Knife Fight - Episode Guide

In the series premiere, The Gorbals in downtown Los Angeles is about to become a battlefield. All-Star British gastropub food master Brendan Collins takes on hyper-competitive Frenchman David Feau for Los Angeles-area bragging rights! The problem is they're only going to have one hour to brainstorm and prepare a five-star meal. Chef and host Ilan Hall is joined by celebrity judges Jeanne Kelley, Eric Wareheim and Bijou Phillips for a classic clash between Britain and France. See what the competitors whip up with special ingredients razor clams and live catfish.

Ray's and Stark Bar executive chef Kris Morningstar battles it out with his friend, "Top Chef" cooking competition veteran, CJ Jacobson of The Mercantile. The chefs must tackle white truffles, kohlrabi and ridgeback shrimp. But will one chef be up to the task when he realizes he's allergic to a main ingredient? Guest judges include Lou Amdur and Bad Religion's Brett Gurewitz.

It's Southern California versus Northern California when Wilshire chef Nyesha Arrington of "Top Chef" takes on James Beard Award nominee, Chris Kobayashi of Artisan Restaurant in Paso Robles. In this battle, the chefs must tackle Hawaiian Kampachi and braised lamb neck. Will this one be too close to call? Judging the culinary experience is actor Elijah Wood and food editor at "LAist" Krista Simmons.

Aussie chef Jordan Toft leaves his restaurant Eveleigh on the Sunset Strip to combat pasta wizard Jason Neroni from Venice, California's Superba Snack Bar! The well-traveled duo brings a worldly flair to host Ilan Hall's awesome special ingredients: Hawaiian bigeye tuna, geoduck clams and acorn squash! The contestants seem confident, but it'll all come down to execution when one hour is put on the clock. See who impresses chefs Octavio Becerra and Eric Greenspan and actor Patrick Fugit in another epic showdown at The Gorbals!

Chef Jason Fullilove's artistic cuisine takes on Brandon Boudet's rustic cooking style in Ilan Hall's kitchen at The Gorbals. Which chef will win the bragging rights--and a cheap little knife? Guests Erika Christensen, Amy Scattergood and Eric Koston will be the judge of that!

Chef Trevor Rocco of Red Hill looks to seek revenge on Umami Burger's John Herndon as they tackle Japanese yams and Maitake mushrooms. It's a bare knuckles boxing version of cooking--that may all come down to the presentation! Guest judges include Lou Amdur and Bill Esparza.

Beverly Hills-based Italian chef Mirko Paderno is very confident in the talents that made his restaurant Oliverio a hit. The Latin owner of Laguna Beach's Broadway, Amar Santana, goes back a long way with host Ilan Hall, so he knows how to compete. Big personalities call for big wagers as these two colossi of the kitchen agree to peel potatoes for a week in their competitor's kitchen if things don't swing their way. But chances are the edge will go to whomever can think fastest when the special ingredients are revealed: Santa Barbara uni, Needlefish and whole cooked pigs' heads. Can the accomplished chefs whip up something in an hour, or is this a recipe for disaster? "LAist" food editor Krista Simmons and actor-foodie Elijah Wood will render the verdict.

Short Order executive chef Christian Page is known for cutting up all his beef on-site for the freshest grass-fed burgers in town. His competition is quick-talking up-and-comer James Trees, who offers an interesting challenge: the victor gets to keep his beard! Chef Trees hopes to keep his foot out of his mouth when the special ingredient is revealed--a whole goat! While that may play to Chef Page's strengths, the toughest part of this equation will be tenderizing the chewy main course. Time will be a premium as they race to offer a unique take on the animal. See who wows judges Octavio Becerra and Eric Greenspan and saves his precious goat-ee.

We have a face-off between a self-taught sorceress and a culinary school golden child in this episode! Brazilian chef Natalia Pereira has built a sterling reputation through her restaurant WoodSpoon in Los Angeles from the humble beginnings of her mother's kitchen. Her competition is cooking battle veteran Phillip Lee, who had a shelf's worth of hardware before he even started running Scratch Bar in Beverly Hills. Chef Lee thinks he has an upper hand when Chef Pereira reveals she's never worked with the special ingredient, foie gras--but don't bet against her instincts! See which contestant makes the most of the time allotted and wins over respected judges Evan Kleiman and Stephane Bombet. Tough crowd.

