The first three-hour shift is designed to test one of the most important qualities a true master must possess: speed. Speed judge Jet Tila will taste and score every dish, separating the leaders of the pack from the chefs on the brink of elimination. Right out of the gate, the chefs are served up a shocking twist that sets the tone for the rest of the competition, letting them know that no one will be safe from elimination until the end.
During hours three through six, the remaining chefs are forced to adapt to constant twists and turns. Hosts Michael Symon and Esther Choi have two chefs face elimination immediately, while the others enjoy a moment of rest. Then, the chefs must overcome restrictions, curveballs and expert judging from Stephanie Izard in order to make it to hour seven.
Fatigue starts to set in as the chefs face hours seven and eight in this intense culinary journey. Hosts Michael Symon and Esther Choi put forth three challenges in one where the chefs must turn one bag of ingredients into three distinct, delicious meals. This never-before-seen social experiment will be over for whoever fails to impress guest judge Scott Conant.
By the end of shift four, the remaining chefs will have been cooking for 12 consecutive hours. To make it to hour 13, Michael Symon and Esther Choi present their toughest task yet -- teamwork. Working with chefs they just met mere hours ago, the competitors have to strategize, collaborate and execute under the critical eyes of guest judges Michael and Bryan Voltaggio.
Exhaustion becomes palpable as the chefs enter hour 13 of their 24-hour competition. Hosts Michael Symon and Esther Choi challenge them with the unenviable task of turning microwave meals into works of art, and that's the easy part! Guest judge Eric Adjepong will decide which of these chefs must clock out.
Hosts Michael Symon and Esther Choi begin the most devious shift of all as the chefs earn points during each challenge. They'll be tested in cooking, strategy and much more as guest judge Maneet Chauhan decides their fate. Whoever has the lowest point total at the end will have to clock out, just two shifts shy of a massive pay day.
As hosts Michael Symon and Esther Choir introduce hour 18 of non-stop cooking, the chefs are bruised, battered and at their breaking point. Simplicity is one of the most difficult techniques to master for any chef, and when they're this exhausted, it borders on impossible. Guest judge Brooke Williamson decides which four chefs will receive a spot in the finale, a mere four challenges and three hours away.
The four remaining chefs have survived 20 challenges and beat out 20 other chefs to arrive at this moment. In the final hours, hosts Michael Symon and Esther Choi revisit an old challenge where the chefs must cook the best dishes of their lives. Whoever can stave off the final daggers of exhaustion and impress a superstar panel of judges will walk away with a $50,000 prize and an unforgettable trip to Hawaii.
Co-hosts Michael Symon and Esther Choi invite 24 of America's most talented and fearless chefs to compete in an intense competition of 24 challenges in 24 nonstop hours. In the first shift, the chefs must endure three challenges testing speed. Whoever can impress judge Antonia Lofaso will survive, and whoever doesn't will be forced to clock out. When Michael and Esther introduce the all-important golden knife, the chefs learn that this epic day of cooking will be full of twists and turns. The chefs that can adjust on the fly have a chance to be the last chef standing.
Co-hosts Michael Symon and Esther Choi begin the second shift with two chefs in a head-to-head elimination battle that tests simplicity. Their assignment is to turn a basic sandwich plus three ingredients of their choosing into a fancy lunch. After judge Graham Elliot decides which chef will clock out, the 12 remaining chefs must use the simplest of tools -- their palate -- to pass a tricky test that impacts their ability to survive a second elimination challenge. It's only hour four, so the chefs are still running on adrenaline and energy ... for now!
The 11 remaining chefs are starting to feel the effects of cooking for seven straight hours. In a shift that tests resourcefulness, Michael Symon and Esther Choi ask the chefs to create a three-course meal worthy of a black-tie event in 60 minutes. But the chefs will have to be resourceful with more than just their time -- ingredients like strawberry milk, pimento cheese, carrot tops, dried scallops, Carolina reaper peppers and shell-on pistachios must also be incorporated into their meal. How they use the ingredients is up to them, but then it's up to judge Jet Tila to decide which chef will be clocking out.
At hour 10, fatigue has officially set in for the 10 remaining chefs, but there's no rest for the weary as they face their most creatively demanding challenges yet. First, co-hosts Michael Symon and Esther Choi give the chefs a mere 10 minutes to turn any available produce into a beautiful plate of food that will be judged not by taste but by appearance. Then, the chefs are assigned famous works of art which they must use for inspiration. Judge Fariyal Abdullahi decides which plates of food taste the best and which plates of food look most impressive, and the chef who does the poorest job will have to clock out.
Hour 13 of this extreme culinary competition features unrelenting twists and turns for the exhausted chefs. First, co-hosts Michael Symon and Esther Choi challenge the nine remaining competitors to turn snacks they find in the breakroom into dessert. Then, after being given only two minutes to shop for a lumberjack breakfast, the chefs must turn their breakfast ingredients into a different meal entirely for judge Brooke Williamson. And that's just the beginning!
Frustration and fatigue mounts in hour 16 as co-hosts Michael Symon and Esther Choi ask the eight remaining chefs to work in teams to make a soup and sandwich, all while handling three culinary curveballs that threaten to ruin their chances at survival. After the first challenge, one team is safe while the other team is left to keep on battling. Judges Carlos Anthony and Brian Malarkey decide who will move on to shift seven.
The chefs are tired and grumpy as shift number seven begins, but they're more determined than ever to get to the final shift and have a chance at winning $75,000. Co-hosts Michael Symon and Esther Choi present the first challenge, which features a three-way battle in spicy street food. Next, it's math time as the chefs must do some measurement calculations after being up for 19 hours! Then, the competitors make a finale-worthy fish dish for judge Andrew Zimmern to earn a spot in the final shift.