Top Chef: New Orleans
Top Chef: New Orleans is the eleventh season of the American reality television series Top Chef. The season was announced on May 10, 2013.[1] Filming took place from early May through late July, beginning in New Orleans, Louisiana and concluding in Maui.[2][3] The season premiered on October 2, 2013.[4] State and local tourism offices in Louisiana sponsored the season, paying a total of $375,000. The state contribution came from a recovery fund established by BP after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.[5] In addition to the return of the Last Chance Kitchen, Bravo launched a new web series called Padma's Picks. Debuting on August 14, 2013, the competition, presided over by host Padma Lakshmi, featured ten New Orleans chefs competing for the chance to join the official lineup of contestants and represent the city.[6]
| Top Chef: New Orleans | |
|---|---|
| Season 11 | |
 | |
| Hosted by | Padma Lakshmi |
| Judges | Tom Colicchio Gail Simmons Emeril Lagasse Hugh Acheson |
| No. of contestants | 19 |
| Winner | Nicholas Elmi |
| Runner-up | Nina Compton |
| Location | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Finals venue | Maui |
| Fan Favorite | Nina Compton |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 17 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Bravo |
| Original release | October 2, 2013 – February 5, 2014 |
| Season chronology | |
The final episode of the season generated controversy after head judge Tom Colicchio appeared to successfully sway the other judges into awarding the title of Top Chef to Nicholas Elmi, a contestant who had been nearly eliminated in several episodes and had temper control issues.[7] Fan outrage led Colicchio to release the judges' scores on Twitter to justify their decision to give Elmi the victory over eventual runner-up Nina Compton, who was considered a front runner in the competition.[7] Compton was later voted Fan Favorite.[8]
Contestants
The cast of Top Chef: New Orleans originally consisted of 17 chefs.[9][10][11] At the conclusion of Padma's Picks, Lakshmi selected Justin Devillier and Michael Sichel to join the regular lineup of contestants.[12] Benedetto Bartolotta had previously competed in the fifth season of Top Chef Masters as the sous-chef of Odette Fada. Stephanie Cmar was also a previous contestant, briefly appearing in Top Chef: Seattle during the qualifying rounds.
Shirley Chung competed in Top Chef Duels, and later returned to compete in Top Chef: Charleston.[13][14] Stephanie Cmar returned for Top Chef: All-Stars L.A.[15]
Contestant progress
| Episode # | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quickfire Challenge Winner(s) |
— | Carrie | Shirley | — | Team L.14 |
Nina | Brian | Brian | — | Shirley | Carrie | Shirley | Nicholas | Shirley | Carlos1 | Nicholas1 | — | |
| Contestant | Elimination Challenge Results | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Nicholas | IN | LOW | IN | IN | HIGH | HIGH | LOW | IN | WIN | WIN | IN | LOW | LOW | LOW | LOW | WIN | WINNER |
| 2 | Nina | WIN | IN | HIGH | HIGH | LOW | WIN | HIGH | HIGH | IN | IN | LOW | HIGH | WIN | HIGH | HIGH | IN | RUNNER-UP |
| 3 | Shirley | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | HIGH | IN | IN | WIN | IN | LOW | WIN | WIN | OUT | |
| 4 | Louis | IN | IN | LOW | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | OUT5 | ||||||||
| 5 | Carlos | IN | HIGH | LOW | IN | WIN | IN | HIGH | WIN | IN | HIGH | HIGH | LOW | HIGH | HIGH | OUT | ||
| 6 | Brian | IN | HIGH | IN | IN | LOW | IN | LOW | IN | IN | LOW | HIGH | HIGH | HIGH | OUT | |||
| 7 | Stephanie | IN | IN | HIGH | LOW | IN | IN | WIN | LOW | HIGH | HIGH | LOW | WIN | OUT | ||||
| 8 | Carrie | HIGH | WIN | IN | HIGH | IN | IN | HIGH | IN | HIGH | IN | IN | OUT | |||||
| 9 | Justin | IN2 | IN | WIN | HIGH | IN | HIGH | IN | LOW | LOW | LOW | OUT | ||||||
| 10 | Travis | IN | HIGH | IN | LOW | WIN | LOW | LOW | IN | HIGH | OUT | |||||||
| 11 | Sara | HIGH | IN | IN | LOW | IN | LOW | IN | IN | OUT | ||||||||
| 12 | Patty | LOW | LOW | IN | HIGH | HIGH | IN | OUT | ||||||||||
| 13 | Bene | IN | IN | IN | LOW | LOW | OUT | |||||||||||
| 14 | Michael | IN2 | IN | IN | IN | OUT | ||||||||||||
| 15 | Janine | IN | IN | IN | OUT | |||||||||||||
| 16 | Bret | IN | LOW | OUT | ||||||||||||||
| 17 | Aaron | LOW | HIGH | OUT3 | ||||||||||||||
| 18 | Jason | IN | OUT | |||||||||||||||
| 19 | Ramon | OUT | ||||||||||||||||
^Note 1 : The chef(s) did not receive immunity for winning the Quickfire Challenge.
