Wednesday evening’s Top Chef Season 12 Episode 1 introduced us to 16 talented aspiring chefs, who promptly got their hands dirty in the first challenge of the fall.
Dirty in a delicious way, of course. Not an unsanitary one.
For some, Top Chef Season 12 Episode 1 was simply the beginning of an epic journey. For one, it was a journey ending after it had barely even begun.
Such is life in the world of reality TV competitive cooking.
Richard Blais, who fans may recall as the Top Chef Season 8 All-Stars winner, is on board the judging panel this year along with Tom, Padma and Gail.
At stake? The Sudden Death Quickfire Challenge!!
This saw one chef forced to literally (okay, not actually literally, but close) cook for his/her life in order to stay in the Top Chef game. Talk about trial by quickfire!
Or something. As for the Elimination Challenge?
The setting was the Top Chef Food Festival (first annual!) with Barbara Lynch, Ming Tsai, Lydia Shire, Jasper White, Todd English and others on hand.
No pressure, aspiring culinary queens and kings.
Who was able to stand the heat, literally and otherwise, and who was told to get up on out of the kitchen (or at least sent home after their time in one concluded)?
Follow the link to watch Top Chef online and find out!