What to Expect on 'Top Chef' Episode 9
This week on Top Chef (at a new time! 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT) immunity is off the table, as the chefs must knuckle down for their first episode in the second half of the season. Week nine starts off with a bang, immediately throwing the chefs into another dreaded sudden death quickfire challenge after a harrowing Restaurant Wars that saw everyone reeling from Claudette's elimination.
In the Quickfire, the chefs must prepare a dish for a Michelin-starred guest judge that utilizes an ingredient that has come to prominence thanks to the demands of Instagram-ready food presentation. The chefs must incorporate the ingredient in a unique way that requires a deft hand with plating and flavors. Some of the chefs excel by relying on traditional flavor combinations and others fall flat with lackluster execution. One even manages to irritate Padma with yet another repeat dish this season.
The bottom three chefs must compete to retain their positions on the show, and in order to help make that decision; Padma invites Tom into the kitchen to introduce their challenge. Structured like the Last Chance Kitchen battles this season, the sudden death round is doubly tense and some of the cheftestants crack under the pressure. A shocking elimination instills fear into the chefs as many stand to hear their elimination challenge while fighting through tears after saying goodbye to their fallen comrade.
The elimination challenge continues the endless parade of Bruce’s close personal friends performing guest judge duties on the show as the chefs must switch gears from the delicate attention to detail required of the Quickfire to robust flavors and massive output of a Colorado football-centric elimination challenge. As the season inches closer to the finale, the chefs must now stand on their own two feet before the judges and offer up some new dishes and exciting concepts in order to remain in the competition.
“Top Chef" Season 15 airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on Bravo and the current season of "Last Chance Kitchen" streams weekly on BravoTV.com.