Telemundo Wraps ‘Top Chef,’ Ramps Up Novela Production

The kitchen is closed.

Production has officially wrapped on Top Chef Estrellas, the Sunday primetime culinary arts competition set to start its second season on Telemundo.

Season two of Top Chef Estrellas will feature 10 celebrities competing for the honor of “Top Chef,” with a total $100,000 award to charities of their choice. Shot in Boston by production house Magical Elves, the new installment of Top Chef Estrellas features celebrity Hispanic chef Ingrid Hoffman, who makes her Telemundo debut.

She is joined by returning celebrity chefs Lorena Garcia, currently known for her work with Taco Bell; Jaime Martin Del Campo; and Ramiro Arvizu.

Who are the celebrities set to compete for the title of “Top Chef?” Telemundo telenovela actor and Warner Music Latina recording artist Gabriel Coronel; telenovela actors Fabian Ross, Kimberly Dos Ramos and Gabriela Vergara; veteran Hispanic entertainer Sissi Fleitas; former Casos de Familia host Judith Grace; legendary regional Mexican producer and artist manager Don Pedro Rivera; Puerto Rican fashionista and Mira Quién Baila contestant Maripily Rivera; past Mira Quién Baila winner Henry Santos; and boxer Fernando Vargas.

Meanwhile, Telemundo has started production of its newest telenovela, Señora Acero. The series stars Blanca Soto, making her network debut. Filmed on location in different locations surrounding Mexico City, Señora Acero tells the story of a beautiful, charismatic and intelligent woman who goes from being an ordinary housewife to a person capable of rocking the Mexican government. Señora Acero is an original Telemundo Studios production filmed by Argos Televisión, with Martha Godoy (La Reina del Sur) as executive producer.

Telemundo has not disclosed an air date for either series.

In other Telemundo news, the network on July 30 announced that it has reached a four-year contract extension with Dick Clark Productions and Billboard magazine to produce the Billboard Latin Music Awards show through 2020. The new accord also calls for the 2015 debut of a new awards show co-produced by DCP and Telemundo modeled on the latter’s successful American Music Awards.