Plot Synopsis

Nine chefs from TOP CHEF and nine chefs from TOP CHEF MASTERS compete against each other in culinary challenges, as they vie for the $100,000 grand prize and a culinary adventure to be featured in "Food and Wine Magazine." The first nine episodes feature head-to-head battles between one chef from TOP CHEF and one chef from TOP CHEF MASTERS, with the winner advancing to the final round in the season's tenth and final episode, where nine cheftestants are confronted with split second decisions in the greatest challenge of their careers. Each head-to-head episode features two contestants competing in three rounds, testing their skill, creativity and speed, each picks one mini-duel based on the other's perceived weaknesses in the kitchen. Challenges are judged by a panel that includes Gail Simmons and host Curtis Stone, who are joined by chefs Wolfgang Puck and Hugh Acheson along with other special guests, like: actress Shailene Woodley; musicians P!nk, Scott Ian Rosenfeld, Gary Holt and Rob Zombie; the cast of BROOKLYN NINE NINE; the cast of GREY'S ANATOMY; and celebrity chefs and restaurant owners, such as Daniel Boulud, Michelle Bernstein, Andrew Zimmern, Josiah Citrin, Paul Liebrandt, Homaro Cantu, Karen & Quinn Hatfield, Ben Pauker, Curtiss Calleo, Suzanne Goin, and David Lentz. The scheduled head-to-head competitions are:
Episode 101: Richard Blais (Top Chef Chicago runner- up; Top Chef All-Stars winner) vs. Marcel Vigneron (Top Chef Season 2 runner up)
Episode 102: Shirley Chung (Top Chef New Orleans finalist) vs. Brooke Williamson (Top Chef Seattle runner up)
Episode 103: Mike Isabella (Top Chef All-Stars runner up) vs. Antonia Lofaso (Top Chef Chicago finalist)
Episode 104: CJ Jacobson (Top Chef Miami contestant) vs. Stefan Richter (Top Chef Season 5 runner up)
Episode 105: David Burke (Top Chef Masters Season 5) vs. Takashi Yagihashi (Top Chef Masters Season 4)
Episode 106: Tiffani Faison (Top Chef Season 1 runner up) vs. Dale Talde (Top Chef Chicago and Top Chef All-Star contestant)
Episode 107: Nyesha Arrington (Top Chef Texas contestant) vs. Jen Carroll (Top Chef Las Vegas finalist)
Episode 108: Stephanie Izard (Top Chef Chicago winner) vs. Kristen Kish (Top Chef Seattle winner)
Episode 109: Kevin Gillespie (Top Chef Las Vegas fan favorite) vs. Art Smith (Top Chef Masters Season 1)