Los Angeles born-and-raised Jeremy Strubel is SoCal through and through. The neighborhood guy will match up against BierBeisl chef-owner Bernhard Mairinger, whose talents are just as imposing as his six foot seven inch Austrian frame. But their abilities will be tested by probably the most disparate collection of ingredients to date--haggis, chestnuts and jackfruit! Chefs Strubel and Mairinger will need every second of their 60 minutes to plate dishes for judges Lisa Arch and Quinn Hatfield and celebrity timekeeper Jason Lee. The contenders are in their corners. Ring the bell!

We have a grudge match on our hands. Chris Oh of Seoul Sausage Co. and Wes Lieberher of Beer Belly faced off once before in a Korean barbecue contest and there is no love lost between these two fierce competitors. When host Ilan Hall unveils Brussels sprout and beef tongue as the special ingredients, it's Chefs Oh and Lieberher whose tongues won't stop wagging. Chef Oh thinks he has it in the bag until he realizes The Gorbals is missing the tools necessary to make his signature sausage. Will going back to his Korean roots pull him back even, or will he suffer defeat at the hands of Wes Lieberher for a second time? Judges Michael Midgley and David Feau are giants in their field. See which dishes earn their favor!

It's a high-stakes match between chefs and friends Neil Shuman and Tim Abell for the prize of saying "Look mom, I won!" Will Neil's professional culinary training beat out Tim's time spent as a gourmet truck chef? All bets are on as actress Erika Christensen and Amy Scattergood judge their kitchen battle with manila clams and Berkshire pork loin.

Will the competitive spirit of chef Amanda Baumgarten earn her the win against "L.A. Magazine's" 2012 Chef of the Year Micah Wexler? Judges Lisa Arch and Quinn Hatfield will have the final say.

Chef Octavio Becerra goes to bat against chef Ricardo Zarate. Tonight they work with turkey, monkfish liver and spiny lobster. Guests judges Elia Aboumrad and Eddie Lin will taste their concoctions and determine the underground kitchen winner.

"Chopped" champion Bruce Kalman takes on "Top Chef" runner-up Stefan Richter to make two dishes incorporating shibumi and naked cowboy oysters, nasturtiums and quails. Can Kalman's rustic flavors and cool confidence compete with Richter's elegant cuisine and Nordic bravado? Watch these two chefs square off.

It's old school versus new school when veteran chef Jason Travi takes on Zagat's 30 Under 30 chef John-Carlos Kuramoto. Can Travi's New England roots compete with Kuramoto's Japanese and Mexican-influenced upbringing? See what the two chefs come up with using trout roe, acorn fed Berkshire pork loin and wild clovers.

Dustin Trani grew up in his parents' restaurant in San Pedro and Vartan Abgaryan spent his classtime day dreaming of what he'd cook when he got home. These two child prodigies grew up to run the kitchens at DOMA and Cliff's Edge in Los Angeles--but their talents will be tested by the secret ingredients. Lamb belly is extremely difficult to tenderize in 60 minutes and live crawfish are, well, pinchy. See which competitor wows executive chefs Mark Peel and Michael Voltaggio to obtain the ultimate bragging rights.

We don't need Emeril Lagasse in the kitchen to finish off this season with a "bang"! Dear friends and Los Angeles legends Raphael Lunetta and Neal Fraser take their strikingly different personalities into one of our most manic competitions ever. Fraser comes out of the gate plating dishes left and right. Meanwhile, Chef Lunetta has judges Mark Peek, Drew Barrymore and Michael Cimarusti biting their nails as they watch the clock. Will his aged rib eye, abalone and Pacific Ocean trout dishes be done in time? See who's raving when their hour expires!

In the hour-long season premiere, chefs Tim Love of Texas and Mike Isabella of D.C. break down an entire pig—and place their own questionable side bet involving tequila… and a shoe.

