Plot Synopsis

In TOP CHEF MASTERS, world-renowned chefs are pitted against each other to find out who will win $100,000 for a charity of their choice. In the series' first two seasons, the competition was split in two parts: in the first part of each season, different culinary experts competed in multiple challenges in a single episode, and each winner advanced to the Finals; and during the second part of the season, six finalists competed in weekly elimination challenges. In subsequent seasons (Seasons 3 - 5), this series returned to its roots, as a smaller group of master chefs competed in the true TOP CHEF format for the entire season, with weekly quickfire and elimination challenges. In Season 1, the 24 Masters included: Rick Bayless, Michael Chiarello, Hubert Keller, Anita Lo, Suzanne Tracht and Roy Yamaguchi. The 22 Masters for Season 2 included: Jimmy Bradley, Susan Feniger, Tony Mantuano, Mark Peel, Thierry Rautureau and Jonathan Waxman. The Season 3 Masters were: Hugh Acheson; Floyd Cardoz; John Currence; Traci Des Jardins; George Mendes; Mary Sue Milliken; Naomi Pomeroy; Suvir Saran; John Rivera Sedlar; Alex Stratta; Celina Tio; and Sue Zemanick. The 12 Masters for Season 4 are: Chris Cosentino; Clark Frasier; Mark Gaier; Lorena Garcia; Debbie Gold; Kerry Heffernan; Missy Robbins; Thierry Rautureau; Sue Torres; Art Smith; Takashi Yagihashi; and Patricia Yeo.
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These 13 Masters competed in Season 5: Franklin Becker; David Burke; Lynn Crawford; Odette Fada; Neal Fraser; Jennifer Jasinski; Douglas Keane; Jenn Louis; Richard Sandoval; Bryan Voltaggio; Herbert Wilson; Sang Yoon; and Sue Zemanick. Celebrity chef Curtis Stone returns as series host alongside new head critic Gail Simmons, with returning judges James Oseland, Ruth Reichl and Francis Lam and new judge, food and dining editor Lesley Suter. They'll be joined by celebrity guest judges like: Busy Philipps, Kathie Lee Gifford, Lindsay Price, the cast of DAYS OF OUR LIVES, Ali Larter, the cast of YO GABBA GABBA!, LA Cult Favorites Lucha Va Voom among others. Plus, the Master's sous chefs compete in an online competition, "Battle of the Sous Chefs," with their performance directly impacting the Masters -- battle winners earn their Top Chef Masters immunity, while the worst performer earns obstacles. Season 5 of TOP CHEF MASTERS premiered on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at 10pm ET/PT.