Top Chef Masters (season 4)


The fourth season of Top Chef Masters was announced on May 24, 2012. Food and travel journalist, Krista Simmons, and features editor of Gilt Taste, Francis Lam, join James Oseland and Ruth Reichl as new additions to the judges' table. The season premiered on July 25, 2012 with 12 award-winning chefs competing in weekly challenges to win $100,000 for their charity and the title of Top Chef Master.

Critics

12 chefs competed in the fourth season of Top Chef Masters. In order of elimination:

Episodes

In each episode, the chefs compete to win money for their charity. The Elimination Round winners are awarded cash donations for their charities. Each episode consists of a Quickfire and an Elimination challenge. The Quickfire is a short, simple challenge that can vary from cooking, tasting or a food-related task. The winner of the Quickfire Challenge receive $5,000 for their charity. During the initial episodes of the season, the winner is usually guaranteed immunity from being sent home that week. The Elimination Challenge is a more complex challenge which usually requires cooking a meal for many people with certain requirements. Each week, one or more guest judges join the show to evaluate both the Quickfire and Elimination challenges. Each week's elimination is announced in a segment called the "Critics' Table." One or more contestants are eliminated in each episode until the finale where one chef is crowned Top Chef Master. The winning chef receives $100,000 for his or her designated charity.

Episode 1: The Buffet Must Go On