Top Chef

S16 E01 · 2018-12-06 · 42 min

The Fastest 2 Minutes in Cooking

In Kentucky, 15 chefs are off to the races at Churchill Downs for the the ride of their lives; the chefs must make a dish that will appeal to a crowd of 200 at a Kentucky Derby party; Churchill Downs' own chef David Danielson serves as guest judge.

S16 E02 · 2018-12-13 · 42 min

Bourbon, Barrels and Burgoo

A pregnant Gail Simmons asks the chefs to feed her cravings; the chefs head to Makers Mark, the oldest U.S. distillery, to put their spins on a meal full of Kentucky classics, including burgoo, Benedictine, mutton, hoe cakes, and dumplings.

S16 E03 · 2018-12-20 · 42 min

Naughty and Nice

Richard Blais and Brooke Williamson present a Quickfire challenge; chef Eric Ripert sits down with the chefs to enjoy a traditional French Christmas dinner; Padma tells the chefs they're missing the final part of the tradition of Le Revillon de Noel.

S16 E04 · 2018-12-27 · 42 min

Surprise...It's Restaurant Wars

The Restaurant Wars challenge comes early this year; first, the chefs duke it out in an amuse bouche-based Quickfire; with 12 chefs remaining, three restaurants battle for victory; Tom makes an announcement that leaves the chefs breathless.

S16 E05 · 2019-01-03 · 42 min

Restaurant Wars Part 2

The Restaurant Wars causes drama and mayhem; Tom announces a double elimination piling on even more pressure; chefs Karen Akunowicz and Nina Compton join the restaurant crawl along with Nilou Motamed and guest judge Caroline Styne.

S16 E06 · 2019-01-10 · 42 min

Roaring Munchies

The chefs walk in on an epic battle of Last Chance Kitchen and are drafted into the fight; once Tom declares a winner, the chefs begin a challenge making dishes based on Prohibition Era cocktails; chef Ken Oringer joins for a Roaring Twenties party.

S16 E07 · 2019-01-17 · 42 min

Carne!

Actress Lena Waithe challenges the chefs to make a trademark Kentucky dish known as the Hot Brown; chef Nancy Silverton and butcher Dario Cecchini break down a whole cow for the chefs to utilize along with locally-sourced ingredients.

S16 E08 · 2019-01-24 · 42 min

Whatever Floats Your Boat

For an elimination challenge, the chefs are split into teams and tasked with throwing houseboat parties on Lake Cumberland; chef Emeril Lagasse joins Padma, Tom and Nilou, along with Capts. Sandy and Lee from "Below Deck" for houseboat hysteria.

S16 E09 · 2019-01-31 · 42 min

Music City Usa

The chefs take a road trip to Nashville and cook on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry for country music artist Hunter Hayes. Then, they have to dig deep to create a dish inspired by a vibrant music memory. Next, the chefs work on a plate for a full table of Nashville food and some music personalities, including Caleb Followill, model Lily Aldridge, and Chef Jonathan Waxman.

S16 E10 · 2019-02-07 · 42 min

Hoop Dreams

"Top Chef" alum Ed Lee drops by for a Quickfire that's part trivia, part culinary creativity; Coach John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats host a concession-stand cook-off in Rupp Arena; Food & Wine Editor-in-Chief Hunter Lewis joins the judges.

S16 E11 · 2019-02-14 · 42 min

The Greatest

The chefs take a turn at fried chicken; chef Art Smith judges a secret herbs-and-spices blind taste test ahead of the Quickfire fry-off; after the finger-licking goodness, the chefs turn their attention to boxer Muhammad Ali, aka the Louisville Lip.

S16 E12 · 2019-02-21 · 42 min

Kentucky Farewell

Tom ambushes sleeping chefs and challenges them to make a dish using ingredients harvested from their gardens; for the last elimination challenge, the chefs bid on luxury ingredients at a thoroughbred horse auction house.

S16 E13 · 2019-02-28 · 42 min

Holy Macau!

The final five chefs travel to the Chinese territory of Macau; Graham Elliot, who has a restaurant in Macau, introduces the chefs to a market full of fascinating ingredients and challenges; the chefs throw a party celebrating the Chinese New Year.

