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The Best Episodes of Top Chef Season 21

Every episode of Top Chef Season 21 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Top Chef Season 21!

Binge this in 12h 49m•Peaking at 8.0/10

An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Top Chef Season 21 Episode 13 - Set Sail
    8.0/10(36 votes)

    S21:E13

    The final four chefs arrive in Curaçao for their last Quickfire Challenge and must create a dish highlighting fish and cheese to impress Kristen, Tom, Gail and local guest judge Helim Smeulders. The chefs then set sail on Holland America Line’s Eurodam where they enjoy a meal prepared by chef and Fresh Fish Ambassador Morimoto. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs are tasked with showcasing different preparation styles of fish. “Top Chef” alum Ed Lee joins Kristen, Tom and Gail at the judges’ table.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Top Chef Season 21 Episode 7 - Sausage Race
    7.9/10(40 votes)

    S21:E7

    Bryan Voltaggio joins Kristen for a two-part Quickfire Challenge testing the chefs' flambé and charring skills. Amar Santana heads to the kitchen with the famous Milwaukee Brewers Racing Sausages. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs divide into two teams and compete in a head-to-head race at American Family Field (home of the Brewers) where they'll serve sausage-forward dishes to a panel of experts, including former Brewer Ryan Braun and actress Brittany Snow.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Top Chef Season 21 Episode 11 - Lay It All on the Table
    7.8/10(36 votes)

    S21:E11

    A familiar face returns to the competition from “Last Chance Kitchen.” In this week’s Quickfire challenge, the chefs must put their detective skills to work when Tom cooks up a dish that Kristen and Gail couldn’t resist and left little on the plate after tasting it. The chefs ask Tom a series of yes and no questions to determine what ingredients they need to recreate the dish. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs leave it all on the table when they’re tasked with serving their creations directly on a tabletop to Kristen, Tom, Gail, and guest judge and two Michelin star chef Curtis Duffy.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Top Chef Season 21 Episode 12 - Goodbye Wisconsin
    7.6/10(32 votes)

    S21:E12

    In this week’s Quickfire Challenge, the chefs are tasked with identifying as many ingredients as they can in a blind taste test. For the Elimination Challenge, they must create a dish that exemplifies their culinary growth throughout their time in Wisconsin. The judges are joined by returning guest judge Paul Bartolotta.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Top Chef Season 21 Episode 1 - Chef's Test
    7.5/10(62 votes)

    S21:E1

    “Top Chef” heads to Wisconsin with 15 new chefs, new rules and new host Kristen Kish. With no Quickfire Challenge this week, Kristen, Tom and Gail each task five chefs with cooking a dish they believe is a worthy test of being a good chef. The three favorites from each of the judges’ challenge will be up for the win while the three least favorite will be up for elimination. Before anyone goes home, there will be one more major twist to keep the chefs on their toes. The judges are joined by Wisconsin locals Chef Paul Bartolotta and Chef/Owner of Lupi & Iris, Adam Siegel.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Top Chef Season 21 Episode 2 - Living the High Life Top Chef
    7.5/10(51 votes)

    S21:E2

    “Top Chef” Colorado winner Joe Flamm joins Kristen for the Quickfire Challenge, tasking the chefs to create a dish featuring hops. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs visit the historic Miller Caves where they must team up to serve a seven-course progressive meal featuring elevated bar snacks.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. Top Chef Season 21 Episode 3 - Take It Cheesy
    7.5/10(49 votes)

    S21:E3

    The chefs are in for a cherry good time when “Top Chef” All-Star alum Carla Hall and actor, director and writer Clea Duvall join Kristen for the Quickfire Challenge. The chefs must make a dish featuring Door County cherries and a mystery ingredient. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs will be putting on a Cheese Festival where each chef will be responsible for creating a dish featuring one of 13 different cheeses. The winning dish will be voted on by the diners while the chef going home will be selected with the help of guest judges Carla Hall and local chef Dane Baldwin.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Top Chef Season 21 Episode 5 - Supper Club
    7.4/10(50 votes)

    S21:E5

    While in Madison, the chefs receive a message bright and early from Kristen alerting them that they’ll be shopping for their Quickfire Challenge at the Dane County Farmers’ Market, the largest producer only farmers market in the nation. However, they won’t know what their challenge is until after they shop. Joining Kristen as judges for the Quickfire Challenge are local chef Tory Miller and comedian, director and activist W. Kamau Bell. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs will be participating the time-honored Wisconsin tradition the Supper Club where they’ll be split into two teams to create a traditional supper club menu that they’ll cook and serve at the Harvey House, owned by this week’s guest judges Joe and Shaina Papach.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Top Chef Season 21 Episode 8 - Restaurant Wars
    7.4/10(39 votes)

    S21:E8

    There is no Quickfire as the chefs prepare for the highly anticipated Restaurant Wars elimination challenge. Split into two teams, the chefs are tasked to conceptualize and create two restaurants that feature a three-course progressive menu with at least two options for each course. Kristen, Tom and Gail are joined by “Top Chef” winner Stephanie Izard and “Top Chef” alum Kwame Onwuachi at the judges’ table.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Top Chef Season 21 Episode 9 - The Good Land
    7.4/10(41 votes)

    S21:E9

    Kristen is joined by judges Tom and Gail for this week’s Quickfire Challenge as the chefs are tasked to create dishes featuring cranberries in a unique way. The chefs are then treated to a special meal prepared by celebrated Indigenous chefs and guest judges Sean Sherman and Elean Terry. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must prepare modern dishes using only indigenous ingredients.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Top Chef Season 21 Episode 14 - Cruising to a Win
    7.3/10(35 votes)

    S21:E14

    The three remaining chefs must create the best four-course progressive meal of their careers; the chefs will present their dishes to a lineup of culinary greats.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Top Chef Season 21 Episode 6 - Chaos Cuisine
    7.2/10(44 votes)

    S21:E6

    The chefs are shocked by a "Last Chance Kitchen" surprise that changes the game. Milk Bar's Christina Tosi joins Kristen for a sweet Quickfire that requires the chefs to create a dairy-forward dessert. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must serve a dish that exemplifies chaos cuisine. The judges are joined by "The Bear" actor and chef Matty Matheson and chef Sofia Roe.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Top Chef Season 21 Episode 10 - Door County Fish Boil
    7.1/10(41 votes)

    S21:E10

    Celebrating a Wisconsin classic, this week’s Quickfire Challenge has the chefs participating in a meat raffle. Guest judge and chef Art Smith joins Kristen, Tom and Gail to determine which protein dish reigns supreme. For the Elimination Challenge, the heat is turned up when the chefs host their very own Door County fish boil to 100 hungry guests, including six “Top Chef” All-Stars at Grant Park Beach.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Top Chef Season 21 Episode 4 - The Wright Way
    6.8/10(50 votes)

    S21:E4

    With no Quickfire this week, the chefs hit the road and take the Frank Lloyd Wright trail to Madison, touring a few of the Wisconsin native’s notable sites, including Burnham Block, Monona Terrace and Taliesin. For the elimination challenge, the chefs are tasked with creating dishes in teams of two that feature duality and celebrate Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy as “America’s Architect.” These dishes are more important than ever because this week is a double elimination. Kristen, Tom and Gail are joined by last season’s winner, Buddha Lo, and French chef Dominique Crenn at the judges’ table.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Season 21 Ratings Summary

"Set Sail" is the best rated episode of "Top Chef" season 21. It scored 8/10 based on 36 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 6/12/2024. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "Sausage Race".