^Note 2 : As the winners of Padma's Picks, Justin and Michael were given immunity for the first Elimination Challenge.
^Note 3 : Aaron was eliminated by placing last in the Quickfire Challenge.
^Note 4 : Team Lakshmi consisted of Bene, Brian, Carlos, Nicholas, Nina, Patty, and Travis.
^Note 5 : Louis won Last Chance Kitchen and returned to the competition.
- (WINNER) The chef won the season and was crowned "Top Chef".
- (RUNNER-UP) The chef was a runner-up for the season.
- (WIN) The chef won the Elimination Challenge.
- (HIGH) The chef was selected as one of the top entries in the Elimination Challenge, but did not win.
- (IN) The chef was not selected as one of the top or bottom entries in the Elimination Challenge and was safe.
- (LOW) The chef was selected as one of the bottom entries in the Elimination Challenge, but was not eliminated.
- (OUT) The chef lost the Elimination Challenge.
Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 157 | 1 | "Soiree in the Swamp" | October 2, 2013 | |
|
Elimination Challenge: The chefs were sent to a swamp and asked to create a dish highlighting a Louisiana delicacy: alligator, turtle, or frog. The contestants were randomly assigned proteins by Lakshmi and Colicchio. The guests at the party voted for their favorite meals by presenting a string of Mardi Gras beads to the chefs whose dishes they liked the most. The three chefs who collected the most beads were eligible to win, while the three chefs with the least amount were put up for elimination. The guest judge was chef Curtis Stone. | ||||
| 158 | 2 | "Rebuilding New Orleans" | October 9, 2013 | |
|
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs were given an entire night to prepare a gumbo inspired by their heritage. The guest judge was chef Leah Chase.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs were separated into four teams and worked in food trucks to serve lunch for Habitat for Humanity volunteers. The guest judge was chef Susan Spicer.
| ||||
| 159 | 3 | "Commander's Palace" | October 16, 2013 | |
|
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs were challenged to create a dish that reinvents one of four popular food trends: "eggs over everything", kale, bacon, or smoked foods. The contestants drew knives to select their trends. Revealed to be an Elimination Quickfire, the chef with the judges' least favorite dish would be sent home. The guest judge was Food & Wine editor-in-chief Dana Cowin.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs had to replicate classic dishes from the Commander's Palace menu.
| ||||
| 160 | 4 | "Captain Vietnam" | October 23, 2013 | |
|
Elimination Challenge: The chefs were separated into three teams to create a menu inspired by the Vietnamese influence on the shrimping industry in New Orleans. At least one dish on the menu had to feature shrimp.
| ||||
| 161 | 5 | "Lea Michele's Halloween Bash" | October 30, 2013 | |
|
Quickfire Challenge: In a throwback to the Top Chef: Seattle Reynolds Wrap challenge, all ingredients and cooking utensils were completely wrapped in aluminum foil. The mothers of Padma Lakshmi and Gail Simmons, Vijaya Lakshmi and Renée Simmons, shopped for the chefs' ingredients and equipment. The contestants, split into two teams, had to create three dishes incorporating every ingredient. The winning team split $10,000.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs, separated into pairs, catered a Halloween costume party. The guest judge was actress Lea Michele.