Staten Island native Freddy Vargas specializes in rustic Italian cuisine at his Beverly Hills restaurant Scarpetta. His competition is foraging expert Justin Wills from Restaurant Beck in Depoe Bay, Oregon. Old World challenges the new school in a one-hour contest for cooking glory. While special ingredient wild arugula plays to Justin's strengths, will his choice to pressure cook the oxtail be his undoing? See if he can braise the meat in time and claim victory!

Big Texan and two-time James Beard nominee Chris Shephard leaves his kitchen at Underbelly in Houston to challenge Hudson House chef Brooke Williamson on her home turf! Under the close scrutiny of the judges and their significant others, how will the duo handle special ingredients bottarga, mustard frills and live Alaskan king crab! Brooke goes for big flavor while Chris gets experimental. Will the risk pay off, or will things go better for the crab?

Two L.A. rivals—the innovative chef of La Poubelle, Johnny Zone, and former minor league pitcher Michael Teich of The Wallace—take on a tough (and thistly) secret ingredient: cardoon.

Friends of 15 years face off! Italian wunderkind Sal Marino of Il Grano and La Bottega in Santa Monica challenges old friend and former "Knife Fight" judge Mark Peel. After the closure of his restaurant Campanile last year, Mark is hungry to redeem himself on the L.A. culinary scene. To get it done, he'll have to use English peas and tendrils, sea snails and venison better than his seasoned opponent. See if they remain friends after the decision!

Sweetbreads sounds much tastier than cow thymus--but make no mistake! Two of Los Angeles' finest chefs will make the exotic cut of beef sing! Acabar's Kevin Luzande and City Tavern's Jessica Christensen match wits for city bragging rights and a big knife in another great episode. See who makes the best of special ingredients lentils and beer to take their meat to the next level and who will be drowning their sorrows after their one hour is up!

Legendary Portland chef Vitaly Paley volunteers two of his most accomplished pupils for an unforgettable slugfest at The Gorbals! Imperial's Benjamin Bettinger unleashes a bacon-wrapped rabbit roulade that might be the knockout blow, but Paley Place's Patrick McKee counters with a one-two rabbit tartare and loin combo that evens things up. It all comes down to their pig ear dishes! Did they leave the ears in the pressure cooker long enough?

Who will draw first blood? Southern Californians Tin Vuong of Abigaile and Perry Cheung of Phorage engage in a spirited battle with an Asian flavor. Both chefs seem confident using tea and Satsuki rice--but will either falter with the third special ingredient? See who can make vampires drool with their pig blood dishes! We have everything from delicious custard to breakfast omelets to fried chicken in this one.

"Top Chef" alum Kevin Gillespie of Atlanta's Gunshow draws local underdog Eric Park of the Black Hogg gastropub in a super-close fight to the finish! See where their imagination takes them with special ingredients Angry Orchard hard cider, live scallops and pigs' feet. And speaking of feet, host Ilan Hall makes Eric wear a walking boot to match Kevin's and level the playing field. Will celebrity judge Brett Gurewitz get a kick out of the dishes that our chefs trot out there?

It's the Battle of New Orleans! Commander's Palace chef Tory McPhail takes on his former employee Sue Zemanick of Ivy to settle a years-old score. Sue hasn't forgotten getting fired by her former mentor or getting beat out by him for the James Beard Award in 2013. Is she willing to play dirty to turn the tides in her favor? The two chefs churn out seven delicious plates using special ingredients pastis, bison and conch! See who takes home the big knife in this classic grudge match!

We have a tag team match! Portland chefs John Gorham and Kasey Mills of Toro Bravo bring their exotic flavors to The Gorbals to face off against locals David Lentz and Kris Longley from The Hungry Cat. This episode's special ingredients include live sea cucumber, quail and dragonfruit! With three very distinct flavors on the menu, teamwork will be key to pulling out a victory. And between the quail's tiny bones and the sea cucumber's slimy skin, even working together might not save them from a colossal mistake!

Portland's Master Butcher Adam Sappington meets Kansas City's James Beard award winning chef Michael Smith in an epic pasta-beef battle. With a kitchen filled with surprises and semolina flour and a solid quarter of a cow, one can only imagine the possible outcomes. Will the known pasta expert be able to keep up with the expert butcher and his saw? Find out whose dishes will take home the winner's knife.

