Michael Symon and Esther Choi welcome 24 elite chefs into the arena where they will spend the next 24 hours cooking; the first three-hour shift tests their speed; Jet Tila separates the leaders of the pack from the chefs on the brink of elimination.

Fatigue sets in as the chefs face hours seven and eight with three challenges in one, in which the chefs must turn one bag of ingredients into three distinct meals for judge Scott Conant.

Michael Symon and Esther Choi present their toughest task yet - teamwork. Working with chefs they just met hours ago, the competitors have to strategise, collaborate and execute under the critical eyes of guest judges Michael and Bryan Voltaggio.

Exhaustion becomes palpable as chefs enter hour 13 of their 24-hour competition. Michael Symon and Esther Choi challenge them with the unenviable task of turning microwave meals into works of art before judge Eric Adjepong decides who must clock out.