| ||||
| 162 | 6 | "Campfires, Cream Cheese and Countryside" | November 6, 2013 | |
|
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs created dishes that highlighted the creole tomato. The guest judge was chef John Besh.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs had to make a dish using farm-fresh ingredients and featuring Philadelphia cream cheese. The contestants drew knives to determine their portion of the meal: appetizer, entrée, or dessert. The Quickfire winner was allowed to choose their course. The winner of the challenge received $10,000.
| ||||
| 163 | 7 | "Jazz Hands" | November 13, 2013 | |
|
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs rotated around prep stations in the kitchen in a version of musical chairs, continuing and completing the dishes that they ended up at. The guest judge was jazz trumpeter Kermit Ruffins.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs worked in teams to prepare potluck meals for a party hosted by Kermit Ruffins for a group of musicians.
| ||||
| 164 | 8 | "Piggin' Out" | November 20, 2013 | |
|
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs prepared their own hot sauce. The guest judge was singer Dr. John.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs each prepared a dish from their portion of a whole hog, in the spirit of a Cajun boucherie, or communal slaughtering. The guest judges were chefs Toby Rodriguez and Donald Link.
| ||||
| 165 | 9 | "Restaurant Wars" | December 4, 2013 | |
|
Elimination Challenge: The chefs had 24 hours to create a pop-up restaurant. They set up both the dining area and the kitchen area, and executed a multi-course dinner service. One member from the losing team was eligible for elimination. The guest judge was restaurateur David Chang.
| ||||
| 166 | 10 | "Like Mama Made" | December 11, 2013 | |
|
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs created dishes featuring Dunkin' Donuts coffee. The winner received $10,000.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs created dishes that reminded them of home.
| ||||
| 167 | 11 | "Giving It the College Try" | December 18, 2013 | |
|
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs created dishes using drumsticks.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs served lunch to 500 freshman students at Louisiana State University. The winner received a brand new Toyota RAV4.
| ||||
| 168 | 12 | "Mississippi Mud Bugs" | January 1, 2014 | |
|
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs prepared their own version of a crawfish étouffée.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs had to create a dish highlighting two different types of seafood.
| ||||
| 169 | 13 | "Oui Si a Challenge" | January 8, 2014 | |
|
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs replicated a dish prepared by Jacques Pépin (Dover Sole with Artichokes and Asparagus).
Elimination Challenge: The chefs were divided into two teams to prepare five-course tasting menus influenced by French and Spanish cuisine, respectively. The menus both featured olives, almonds, mussels, chicken, and chocolate. The French team was advised by Dominique Crenn, and the Spanish team by Julián Serrano.
| ||||
| 170 | 14 | "Po' Boy Smackdown" | January 15, 2014 | |
|
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs made gourmet po'boys. The guest judge was chef Roy Choi.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs made dishes that represented a turning point in their career when they found their own culinary voice. The guest judge was filmmaker Jon Favreau.
| ||||
| 171 | 15 | "Leaving New Orleans" | January 22, 2014 | |
|
Quickfire Challenge: The challenge occurred in two stages. In the first, the chefs made a one-bite dish that featured a combination of sweet, savory, sour, and spicy flavors. The chefs with the two best dishes advanced to the second stage, where they created a dish highlighting either bell pepper or eggplant. Instead of immunity, the winner received a brand new Toyota Corolla.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs created dishes inspired by their time in New Orleans.
| ||||
| 172 | 16 | "Maui Wowie" | January 29, 2014 | |
|
Quickfire Challenge: The chefs made dishes using Spam. Instead of immunity, the winner received $10,000.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs made dishes featuring canoe plants. Two chefs were eliminated. | ||||
| 173 | 17 | "Finale" | February 5, 2014 | |
|
Elimination Challenge: The finalists, with the assistance of three sous chefs of their choosing (Jason, Louis, and Brian for Nicholas, and Shirley, Stephanie, and Travis for Nina)had to cook the best four-course meal of their lives.
| ||||
Last Chance Kitchen
| No. | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Ramon vs. Jason vs. Aaron vs. Bret vs. Janine" | October 23, 2013 | |
|
Challenge: The chefs were allowed to cook any dish.
| |||
| 2 | "Janine vs. Michael" | October 30, 2013 | |
|
Challenge: The chefs were challenged to make risotto.
| |||
| 3 | "Janine vs. Bene" | November 6, 2013 | |
|
Challenge: The chefs made dishes using frozen and canned vegetables.
