
A blindfolded stroll through the pantry for the Quickfire is only the beginning. The Elimination begins with the restoration of a former competitor; then the chefs are tasked with creating dishes that will not only impress the judges, but honor the chefs who trained them.

Pee Wee Herman drops by for breakfast and dinner today. First the chefs must show their creativity with a pancake stack in the Quickfire. Then, they are armed with just $100 and a bicycle to navigate San Antonio's streets and collect ingredients for a dish to wow Pee Wee in the Elimination.
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From Quickfire teams to Elimination head-to-head challenges, this will not be an easy day for the remaining chefs. First up is a timed Quickfire where teams must prep and cook their ingredients into a wonderful dish. Then they are off to a charity block party where one-to-one cook-offs leave everyone vulnerable to elimination.
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The Quickfire is on the move, except it's the ingredients that are moving—by train. Next, the chefs must access the darkness inside of them when they are asked to create "evil" on a plate.

The most dreaded challenge is back with a few additions. Tonight the teams not only have to conceptualize, decorate and execute a menu for their restaurants, they must also design signs, logos and other accessories never before required in the challenge.

The chefs combine learning with cooking tonight when they use Nathan Myhrvold's Modernist Cuisine to influence their Quickfire dishes. Next, they team up for a barbecue cook-off where the diners determine the winning team.

The chefs must adapt quickly when their cooking mashes up with social networking and they begin receiving dish notes via Twitter. Later, they will each be able to pay homage to an influential teacher when they are asked to create dishes in the teachers' honor.

The chefs begin the day with shots of tequila, and then must cook for an all-star table of chefs when they cater a game night event for Tim Love's friends. Unfortunately, the random pairing of teams may work against some as tonight's twist is a double elimination.
Guest Judge: Tim Love
Quickfire Challenge: Create a Dish That Pairs with the Tequila of Your Choice
Elimination Challenge: Cook One Course for a Game Dinner
Round Five

The contestants settle into their new home kitchen at Dallas' Le Cordon Bleu. The collegial atmosphere seems appropriate, since the Quickfire asks them to regress to sauciers. Next, they must prepare steak for some of Texas' most discerning palates, at least beef-wise, the attendees of the Cattle Baron's Ball.
Guest Judge: Dean Fearing
Quickfire Challenge: Personalize Your Mother Sauce
Elimination Challenge: Create a Four Course Steak Dinner for Cattle Baron's Ball
Round Four
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The contestants begin the day on the road as they travel to Dallas, and Padma decides to test their creativity with canned goods in the roadside Quickfire just to keep things in theme. Then it goes from rags to riches as the chefs must shift gears to cater a dinner party in an exclusive Dallas suburb.
Guest Judge: John Besh
Quickfire Challenge: Create a Dish Using the Ingredients Inside the Survival Kits
Elimination Challenge: Create a Course for a Progressive Dinner Party
Round Three

The contestants spend two long, spicy and Texas-themed days cooking. First up is a dish that uses chili pepper, but the chefs must choose carefullythe winning dish is awarded a cash prize based on the heat of the pepper used. Next, they divide into teams to create unique chilis that will satisfy the Tejas Rodeo Company participants. Of course, this means a scramble for space, ingredients and cooking appliances back at the house.
''Guest Judges: Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger
Quickfire Challenge: Create a Dish Highlighting One Chili Pepper
Elimination Challenge: 1. Team Chili Cook-off 2. Repurpose Losing Chili into Winning Dish
Round Two

Tonight the chefs are asked to create a dish using rattlesnakes. Later, they will cater a girl's quinceañera celebration.
Guest Judge: Johnny Hernandez
Quickfire Challenge: Create a Dish Using Rattlesnake
Elimination Challenge: Cook for Family & Friends at Blanca's Quinceañera Party
Round One

Night two of heats for the coveted contestant slots begins with 10 competitors, 10 ingredients, and only five chef coats left. Once again, those who excel in the challenge get a chef coat immediately, and those who bomb are sent home. The remaining hopefuls on the "bubble" participate in a cook-off for the last coats with last week's four who are still waiting in the Stew Room for their second chance.
''Group 3 Qualifying Challenge: Choose One of the 10 Ingredients and Then Create a Dish in the Amount of Time on Your Clock
''Qualifying Challenge Final Cook Off: Prepare a Dish Using Any Ingredients in the Kitchen
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29 chefs gather at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, to compete for 16 slots in the 9th season of Top Chef. Tonight they are divided into three groups and must master their challenge to move forward. Some will know their fate immediately and receive a chef coat or be sent home. Others will be on the "bubble" and must compete and be judged again before they know their fates. Yes, it's bigger in Texas, but it's also hotter and harder, too.
Group 1 Qualifying Challenge: Prepare a Dish Using One Cut of a Pig
Group 2 Qualifying Challenge: Prepare a Dish Using the Same Ingredient
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The finalists cook "the most important meal of their lives" for the judges to determine which will be crowned Top Chef.
Guest Judges/Sous Chefs: April Bloomfield of The Spotted Pig, Dan Barber of Blue Hill, and Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin
Special Guest Judges: Alfredo Ayala and Tim Zagat
Final Challenge: Create a Traditional Four Course Tasting Menu
Finale

There are four chefs and only three spots for the final round, and the contestants know it as they travel to Puerto Rico for the next two challenges.
Guest Judge: Wilo Benet
Quickfire Challenge: Make Two Frituras featuring Plantains
Elimination Challenge: Use a Whole Pig to create Dishes for a Governor's Mansion Event
Semifinal










The contestants mix it up with Rick Bayless tonight as they dress up street food, and then take to the streets themselves to cater a community event.
Guest Judge: Rick Bayless
Quickfire Challenge: Create an Upscale Taco
Elimination Challenge: Mealstogether.com Block Party Challenge
Round Three



















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