Top Chef (season 1)

Quickfire Challenge: The chefs survived working the line at chef Hubert Keller's Fleur de Lys restaurant for 30 minutes. The winner received immunity from elimination.

• WINNER: Lee Anne

Elimination Challenge: The chefs had to prepare a signature dish to be served to the other Top Chef contestants.

• WINNER: Harold (Steamed Thai Snapper)
• ELIMINATED: Ken (Pan Seared Alaskan Halibut)

Quickfire Challenge: The chefs chose from a large selection of fruit to prepare a plate judged solely on presentation. The winner received immunity from elimination.

• WINNER: Stephen

Elimination Challenge: The chefs had to make a sexy dessert for a fetish party at Mr. S, a sex boutique in San Francisco, co-hosted by Paige White.

• WINNER: Miguel ("The Total Orgasm": Pastry Puffs, Tapioca Pillows, Hot Chocolate Shot)
• ELIMINATED: Andrea ("Creamy Balls & Crunchy Nuts": Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls, Chocolate Almond Flowers, Almonds)

Quickfire Challenge: The chefs prepared octopus in one hour. The winner received immunity from elimination.

• WINNER: Tiffani (Red Wine Braised Angel Hair Pasta with Cold Octopus)
• WITHDREW: Cynthia (Octopus with Tarragon Whiskey Sauce)
  • Note: Cynthia chose to leave the show following the Quickfire Challenge to be with her sick father, who was battling cancer. Andrea was then brought back to keep an even number of contestants for the following Elimination Challenge.

Elimination Challenge: Working in two teams, the chefs prepared monkfish for a group of children who would rate the food.

• Red Team: Andrea, Candice, Lisa, Miguel, Stephen
• Blue Team: Brian, Dave, Harold, Lee Anne, Tiffani
  • WINNER: Red Team
  • ELIMINATED: Brian

Quickfire Challenge: The chefs created dishes in 30 minutes using $20 worth of ingredients from a gas station store. The winner received immunity from elimination.

• WINNER: Lee Anne (Funyun Battered Spiedini)

Elimination Challenge: Each chef created a gourmet entrée that could be reheated in a microwave. They then served their dishes to a group of Junior League women who would rate their meals.

• WINNER: Tiffani (Mirin Glazed Sea Bass)
• ELIMINATED: Candice (Shrimp & Spinach Quiche)

Quickfire Challenge: The chefs had to identify a variety of ingredients by taste while blindfolded for five minutes. The winner received immunity from elimination.

• WINNER: Andrea

Elimination Challenge: Working in teams of two, the chefs created dishes fusing Latin American cuisine with one other ethnic cuisine. Dave and Tiffani had Moroccan, Andrea and Miguel had Indian, Lee Anne and Stephen had Chinese, and Harold and Lisa had Japanese. They then had to distribute the dish from a cart in the Mission District of San Francisco.

• WINNERS: Dave and Tiffani (Latin/Moroccan: Curry Pork, Stone Fruit Chutney, Flour Gorditas, Pickled Carrots & Red Onion)
• ELIMINATED: Lisa (Japanese: Seared Tuna, Daikon Sprouts)

Quickfire Challenge: Each chef created an appetizer in 20 minutes using $3 worth of ingredients, priced by the ounce.

• WINNER: Stephen (Poached Baby Manila Clams over Grilled Sea Beans)

Elimination Challenge: The chefs had to create a seven-course dinner party for guest judge Ted Allen. Each chef was able to choose the course they wanted to execute. However, the producers later introduced a random knife-block draw, forcing each chef to work on another chef's recipe.

• WINNER: Lee Anne (Tiffani's Dish: Duck Breast with Fig Stuffed Gnocchi)
• ELIMINATED: Andrea (Miguel's Dish: Smoked Scallops & Caviar on a Latke)

Quickfire Challenge: Each chef was asked to make a sandwich in 30 minutes using any of the available ingredients. The winning sandwich would be put on the menu at the San Francisco location of Tom Colicchio's 'wichcraft restaurant. From this point on, immunity was no longer awarded to the winner of a Quickfire Challenge.

• WINNER: Harold (Mortadella Dandelion Sandwich)

Elimination Challenge: Working in two teams of three, the chefs transformed raw restaurant spaces, including the decor and menu. Twenty-four hours later, the diners arrived, choosing which restaurant to dine in, and rated their experience.

