Season pulse
Episodes
15 episodes
Melting Pot
One chef is eliminated in a three-round quickfire involving apples. The remaining chefs create dishes representing the ethnic cuisines of several New York neighborhoods.
Show Your Craft
After re-inventing the hot dog for the quickfire challenge, the chefs cook and serve lunch at Tom's flagship restaurant, Craft.
Foo Fighters Thanksgiving
For the quickfire, the chefs recreate dishes from the Top Chef cookbook. In the elimination challenge, they cook Thanksgiving dinner for the Foo Fighters at the band's tour stop in Syracuse, N.Y.
Today Show
After creating a breakfast amuse-bouche for the quickfire, the contestants compete in a live food demonstration challenge in order to earn a booking on "Today."
Gail's Bridal Shower
For the quickfire, chefs must identify ingredients in a dish. For the elimination challenge, the contestants cater a bridal shower for judge Gail Simmons.
12 Days of Christmas
Domestic guru Martha Stewart oversees the quick fire challenge in this holiday-themed edition. Then, actress Natasha Richardson is the guest judge when the cooks cater a Christmas cocktail party in which the proceeds go to the AIDS research.
Focus Group
The chefs must create a sweet dish without using sugar (guest judge: chef and restaurateur Jean-Christophe Novelli). In the elimination challenge, chefs prepare a family-style meal for blind judging.
Down on the Farm
Contestants shop for fresh ingredients at a farm and then create a dinner for the farm workers.
Restaurant Wars
Two teams have 24 hours to design and open competing restaurants.
Super Bowl Chef Showdown
A Super Bowl cook-off against seven all-stars from previous seasons.
Le Bernardin
After a three-round fish filleting tournament, the contestants cook at Le Bernadin where their final product will be judged by chef Eric Ripert.
The Last Supper
Wylie Dufresne judges a quickfire challenge of egg dishes. For the elimination challenge, the five remaining chefs each cook a "last supper" dish requested by a culinary superstar.
Finale, Part 1
The season finale finds the chefs traveling from New York to New Orleans. While in the "Big Easy" they will be challenged to kick it up a notch when celebrity judge/chef Emeril Lagasse stops by to appraise their culinary skills.
Finale, Part 2
Set in New Orleans, season 5 ends as the winning chef is revealed.
Watch What Happens Reunion
Andy Cohen hosts a candid gathering of season five's chefs and judges.