Top Chef – San Francisco
Top Chef: San Francisco is the first season of American reality television series Top Chef and was based first in San Francisco, California, filmed at Paulding & Company, A Creative Kitchen, in Emeryville, and concluded in Las Vegas, Nevada. The season premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006 and ended on May 24, 2006. Season 1 of Top Chef was taped in October and November 2005 in San Francisco, California. Twelve contestants from around the United States lived together in a house for approximately 21 days competing in a series of challenges. The prize money awarded to the Top Chef was $100,000. The weekly series was hosted by Katie Lee Joel with regular judges chef Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons of Food & Wine Magazine. The winning recipe from each week's episode is featured on Bravo's Top Chef website.
Episodes
Who Deserves To Be Here
In the first episode of the series we meet the 12 contestants. For the quickfire challenge they are tested in Fleur de Lys (a San Fransisco restaurant). For the elimination challenge each chef must make their specialty.
Food Of Love
For this episode the contestants have to impress Elizabeth Falkner the owner of Citizen Cake. For the elimination challenge the turn up the heat with a "Sexy Dessert" contest for a fetish party for Mistress S.
Nasty Delights
For the quickfire challenge the contestants have to cook with octopus. For the elimination round the contestants are put into two teams: Red and Blue. They have to cook monk fish specialties for the kids at the Boys and Girls Club of America.
Food on the Fly
For the quickfire challenge the contestants are brought to a convenience store to buy ingredients for their dish. For the elimination round the contestants must create a delicious entree that can be reheated in a microwave for women at a local Junior League.
Blind Confusion
For the quickfire challenge, the contestants are brought into an isolated room with many random exotic foods. They have to guess what they are with a blindfold on. For the elimination challenge the contestants are put into pairs and have to make fusion dishes with Latin and one other type of cuisine.
Guess Who's Coming To Dinner
For the quickfire challenge the contestants are put under some serious money restraints. They have to choose from ingredients that are put in front of them that are priced by the pound and can only spend up to three dollars, but all the food on the Top Chef pantry was free.
Restaurant Wars
For the quickfire challenge the contestants must make a gourmet sandwich. The winner doesn't get immunity but a sandwich on chef Tom Colicchio's menu at his new sandwich restaurant. For the Elimination Challenge the contestants are put into teams and have to basically create a restaurant and menu. The restaurants would be set up in two different rooms in the same building, both visible from the entrance. The menus will be displayed in the waiting area so the customers can choose which restaurant they want to eat at, then rate their dining experience.
Wedding Bell Blues
Teams compete for the chance to cater a commitment ceremony.
Napa's Finest
The four remaining contestants cook for some of Napa Valley's most respected chefs.
Reunion
Contestants reminisce about the competition.
Finale (1)
Finale (2)
The final two contestants compete in the last elimination round to see who will become Top Chef.