Aylín Mujica bows out of Top Chef VIP: "This show was my salvation"

October 17, 2026

Havana-born actress Aylín Mujica has been eliminated from season five of Top Chef VIP, Telemundo's celebrity cooking competition, in an emotional farewell for her, her fellow contestants and the judging chefs, as shown by the network and reported by La Vibra and Infobae.

Mujica spent much of the competition grieving. Her eldest son, Mauro Menéndez, died in July in Barbados at age 30 from complications of severe pneumonia, and she returned to the show after the loss. "If I'd had to leave a few weeks ago, my world would have fallen apart," she said as she said goodbye. "This show was my salvation," she added, thanking Telemundo for letting her come back.

This time, she said, she was ready to go home. "My son's ashes have arrived, and all I can think about is being with them and closing this chapter." In recent interviews she has said she plans to place the ashes at an underwater memorial reef off Miami once her tour with the stage play Las Intocables wraps up.

Host Carmen Villalobos was also in tears, telling Mujica she has always admired her and that she was a role model when Villalobos first joined Telemundo. With Mujica's exit, the semifinalists are Mauricio Garza, Kelly Ríos, Ninel Conde, Lupillo Rivera, Guty Carrera and Roberto Romano.