LONDON: MBC Group announced on Monday that the new season of its popular show “Top Chef” will be filmed in NEOM, Saudi Arabia’s futuristic city. Samar Akrouk, MBC Group’s director of production and MBC Studios’ general manager, said that moving the show to NEOM offers more than just a new location, providing a “visionary setting” that aligns with the city’s futuristic and sustainable values. “This eighth season will merge the high-energy competition that viewers expect with a strong emphasis on ecological awareness and sustainable living, reflecting the core values of NEOM as a city of the future,” Akron said. “Top Chef,” originally launched by Bravo in the US, features chefs competing in various culinary challenges, judged by a panel of professional chefs and notable personalities from the food and beverage industry. Contestants face elimination at the end of each episode. Akrouk explained that this season will introduce a new layer of difficulty. Contestants will not only be judged on their culinary skills and creativity but also on their “sustainable approach” to cooking. “These challenges have been designed to inspire contestants to think about food in its relation to the environment,” she added, emphasizing that the program “echoes the principles upon which NEOM is built.” In the region, the Arabic version of “Top Chef” by MBC Group has previously been filmed in locations across the UAE, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. NEOM marks the latest location for the program in the Kingdom, underscoring efforts to position the region as a premier filming destination for local, regional, and international productions. The new season of “Top Chef” is currently in production and is set to be released later this year.