Fifteen of the competition's fiercest challengers return to face-off in the toughest season yet. A mise-en-place challenge set at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles kicks off the battle, where the Chefs size each other up since last competing.

This week the chefs honor the late, great Pulitzer-Prize winning food critic Jonathan Gold. Using Gold's last guide list, the chefs fan out all over Los Angeles to sample the unique cuisine only found in the City of Angels.

Comedic superstars Ali Wong and Randall Park swing by the Top Chef kitchen for a Quickfire Challenge tasking the chefs to make the wackiest fried rice they can.

Kelly Clarkson drops into the Top Chef kitchen for a Quickfire based on her new movie, Trolls: World Tour, where the chefs are tasked with combining colorful ingredients from six different musical 'lands' to make one delicious dish.

In the Quickfire, it's a true test of communication as the chefs play a game of telephone with their loved ones.

Padma gets a real rise out of the chefs when she tasks them to make a Quickfire dish without any All-Purpose flour.

The chefs are challenged to a taco throwdown for the taco king, actor and restaurateur Danny Trejo.

It's Restaurant Wars and this season Padma takes all the limitations off the table as the chefs can make as much food as they want and shop wherever they choose.

The chefs head to the mountains, a few hours outside of Los Angeles to go to Summer Camp where they are challenged to an outdoor grilling Quickfire for Padma and "Top Chef" Kentucky winner Kelsey Barnard Clark.

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.

Tom makes his final decision from "Last Chance Kitchen" on who should return to the competition; the chefs take off in a Quickfire with Padma and Jonathan Waxman making a two-course business class dish for an airline.

The final five travel to Italy, where the chefs must make an aperitivo for 30 locals from the town of Lucca that pairs perfectly with a Peroni beer; then, they hunt the elusive white truffle which they must use in a dish for a Tuscan food festival.

The chefs are treated to a culinary dream trip to Parma, the legendary home of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Prosciutto di Parma ham; the chefs must feature the ingredients in two courses and serve their dishes to a table of 16 Michelin stars.

The final three all stars face off in an epic Italian showdown. They have to cook the meal of their lives in an effort to take home the ultimate title and prize.

In Kentucky, 15 chefs are off to the races at Churchill Downs for the the ride of their lives; the chefs must make a dish that will appeal to a crowd of 200 at a Kentucky Derby party; Churchill Downs' own chef David Danielson serves as guest judge.

A pregnant Gail Simmons asks the chefs to feed her cravings; the chefs head to Makers Mark, the oldest United States distillery, to put their spin on a meal full of Kentucky classics, including burgoo, Benedictine, mutton, hoe cakes, and dumplings.

Richard Blais and Brooke Williamson present a Quickfire challenge; chef Eric Ripert sits down with the chefs to enjoy a traditional French Christmas dinner; Padma tells the chefs they're missing the final part of the tradition of Le Revillon de Noel.

The Restaurant Wars challenge comes early this year; first, the chefs duke it out in an amuse bouche-based Quickfire; with 12 chefs remaining, three restaurants battle for victory; Tom makes an announcement that leaves the chefs breathless.

The Restaurant Wars causes drama and mayhem, while Tom announces a double elimination piling on even more pressure. Chefs Karen Akunowicz and Nina Compton join the restaurant crawl along with Nilou Motamed and guest judge Caroline Styne.

The chefs walk in on an epic battle of Last Chance Kitchen and are drafted into the fight; once Tom declares a winner, the chefs begin a challenge making dishes based on Prohibition Era cocktails; chef Ken Oringer joins for a Roaring Twenties party.

Actress Lena Waithe challenges the chefs to make a trademark Kentucky dish known as the Hot Brown; chef Nancy Silverton and butcher Dario Cecchini break down a whole cow for the chefs to utilize along with locally-sourced ingredients.

For an elimination challenge, the chefs are split into teams and tasked with throwing houseboat parties on Lake Cumberland; chef Emeril Lagasse joins Padma, Tom and Nilou, along with Below Deck captains Sandy and Lee, for some houseboat hysteria.

In Nashville, Tennessee, the chefs cook onstage at the Grand Ole Opry for singer Hunter Hayes. Inspired by a vibrant music memory, the chefs put their hearts on a plate for musician Caleb Followill, model Lily Aldridge and chef Jonathan Waxman.

