Eliza Gavin

"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.

In the Elimination Challenge, tribute is paid to the most memorable moments in 'Top Chef' history.

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. Relationships are tested as restaurants are built from scratch, and each team must try to overcome the destructive mistakes of one of their fellow chefs. Emeril Lagasse and Gail Simmons join head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

It’s holiday time in the Top Chef kitchen, and a twist in the Quickfire will test the cheftestants’ ability to share as they cook up dishes based on their family lineage.

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 that end in one chef going home. Season 4 winner and Food & Wine Magazine's Best New Chef, Stephanie Izard appears as guest judge, alongside Gail Simmons, head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi.

The chefs cook up new concepts for more than 200 people at the city’s premier food event, Bite of Seattle.