Top Chef

"Top Chef" kicks off as 21 chefs from around the country enter the kitchens of our judges - Tom Colicchio, Emeril Lagasse, Hugh Acheson and the newest addition, Wolfgang Puck. Each judge tests their group of chef'testants in their own real-world challenge.

15 chefs make it to Seattle. As a surprising twist changes the course of the competition, one chef cranks up the heat her own way, and one turn of the Seattle Space Needle determines who will go home. Famed Seattle chef and restaurateur Tom Douglas joins Gail Simmons, Emeril Lagasse, head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

In this week's Quickfire, the chefs must make different varieties of dumplings from all over the world. In the Elimination Challenge, Tom and Emeril don their chef coats and take to the kitchen to lead teams in an epic Thanksgiving battle. Guest judge and Food & Wine Editor-in-Chief Dana Cowin joins Emeril Lagasse, head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

Butchery is king as two giant slabs of beef on meat hooks await the chefs for this week's Quickfire. For the Elimination Challenge, the Chefs go back in time as they're tasked with re-creating an original 1950's menu from one of the best restaurants in the country. Emeril Lagasse and Hugh Acheson join head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

The Chefs team up and head to the "Soul of Seattle," world-famous Pike Place Market for an early morning Quickfire. The day doesn't end there, as Chefs will have to use their skill and imagination to highlight some of the rarest ingredients found at the market for their Elimination Challenge. Tom shocks the chefs with an unexpected Judges Table. Gail Simmons and Hugh Acheson join head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

A twist in the Quickfire will test the chef'testants' ability to share as they cook up dishes based on their family lineage. For the Elimination Challenge, the chef'testants must cater a homecoming party for celebrities Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. Guest judge Rick Moonen joins Gail Simmons, head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

In this Quickfire, the chef'testants struggle with an entire pantry wrapped in aluminum foil. Tempers flare and competitive juices boil in the Elimination Challenge when the chef'testants fight it out in head-to-head battles. Season 4 winner Stephanie Izard appears as guest judge, alongside Gail Simmons, head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

In this week's Quickfire the chef'testants must harvest oysters and serve them up for Emeril Lagasse. In the Elimination Challenge the chef'testants cook for one of the hottest sports teams in Seattle. Emeril Lagasse and Hugh Acheson join head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

Chef'testants demonstrate their knife skills in this week's Quickfire challenge. In the Elimination Challenge, tribute is paid to the most memorable moments in Top Chef history, and sabotage is afoot when two chefs cook to save their lives. Judge Wolfgang Puck returns and is joined by Wylie Dufresne, Jonathan Waxman, and Chris Cosentino, as well as head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

The pressure is on in this Quickfire as the cheftestants must impress Wolfgang Puck with one of his favorite ingredients. For Restaurant Wars, the chefs cook up new concepts for more than 200 people at the city's premier food event, Bite of Seattle. Legendary restaurateur Danny Meyer joins as guest judge alongside Gail Simmons, head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

It's men versus women in this week's episode, as the chef'testants go into Restaurant Wars with the hopes of impressing world renowned restaurateur Danny Meyer. Emeril Lagasse and Gail Simmons join head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

In this Quickfire, the chef'testants are tasked with impressing the master of sushi, Katsuya. For the Elimination Challenge, the chef'testants head to Tom's Seattle digs to cook for a table full of culinary superstars. David Chang, Michelle Bernstein, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo join judges Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi for a night to remember.

The chef'testants set sail for Alaska. While aboard, they'll tackle a Quickfire of titanic proportions, elevating iceberg lettuce into a flavorful amuse bouche. For the Elimination Challenge, they must create a new spin on the cruise ship classic, Surf and Turf. Guest judge Curtis Stone joins Hugh Acheson, head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

As the chef'testants dock in Juneau, Alaska, they are quickly put to task in a Quickfire focused on the local million dollar export -- King Crab. Keeping to Alaska's culinary roots for the Elimination Challenge, the chef'testants must impress the judges as well as the locals with their take on salmon and sourdough. Guest judge Sean Brock joins Emeril Lagasse, Hugh Acheson, Gail Simmons, head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

The Chefs experience an adventure of a lifetime in this glacial Quickfire. For the Elimination Challenge, Emeril and award-winning chef, Roy Choi cook an emotional meal to set the tone for the chef'testants. In the end, only two will be victorious and move on to the final rounds in Los Angeles. Guest judge Roy Choi joins Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, Gail Simmons, head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

The chefs return to Craft in Los Angeles for part 1 of the season finale. A Last Chance Kitchen winner is crowned and immediately joins the two remaining chefs as Tom gives them free rein of his kitchen to create their own menus for dinner service. The two chefs left standing will go head to head in next week's season finale to determine who will be Top Chef.

For the epic season finale, each finalist will cook the best 5 dishes in their culinary arsenal live in front of a studio audience of their friends, families and all previous Top Chef winners. Only one will be crowned the 10th Top Chef...will it be Kristen or Brooke? Hugh Acheson, Emeril Lagasse and Gail Simmons join head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.