In the premiere episode of "Top Chef Masters," Hubert Keller (Fleur de Lys), Christopher Lee (Aureole), Michael Schlow (Radius Restaurant), and Tim Love (The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro) are the first four chefs to draw knives and kick off a whole new level of culinary competition. The Master chefs are tasked with cooking dessert for a tough crowd of judges, Girl Scouts, and in the elimination challenge the acclaimed chefs must cook a three course meal in a college dorm room.
Top Chef season two's "Less is More" influences tonight's quickfire challenge, but there won't be any Cheetos in melted chocolate bars tonight as the next four chefs are asked to create an elegant amuse-bouche from vending machine fare. Then it's on to the elimination challenge where the show Lost acts the muse.
Tonight's quickfire challenge for the next group of four chefs comes from season four's "Seven", asking them to make a dish using color. Then they must sell upmarket street food using offal as the base ingredients.
In the Quickfire, the four chefs take a page from season three's special "4 Star All Stars" when they find themselves manually challenged when they must cook an egg with one hand tied behind their backs- literally! Then it's on to a magically themed Elimination with Neil Patrick Harris as guest judge.
The chefs are challenged to turn classic junk food items into fine-dining cuisine. The cast of Flipping Out are the diners for this challenge. Then, the chefs are challenged to create a mini 3-course "meal" for 100 people, without any help whatsoever. The meal must be based on an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert.
The chefs are challenged to create a dish using items found in only one aisle of the grocery store, Whole Foods, with each chef drawing knives to determine their aisle. However, they only have a budget of $20. The diners for this challenge are workers at Whole Foods. Then, the chefs are challenged to make a meal using ingredients one of their fellow chefs have chosen for them with each chef drawing knives to see who they get paired with.
The top six chefs get a surprise as they prepare to cook their signature dishes.
The five remaining chefs engage in a battle of burgers; guests actress Zooey Deschanel and filmmaker Morgan Spurlock.
The four remaining chefs are challenge to identify ingredients blindfolded. Afterward, the chefs will be tested on their leadership talents and teaching skills when they cater an event.