Top Chef Amateurs - Season 1

A young grad student goes against a seasoned writer with the help of Top Chef All-Stars, Richard Blais and Melissa King, hoping to impress judges Gail Simmons, Joe Flamm and Eric Adjepong by creating crave-able dishes using the most infamous ingredients in Top Chef history – scallops and risotto.

A pharmacist and a pharmaceutical sales rep must "root out" the flavors in a variety of radishes and work with Top Chef alums, Kwame Onuwachi and Shirley Chung, to win over the palates of judges Gail Simmons, Melissa King and Gregory Gourdet.

Two of the biggest Top Chef superfans must dig deep to make unique shellfish dishes with help from Top Chef alums, Melissa King and Gregory Gourdet. Dale Talde and Shirley Chung join Gail Simmons at the judges' table where no shell is left unturned.

There's no nesting for a residential architect and an actor who must cook alongside Richard Blais and Joe Flamm to create flavorful dishes using a unique variety of eggs for judges Gail Simmons, Jen Carroll and Tiffany Derry.

Top Chef alums, Gregory Gourdet and Isaac Toups, help a vegan chef and a former CIA agent get sinfully creative when cooking for judges Gail Simmons, Dale Talde and Kwame Onwuachi in this challenge voted on by fans.

Opposites attract when two amateur chefs work with Top Chef alums Joe Flamm and Tiffany Derry to pair flavor profiles and make a cohesive dish that will impress judges Gail Simmons, Eric Adjepong and Stephanie Cmar.

The kitchen heats up and things start to melt when a dental hygienist turned food blogger cooks against a designer to create two dishes using chocolate with the help of Top Chef alums, Kwame Onwuachi and Dale Talde. Judges Gail Simmons, Gregory Gourdet and Shirley Chung determine who gets the sweet taste of victory.

Nothing makes "sense" for two amateur chefs who must identify ingredients in a blind taste test and then use them to create a delicious dish with the help of Top Chef alums, Jen Carroll and Eric Adjepong, for judges Gail Simmons, Stephanie Cmar and Isaac Toups.

Heads are swimming when a lunch lady and a home sales consultant learn they must fillet fish against the clock and cook it perfectly in order to impress judges Gail Simmons, Kwame Onwuachi and Melissa King. Luckily, these two amateur chefs have hooked Top Chef alums, Dale Talde and Shirley Chung to work with them.

Everything old is new again when two amateur chefs work with Top Chef alums, Eric Adjepong and Stephanie Cmar, to reimagine the flavors of a classic comfort food with hopes of impressing the discerning palates of judges Gail Simmons, Joe Flamm and Jen Carroll.

It's every man for himself when two amateur chefs must butcher and cook from an entire side of beef with the help of Top Chef alums, Tiffany Derry and Jen Carroll. Judges Gail Simmons, Isaac Toups and Richard Blais decide who will be the last man standing in this steak and potatoes challenge.

A psychologist and a visual merchandiser work with Top Chef alums, Isaac Toups and Stephanie Cmar, in a mis en place race to break down and claim their ingredients before they can wow Gail Simmons, Richard Blais and Tiffany Derry with their unique dishes at judges' table.