Top Chef Show Summary, Upcoming Episodes and TV Guide

The final four chefs are headed to Tucson. For their last Quickfire Challenge, they'll make the trip to El Charro, the oldest family-run Mexican restaurant in the country, where legendary chef Carlotta Flores challenges them to create a dish featuring her Carne Seca. In the final Elimination Challenge, alum and Tucson local Maria Mazon wants the chefs to embrace the desert lifestyle and create two dishes – one sweet and one savory – using the classic Sonoran ingredients: cactus and chiltepin. With an impressive assortment of locals and 'Top Chef Seattle' winner Kristen Kish joining the judges table, the heat is on.

It's time to hit the beach. The Chefs head to the Gulf of Mexico in Galveston Texas, but they won't have any time to relax. Chef Shota Nakajima is here to present them with their next Quickfire Challenge: using the freshest gulf shellfish to create a seafood tower with one hot and one cold dish. Then, for the Elimination Challenge, Padma announces that along with alumni Sheldon Simeon and Adrienne Cheatham, the chefs will be feeding a family of special VIPs, who are expecting them to cater to some very specific tastes.

As the chefs return to the Top Chef Kitchen they are greeted by a rainbow of produce and all-star Nyesha Arrington, who asks them to create a monochromatic plant-based dish for their Quickfire Challenge. Then, for the Elimination Challenge, the chefs will be tasked with creating dishes that speak to their souls for a block party fundraiser. To gain inspiration they'll visit historic Freedmen's Town where they'll meet with Zion Escobar from the Houston Freedmen's Town Conservancy. The chef's will have to bare their souls in the historic Bethel Church to feed 120 diners as well as guest judges Dawn Burrell and Kwame Onwuachi, who know a thing or two about cooking from the heart.

The chefs expand their horizons in a master class on Nigerian flavors guided by local chef Ope Amosu, and all-star Kwame Onwuachi. They'll have to pay close attention because for this Quickfire challenge they must create a stew that perfectly pairs with traditional Nigerian swallows. Then, 'Top Chef Colorado' winner (and part-time paleontologist) Joe Flamm challenges the chefs to dig deep and dominate the competition. They'll work in teams of three to create a progressive menu of jurassic proportions to serve the judges, as well as a special guest from the upcoming film 'Jurassic World Dominion.'

The chefs meet Brooke Williamson at Houston's J-Bar-M where she tasks them with putting their own spin on a brisket dish for some of the best BBQ pitmasters in Houston as well as their guest judge, pitmaster Greg Gatlin. With the entire day to smoke their briskets, there are some twists along the way.

For their first individual challenge of the season, the chefs are surprised in the kitchen by 'Top Chef' Miami winner Hung Huynh and challenged to make an Asian-inspired dish. Nothing, however, on 'Top Chef' is that simple. Along with Hung, the judges and renowned chef Kiran Verma, they'll be serving 100 guests at 'Top Chef's' first Asian Night Market.

Fifteen of the country's best chefs arrive in Houston, Texas, ready to fight for the title of 'Top Chef.' The opening Quickfire proves to be the toughest first challenge to date when the chefs must team up to create a cohesive dish that showcases each of their styles, but cannot speak to each other during the cook. The stakes only get higher for the Elimination Challenge as the chefs must perfectly cook primal cuts of beef for a table of distinguished Houston chefs including, Robert Del Grande of The Annie Café as well as Top Chef alums Dawn Burrell and Kristen Kish.

The remaining chefs get an early wake-up call from Padma to go meet Brooke and dig for clams; the chefs honor the area where James Beard spent his summers, creating both a hot dish and a cold dish with one of his favorite ingredients, Dungeness crab.

In teams of two, the chefs each take a turn entering the box where they blindly taste a dish created by guest judge Gabriel Rucker and then must try to re-create it.

Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein from the comedy series 'Portlandia' task the chefs with creating a dish with hipster ingredients using only old vintage appliances and equipment; the chefs must develop and create a recipe fit for the home cook.

Chef José Andrés calls in to recruit the chefs to join World Central Kitchen, tasking the chefs with delivering over 500 meals to frontline workers at three local hospitals in Portland.

The chefs are tasked to create a dish featuring roses or rose products inspired by the mother figure in their lives; the chefs will go head-to-head at the first-ever Top Chef Drive-In, where each team must create dishes based on popular movie genres.

