Avishar Barua

"Top Chef" is back with 15 of the country's best chefs ready to compete in Portland, Oregon.  For their first Quickfire Challenge, the cheftestants are immediately thrown into teams and tasked with combining their favorite ingredients together in one cohesive dish for Padma and Portland local Gregory Gourdet.  For their Elimination Challenge, the chefs will try not to "quack" under pressure as they're asked to create a dish featuring one of Portland's iconic local birds.  Their dishes will be served in a blind tasting for the judges and the new dining panel of "Top Chef" all-star winners, finalists and favorites.  Season 17 winner Melissa King joins Padma, Tom and Gail at the judges' table to help decide who will be the first chef to pack their knives and go.

The Chefs are in for a rude awakening when they enter the kitchen to find Padma and seven hungry all-star chefs - Amar Santana, Melissa King, Kwame Onwuachi, Dale Talde, Gregory Gourdet, Carrie Baird and Richard Blais.  In this Quickfire the chefs will have just 30 minutes to serve eight plates of breakfast.  And if that didn't get them buzzing, for their Elimination Challenge, they'll have to create dishes based on two popular Portland brews - Beer or Coffee.  Tom shows up with a twist, leaving the chefs to rethink their dishes hours before service.  Amar Santana and Dale Talde join Padma, Tom and Gail at judges' table.

The pressure is laid on the chefs in the Quickfire Challenge as they are tasked to make a layered dessert.  Carrie Baird joins Padma to pick the winner, who will get their dish turned into a Talenti gelato to be sold nationwide.

With the top eight chefs remaining, it's time for the perennial favorite - Restaurant Wars. This year, the chefs are split into teams and tasked with creating a Chef's Table restaurant concept where they will serve a seven course high-end tasting menu to the judges and All-Star panel.  Gregory Gourdet and Kristen Kish join Padma, Tom and Gail at the judges' table.

For the Quickfire Challenge, the chefs must create a dish featuring Campbell's Soup for Padma and guest judge Dale Talde.