S16 E14 · 2019-03-07 · 42 min

The Tao of Macau

The final four chefs must cook with the smelly durian fruit; the chefs get a tutorial on the traditional cuisine of Macau; for the elimination challenge, the chefs are tasked with blending their own heritage with Chinese flavors.

S16 E15 · 2019-03-14 · 42 min

Finale

It's the final showdown; the three remaining chefs must create the best four-course meal of their lives; Tom reveals in a twist that only two chefs will get the chance to serve their full menu; only one chef will emerge victorious.

S18 E02 · 2021-04-08 · 42 min

Trouble Brewing

The Chefs are in for a rude awakening when they enter the kitchen to find Padma and seven hungry all-star chefs – Amar Santana, Melissa King, Kwame Onwuachi, Dale Talde, Gregory Gourdet, Carrie Baird and Richard Blais. In this Quickfire the chefs will have just 30 minutes to serve eight plates of breakfast. And if that didn’t get them buzzing, for their Elimination Challenge, they’ll have to create dishes based on two popular Portland brews – Beer or Coffee. Tom shows up with a twist, leaving the chefs to rethink their dishes hours before service. Amar Santana and Dale Talde join Padma, Tom and Gail at judges’ table.

S18 E03 · 2021-04-15 · 42 min

Pan African Portland

The pressure is laid on the chefs in the Quickfire Challenge as they are tasked to make a layered dessert. Carrie Baird joins Padma to pick the winner, who will get their dish turned into a Talenti gelato to be sold nationwide. Gregory Gourdet and Kwame Onwuachi take the chefs on a tour of restaurants in Portland that feature food from the African diaspora. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must make dishes inspired by their tour for the judging and dining panel, as well as the restaurant’s owners.

S18 E04 · 2021-04-22 · 42 min

Thrown for a Loop

For the Quickfire Challenge, the chefs must create a dish featuring Campbell’s Soup for Padma and guest judge Dale Talde. Then, the cheftestants get thrown for a loop when they find out they won’t be shopping for their Elimination Challenge, because they’ll be picking their fruit right off of the trees in the heart of Oregon’s Fruit Loop and making a savory fruit dish without any vegetables. Melissa King and Carrie Baird join Padma, Tom and Gail at judges’ table

S18 E05 · 2021-04-29 · 42 min

Meet You at the Drive-In

Amar Santana joins Padma for this week’s Quickfire Challenge honoring Mother’s Day and one of Portland’s nicknames “City of Roses.” The chefs are tasked to create a dish featuring roses or rose products inspired by the mother figure in their lives. Then, the chefs will go head-to-head at the first-ever Top Chef Drive-In where each team must create dishes based on popular movie genres. Not only will they have to impress the judges’ table with Richard Blais, but they will also need to win over the diners who will help decide who wins each round.

S18 E06 · 2021-05-06 · 42 min

Stumptown U.S.A.

The chefs are transported into a magical kitchen forest with their prep tables gone and replaced by stumps for this week’s Quickfire Challenge where they must make a dish featuring Tom’s favorite ingredient – mushrooms. Then in the Elimination Challenge, the cheftestants will be paired up to create a surf & turf dish featuring local fish and game for members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla. But first they’ll get to learn and taste some of the initial foods of the area. With a double elimination on the line, Dale Talde joins the judges’ table.

S18 E07 · 2021-05-13 · 42 min

Feeding the Frontlines

The winner of the first part of Last Chance Kitchen rejoins the competition just in time for their “second chance” Quickfire Challenge where the Chefs are tasked with redoing a past failed dish for guest judge Melissa King. Then in an emotional Elimination Challenge Chef José Andrés calls in to recruit the chefs to join World Central Kitchen, his nonprofit organization that provides meals for victims of natural disasters, tasking the chefs with delivering over 500 meals to frontline workers at 3 local hospitals in Portland. Kwame Onwuachi will serve as the All-Star guest judge this week.

S18 E08 · 2021-05-20 · 42 min

Restaurant Wars

With the top eight chefs remaining, it’s time for the perennial favorite - Restaurant Wars. This year, the chefs will serve a seven course tasting menu to the judges and All-Star panel. Gregory Gourdet and Kristen Kish join the judges’ table.

