Top Chef poster
★ 7.7
Top Chef poster

Overall Rating

★ 7.7
S16 E8
#1
★ 7.1

Whatever Floats Your Boat

For an elimination challenge, the chefs are split into teams and tasked with throwing houseboat parties on Lake Cumberland; chef Emeril Lagasse joins Padma, Tom and Nilou, along with Capts. Sandy and Lee from "Below Deck" for houseboat hysteria.

S16 E9
#2
★ 7.0

Music City Usa

The chefs take a road trip to Nashville and cook on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry for country music artist Hunter Hayes. Then, they have to dig deep to create a dish inspired by a vibrant music memory. Next, the chefs work on a plate for a full table of Nashville food and some music personalities, including Caleb Followill, model Lily Aldridge, and Chef Jonathan Waxman.

S16 E6
#3
★ 6.7

Roaring Munchies

The chefs walk in on an epic battle of Last Chance Kitchen and are drafted into the fight; once Tom declares a winner, the chefs begin a challenge making dishes based on Prohibition Era cocktails; chef Ken Oringer joins for a Roaring Twenties party.

S16 E1
#4
★ 0.0

The Fastest 2 Minutes in Cooking

In Kentucky, 15 chefs are off to the races at Churchill Downs for the the ride of their lives; the chefs must make a dish that will appeal to a crowd of 200 at a Kentucky Derby party; Churchill Downs' own chef David Danielson serves as guest judge.

S16 E2
#5
★ 0.0

Bourbon, Barrels and Burgoo

A pregnant Gail Simmons asks the chefs to feed her cravings; the chefs head to Makers Mark, the oldest U.S. distillery, to put their spins on a meal full of Kentucky classics, including burgoo, Benedictine, mutton, hoe cakes, and dumplings.

S16 E3
#6
★ 0.0

Naughty and Nice

Richard Blais and Brooke Williamson present a Quickfire challenge; chef Eric Ripert sits down with the chefs to enjoy a traditional French Christmas dinner; Padma tells the chefs they're missing the final part of the tradition of Le Revillon de Noel.

S16 E4
#7
★ 0.0

Surprise...It's Restaurant Wars

The Restaurant Wars challenge comes early this year; first, the chefs duke it out in an amuse bouche-based Quickfire; with 12 chefs remaining, three restaurants battle for victory; Tom makes an announcement that leaves the chefs breathless.

S16 E5
#8
★ 0.0

Restaurant Wars Part 2

The Restaurant Wars causes drama and mayhem; Tom announces a double elimination piling on even more pressure; chefs Karen Akunowicz and Nina Compton join the restaurant crawl along with Nilou Motamed and guest judge Caroline Styne.

S16 E7
#9
★ 0.0

Carne!

Actress Lena Waithe challenges the chefs to make a trademark Kentucky dish known as the Hot Brown; chef Nancy Silverton and butcher Dario Cecchini break down a whole cow for the chefs to utilize along with locally-sourced ingredients.

S16 E10
#10
★ 0.0

Hoop Dreams

"Top Chef" alum Ed Lee drops by for a Quickfire that's part trivia, part culinary creativity; Coach John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats host a concession-stand cook-off in Rupp Arena; Food & Wine Editor-in-Chief Hunter Lewis joins the judges.

S16 E6
#1
★ 6.7

Roaring Munchies

The chefs walk in on an epic battle of Last Chance Kitchen and are drafted into the fight; once Tom declares a winner, the chefs begin a challenge making dishes based on Prohibition Era cocktails; chef Ken Oringer joins for a Roaring Twenties party.

S16 E9
#2
★ 7.0

Music City Usa

The chefs take a road trip to Nashville and cook on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry for country music artist Hunter Hayes. Then, they have to dig deep to create a dish inspired by a vibrant music memory. Next, the chefs work on a plate for a full table of Nashville food and some music personalities, including Caleb Followill, model Lily Aldridge, and Chef Jonathan Waxman.

S16 E8
#3
★ 7.1

Whatever Floats Your Boat

For an elimination challenge, the chefs are split into teams and tasked with throwing houseboat parties on Lake Cumberland; chef Emeril Lagasse joins Padma, Tom and Nilou, along with Capts. Sandy and Lee from "Below Deck" for houseboat hysteria.

S16 E1
★ 0.0

The Fastest 2 Minutes in Cooking

In Kentucky, 15 chefs are off to the races at Churchill Downs for the the ride of their lives; the chefs must make a dish that will appeal to a crowd of 200 at a Kentucky Derby party; Churchill Downs' own chef David Danielson serves as guest judge.

S16 E2
★ 0.0

Bourbon, Barrels and Burgoo

A pregnant Gail Simmons asks the chefs to feed her cravings; the chefs head to Makers Mark, the oldest U.S. distillery, to put their spins on a meal full of Kentucky classics, including burgoo, Benedictine, mutton, hoe cakes, and dumplings.

