Top Chef: San Francisco

Quickfire Challenge: The chefs had to survive working the line at chef Hubert Keller's restaurant, Fleur de Lys, for 30 minutes. The winner, determined by Keller, received immunity from elimination.

• Winner: Lee Anne

Elimination Challenge: The chefs had to prepare a signature dish to be served to the judges and the other Top Chef contestants. Hubert Keller reappeared as a guest judge.

• 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. The guest judge for the episode was chef Elizabeth Falkner.

• 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, for 50 guests, including drag queen RuPaul.

• 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 were given one hour to prepare octopus. The winner received immunity from elimination. The guest judge for the episode was chef Laurent Manrique.

• Winner: Tiffani (Red Wine-Braised Angel Hair Pasta with Cold Octopus)
• Withdrew: Cynthia (Octopus with Tarragon Whiskey Sauce)^[b]

Elimination Challenge: Working in two teams, the chefs prepared monkfish for a group of children at the Boys & Girls Club, 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. The guest judge for the episode was chef Jefferson Hill.

• Winner: Lee Anne (Funyuns-Battered Spiedini)

Elimination Challenge: Each chef created a gourmet entrée that could be reheated in a microwave. They then presented their dishes to a group of women from the Junior League of Oakland-East Bay, who would rate their meals.

• Winner: Tiffani (Mirin-Glazed Sea Bass)
• Eliminated: Candice (Shrimp & Spinach Quiche)

Quickfire Challenge: The chefs competed in a blindfolded taste test, where they were given five minutes to identify as many ingredients as possible. The winner received immunity from elimination. The guest judge for the episode was chef Mike Yakura.

• Winner: Andrea

Elimination Challenge: Working in teams of two, the chefs created street food fusing Latin American cuisine with one other ethnic cuisine. After a random knife draw, Dave and Tiffani were assigned Moroccan, Andrea and Miguel were assigned Indian, Lee Anne and Stephen were assigned Chinese, and Harold and Lisa were assigned Japanese. The teams had to distribute their dish from a cart in the Mission District of San Francisco.

• Winners: Dave, Tiffani (Moroccan Cubano Pork Sandwich)
• Eliminated: Lisa (Seared Tuna Avocado Salad)

Quickfire Challenge: The chefs had 20 minutes to create an appetizer using $3 worth of ingredients, priced by the ounce. The guest judge for the episode was television host and author Ted Allen.

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

Elimination Challenge: The chefs had to create a seven-course dinner party for Ted Allen to celebrate the launch of his latest cookbook. At first, each chef was able to choose which course they wanted to execute. However, the producers later introduced a random knife draw, forcing each chef to work on another contestant'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 an original sandwich in 30 minutes using any of the available ingredients. The winning sandwich would be on the menu at the San Francisco location of Tom Colicchio's 'wichcraft restaurant. From this point forward, immunity from elimination was no longer available as a reward.

• Winner: Harold (Mortadella Dandelion Sandwich)

Elimination Challenge: Working in two teams of three, the chefs had 24 hours to transform an empty restaurant space into a pop-up restaurant. The teams were responsible for their restaurants' decor and menu. The guest diners chose which restaurant to attend and rated them based on food, atmosphere, and overall experience, which determined the winning and losing teams. The guest judge for the challenge was restaurateur and financier Jeffrey Chodorow. The winner received the opportunity to accompany Chodorow and his associates to the Cannes Film Festival in France.

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

Quickfire Challenge: The chefs had 90 minutes to design a wedding reception menu and pitch it to the 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; however, the team had less than a day to prepare. The guest judge for the challenge was wedding planner Marcy Blum.

• 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 Shrimp Ceviche)

Elimination Challenge: The remaining chefs traveled to the Napa Valley's Copia museum to prepare a dish incorporating expensive black Périgord truffles to be served with 2001 Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon wine. The dishes were served to a group of top professional chefs from Northern California, including Douglas Keane, Cindy Pawlcyn, Philippe Jeanty, Lissa Doumani, Hiro Sone, Greg Cole, James McDevitt, Keith Luce, and Victor Scargle, alongside the founder of Shafer Vineyards, John Shafer.

• 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 in Las Vegas, Nevada, 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. 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. The guest judge for the challenge was chef Hubert Keller.

• Winners: Harold, Tiffani
• Eliminated: Dave

Elimination Challenge: The two finalists each prepared a five-course tasting meal to be served to a table of 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. The guest judges for the challenge were actress Lorraine Bracco, Food & Wine editor-in-chief Dana Cowin, restaurateur Drew Nieporent, and chefs Hubert Keller and Michael Mina.

• 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 Branzino with Ratatouille; Crispy Branzino 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