Top Chef Tops the Ratings

The season-four finale of Top Chef sizzled for Bravo Wednesday night.

The finale -- which featured the first ever female winner in the series’ history -- was the No. 1 cable telecast of the day in the coveted 18-49 demographic with 2.53 million viewers. The show performed solidly in total viewers, as well, with 3.5 million.

The fourth season overall was the highest-rated ever for Top Chef, continuing a trend of increasing viewership with each successive season. Season four averaged 1.81 million viewers in the 18-49 demo, a 23% increase over season three, and 2.54 million total viewers, a 15% increase.

Online, the Top Chef microsite saw an increase in page views and unique visitors, even without Anthony Bourdain’s popular blog.