Dale Talde (born October 25, 1978 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American chef, television personality, and cookbook author, best known for competing on two seasons of the Bravo reality television cooking competition series Top Chef: Top Chef: Chicago in 2008 and Top Chef: All-Stars in 2010-11. Although Talde finished in sixth place in both Top Chef seasons, he has been called to guest-judge in the show several times, making him one of the show's most popular cast members. He has also hosted Tastemade's Up in My Grill, was the head judge in Knife Fight season 4, and guest-judged in Top Chef Amateurs, Chopped, Chopped Junior and Beat Bobby Flay. He has also been called to compete on Top Chef Duels, Celebrity Chopped and Iron Chef America. in 2022, Talde was nominated for a James Beard Award -