot about what people wanted to have on the plate and not about what I wanted to offer them. During the Bocuse test, Paul Pairet told me to stop thinking like that. I also remember the human experience with all the chefs. Having to constantly surpass yourself to give your best in front of an exceptional jury is enormous. I think I see things differently in my job since this experience.