S16 E3
★ 0.0

Naughty and Nice

Richard Blais and Brooke Williamson present a Quickfire challenge; chef Eric Ripert sits down with the chefs to enjoy a traditional French Christmas dinner; Padma tells the chefs they're missing the final part of the tradition of Le Revillon de Noel.

S16 E4
★ 0.0

Surprise...It's Restaurant Wars

The Restaurant Wars challenge comes early this year; first, the chefs duke it out in an amuse bouche-based Quickfire; with 12 chefs remaining, three restaurants battle for victory; Tom makes an announcement that leaves the chefs breathless.

S16 E5
★ 0.0

Restaurant Wars Part 2

The Restaurant Wars causes drama and mayhem; Tom announces a double elimination piling on even more pressure; chefs Karen Akunowicz and Nina Compton join the restaurant crawl along with Nilou Motamed and guest judge Caroline Styne.

S16 E6
★ 6.7

Roaring Munchies

The chefs walk in on an epic battle of Last Chance Kitchen and are drafted into the fight; once Tom declares a winner, the chefs begin a challenge making dishes based on Prohibition Era cocktails; chef Ken Oringer joins for a Roaring Twenties party.

S16 E7
★ 0.0

Carne!

Actress Lena Waithe challenges the chefs to make a trademark Kentucky dish known as the Hot Brown; chef Nancy Silverton and butcher Dario Cecchini break down a whole cow for the chefs to utilize along with locally-sourced ingredients.

S16 E8
★ 7.1

Whatever Floats Your Boat

For an elimination challenge, the chefs are split into teams and tasked with throwing houseboat parties on Lake Cumberland; chef Emeril Lagasse joins Padma, Tom and Nilou, along with Capts. Sandy and Lee from "Below Deck" for houseboat hysteria.

S16 E9
★ 7.0

Music City Usa

The chefs take a road trip to Nashville and cook on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry for country music artist Hunter Hayes. Then, they have to dig deep to create a dish inspired by a vibrant music memory. Next, the chefs work on a plate for a full table of Nashville food and some music personalities, including Caleb Followill, model Lily Aldridge, and Chef Jonathan Waxman.

S16 E10
★ 0.0

Hoop Dreams

"Top Chef" alum Ed Lee drops by for a Quickfire that's part trivia, part culinary creativity; Coach John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats host a concession-stand cook-off in Rupp Arena; Food & Wine Editor-in-Chief Hunter Lewis joins the judges.

S16 E11
★ 0.0

The Greatest

The chefs take a turn at fried chicken; chef Art Smith judges a secret herbs-and-spices blind taste test ahead of the Quickfire fry-off; after the finger-licking goodness, the chefs turn their attention to boxer Muhammad Ali, aka the Louisville Lip.

S16 E12
★ 0.0

Kentucky Farewell

Tom ambushes sleeping chefs and challenges them to make a dish using ingredients harvested from their gardens; for the last elimination challenge, the chefs bid on luxury ingredients at a thoroughbred horse auction house.

S16 E13
★ 0.0

Holy Macau!

The final five chefs travel to the Chinese territory of Macau; Graham Elliot, who has a restaurant in Macau, introduces the chefs to a market full of fascinating ingredients and challenges; the chefs throw a party celebrating the Chinese New Year.

S16 E14
★ 0.0

The Tao of Macau

The final four chefs must cook with the smelly durian fruit; the chefs get a tutorial on the traditional cuisine of Macau; for the elimination challenge, the chefs are tasked with blending their own heritage with Chinese flavors.

S16 E15
★ 0.0

Finale

It's the final showdown; the three remaining chefs must create the best four-course meal of their lives; Tom reveals in a twist that only two chefs will get the chance to serve their full menu; only one chef will emerge victorious.

Season Average Rating Episodes Best Episode Worst Episode
9 ★ 7.5 1
★ 7.5 Red Hot Chili Cook Off
★ 7.5 Red Hot Chili Cook Off
13 ★ 7.4 1
★ 7.4 Restaurant Wars, Part 1
★ 7.4 Restaurant Wars, Part 1
17 ★ 7.4 14
★ 7.8 Parma
★ 7.1 Lucca
8 ★ 7.3 2
★ 7.6 Reunion Special
★ 7.1 Dim Sum Lose Sum
6 ★ 7.3 1
★ 7.3 Pigs and Pinot
★ 7.3 Pigs and Pinot
4 ★ 7.2 1
★ 7.2 Film Food
★ 7.2 Film Food
18 ★ 7.0 6
★ 7.4 Meet You at the Drive-In
★ 6.3 Pan African Portland
15 ★ 7.0 1
★ 7.0 Smile and Say Mise
★ 7.0 Smile and Say Mise
16 ★ 6.9 3
★ 7.1 Whatever Floats Your Boat
★ 6.7 Roaring Munchies
7 ★ 6.8 1
★ 6.8 Outside the Lunch Box
★ 6.8 Outside the Lunch Box
1 ★ 6.7 1
★ 6.7 Restaurant Wars
★ 6.7 Restaurant Wars