Top Chef was launched on Bravo in 2006 and featured civilians called 'cheftestants' competing for $100,000, a feature in Food & Wine magazine, and a showcase at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.[1] The programme frequently had guests as judges, prompting the programme's judges Tom Colicchio and Hubert Keller to consider mounting a derivative of the programme for professionals.[2] Bravo announced Top Chef Masters in July 2008[3] and its lineup in April 2009; ex-model Kelly Choi was to host, while the judges comprised Saveur editor-in-chief James Oseland, New York Magazine restaurant critic Gael Greene, and British writer Jay Rayner.[4] Rayner's participation prompted explainer articles as to who he was, as American audiences were unfamiliar with him.[5]
Episodes were filmed in Los Angeles, with production handled by Magical Elves, and each featured a quickfire challenge scored blind out of five and an elimination challenge.[4] Winners won $100,000 for a charity of their choice.[6] The first season was won by Rick Bayless, who beat two runners up including Keller.[7] Among the guest judges for that series was Colicchio and Gail Simmons,[4] who joined the panel for season two;[8] that series was won by Marcus Samuelsson.[9]
Choi was replaced with Australian chef Curtis Stone in January 2011[10] and Greene and Rayner with Gourmet writer Ruth Reichl[6] that March,[11] with Stone also judging.[6] Rayner attributed his sacking to the production company not wanting two non-American voices judging.[12] From season three, winning a quickfire challenge won $5,000 and an elimination challenge $10,000, and chefs were no longer graded on a scale.[11] The season was won by Floyd Cardoz.[13]
Production moved to Las Vegas for the fourth season, which was judged by Oseland, Reichl, journalist Krista Simmons, and Gilt Taste editor Francis Lam[14] and won by Chris Cosentino.[15] For the fifth and final series,[16] the series returned to Los Angeles.[17] Chefs were paired with sous chefs, who competed in Battle of the Sous Chefs, a parallel online-only series presented by Hugh Acheson; winning and losing sous chefs won their master chefs advantages and disadvantages. Episodes were judged by Oseland, Lam, Reichl, Los Angeles Magazine editor Lesley Suter, and a returning Gail Simmons, who was head judge.[18] Douglas Keane won the series.[19]