"Top Chef" alum Ed Lee drops by for a Quickfire that's part trivia, part culinary creativity; coach John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats host a concession-stand cook-off in Rupp Arena; Food & Wine Editor-in-Chief Hunter Lewis joins the judges.

The chefs take a turn at fried chicken; chef Art Smith judges a secret herbs-and-spices blind taste test ahead of the Quickfire fry-off; after the finger-licking goodness, the chefs turn their attention to boxer Muhammad Ali.

Tom challenges the chefs to reap what they sowed and make a dish focused on their garden harvest. Then, for the last elimination challenge in Kentucky, the chefs head to a thoroughbred horse auction house, where they bid on luxury ingredients.

The final five chefs travel to the Chinese territory of Macau; Graham Elliot, who has a restaurant in Macau, introduces the chefs to a market full of fascinating ingredients and challenges; the chefs throw a party celebrating the Chinese New Year.

The final four chefs must create something delicious with the smelly durian fruit; the chefs receive a tutorial on the traditional cuisine of Macau; for the elimination challenge, the chefs must blend their own heritage with Chinese flavours.

It's the final showdown; the three remaining chefs must create the best four-course meal of their lives; Tom reveals in a twist that only two chefs will get the chance to serve their full menu; only one chef will emerge victorious.

E1 • First Impressions

For their first challenge, chefs combine their favourite ingredients into one cohesive dish. Contestants must also create a dish featuring one of Portland's iconic local birds.

53m • 2021

For their first challenge, chefs combine their favourite ingredients into one cohesive dish. Contestants must also create a dish featuring one of Portland's iconic local birds.

E2 • Trouble Brewing

The chefs enter the kitchen to find Padma and seven hungry all-star chefs, and find they have 30 minutes to serve eight plates of breakfast.

52m • 2021

The chefs enter the kitchen to find Padma and seven hungry all-star chefs, and find they have 30 minutes to serve eight plates of breakfast.

E3 • Pan African Portland

The pressure is laid on the chefs in the Quickfire Challenge as they are tasked to make a layered dessert; Gregory and Kwame take the chefs on a tour of restaurants that feature food from the African diaspora.

42m • 2021

The pressure is laid on the chefs in the Quickfire Challenge as they are tasked to make a layered dessert; Gregory and Kwame take the chefs on a tour of restaurants that feature food from the African diaspora.

E4 • Thrown for a Loop

The chefs must create a dish featuring Campbell's soup for Padma and Dale Talde.

42m • 2021

The chefs must create a dish featuring Campbell's soup for Padma and Dale Talde.

E5 • Meet You at the Drive-In

The chefs are tasked to create a dish featuring roses or rose products, inspired by the mother figure in their lives.

53m • 2021

The chefs are tasked to create a dish featuring roses or rose products, inspired by the mother figure in their lives.

E6 • Stumptown U.S.A.

The chefs are transported into a magical kitchen forest for the week's Quickfire Challenge where they make a dish featuring mushrooms; the cheftestants will be paired up to create a surf and turf dish featuring local fish and game.

42m • 2021

The chefs are transported into a magical kitchen forest for the week's Quickfire Challenge where they make a dish featuring mushrooms; the cheftestants will be paired up to create a surf and turf dish featuring local fish and game.

E7 • Feeding the Frontlines

Chef José Andrés calls in to recruit the chefs to join World Central Kitchen, tasking the chefs with delivering over 500 meals to frontline workers at three local hospitals in Portland.

42m • 2021

Chef José Andrés calls in to recruit the chefs to join World Central Kitchen, tasking the chefs with delivering over 500 meals to frontline workers at three local hospitals in Portland.

E8 • Restaurant Wars Supersized

The eight remaining chefs split into teams and are tasked with creating a Chef's Table restaurant concept, where they must serve a seven-course, high-end tasting menu to the judges and all-star panel.

52m • 2021

The eight remaining chefs split into teams and are tasked with creating a Chef's Table restaurant concept, where they must serve a seven-course, high-end tasting menu to the judges and all-star panel.

