Justin Devillier

The contestants create pop-up restaurants to impress the judges.

The chefs tackle a New Orleans staple, and then create a dish to impress actor/director Jon Favreau.

The chefs' first challenge sends them to the Louisiana swamp where they must cook with alligator, frog, or turtle.

Chef John Besh returns to judge the chef'testants versions of the New Orleans classic, etouffe. Next, the chef'testants are tasked with honoring the local bounty from the gulf by preparing dishes made with two different types of seafood along the shore of the Mississippi River.

Gumbo is a dish that gets better over time. For their first Quickfire challenge, the chef'testants work overnight to perfect dishes for legendary Chef, Leah Chase. And for the elimination challenge, the chef'testants are tasked with creating and operating food trucks to feed Habitat for Humanity volunteers helping to rebuild New Orleans after the destruction of Hurricane Katrina.

In the last NOLA episode, the final four are challenged with creating a dish to be featured at Emeril's restaurants.