Top Chef poster

TV series

Top Chef

2006TV-1423 seasons6.9 / 10

An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants eliminated in each episode.

Streaming, rental and purchase options

Where to watch in United States

Checked Jul 22, 2026

Top Chef is available to stream on DirecTV On Demand, Peacock, Peacock Premium, YouTube TV, Fubo, and Spectrum On Demand in United States. You can also buy it from Amazon, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Use the direct links below to open the provider.

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Synopsis

An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants eliminated in each episode.

Season 19 episodes

Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.

← Season 18

Episode 1

Primal Instincts

42m7.0 / 10

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.

Episode credits

Guest stars Kristen Kish

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Episode 2

Friday Night Bites

42m7.0 / 10

The chefs are challenged in the Quickfire to put their own spin on the Tex-Mex classic queso, judged by local legend Chef Irma Galvan. For the Elimination Challenge, the competition heads to the field of a high school football stadium. Working in two teams of seven coached by all-star alumni Sam Talbot and Dawn Burrell, they’ll create seven carb-loaded dishes that will be served in a head-to-head battle. The team that scores a touchdown first wins. Tom, Padma and Gail will be joined by award winning Chef Chris Shepherd and Top Chef Charleston winner Brooke Williamson at the judges' table.

Episode credits

Guest stars Brooke Williamson

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Episode 3

Noodles and Rice and Everything Nice

42m7.0 / 10

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.

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Episode 4

Doppelgangers

42m7.0 / 10

The chefs are joined by local chef Chris Williams in the Quickfire Challenge; He tasks the chefs to put their own twist on a biscuit dish in honor of his great grandmother, Lucille B. Smith.

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Episode 5

Don't Mess With BBQ

42m7.0 / 10

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 and their guest judge, pitmaster Greg Gatlin.

Episode credits

Guest stars Brooke Williamson

Where to watch Top Chef

Episode 6

Texas Trailblaze-hers

42m6.5 / 10

The chefs must create salty-sweet desserts that will inspire a new flavor of Talenti gelato; in the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must draw inspiration from the lives of some of Texas's most influential women.

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Episode 7

Swallow the Competition

42m7.0 / 10

The chefs expand their horizons in a master class on Nigerian flavors guided by local chef Ope Amosu and all-star Kwame Onwuachi, and need to make a stew that pairs perfectly with traditional Nigerian swallows.

Episode credits

Guest stars Kwame Onwuachi

Where to watch Top Chef

Episode 8

Restaurant Wars

42m7.0 / 10

The chefs are put to the ultimate test; they have to build restaurants from the ground up; Top Chef's signature challenge levels up yet again, requiring the chefs to satisfy their VIP counter and a dining room full of guests.

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Episode 9

Freedmen's Town

42m7.0 / 10

The chefs are tasked with creating a monochromatic plant-based dish for their Quickfire Challenge; for the Elimination Challenge, the chefs are tasked with creating dishes that speak to their souls for a block party fundraiser.

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Episode 10

Dinner in Zero Gravity

42m7.0 / 10

The competition reaches new heights as the chefs voyage to the Houston Space Center; they'll have to create a stellar new menu item that they would crave if they were on a multi-year mission to Mars.

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Episode 11

Family Vacation

42m7.0 / 10

The chefs head to the Gulf of Mexico in Galveston, Texas; 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.

Episode credits

Guest stars Shota Nakajima

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Episode 12

We're on a boat

42m7.0 / 10

After saying goodbye to their loved ones and another fellow competitor, the chefs receive an ominous gift from Tom, who tells them to get up early and meet him at the docks. They'll have to find their sea legs quickly because for their Elimination Challenge each chef must create two fresh fish dishes to hook their guest judges Stephanie Izard and Daniel Boulud. The catch? They'll be fishing for all of their protein themselves.

Episode credits

Guest stars Daniel Boulud, Stephanie Izard

Where to watch Top Chef

Episode 13

Cactus Makes Perfect

42m7.0 / 10

For their last Quickfire Challenge, the chefs make the trip to El Charro in Tuscon, Arizona, the oldest family-run Mexican restaurant in the country, where chef Carlotta Flores challenges them to create a dish featuring her carne seca.

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Episode 14

The Final Plate

55m7.0 / 10finale

Aspiring chefs compete for their shot at culinary stardom.

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Episode information updated Jul 24, 2026

More about Top Chef

Cast

Hugh AchesonSelf - Judge
Tom ColicchioSelf - Head Judge
Padma LakshmiSelf - Host
Gail SimmonsSelf - Judge
Toby YoungSelf - Judge
Brian MalarkeySelf - Contestant
Marcel VigneronSelf - Contestant
Shirley ChungSelf - Contestant

Credits

Created by
Lauren Zalaznick

Production details

Status
Returning Series
Series type
Reality
Episodes
342
Original language
English

Networks & production

  • BravoUnited States
  • Magical ElvesUnited States

Themes

cooking competition