• Sabor: Lee Anne, Miguel, Stephen
  • Appetizer: Tapas Trio: White Gazpacho, Bocarones, Prosciutto Wrapped Stuffed Fig
  • Entrée: Pan Seared Snapper on Breaded Risotto Paella Cake
  • Dessert: Olive Oil Ice Cream
• American Workshop: Dave, Harold, Tiffani
  • Appetizer: Tuna Tartare with Pita Chips
  • Entrée: Roasted Chicken with Fall Vegetables & Natural Jus
  • Dessert: Fruit Crisp
    • WINNER: Dave
    • ELIMINATED: Miguel

Quickfire Challenge: The chefs designed a wedding reception menu in 90 minutes and pitched it to the wedding couple. The winner's menu would be used for the upcoming Elimination Challenge.

• WINNER: Lee Anne

Elimination Challenge: Working as a team, the chefs were required to cater a wedding reception for 100 guests using the menu chosen in the Quickfire Challenge. The reception started in 16 hours.

• Canapé: Crispy Prawn Toast, Crab Meat with Pita Chips
• Amuse-bouche: Lobster Hamuraki, Glazed Oysters, Yazu Marinated Roe, Crab Soup Dumplings
• First Course: Seared Salmon Salad, Thai Green Papaya, Lime & Chili Vinaigrette
• Second Course: "The Lover's Nest": Seafood & Fresh Vegetables, Potato Taro Root Basket, Mango & Coconut
• Third Course: Peking Style Beef, Crispy Scallion Pancakes, Cucumber Salad
• Wedding Cake: Passion Fruit & Ginger Scented Cake, White Chocolate Butter Cream
• Truffles: Milk Chocolate & Sesame, White Chocolate & Sake, Dark Chocolate & Ginger
  • ELIMINATED: Stephen

Quickfire Challenge: The chefs were asked to recreate a classic junk food element into a gourmet dish in 45 minutes. The winner's performance counted in the overall assessment of the week's challenges. The winner also received a bottle of Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon.

• WINNER: Harold (Popcorn Cakes with Ecuadorian Ceviche)

Elimination Challenge: All of the remaining chefs traveled to the Napa Valley's Copia to prepare a dish incorporating expensive black Périgord truffles to be served with 2001 Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon wine. Each chef's dish would be served to a group of top professional chefs from Northern California.

• WINNER: Dave (Truffle & Cognac Cream Macaroni & Cheese, Filet of Beef, Collard Greens & Radicchio)
• ELIMINATED: Lee Anne (Butternut Squash & Truffle Risotto, Braised Treviso & Mushrooms, Crusted Lamb Loin)

Quickfire/Elimination Challenge: The three finalists met at the MGM Grand where they competed in a series of three elimination-style Quickfire Challenges to determine which two chefs would remain to compete in a final challenge for the grand prize of Top Chef. For each challenge, the chefs had to prepare hotel room service meals in 30 minutes for different customers: first, a room of high rollers, including eliminated competitors Lee Anne, Miguel, and Stephen; then, a table of poker players including Phil Hellmuth; lastly, performers from Cirque du Soleil. Each group of patrons decided on their favorite dish. The three groups' favorites were taken into consideration during the judging process.

• WINNERS: Harold and Tiffani
• ELIMINATED: Dave

Elimination Challenge: The two finalists each prepared a five-course tasting meal to be served to a table of eight luminaries from the culinary world. Each finalist was also assisted by two sous chefs, consisting of the four most recently eliminated contestants: Dave, Lee Anne, Stephen, and Miguel. Harold was assisted by Lee Anne and Miguel, while Tiffani was assisted by Stephen and Dave. Though not required, Tiffani chose to make two preparations of each course.

• Harold:
  • First Course: Seared Diver Scallop with Blood Orange & Fennel Salad
  • Second Course: Olive Oil Poached Bass
  • Third Course: Pan Roasted Quail with Herb Spaetzle, Cherries & Foie Gras
  • Fourth Course: Duo of Beef with Kobe Beef & Braised Short Ribs
  • Fifth Course: Fig Tart with Cheeses
• Tiffani:
  • First Course: Seared Diver Scallop on Squid Ink; Scallop Crudo with Citrus
  • Second Course: Artichoke Risotto with Porketta; Crispy Artichokes with Dipping Sauce
  • Third Course: Steamed Bronzino with Ratatouille; Crispy Bronzino with Black Olive Pappardelle
  • Fourth Course: Saltimbocca with Primitivo Glace; Veal with Minted Peas & Spinach Crema
  • Fifth Course: Bread Pudding with Rum Cocktail; Vanilla Panna Cotta with Amaretto Cocktail
    • WINNER: Harold
    • RUNNER-UP: Tiffani