The pressure is laid on the chefs in the Quickfire Challenge as they are tasked to make a layered dessert; Gregory and Kwame take the chefs on a tour of restaurants that feature food from the African diaspora.

Fifteen of the country's best chefs compete in Portland, Ore.; for their first challenge, chefs combine their favorite ingredients into one cohesive dish; contestants must create a dish featuring one of Portland's iconic local birds.

The chefs are treated to a culinary dream trip to Parma, the legendary home of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Prosciutto di Parma ham; the chefs must feature the ingredients in two courses and serve their dishes to a table of 16 Michelin stars.

Tom makes his final decision from 'Last Chance Kitchen' on who should return to the competition; the chefs take off in a Quickfire with Padma and Jonathan Waxman making a two-course business class dish for an airline.

The chefs head to the mountains outside of Los Angeles to go to a summer camp where they are challenged to an outdoor grilling Quickfire for Padma and 'Top Chef' Kentucky winner Kelsey Barnard Clark.

The chefs are challenged to a taco throwdown for the taco king, actor and restaurateur Danny Trejo. For the Quickfire, the only sharp tool they can use is a machete, in honor of one of Danny's signature characters. Then, Padma informs the chefs that the only way to make it to Restaurant Wars is to survive this week's qualifying challenge. The cheftestants have to dig deep to create and pitch a restaurant concept complete with a couple of dishes to the judges –Padma, Tom and Gail, along with 'Top Chef' Chicago Winner Stephanie Izard and James Beard Award winning Restaurateur Kevin Boehm. The top two concepts will be the restaurants built for the signature Restaurant Wars challenge, while the chef with the judges' least favorite concept will be eliminated.

Padma gets a real rise out of the chefs when she tasks them to make a Quickfire dish without any All-Purpose flour. Instead chefs must work with alternative flours from Blue Corn and Buckwheat to Coconut and Hazelnut. James Beard Award-Winning Chef Chris Bianco serves as the guest judge for the Quickfire Challenge. Then, the chefs are whisked off to the famous Walt Disney Concert Hall to meet legendary conductor Gustavo Dudamel who is about to celebrate the LA Philharmonic's 100th anniversary. The Maestro inspires the chefs to treat their flavor profiles like musical instruments, each providing a counterbalance to the other. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs serve Dudamel and members of the LA Philharmonic at award-winning Otium restaurant along with Padma, Tom, Gail and Guest Judge, Bocuse d'Or finalist Timothy Hollingsworth.

Kelly Clarkson drops into the Top Chef kitchen for a Quickfire based on her new movie, Trolls: World Tour, where the chefs are tasked with combining colorful ingredients from six different musical ‘lands' to make one delicious dish. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs are split into two teams to create a cohesive, progressive vegetarian meal for Padma, Tom, Gail and James Beard nominated guest judge Jeremy Fox. The catch is they won't know what ingredients they'll be working with until the morning of the challenge when they shop exclusively at the Santa Monica Farmers Market.

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 the final showdown; the three remaining chefs must create the best four-course meal of their lives; Tom reveals in a twist that only two chefs will get the chance to serve their full menu; only one chef will emerge victorious.

The final five chefs travel to the Chinese territory of Macau; Graham Elliot, who has a restaurant in Macau, introduces the chefs to a market full of fascinating ingredients and challenges; the chefs throw a party celebrating the Chinese New Year.

The chefs take a turn at fried chicken; chef Art Smith judges a secret herbs-and-spices blind taste test ahead of the Quickfire fry-off; after the finger-licking goodness, the chefs turn their attention to boxer Muhammad Ali, aka the Louisville Lip.

The chefs take a road trip to Nashville and cook on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry for country music artist Hunter Hayes. Then, they have to dig deep to create a dish inspired by a vibrant music memory. Next, the chefs work on a plate for a full table of Nashville food.

Lena Waithe surprises the chefs, by challenging them to make their best version of the trademark Kentucky dish, the Hot Brown. Then super-chef Nancy Silverton brings her internationally renowned friend, butcher Dario Cecchini to break down a whole cow for the chefs to utilize along with locally-sourced Kentucky ingredients.

The mayhem and drama continues of the biggest Restaurant Wars in the history of Top Chef. Tom's announcement of a double elimination piles on even more pressure. Top Chef alum turned James Beard Award winning Chefs Karen Akunowicz and Nina Compton join the restaurant crawl along with Nilou Motamed and guest judge and James Beard Award winning restaurateur, Caroline Styne.