S18 E09 · 2021-05-27 · 42 min

Portland-ia

For this week’s Quickfire Challenge, Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein from the hit comedy series “Portlandia” task the chefs with creating a dish using hipster ingredients using only old vintage appliances and equipment. For their Elimination Challenge, the chefs must develop and create a recipe fit for the home cook, and are surprised when unexpected guests show up to test their recipes. All-Star alumni and cookbook authors Dale Talde and Richard Blais join the judges’ table to help decide which chef must pack their knives.

S18 E10 · 2021-06-03 · 42 min

Tournament of Tofu

Ed Lee enters the kitchen and tells the chefs they will be competing tournament style; the chefs duke it out at the Portland Japanese Gardens, where they must create dishes featuring various textures of tofu.

S18 E11 · 2021-06-10 · 42 min

Blind Ambitions

This week’s Quickfire Challenge takes inspiration from "Top Chef" France’s infamous Black Box challenge. In teams of two, the chefs each take a turn entering the box where they blindly taste a dish created by guest judge Gabriel Rucker and then must try to recreate it. During a night off, the chefs are surprised by guest judges Kristen Kish and Brooke Williamson arrive with care packages from their families. However, in true “Top Chef” fashion, there’s a twist and they must use the ingredients from their care packages to make their dish for the Elimination Challenge.

S18 E12 · 2021-06-17 · 42 min

The Cheesier the Better

As the final four chefs near the end of their journey in Portland, Padma is joined by Vitaly Paley and Gregory Gourdet to introduce an old school Quickfire Challenge paying homage to the Oregon Trail. For the Elimination Challenge, legendary chef and special guest Massimo Bottura tasks the chefs to pull inspiration from his famous parmigiano reggiano dish and create delectable dishes utilizing cheddar five different ways. To gain inspiration, the chefs embark on a tour of the Tillamook Creamery. Dale Talde and Ed Lee serve as this week’s guest judges and help determine which three chefs move forward.

S18 E13 · 2021-06-24 · 42 min

Shellfishly Delicious

The remaining chefs get an early wake-up call from Padma to go meet guest judge Brooke Williamson and dig for clams for their Quickfire Challenge. In the Elimination Challenge, the chefs honor the area where James Beard spent his summers, creating both a hot dish and a cold dish with one of his favorite ingredients, Dungeness Crab. Kwame Onwuachi and Nina Compton serve as guest judges this week to help determine which chefs will move on to the finale.

S18 E14 · 2021-07-01 · 42 min

The Next Top Chef Is...

After 13 grueling weeks of competition, the chefs must create the best four-course meal of their lives for their final challenge at Willamette Valley Vineyards. They’ll serve it to an esteemed table including Padma, Tom and Gail, this season’s All-Star dining panel, and a few additional noteworthy guests including Tiffany Derry, Peter Cho and Naomi Pomeroy. Former winners Melissa King and Richard Blais join the judges one last time to deliberate and crown the next Top Chef.

S19 E01 · 2022-03-03 · 42 min

Primal Instincts

Fifteen of the country’s best chefs arrive in Houston, Texas, ready to fight for the title of “Top Chef.” The opening Quickfire proves to be the toughest first challenge to date when the chefs must team up to create a cohesive dish that showcases each of their styles, but cannot speak to each other during the cook. The stakes only get higher for the Elimination Challenge as the chefs must perfectly cook primal cuts of beef for a table of distinguished Houston chefs including, Robert Del Grande of The Annie Café as well as Top Chef alums Dawn Burrell and Kristen Kish.

S19 E02 · 2022-03-10 · 42 min

Friday Night Bites

The chefs are challenged in the Quickfire to put their own spin on the Tex-Mex classic queso, judged by local legend Chef Irma Galvan. For the Elimination Challenge, the competition heads to the field of a high school football stadium. Working in two teams of seven coached by all-star alumni Sam Talbot and Dawn Burrell, they’ll create seven carb-loaded dishes that will be served in a head-to-head battle. The team that scores a touchdown first wins. Tom, Padma and Gail will be joined by award winning Chef Chris Shepherd and Top Chef Charleston winner Brooke Williamson at the judges' table.