| |||
| 4 | "Janine vs. Patty" | November 13, 2013 | |
|
Challenge: The chefs created dishes highlighting onions. They were required to chop up a tub of onions before they could start on the challenge itself. In addition, they could not do any additional prep work once they started cooking.
| |||
| 5 | "Janine vs. Louis" | November 20, 2013 | |
|
Challenge: The chefs were given $25 to spend at a farmers' market. They were allowed to keep only three of their purchased ingredients, and given only 20 minutes to prepare a dish.
| |||
| 6 | "Louis vs. Sara" | December 4, 2013 | |
|
Challenge: The chefs made savory dishes featuring mascarpone. They were blindfolded for 10 minutes in the middle of the challenge and had to instruct a sous-chef (Jason for Louis, Janine for Sara) on how to continue preparing their dishes.
| |||
| 7 | "Louis vs. Travis" | December 11, 2013 | |
|
Challenge: The chefs made dishes highlighting Asian ingredients, including three out of the following: tripe, sea cucumber, Humboldt squid, chicken feet, duck feet, pork tongue, dried shrimp, and Chinese sausage. They were given 45 minutes for the challenge.
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| 8 | "Louis vs. Justin" | December 18, 2013 | |
|
Challenge: The chefs made dishes highlighting ingredients from their opponent's home region; Louis used ingredients from Louisiana, while Justin used ingredients from Northern California.
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| 9 | "Louis vs. Carrie" | January 1, 2014 | |
|
Challenge: The chefs prepared dishes using broccoli.
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| 10 | "Louis vs. Stephanie" | January 8, 2014 | |
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Challenge: The chefs each prepared a savory and a sweet beignet.
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| 11 | "Louis vs. Brian" | January 15, 2014 | |
|
Challenge: The chefs made dishes using the skin and bones from various animals. They had 45 minutes to prepare their dishes.
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| 12 | "Louis vs. Carlos" | January 22, 2014 | |
|
Challenge: The chefs made dishes showcasing a fresh Hawaiian fish. They had an hour to prepare their dishes, which were tasted blind by Tom Colicchio, Emeril Lagasse, and the three finalists (Nicholas, Nina, Shirley).
| |||
References
- Notes
- The contestants' city and state of residence during time of filming.
- Footnotes
- Reyhani, Monica A. (May 10, 2013). "'Top Chef' Season 11 Heads to..." Bravo. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- Walker, Dave (August 12, 2013). "'Top Chef: New Orleans' to premiere Oct. 2, season guests to include Leah Chase, Kermit Ruffins". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- Conrad, Marissa (2014-01-06). "EXCLUSIVE: Top Chef Goes Tropical! See Where the Finale Will Be Held". People. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
- Bricker, Tierney (August 12, 2013). "Top Chef: New Orleans Premiere Date Announced: Watch Season 11 Promo Featuring Lea Michele Now!". E! Online. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- Walker, Dave (May 13, 2013). "State, local tourism offices paying $375,000 to underwrite 'Top Chef: New Orleans'". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- Walker, Dave (August 9, 2013). "New Orleans chefs to compete for 'Top Chef' role in online competition". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- Chan, Anna (February 6, 2014). "'Top Chef' judges defend shocking finale decision". Today. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
- Doss, Laine (March 3, 2014). "Nina Compton on Life After Top Chef". Miami New Times. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- "Introducing the 'Top Chef' Season 11 Cheftestants". Bravo. August 12, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
- Walker, Dave (August 13, 2013). "Bravo releases second batch of 'Top Chef: New Orleans' chefs, second video". The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
- Walker, Dave (August 14, 2013). "Bravo announces third batch of 'Top Chef: New Orleans' chefs". The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
- Walker, Dave (August 14, 2013). "'Padma's Picks' delivers surprise twist to 'Top Chef: New Orleans'". The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
- Ng, Philiana (June 4, 2014). "Bravo's 'Top Chef Duels' Lands Premiere Date, Celebrity Guests (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
- Spence, Shay (October 20, 2016). "Top Chef Is Bringing Back 8 Fan Favorite Contestants — See Who Made the Cut". People. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
- Huff, Lauren (December 12, 2019). "Unpack your knives: Top Chef announces all-star lineup for season 17". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 12, 2019.