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Top Chef 4 Episode Recaps

Episode 15: Reunion (Air Date: June 18, 2008)

Contestants reunite with judges Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons and Ted Allen to dish on the season. Plus: The “fan favorite” chef is announced.



Episode 14: Finale Part II (Air Date: June 11, 2008)

In the season finale, the three remaining chefs battle for the title of Top Chef as they create their own meals for judges in Puerto Rico.



Episode 13: Puerto Rico (Air Date: June 4, 2008)

In Part 1 of the two-part Season 4 finale, the remaining four chefs journey to Puerto Rico to square off for the final three spots. Chef Wilo Benet is the guest judge.



Episode 12: High Steaks (Air Date: May 28, 2008)

The remaining five chefs test their butcher skills and prepare steak for the final challenge before Aspen. Chef Rick Tramonto appears as a guest judge.



Episode 11: Restaurant Wars (Air Date: May 21, 2008)

After a hectic breakfast-themed Quickfire Challenge at a Chicago diner, the chefs face off in this season’s Restaurant Wars. Guest judges include chef José Andrés and Anthony Bourdain.



Episode 10: Serve and Protect (Air Date May 14, 2008)

The remaining chefs battle fatigue and each another in a salad-making Quickfire Challenge. Past Top Chef contestant Sam Talbot makes a surprise appearance as a guest judge.



Episode 9: Wedding Wars (Air Date May 7, 2008)

Pastry chef Gale Gand appears this week as the chefs test their knife skills and then prepare dishes for a dream wedding.



Episode 8: Common Threads (Air Date April 30, 2008)

After Jen is eliminated, the chefs prepare for a Quickfire Challenge judged by Oprah Winfrey’s former personal chef, Art Smith.



Episode 7: Improv (Air Date April 23, 2008)

Contestants test their improvisational skills at Chicago’s Second City Theater—then must defend their dishes before pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini and the judges.



Episode 6: Tailgating (Air Date April 16, 2008)

The contestants dealt with the drama of Zoi’s elimination and Dale’s outburst last week and created their best tailgating dishes for guest judge Paul Kahan (a F&W Best New Chef 1999) and football fans at a Chicago Bears game.



Episode 5: The Elements (Air Date April 9, 2008)

Contestants facing elimination defend their dishes before guest judge Ming Tsai and the other judges, who voice concerns about flavor, execution, and poor fish-cleaning technique.



Episode 4: Film Food (Air Date April 2, 2008)

The contestants put their technical skills to the test for guest judge chef Daniel Boulud (a F&W Best New Chef 1988), and create five-course meals based on their favorite movies for the benefit of film critic Richard Roeper and actress Aisha Tyler.



Episode 3: Block Party (Air Date: March 26, 2008)

First the contestants are asked to create upscale tacos (the winning one has a jicama shell) for renowned Chicago chef (and a F&W Best New Chef 1988) Rick Bayless. Then, two teams face off with competing block party menus.



Episode 2: Zoo Food (Air Date March 19, 2008)

Guest judges Rocco DeSpirito and Anthony Bourdain evaluate the competing chefs’ modern interpretations of such classic dishes as soufflé, duck ala orange and lasagna.



Episode 1: Anything You Can Cook I Can Cook Better (Air Date March 12, 2008)

For the Quickfire Challenge, the chefs reinvent a Chicago-style deep dish pizza for guest judge Rocco DiSpirito, topping pies with inventive ingredients like pickled kohlrabi, peaches and vegemite.



Video Recaps of Previous Seasons

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