Grayson Schmitz

Seventeen chefs converge in Los Angeles for a shot at culinary stardom; first, the chefs face off in a quick-fire challenge, then they make dishes for a group of food critics and reporters to survive the first elimination round.

During the Restaurant Wars, the chefs must open their restaurants for both lunch and dinner services, which results in twice the drama.

After preparing a full lunch service, the chefs must clean up and do it all over again for dinner; the judges scrutinize everything, including concept, food, service, and consistency.

In Palm Springs, model Chrissy Teigen entices the contestants to make their best "date" dishes; the chefs cater a wedding for 25 gay couples in an elimination challenge.

The chefs open pop-up restaurants that reflect their respective neighborhoods; guest judge Ludo Lefebvre joins the others for Mexican, Persian, Korean, and vegan cuisine and picks the dish that best reflects Los Angeles' mosaic of cultures.

The chefs travel through San Francisco's Chinatown, winding up at chef Martin Yan's M.Y. China restaurant, where they use woks; then Umami Burger restaurateur Adam Fleischman tasks the chefs to create their own fast-casual restaurant concept.