Joe Sasto

The chefs are challenged to a taco throwdown for Danny Trejo; for the Quickfire, the only sharp tool they can use is a machete; the only way to make it to Restaurant Wars is to survive this week's qualifying challenge.

A challenge at the Griffith Observatory kicks off the fierce battle, where the Chefs compare each other to see how everyone has progressed since last competing and then, the first elimination challenge brings them to the beach to cook a seafood meal.

Padma gets a real rise out of the chefs when she tasks them to make a Quickfire dish without any all-purpose flour; for the Elimination Challenge, the chefs serve Gustavo Dudamel and members of the LA Philharmonic at award-winning Otium restaurant.

With only six chefs remaining, the challenges get even more difficult, when pastry super-chef Sherry Yard awaits the all stars for a dreaded dessert Quickfire; chefs endure a blindfolded taste test to pick their ingredients.

Guy Fieri kicks off year five; from big names in past seasons to new chefs with the potential to go all the way, they'll all face off to win the belt, the coveted title and $150,000.

Guy welcomes the eight remaining battle-tested chefs to contend with the randomizer and take on each other in sudden-death battles.