FanFare

You knew it was coming in the Wisconsin season: the cheese episode! [more inside]
posted by sixswitch on Apr 3, 2024 - 5 comments

After a biscuit-based quickfire (aka cookie in American), the cheftestants head to the Tottenham Hotspur football stadium for a team-based showdown. [more inside]
posted by Superilla on Apr 11, 2023 - 6 comments

Quickfire: a preposterously overcomplicated Ritz cracker hors d’œuvre. Elimination: rice dish for 100, please. [more inside]
posted by sixswitch on Mar 20, 2023 - 6 comments

The finalists prepare themselves for the most important cook of their lives. They’ll have to leave it all on the plate in order to wow Padma, Tom, Gail, and guest judges Stephanie Izard and Eric Ripert along with special guest diners Gregory Gourdet, Edward Lee, Janos Wilder, Bricia Lopez, Hunter Lewis and Alexander Smalls. Once they’re reunited with their sous chefs, the top three immediately get to work on executing a four-course progressive menu worthy of $250,000 and the title of Top Chef. [more inside]
posted by Superilla on Jun 6, 2022 - 11 comments

The final three all stars face off in an epic Italian showdown to cook the meal of their lives in an effort to take home the ultimate title and prize. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on Jun 19, 2020 - 18 comments

The chefs are treated to a culinary dream trip to Parma, the legendary home of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Prosciutto di Parma ham; the chefs must feature the ingredients in two courses and serve their dishes to a table of 16 Michelin stars. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on Jun 11, 2020 - 12 comments

The final five travel to Italy, where the chefs must make an aperitivo for 30 locals from the town of Lucca that pairs perfectly with a Peroni beer; then, they hunt the elusive white truffle which they must use in a dish for a Tuscan food festival. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on Jun 7, 2020 - 8 comments

Tom makes his final decision from "Last Chance Kitchen" on who should return to the competition; the chefs take off in a Quickfire with Padma and Jonathan Waxman making a two-course business class dish for an airline. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on May 30, 2020 - 8 comments

With only six chefs remaining, the challenges get even more difficult, when pastry super-chef Sherry Yard awaits the all stars for a dreaded dessert Quickfire; chefs endure a blindfolded taste test to pick their ingredients. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on May 22, 2020 - 12 comments

The chefs head to the mountains outside of Los Angeles to go to a summer camp where they are challenged to an outdoor grilling Quickfire for Padma and "Top Chef" Kentucky winner Kelsey Barnard Clark. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on May 15, 2020 - 9 comments

It's Restaurant Wars and this season Padma takes all the limitations off the table as the chefs can make as much food as they want and shop wherever they choose; two chefs are given 48 hours to pick their teams and create the restaurants. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on May 8, 2020 - 15 comments

A Last Chance Kitchen winner re-enters the competition, Danny Trejo drops by, and the chefs must pitch a concept for the upcoming Restaurant Wars. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on May 2, 2020 - 13 comments

Padma gets a real rise out of the chefs when she tasks them to make a Quickfire dish without any All-Purpose flour. Instead chefs must work with alternative flours from Blue Corn and Buckwheat to Coconut and Hazelnut. James Beard Award-Winning Chef Chris Bianco serves as the guest judge for the Quickfire Challenge. Then, the chefs are whisked off to the famous Walt Disney Concert Hall to meet legendary conductor Gustavo Dudamel who is about to celebrate the LA Philharmonic’s 100th anniversary. The Maestro inspires the chefs to treat their flavor profiles like musical instruments, each providing a counterbalance to the other. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs serve Dudamel and members of the LA Philharmonic at award-winning Otium restaurant along with Padma, Tom, Gail and Guest Judge, Bocuse d’Or finalist Timothy Hollingsworth. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on Apr 24, 2020 - 6 comments

In the Quickfire, the chefs play a game of telephone with their loved ones as they try to reproduce the dish their family member is eating at a nearby restaurant; the chefs create a signature product that they will bottle and sell at a food festival.
posted by praemunire on Apr 17, 2020 - 12 comments

Kelly Clarkson drops by. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on Apr 10, 2020 - 7 comments

Comedic superstars Ali Wong and Randall Park swing by the Top Chef kitchen for a Quickfire Challenge tasking the chefs to make the wackiest fried rice they can; then, the chefs head to the famed Getty Museum to seek inspiration from the art. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on Apr 3, 2020 - 6 comments

This week the chefs honor the late, great Pulitzer-Prize winning food critic Jonathan Gold. Using Gold’s last guide list, the chefs fan out all over Los Angeles to sample the unique taquerias, food trucks, mom-and-pop cafes, upscale eateries and ethnic cuisine only found in the City of Angels. Drawing inspiration from this one-in-a-lifetime culinary odyssey, the chefs create dishes to serve 200 of Jonathan Gold’s friends, family, and restaurateurs that he loved at the iconic Union Station. Noted food writer and personal friend of Jonathan Gold, Ruth Reichl serves as guest judge alongside Padma, Tom and Gail. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on Mar 26, 2020 - 5 comments

First episode of an all-stars season (set in California) features the classic mise-en-place challenge and cooking with fire.
posted by praemunire on Mar 20, 2020 - 16 comments

The five remaining contestants head to Macau for the beginning of the end of 'Top Chef' season 16. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on Mar 1, 2019 - 9 comments

It's holiday time for Top Chef, and Richard Blais and Brooke Williamson help spread the festive cheer by presenting a white elephant Quickfire challenge. Then, the Chefs receive an unexpected gift as Michelin starred super Chef Eric Ripert sits down with them to celebrate an elaborate traditional French Christmas dinner. However, once the last bite is taken, Padma informs the Chefs that they’re missing the final part of the tradition of Le Revillon de Noel...the presentation of 13 desserts. It's a midnight pastry free-for-all as the Chefs try to avoid being placed on the naughty list.
posted by nightrecordings on Dec 20, 2018 - 11 comments

Uni? Vineyard? Yes please.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering on Dec 11, 2015 - 7 comments