Season 1 winner Ricardo Zarate returns to the kitchen to defend his reign against Los Angeles area Fig restaurant Executive Chef Ray Garcia in a super-close battle for the title. With octopus, alpaca and high-quality mangalitsa pork fat as the night's special ingredients, there's no telling what will happen. With 1 hour on the clock and 2 dishes on the line, will either of them be able to pull off a 3rd dish and the win for the night?

Let it rain! Seattle chef Jason Wilson from Crush and good friend Greg Denton of Portland's Ox match wits in a battle of Northwest titans! Jason is a 2010 James Beard Award winner while his protege Greg recently got knocked out in the semifinals. Is redemption on the menu? See who prepares juniper berries, chicken gizzards and Conger eel best in the tightest competition in the show's history.

It's a southern showdown! Best friends Kelly English of Memphis and Tandy Wilson of Nashville compete in an all-out battle. On top of this episode's special ingredients goose, beef tendon and heirloom carrots, the duo have placed a special wager on the chopping block. Find out who will be taking home the winner's knife--and their facial hair.

When renowned San Francisco chef Traci Des Jardins visits L.A., she stays with uber-talented Border Grill chef Mary Sue Milliken. Watch things get awkward as the two close friends battle it out for one night at The Gorbals! On the menu are yucca, skate wing and whole pheasant. Will Traci's Nicoise flavors overcome Mary Sue's Latin cuisine? Find out who goes home a champion in another tight race!

It's Nor Cal vs. So Cal when Santa Barbara's Jason Paluska and Oakland's Kyle Itani duke it out for the ultimate prizes, bragging rights and the big knife. With this episode's special ingredients cilantro, collard greens and live halibut, it's anyone's game. Will a last minute frying oil delivery be enough to help Kyle's Japanese-s tyle dishes win over the judges and beat out Tex-Mex lover Jason? Find out!

Two Bay Area titans face off in the Battle of San Francisco! Locanda Osteria chef Anthony Strong challenges his hero and 2014 James Beard Award winner Charles Phan. Faced with the task of combining burrata and either flying fish or monkfish, can the two chefs overcome one of cooking's biggest faux pas and prepare a winning dish? Charles brings his Vietnamese-French flavors against Anthony's pasta-making expertise in a super-close battle!

We hope they know how to cook lamb! Harold Moore from Commerce in New York City and Kevin Nashan from St. Louis restaurant Sidney Street Cafe butcher and prepare the whole animal. Things get hairy when Harold mistakes sugar for salt and Kevin cuts himself. Who can recover and best season their meat with a wealth of mint varieties? It's a nail-biter at The Gorbals in another classic episode!

It's a two-on-two Los Angeles Mexican cuisine battle when chefs Gilberto Cetina and Daniel Elkins battle it out against Ricardo Diaz and Tony Alcazar for not one, but two winner's knives. The LA Times celebrated pairs are handed gooseberries, calf's liver and cactus. But with a special 3-dish minimum, will both teams be able to live up to their reputations? Find out!

It's a battle of the young guns when Top Chef top 5 finalist Brian Huskey dukes it out against sous chef Mei Lin. With this episode's special ingredients silkie chicken, aloe vera and taro root, these up-and-coming chefs have a difficult road to victory ahead. Find out which of these rising stars' dishes will rise to the top and take home the winner's knife.

It's a battle of the Rocky Mountains when Colorado chefs Steve Redzikowski and Kelly Liken battle head-to-head for bragging rights in the Centennial state. With this episode's special ingredients of beef heart, wild dandelion greens and Santa Barbara spot prawns, it's a surf and turf war! Will both chefs be able to pull off 3 solid dishes, or will one chef's last minute injury cost him or her a victory? Find out!

La Petite Grocery owner Justin Devillier travels from New Orleans to challenge The Churchill executive chef Michael Bryant on his home turf! Tonight every dish will have a variety of egg in it--from the funky flavor of 1,000-year-old egg to salty caviar and super-rich emu eggs. Who can play up their disparate flavors best and win the judges' favor? Both men enter confident; see who exits with egg on his face!

