The windy city is just about to become the burning hot city as Bravo culinary reality series “Top Chef” unravels its fourth season in Chicago.

The fourth season of the Bravo reality television series “Top Chef” premieres tonight at 9 o’clock, with 16 rising chefs from across the country ready to compete against each other for the top prize and the “Top Chef” title.

This time around, the windy city of Chicago is offering its specific cuisine as inspiration for the gastronomic show.

“Chicago is an awesome city that has a great food tradition,” Tom Colicchio, head judge on the show, told the Chicago Sun-Times. “The city we shoot in plays a prominent role in the show, and this season is no different.”

Colicchio is joined once more by cookbook author, actress and host Padma Lakshmi, judge Gail Simmons, of Food & Wine Magazine and judge Ted Allen, cookbook author and TV personality.

The show promises that some of the biggest and most respected chefs will guest star on “Top Chef: Chicago.”

As viewers have already become accustomed to the series’ format, contestants will be eliminated one by one each week as the most talented and passionate single themselves out and prepare the most praised dishes.

Tonight’s premiere will show the 16 contestants, of whom two are Chicago natives, try their hand at Chicago-style deep-dish pizza.

The winning chef receives $100,000 in seed money to help open a restaurant, which will be furnished by the makers of the Glad family of products; he or she also receives a feature in Food & Wine magazine, a showcase at the Annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, a gourmet dream vacation in the French Alps, as well as the coveted title of “Top Chef.”

For further details visit http://www.bravotv.com/