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Host Kelly Choi in "Top Chef Masters"
Host Kelly Choi in "Top Chef Masters" - © Bravo
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Calling all foodies…it's time to salivate! "Top Chef Masters" is a spin-off series of the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning No. 1 food show on cable, "Top Chef." The judges' table has finally turned – and we'll see what happens when these top chefs are now on the other side. "Top Chef Masters" will pit 24 world-renowned chefs against each other and see how well they fare in the tried and true format of "Top Chef." In each episode of "Top Chef Masters," money will be at stake for the chefs, with the winners of eliminations being awarded cash donations for their charities. The first six episodes of "Top Chef Masters" will consist of four chefs competing against each other to name one winner. The six winners of each episode will then meet up for the final four weeks of "Top Chef Masters" when one person will get eliminated each episode until the finale where one winner is crowned Top Chef Master. The winning chef will receive $100,000 for the charity of their choice.

"Top Chef Masters" will feature guest stars and judges Neil Patrick Harris, Zooey Deschanel, "Lost" writers and executive producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, "Flipping Out's" Jeff Lewis, and for the first time, all past "Top Chef" winners will be together during an episode. "Top Chef Masters" will also showcase chef'testant fan favorites as well as appearances by "Top Chef's" Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi and Gail Simmons.

Each episode of "Top Chef Masters" holds two challenges for the chefs. The first is a twist on the classic "Top Chef" quickfire challenge which tests their basic abilities – for example in season 2 of "Top Chef" where the chef'testants had to create an amuse bouche out of items from a vending machine. Each quickfire challenge on "Top Chef Masters" will be judged by a blind taste test and a five-star system, similar to fine dining reviews.

The second challenge on "Top Chef Masters" is a more involved elimination challenge designed to test the versatility and invention of the chefs as they take on unique culinary trials such as working with unusual and exotic foods or catering for demanding clients. The food will be tasted and evaluated by the judges and a wide range of tasters for whom the challenge is aimed, whether it is patrons at a five-star restaurant or a room full of hungry kids – the food has to appeal to the diner as well as the critics if the chef is to survive.

"Top Chef Masters" is produced by the Emmy-nominated Magical Elves. Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz and Shauna Minoprio serve as executive producers. "Top Chef" head judge, renowned culinary figure and chef/owner Craft Restaurants Tom Colicchio serves as consulting producer.






TOP CHEF MASTERS: FACTS

Network: Bravo
Genre: Reality
Runtime: 60 mins.
Premiere Date: June 10, 2009
Seasons: 1
Production Company: Bobby Weisman Caterers
Magical Elves Productions




TOP CHEF MASTERS: NEWS


Host Kelly Choi in "Top Chef Masters" Rick Bayless Wins 'Top Chef Masters' — Bravo cooks up the best ratings ever for the premiere season of a competition series, while the premiere of "Top Chef: Las Vegas" hits the jackpot as the #1 cable show of the day. Read more...
'Top Chef Masters' Cooks Up Sponsors — Glad Products Company, Lexus and Stella Artois will provide $250,000 in prize money for the "Top Chef" spin-off series premiering Wednesday, June 10. Read more...



Season 1