S19 E03 · 2022-03-17 · 42 min

Noodles and Rice and Everything Nice

For their first individual challenge of the season, the chefs are surprised in the kitchen by “Top Chef” Miami winner Hung Huynh and challenged to make an Asian-inspired dish. Nothing, however, on “Top Chef” is that simple. Along with Hung, the judges and renowned chef Kiran Verma, they’ll be serving 100 guests at “Top Chef’s” first Asian Night Market.

S19 E04 · 2022-03-24 · 42 min

Doppelgangers

The chefs are joined by local chef Chris Williams in the Quickfire Challenge; He tasks the chefs to put their own twist on a biscuit dish in honor of his great grandmother, Lucille B. Smith.

S19 E05 · 2022-03-31 · 42 min

Don't Mess With BBQ

The chefs meet Brooke Williamson at Houston's J-Bar-M, where she tasks them with putting their own spin on a brisket dish for some of the best BBQ pitmasters in Houston and their guest judge, pitmaster Greg Gatlin.

S19 E06 · 2022-04-07 · 42 min

Texas Trailblaze-hers

The chefs must create salty-sweet desserts that will inspire a new flavor of Talenti gelato; in the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must draw inspiration from the lives of some of Texas's most influential women.

S19 E07 · 2022-04-14 · 42 min

Swallow the Competition

The chefs expand their horizons in a master class on Nigerian flavors guided by local chef Ope Amosu and all-star Kwame Onwuachi, and need to make a stew that pairs perfectly with traditional Nigerian swallows.

S19 E08 · 2022-04-21 · 42 min

Restaurant Wars

The chefs are put to the ultimate test; they have to build restaurants from the ground up; Top Chef's signature challenge levels up yet again, requiring the chefs to satisfy their VIP counter and a dining room full of guests.

S19 E09 · 2022-04-28 · 42 min

Freedmen's Town

The chefs are tasked with creating a monochromatic plant-based dish for their Quickfire Challenge; for the Elimination Challenge, the chefs are tasked with creating dishes that speak to their souls for a block party fundraiser.

S19 E10 · 2022-05-05 · 42 min

Dinner in Zero Gravity

The competition reaches new heights as the chefs voyage to the Houston Space Center; they'll have to create a stellar new menu item that they would crave if they were on a multi-year mission to Mars.

S19 E11 · 2022-05-12 · 42 min

Family Vacation

The chefs head to the Gulf of Mexico in Galveston, Texas; chef Shota Nakajima is here to present them with their next Quickfire Challenge, using the freshest gulf shellfish to create a seafood tower with one hot and one cold dish.

S19 E12 · 2022-05-19 · 42 min

We're on a boat

After saying goodbye to their loved ones and another fellow competitor, the chefs receive an ominous gift from Tom, who tells them to get up early and meet him at the docks. They'll have to find their sea legs quickly because for their Elimination Challenge each chef must create two fresh fish dishes to hook their guest judges Stephanie Izard and Daniel Boulud. The catch? They'll be fishing for all of their protein themselves.

S19 E13 · 2022-05-26 · 42 min

Cactus Makes Perfect

For their last Quickfire Challenge, the chefs make the trip to El Charro in Tuscon, Arizona, the oldest family-run Mexican restaurant in the country, where chef Carlotta Flores challenges them to create a dish featuring her carne seca.

S19 E14 · 2022-06-02 · 55 min

The Final Plate

Aspiring chefs compete for their shot at culinary stardom.

S21 E14 · 2024-06-19 · 54 min

Cruising to a Win

The three remaining chefs must create the best four-course progressive meal of their careers; the chefs will present their dishes to a lineup of culinary greats.

S22 E01 · 2025-03-13 · 60 min

Across Canada, We Go!

Several aspiring chefs compete for the coveted title of "Top Chef" while they creatively whip up a storm to escape elimination.

S22 E02 · 2025-03-20 · 60 min

Brunch à la Boulud

Actor Sarah Levy joins Kristen and Gail for the Quickfire Challenge, tasking the chefs to put their spin on Canada's famous poutine; for the Elimination Challenge, Daniel Boulud joins the judges' table as the chefs team up to create a brunch.