It's holiday time for Top Chef, and Richard Blais and Brooke Williamson help spread the festive cheer by presenting a white elephant Quickfire challenge. Then, the Chefs receive an unexpected gift as Michelin starred super Chef Eric Ripert sits down with them to celebrate an elaborate traditional French Christmas dinner. However, once the last bite is taken, Padma informs the Chefs that they're missing the final part of the tradition of Le Revillon de Noel...the presentation of 13 desserts. It's a midnight pastry free-for-all as the Chefs try to avoid being on the placed on the naughty list.

'Top Chef' heads to the state of Kentucky for season 16. This season, 15 new talented chefs from cities big and small across the U.S. will compete for the sought-after title amid the unique culinary scenes in Louisville, Lexington and Lake Cumberland, before heading abroad for an epic finale showdown in Macau, China.

Before the chefs can prepare the catch of the day, they must first actually catch it; the only thing standing between the chefs and the Grand Finale are 200 plates for the chefs and food connoisseurs attending the Food & Wine Classic.

The chefs are reunited with the winner of 'Last Chance Kitchen' and face Padma, Tom and chef Wylie Dufresne; the Quickfire challenge requires the chefs to prepare a dish incorporating the old saloon-slinging medicinal beverage, sarsaparilla.

Cooking for Michelin-starred Chef David Kinch adds pressure to an already stressful Sudden Death Quickfire based on edible flowers and the chefs are crushed as one of their own is sent packing. Then, the chefs are challenged to put an elevated slant on pre-game food as they host the ultimate tailgate party at Sports Authority Field at Mile High for the Denver Broncos, the judges, Mayor Michael Hancock and BBQ Pitmaster Adam Perry Lang. Who will throw a game winning touchdown and which chef will make a fourth-quarter fumble?

On the eve of the Quickfire, one of the chefs has a very special delivery. Padma and Season 14 Winner Brooke Williamson surprise the chefs at their house with breakfast ingredients and task them to create a delicious breakfast dish featuring Nutella. Then, Olympians Meryl Davis, Gus Kenworthy and John Daly inspire the chefs to focus on precision, speed and creativity in the first-ever Top Chef Olympics where the chefs will face off in three head-to-head heats. Who will win the gold and which bronze medalist will be sent packing?

Tom surprises the chefs with a twist that changes the game; the chefs are sent camping where they must make a 5-star meal outdoors and are met with an unexpected storm; chef Naomi Pomeroy joins the judges in the Colorado mountains.

In a Sudden Death Quickfire based on the iconic Denver omelet, the intensity in the kitchen is egg-ceptional as one chef completely cracks under the pressure in one of the most gut wrenching eliminations in Top Chef history as judged by Padma, Tom and Chef Lachlan Patterson. Then, the cheftestants tap into their college palates as they make dishes in food trucks for students in Boulder. Internet sensation, Logan Paul helps wrangle the diners and Chef Hosea Rosenberg joins the judges for indulgent, hangover inspired food.

A diverse group of chefs must make a potluck dish to introduce themselves to the judges; the chefs also prepare their take on a meat-and-potatoes dish for a block party with 200 diners and Denver's biggest culinary names.

The three remaining chefs head to the Yucatan Peninsula where Chef Roberto Muñoz Zurita challenges them to make a dish showcasing the flavor, complexity and heat of the legendary local habanero using ingredients from the local market. Culinary legend Jeremiah Tower gives the chefs a lesson on traditional Mayan cooking, before challenging them to create a dish using only ancient Maya ingredients and tools. The chefs will cook in an ancient cenote, or sinkhole, for a table of judges including local chefs Roberto Solis, Guillermo Beristain and Carlo Cardenas. The two chefs with the best dishes will move on to compete in the finale.

The final four chefs cook impromptu dishes while simultaneously instructing mystery partners on how to create the same dish; when the judges compare dishes, the chefs are shocked to discover their secret partners are their visiting family members.

A blindfolded taste experiment tests the chefs. Later, the chefs draw inspiration from their own childhood memories to create meals for a charity gala for the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital. Appearing: Michael Voltaggio and Graham Elliot.

The chefs take up a challenge to cook dishes using ingredients corresponding to their zodiac signs; for a pirate-themed party, the chefs must race through the streets to collect their ingredients on a treasure hunt.