In the season finale, best friends and New York Austrian cuisine chefs, Edi Frauneder and Wolfgang Ban duke it out for bragging rights, the winner's knife and a special wager--loser gets a shaved head. With the episode's special ingredients beef cheeks, romanesco cauliflower and crickets, it's bound to be a battle almost too close to call.

Can competition vet Dale Talde fend off young upstart Pete Lipson who's looking to make a name for himself by shutting down one of New York's biggest chefs? To advance in this tournament, they need to impress judges, Naomi Pomeroy & Kris Morningstar.

Can the classical French training of Long Island native Todd Mitgang survive the onslaught of Peruvian flavors from ceviche savant Miguel Aguilar? To advance on to the next round, the chefs must find a way to serve up tasty beef shank in just one hour.

Wolfgang Ban returns to once again face his partner Edi Frauneder. Will Edi steal away Wolfgang's winning knife or will Wolfgang reign supreme and continue on to the next round? They must impress judges Naomi Pomeroy, Kris Morningstar.

Jonah Miller's authentic Spanish cuisine must get past Einat Admony's bold Mediterranean flavors to move on to the next round. Both chefs need to win over our chef judges, Naomi Pomeroy and Kris Morningstar. Only one chef can advance - who will it be?

It's the seafood prowess of young newcomer Sean Telo versus the beet know-how of seasoned culinary veteran Franklin Becker. To make it to the next round, they'll need to make believers out of our judges, Kris Morningstar and Naomi Pomeroy.

Can Daniel Holzman, Manhattan's maestro of meatballs, take down his meatball mentor and rival, New York's legendary Italian, Joey Campanaro? The chefs do their best to impress judges Naomi Pomeroy and Kris Morningstar and make it to the next round.

New Jersey farm-to-table chef, David Felton, takes on Leah Cohen and her Asian influenced cuisine. Tonight they'll need to get the votes of our judges, Naomi Pomeroy and Kris Morningstar, and serve up one killer ingredient.

Boston native Tony Maws comes all the way to the big apple to take on New York local Vincent Chirico. To advance, they'll have to win over the judges and serve up some killer eel. It's another bloody Knife Fight battle.

The brash Dale Talde returns. His challenger tonight is the tiny powerhouse, Einat Admony. Only one chef will move onto the semifinals and that's up to Naomi Pomeroy and Kris Morningstar. The pressure is on in the kitchen and at the judges' table.

Tonight, Leah Cohen's mastery of Southeast Asian cuisine will face off against Miguel Aguilar's bold Peruvian flavors and world-class knife skills. Both chefs' hopes to move to the semifinals rest with our judges: Naomi Pomeroy and Kris Morningstar.

First round champs, Edi Frauneder and Franklin Becker square off in this quarterfinal match to see who will advance to the coveted semi-finals after pleasing the palates of our judges: Naomi Pomeroy and Kris Morningstar.

In tonight's quarterfinal match up, New York's famous Italian chef, Joey Campanaro, is back to compete against James Beard Award winner Tony Maws. They'll have to impress judges Naomi Pomeroy and Kris Morningstar to move onto the semifinals.

Miguel Aguilar faces Einat Admony in a fight to advance to the finals. Both chefs face a challenging ingredient, but who will buckle under the pressure? Our judges: Naomi Pomeroy, Kris Morningstar and guest judge Wylie Dufresne.

Joey Campanaro is back to duke it out in the semifinals. Tonight he challenges the boss from Austria, Edi Frauneder. To advance to the final they will have to score a T.K.O. with our judges: Naomi Pomeroy, Kris Morningstar and special guest judge Adam Sachs.

It's the epic grand finale battle and only two culinary conquistadors remain: the classically trained, Michelin-starred Austrian, Edi Frauneder, and the self- taught Peruvian powerhouse, Miguel Aguilar. They've created mind-blowing dishes to get to this point, but only one will go home with the prized 'Lamb Splitter' knife. James Beard winner Naomi Pomeroy and chef and owner of Terrine in Los Angeles, Kris Morningstar, will determine who will be crowned the 'Beast of the East'.

Brooklyn's own Jason Marcus takes on the boundless energy and bold style of Top Chef finalist Angelo Sosa. In this season 4 premiere, it's all about Jamón Ibérico. To advance in the tournament, the chefs must impress our judges: James Beard winner Sue Zemanick and Dale Talde, head of the Talde restaurant empire. It's go big or go home for the chefs in this first round match up.