E9 • Portland-ia

Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein from the comedy series "Portlandia" task the chefs with creating a dish with hipster ingredients using only old vintage appliances and equipment; the chefs must develop and create a recipe fit for the home cook.

42m • 2021

Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein from the comedy series "Portlandia" task the chefs with creating a dish with hipster ingredients using only old vintage appliances and equipment; the chefs must develop and create a recipe fit for the home cook.

E10 • Tournament of Tofu

Ed Lee enters the kitchen and tells the chefs they will be competing tournament style; the chefs duke it out at the Portland Japanese Gardens, where they must create dishes featuring various textures of tofu.

42m • 2021

Ed Lee enters the kitchen and tells the chefs they will be competing tournament style; the chefs duke it out at the Portland Japanese Gardens, where they must create dishes featuring various textures of tofu.

E11 • Blind Ambitions

In teams of two, the chefs each take a turn entering the box where they blindly taste a dish created by guest judge Gabriel Rucker and then must try to re-create it.

42m • 2021

In teams of two, the chefs each take a turn entering the box where they blindly taste a dish created by guest judge Gabriel Rucker and then must try to re-create it.

E12 • The Cheesier the Better

The final four chefs near the end of their journey in Portland, Padma; popular chef and special guest Massimo Bottura has the chefs pull inspiration from his famous parmigiano reggiano dish.

42m • 2021

The final four chefs near the end of their journey in Portland, Padma; popular chef and special guest Massimo Bottura has the chefs pull inspiration from his famous parmigiano reggiano dish.

E13 • Shellfishly Delicious

The remaining chefs get an early wake-up call from Padma to go meet Brooke and dig for clams.

53m • 2021

The remaining chefs get an early wake-up call from Padma to go meet Brooke and dig for clams.

E14 • The Next Top Chef Is

After 13 grueling weeks of competition, the chefs must create the best four-course meal of their lives for their final challenge and serve it to a table of esteemed guests, including Padma, Tom and Gail, the season's all-star dining panel and more.

42m • 2021

After 13 grueling weeks of competition, the chefs must create the best four-course meal of their lives for their final challenge and serve it to a table of esteemed guests, including Padma, Tom and Gail, the season's all-star dining panel and more.

Fifteen of the country’s best chefs arrive in Houston, Texas, ready to fight for the title of “Top Chef.” The opening Quickfire proves to be the toughest first challenge to date when the chefs must team up to create a cohesive dish that showcases each of their styles.

The chefs are challenged in the Quickfire to put their own spin on the Tex-Mex classic queso.

For their first individual challenge of the season, the chefs are surprised in the kitchen by Top Chef Miami winner, Hung Huynh, and challenged to make a dish inspired by 5 of the larger Asian communities in Houston.

The chefs are joined by local chef Chris Williams in the Quickfire Challenge. He tasks the chefs to put their own twist on a biscuit dish in honor of his great grandmother, Lucille B. Smith.

The chefs meet Brooke Williamson at Houston’s J-Bar-M where she tasks them with putting their own spin on a brisket dish for some of the best BBQ pitmasters in Houston.

Working in pairs, the chefs must create salty-sweet desserts that will inspire a new flavor of Talenti gelato.

The chefs expand their horizons in a master class on Nigerian flavors. For this Quickfire challenge they must create a stew that perfectly pairs with traditional Nigerian swallows.

“Top Chef’s” signature challenge levels up yet again, requiring the chefs to satisfy their VIP counter and a dining room full of guests watching their every move in an open kitchen.

For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs will be tasked with creating dishes that speak to their souls for a block party fundraiser.

The chefs have to put their own fresh take on fajitas, a Houston classic. The best fajita dish will win $10,000 courtesy of Chipotle.

It’s time to hit the beach. The Chefs head to the Gulf of Mexico in Galveston Texas, using the freshest gulf shellfish to create a seafood tower with one hot and one cold dish.

The chefs will have to find their sea legs quickly because for their Elimination Challenge each chef must create two fresh fish dishes to hook their guest judges Stephanie Izard and Daniel Boulud.

For their last Quickfire Challenge, legendary chef Carlotta Flores challenges the chefs to create a dish featuring her Carne Seca.

The finalists prepare themselves for the most important cook of their lives. They’ll have to leave it all on the plate in order to wow the judges.