Melissa King

Fifteen of the competition's fiercest challengers return to face-off in the toughest season yet! A mise-en-place challenge set at the historic Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles kicks off the intense battle, where the Chefs immediately size each other up to see how everyone has progressed since last competing. Then, the first elimination challenge takes the Chefs to the beach to cook a seafood meal -- however, their only heat source will be fire. No electricity, no special appliances. Back to basics. It's going to be a true slug-match to see who has the skills and who has the drive to take the one thing that has eluded them all... the title of Top Chef! Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, and Gail Simmons return as judges and joining them as the first guest judge of the season is legendary Chef, Jeremiah Tower. Marcus Samuelsson, Nancy Silverton, Michael Cimarusti, Josiah Citrin, Suzanne Goin, Caroline Styne share the table for the high-powered, high-stress beach-side meal.

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.

In Boston, 16 aspiring chefs compete for a shot at culinary stardom; the contestants are thrust into hot water with a Sudden Death Quick Fire Challenge; the Elimination Challenge unfolds during the first ever Top Chef Food Festival.

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 taquerias, food trucks, mom-and-pop cafes, upscale eateries and ethnic cuisine only found in the City of Angels. Drawing inspiration from this one-in-a-lifetime culinary odyssey, the chefs create dishes to serve 200 of Jonathan Gold's friends, family, and restaurateurs that he loved at the iconic Union Station. Noted food writer and personal friend of Jonathan Gold, Ruth Reichl serves as guest judge alongside Padma, Tom and Gail.

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 two winning chefs from last week's concept challenge are given 48 hours to pick their teams and make the restaurants they pitched come to life.