The Winner of 'Yes, Chef!' Season 1 Ended the Show Six Figures Richer

The Bear didn't coin the term "Yes, chef" as a response to another cook in the kitchen at fine dining restaurants, but it helped put it on the map for those who aren't in the know. That's probably why the same phrase is also the title of an NBC reality competition cooking show, and why many are wondering who won Yes, Chef! Season 1.

The finale aired on June 30, 2025, after 10 dramatic episodes featuring different challenges for real-life professional chefs and restaurateurs. Each episode, teams get a challenge to allow them to show their teamwork and leadership skills. Then, there is a cook-off to figure out who gets sent home. And at the end of the finale, one chef takes home the grand prize of $250,000.

Season 1 of Yes, Chef! starts off with 12 chefs ready to prove themselves and trample each other to wow host Martha Stewart and the judges. Well, maybe not trample each other, but no one is here to make friends. In the end, though, some of them challenge themselves in a big way by working together to make it far in the competition.

During the June 30 season finale, the remaining chefs — Emily Brubaker, Lee Frank, and Zain Ismail — faced off to show their skills one final time and take home the $250,000 prize money. They each had three days to put together a three-course meal for 25 people. Literally everything was on the line for each contestant, but they all dove into the challenge of creating menus that spoke to who they are and how they got there.

In the end, Emily Brubaker was crowned as the Yes, Chef! Season 1 winner. For her three-course meal, she used three restaurants in her career that helped shape her as a chef. She said during the finale that the reason she went on the show was for her family and to be an example for her kids. Prior to the finale, Emily shared a post on Instagram about her time on the show.

"Win or lose, this has been one of the most rewarding (and wild) experiences of my life," Emily wrote. "I've cooked my heart out, made some incredible new friends, and learned more than I ever thought possible. And now … It all comes down to this."

So far, NBC has not announced a renewal for the cooking show. But, given the hefty prize amount and obvious faith the network has in the series, it's entirely possible that it will be back for a second season with a new group of chefs. It also helps that the show has the Martha Stewart attached to it, both as a co-host and as a producer, so there's that.