S22 E03 · 2025-03-27 · 60 min

Best Served Cold

The chefs must make their own version of a Jamaican patty as a Quickfire Challenge and create dishes best served cold or risk elimination.

S22 E04 · 2025-04-03 · 60 min

Top Chef Trivia

Actor Michael Cera joins Kristen in the kitchen for the Quickfire Challenge, where the chefs' trivia skills are put to the test; for the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must put their own spin on some of Canada's most iconic confections.

S22 E05 · 2025-04-10 · 60 min

Line Cook for a Day

The chefs are taken by surprise when a Last Chance Kitchen chef joins the competition; the chefs' collaboration skills are put to the ultimate test as this time is a double elimination.

S22 E06 · 2025-04-17 · 60 min

Pickle Me This

Top Chef Masters alum Susur Lee and Jet Bent-Let join Kristen for the Quickfire Challenge, where the chefs must create a dish using a limited amount of ingredients; for the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must create dishes that highlight pickles.

S22 E07 · 2025-04-24 · 54 min

You Wanna Pizza Me?

For this week's Quickfire Challenge, the chefs must create a dish with an ingredient using only the toughest stains as their clues.

S22 E08 · 2025-05-01 · 54 min

Restaurant Wars

There is no Quickfire as the chefs take on the famed Restaurant Wars elimination challenge; the chefs are tasked to create two restaurants; Kristen, Tom and Gail are joined by Top Chef alum Nina Compton and Top Chef Canada judge Janet Zuccarini.

S22 E09 · 2025-05-08 · 54 min

Cooking on the Edge

Kristen is joined by Tom, Gail and chef and professor Ilona Daniel as the chefs are tasked with flexing their culinary mussels; the chefs face their fears in this stunt-driven Elimination Challenge.

S22 E10 · 2025-05-15 · 54 min

From Dep Till Dawn

Comedian Punkie Johnson tests the chefs' creativity when they're asked to create a dish using only items found in a Canadian convenience store; the chefs pay homage to the four seasons using only produce from Montreal's rooftop gardens.

S22 E11 · 2025-05-22 · 54 min

Calgary, Yahoo!

The six remaining chefs set off to Calgary where they are greeted by the judges; making pancakes for 50 diners; the chefs are tasked with creating dishes that feature beef and local berries, hoping to impress a table of culinary tastemakers.

S22 E12 · 2025-05-29 · 54 min

Foraged in Fire

Guest judges Brenda Holder and Tracy Little teach the remaining five chefs how to forage the ingredients in the Canmore Forest; to secure their spot in Italy, the chefs will have to impress the judges by utilizing their foraged items.

S22 E13 · 2025-06-05 · 54 min

Viva Milano!

For the chefs' last quickfire challenge of the season, they're tasked with creating a classic Milanese dish and a feared dish, risotto; the chefs compete in a three-part, head-to-head culinary battle while receiving some help from Olympic athletes.

S22 E14 · 2025-06-12 · 54 min

Finito

For their last elimination challenge, the final three chefs must create the best progressive four-course meal of their lives; with the help of their sous chefs, the finalists must pull out all the stops to impress an esteemed table of diners.

S23 E01 · 2026-03-09 · 54 min

Carolina Roots

Host Kristen Kish, head judge Tom Colicchio and perennial judge Gail Simmons venture south to the Carolinas! Season 23 is centered in the emerging and eclectic culinary hub of Charlotte, N.C., with several episodes in Greenville, S.C.

S23 E02 · 2026-03-16 · 54 min

Puckerbutt

For this week’s Quickfire Challenge, the chefs are tasked with creating a savory dish inspired by a sweet treat. Then the chefs head to PuckerButt Farms for a pepper tasting with Ed Currie, the inventor of the world’s hottest pepper. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs are split into two teams and must create a progressively hotter menu. “Top Chef” season 12 winner Mei Lin joins Kristen, Tom and Gail at the judges’ table.

