Top Chef in New York

MANILA, Philippines - Experience New York City at its hottest when Top Chef Season Five airs Wednesday nights at 10 on 2nd Avenue. 

After four seasons, the reality cooking competition is ready to take a bite of the Big Apple. Seventeen talented chefs from all across America head to New York City for a shot at culinary stardom in Top Chef.

Joining the season’s roster of “cheftestants” again are host Padma Lakshmi and judges Tom Collichio and Gail Simmons. Season Five also welcomes food critic and How to Lose Friends and Alienate People author Toby Young as new judge.

The new season promises to be the most challenging and most star-studded yet, since it will feature notable guest judges in the fields of food, culture and entertainment. Expected to drop by are Martha Stewart, Rocco DiSpirito, the Foo Fighters, Jean-Georges, Eric Ripert, Wylie Dufresne, Jean-Christophe Novelli and the late Natasha Richardson. The guest judges will go hand in hand with the resident panel in offering their insights and give the chefs a peek into  the competitive, high-pressure world of culinary arts and restaurant business.  

Like in past seasons, each episode will hold two challenges for the chefs. The first is the Quickfire challenge which will test the chefs’ basic abilities, and the second is the more crucial elimination designed to test their capabilities, skills and how they deal with teammates and demanding customers. Throughout the season, the competing chefs will live and breathe the high-pressure lifestyle required of being a master chef. Every week, one of them will be asked to pack their knives and go home.