The chefs face a mountain of baking ingredients pointing to a biscuit challenge; barbecue master Rodney Scott tasks the chefs to prepare a whole hog and three side dishes for 150 barbecue lovers, including country music star Darius Rucker.

The chefs divide into teams to compete in a 'mise en place' race. The foodies must also create a seven-course progressive meal featuring the humble radish in front of 'Top Chef' superfans. The guest judges are Chris Cosentino and Richard Blais.

Eight new chefs face off against eight returning chefs in Charleston, S.C.; the new chefs enter the kitchen first to cook as many dishes as possible in one hour using a whole chicken; the veterans square off to re-imagine shrimp and grits.

The chefs land in Las Vegas and participate in a high-stakes challenge of cards and cuisine. Later, they must conjure culinary magic for illusionist David Copperfield.

A showdown includes woks when the chefs visit San Francisco's Chinatown. Later, they must create a fast-casual restaurant concept. Foodies Martin Yan and Adam Fleischman make appearances.

After a busy day prepping and conducting a full lunch service, the Chefs must clean up and do it all over again for dinner. Never before have the Chefs taken on such a huge challenge, and the judges are looking at everything from concept and food, to service and consistency, so no one is safe in the most daunting Restaurant War to date.

The chefs strive to create the most visually appealing ``food porn'' using only snack food; the chefs cook for a black-tie event called Beefsteak during which the diners eat with their hands; diners include Colin Hanks, Max Silvestri and Matt Selman.

The chefs continue their California road trip and head south to San Diego where they cook-up the best high-end fish taco for renowned Mexican Chef Javier Plascencia. Things get extra spicy when another Sudden Death Quickfire threatens to send one of the chefs packing. Then Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Richard Blais and Emeril Lagasse offer a toast with a twist to the remaining chefs with their own hand-crafted microbrews. For the Elimination Challenge at Blais' Juniper and Ivy, the chefs must serve up a mouthwatering dish to complement their ale.

Palm Springs, Cal., is the destination for culinary competition. Here, the chefs use solar-powered stoves in the desert, then prepare dishes on a famed golf course. Appearing: John Besh and Mary Sue Milliken.

The chefs open pop-up restaurants that reflect their respective neighborhoods; guest judge Ludo Lefebvre joins the others for Mexican, Persian, Korean, and vegan cuisine and picks the dish that best reflects Los Angeles' mosaic of cultures.

The final chefs take an early-morning hot-air balloon ride in the Season 12 finale. They then face off by creating a four-course menu, after which the winner is revealed.

The three finalists journey to Mexico, and one eliminated contestant rejoins the competition. Then, the chefs must prepare a dish that showcases a unique type of prickly pear. Also: Local artwork inspires dishes. Appearing: chef Enrique Olvera.

The chefs' family members pay surprise visits. In a twist, the family members must serve as sous chefs in a challenge that features the creation of one appetizer and one entrée.

The chefs prepare sausage. Later, they create dishes inspired by the literary work of notable New England authors, including Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe and Emily Dickinson. Appearing: NFL player Rob Gronkowski; chef Tony Maws; and editor Francis Lam.

The fan-favorite 'Restaurant Wars' challenge unfolds. Here, the culinarians must open their own pop-up eateries. In the all-encompassing test, they must create menus and restaurant decor and train the staff. Appearing: Barbara Lynch; Kristen Kish; and Stephanie Cmar.

The chefs create dishes on a lean budget in a challenge that features a Revolutionary War theme. Guest judge: Jamie Bissonnette.

The chefs must use tea to accent dishes. Then, Boston's Fenway Park is the setting when the contestants transform ballpark fare into a fine dining dish. Appearing: Ming Tsai; former MLB player Dennis Eckersley; and sport reporter Dan Shaughnessy.

Season 12 opens with 16 chefs beginning their battles in Boston. Here, the chefs must cook revamped versions of the first dish they created. Richard Blais serves as a judge. Appearing: Ming Tsai; Lydia Shire; Todd English; and Tiffani Faison.

The remaining chefs land in Hawaii, where they prepare food fare featuring Spam. Also: a double elimination.

The chefs create po' boys, then are tasked to prepare their personal culinary visions on a plate. Appearing: Jon Favreau and Roy Choi.

The chefs serve up étouffée, then honor local cuisine by preparing two types of seafood. Chef John Besh is the guest judge.

The foodies create dishes that remind them of home. Appearing: actor Anthony Mackie and chef Leah Chase.