S23 E03 · 2026-03-23 · 54 min

True Colors

Legendary Chef Emeril Lagasse joins Kristen in the kitchen for this week’s Quickfire Challenge where the chefs are tasked with giving livermush a makeover. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must honor North Carolina’s rich textile history by incorporating natural food-dyed elements into their dishes. Flour Shop founder Amirah Kassem joins Emeril, Kristen, Tom and Gail at the judges’ table.

S23 E04 · 2026-03-30 · 54 min

Pick a Side

In a Quickfire Challenge honoring the Wright Brothers’ first flight in North Carolina, the chefs must team up to create a trio of dishes that take off alongside a curated wine flight. Then, in the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must turn classic Southern sides into standout main course dishes. The judges are joined by last season’s winner Tristen Epps-Long and acclaimed James Beard-nominated chef Greg Collier.

S23 E05 · 2026-04-06 · 54 min

Cut and Dry

This week the chefs are visited by North Carolina’s own Fortune Feimster as she challenges them to improv their Quickfire dishes and serve them to kids in honor of Comic Relief. Then the chefs are tasked with creating dishes featuring dehydration. They’ll serve their dishes to Kristen, Tom and Gail along with guest judges Joe & Katy Kindred as well as “Top Chef” alum Savannah Miller at the U.S. National Whitewater Center.

S23 E06 · 2026-04-13 · 54 min

Going Whole Hog

There’s no Quickfire Challenge this week as the chefs take on a Carolina classic: whole-hog barbecue. Splitting into teams of two, they gear up for a head-to-head battle showcasing five key cuts of the hog. Before their Elimination Challenge begins, they venture to Charlotte and Lexington to experience Carolina BBQ at its source. Then it’s an all-night cook where the heat is on as they’ll not only need to impress the judges, but also “Top Chef” alum and Pitmaster Michelle Wallace and a group of local pitmasters from across the state.

S23 E07 · 2026-04-20 · 54 min

Desserts Fit for a Queen

“Southern Charm” stars Madison LeCroy and Craig Conover join Kristen Kish in the Top Chef kitchen for a Quickfire inspired by Cracker Barrel’s all-day menu. The chefs must split into teams of three and prepare three meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner, each inspired by southern classics. Later, actress and guest judge Melissa Benoist joins a regal celebration in honor of Queen Charlotte’s birthday and the 20th anniversary of “Top Chef,” tasking the chefs with creating a dessert for the judges along with 60 superfans.

S23 E08 · 2026-04-27 · 54 min

Restaurant Wars

It’s Restaurant Wars and this season the perennial favorite returns with a twist! The chefs split into two teams of four and are tasked with developing restaurant concepts. Each team must present a three-course progressive menu, offering two options for every course. To add to the pressure, they must serve 100 guests while also fielding to-go orders in the middle of it all. Kristen, Tom and Gail are joined at the judges’ table by restaurateur Michael Mina and Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation. Before it all begins, the cheftestants receive news that reshapes their dynamics.

S23 E09 · 2026-05-04 · 54 min

The Ultimate Dinner Party

The chefs pack their knives as they head to Greenville, S.C., where they are welcomed by renowned restaurateur Carl Sobocinski. He opens the door to one of his notable restaurants, Soby’s, where the chefs will stage the ultimate dinner party for a room full of esteemed local restaurateurs and chefs. For the Quickfire Challenge, they will host a pre-dinner cocktail reception, followed immediately by the start of their Elimination Challenge, where they must serve an eight-course meal. Kristen, Tom and Gail will be joined at the judges’ table by Carl Sobocinski and “Top Chef” season 22 finalist Shuai Wang.

S23 E10 · 2026-05-11

Hook, Line & Dinner

The remaining chefs head lakeside to Lake Hartwell’s legendary Green Pond Landing to face the fan favorite mise en place Quickfire Challenge with Kristen, Tom and Gail, and then head out on the water to compete in a Top Chef Fishing Derby. For the Elimination Challenge, they must create their best dish featuring the fish from the lake to impress the judges and guest judges Oscar-nominated actress Danielle Brooks and James Beard-nominated chef James London.

S23 E11 · 2026-05-21

Episode 11

S23 E12 · 2026-05-25

Episode 12

S23 E13 · 2026-06-01

Episode 13

S23 E14 · 2026-06-08

Episode 14