Dallas-based food competition all-star Tre Wilcox matches wits with Spanish chef extraordinaire, Luis Bollo of Salinas in NYC. Judges Sue Zemanick of Gautreau's in New Orleans and New York's resident restaurant mogul Dale Talde determine whether the Texan triumphs or the Spaniard advances to the next round.

Brooklynite Bao Bao brings her unique Southeast Asian flavor to battle against the classic Chinese cuisine of New York native Chris Cheung. Will the pickled herring lead them astray? James Beard award winner Sue Zemanick and chef/owner of the Talde restaurant empire, Dale Talde, judge this Round One competition.

Legendary chef and three-time James Beard semi-finalist, Texan John Tesar battles Sean "The Grill God" Brasel, a rising star from Florida. To make it to the quarterfinals, they'll face some lively mudfish along with judges Dale Talde of the Talde restaurant empire and Sue Zemanick of Gautreau's in New Orleans.

New York sushi master John Daley matches knife skills with Brooklyn Star chef Quino Baca in a special Thanksgiving throwdown. Judges Dale Talde and Sue Zemanick talk turkey and decide who moves on in the tournament. When the cutlery comes out, which chef will be left standing?

New York's own Ed McFarland of Ed's Lobster Bar is pitted against Seattle's Josh Henderson, founder of the Huxley-Wallace Collective of eateries. Judging this first round battle are James Beard award winner Sue Zemanick and Dale Talde of the Talde restaurant empire. With jellyfish on the menu, things are bound to get salty!

New York native Gary Anza of Bowery Bay Bar takes on San Francisco's Kim Alter of the new restaurant Nightbird. Chefs Dale Talde and Sue Zemanick judge this first round test of skill. Under this much pressure, scungilli might prove to be a tough ingredient to crack.

Denver chef Carrie Shores of the WOW Kitchen brings it to Brooklyn to take on Harlem's own JJ Johnson of The Cecil and Minton's. Our judges, James Beard Award winner Sue Zemanick and Dale Talde, chef/owner of Talde, decide who moves on to the quarterfinals. Fish heads are gonna roll!

In this Battle over Brooklyn, Chris Cheung of East Wind Snack Shop and Quino Baca of The Brooklyn Star return to The Gorbals kitchen to face one another and some live sea eels. Edi Frauneder and Dale Talde judge who will slither on to the Semifinals.

East coast versus West coast- which is the best coast? Watch as Luis Bollo of NYC's Salinas goes to war with Round One victor Kim Alter of Nightbird in San Francisco. Judges Edi Frauneder and Dale Talde determine who uses their (lamb) brains best.

Find out what part of a duck the "fries" come from when Josh Henderson of Seattle's Westward returns to challenge first round top dog Angelo Sosa of NYC's Añejo. Edi Frauneder & Dale Talde get the ball rolling as judges in this quarterfinal bout.

Harlem's own JJ Johnson of The Cecil returns to take on Sean Brasel of Miami's Meat Market. Judging this quarterfinal round are culinary experts Edi Frauneder & Dale Talde. Tonight, the pressure will have both chefs squirming like a fish out of water.

Razzle-dazzle Sean Brasel returns to take on culinary mad scientist Angelo Sosa. Judging this semifinal battle is Edi Frauneder and Dale Talde. The ingredients might prove to be too good to be true.

In this semifinal Battle of the Boroughs, Chelsea's Spanish star Luis Bollo confronts the calm, cool Quino Baca of Brooklyn. Judges Edi Frauneder and Dale Talde decide who is moving on to the Final. Raccoon - it's what's for dinner.

After a season-long war, only two culinary conquistadors remain. Angelo Sosa faces Quino Baca and one VERY big bird in tonight's epic 1-hour finale. Edi Frauneder, Dale Talde & Sue Zemanick judge who will be crowned "Culinary Master of the Universe!"

Brooklyn, N.Y., chef Bao Bao pits her unique Southeast Asian flavor against New York native Chris Cheung's classic Chinese cuisine.