Season 2 - Episode Guide

Tuscan Kitchen, in Salem, N.H., is a massive restaurant looking for an executive chef who can handle volume while maintaining a dedication to scratch cooking. Chef Anne Burrell brings in four candidates, who are tested on their Italian cuisine skills and knowledge. The final two chefs are each handed the keys to the restaurant for a dinner service: One chef must dig their way out of a bad start, while the other struggles with consistency.

Mirabelle, a legendary restaurant on Hollywood's Sunset Strip, has just completed a renovation and is looking for an executive chef to complete their new vision. Chef Anne Burrell brings in four candidates who are tasked with using the scraps of high-end ingredients and in creating a new identity for the Mirabelle menu. The final two chefs face the ultimate test of running the kitchen for a night: One chef battles nerves, while the other must course correct to fix consistency issues.

Sea Dog Steak & Ale, in Massachusetts, is looking for an executive chef who can create cutting-edge "gastro pub" cuisine. Chef Anne Burrell brings in four candidates who are tested on creating a dish for a beer pairing and making a gastro pub dish using live lobster. The two remaining chefs are each given the opportunity to run the restaurant for an evening: One chef has to trash an entire dish while the other has trouble taking control of the kitchen.

Puerto Rico's late-night hot spot, Oceano, is looking for an executive chef to expand their menu. Chef Anne Burrell brings in four candidates, who are challenged to create two dishes; a gourmet version of a traditional Puerto Rican dish, and a signature "sexy" dish for Oceano's menu. The two remaining chefs face the toughest test, running dinner service for an evening: One chef has to battle differences with the kitchen staff, while the other makes an executive decision that turns their hopes around.

Chef Anne Burrell brings in four candidates for the executive chef job at Abels on the Lake, a 10,000 square foot restaurant in Austin, Texas. The chefs are tested of their use of local ingredients, as well as their ability to handle quantity and consistency. The final two chefs will not only handle dinner service, but also a special party in the restaurant's event space: One chef must re-work an entire dish at the last minute, while the other must overcome poor communication with the staff.

Richard, the owner of Zengo restaurant, needs a new Executive Chef who can handle the intensity of a high volume kitchen in the heart of New York. Anne Burrell brings four candidates who are tested on their ability to combine Asian and Latin cuisine and are asked to create a dish using cured and fermented ingredients. The final two chefs are each handed the keys to the restaurant for an evening to determine who will be Executive Chef: One chef has to dig out of a disastrous start to dinner service and a confrontation erupts between staff in the kitchen leaving a chef shorthanded with a packed house.

Chef Anne Burrell brings in four candidates to compete for the dream job as the next executive chef at Culina Modern Italian restaurant in the heart of Los Angeles. The chefs are asked to create a pizza using seafood and are then asked to make a four ingredient dish. After one chef quits in the middle of the interview, the final two chefs each have their chance to run this multimillion-dollar restaurant for an evening. An unexpected turn of events causes a surprise and abrupt ending to this interview.

Husband and wife Fred and Cheryl are looking for a new executive chef for their restaurant, Ola, located on the north shore of Oahu. The chefs are asked to elevate the traditional Hawaiian dish Loco Moco and are then tested to create an original dish combining difficult local ingredients. The two remaining chefs are given the ultimate test of running the restaurant for an evening: After seeing the chefs take two very different approaches to dinner service, Fred and Cheryl struggle to make a decision as to which chef is the right fit to join the family at Ola.

Jeff Ruby, the biggest restaurateur in Cincinnati, is in desperate need of a new executive chef for his flagship steakhouse, the Precinct. Anne Burrell brings Jeff four candidates who are tasked with first creating a high-end steak dish using inexpensive cuts of meat and then they must create a signature dish to add to Precinct's menu. The final two chefs are handed the keys to Precinct restaurant for a dinner service: One candidate's focus on speed ends up causing execution issues, while the other candidate has a confrontation with the owner that could ruin their chances at getting the job.

Husband and wife restaurateurs Kevin and Stacey need an executive chef for their Raleigh, N.C., restaurant French Brasserie, and Chef Anne Burrell brings them four worthy candidates. The chefs are first tasked with creating sweet and savory crepes and then a dish using the favorite French protein rabbit. The two chefs left to run the restaurant for an entire dinner service each face major challenges in the last leg of this job interview, forcing the owners to make a swift and dramatic decision.

World renowned chef and restaurateur Kurt Gutenbrunner is in need of an executive chef for Blaue Gans, his Austrian Wirsthaus in New York. Anne Burrell brings him four candidates who are tested on their ability to create a refined version of Goulash and on creating an accessible dish using uncommon cuts of organ meat. During the final round's dinner service, one chef's struggle with soup almost sinks his whole service while the other chef lets the intensity get the best of him and finds himself letting the kitchen run him.

Family-run New York landmark Victor's Cafe is in need of a new executive chef to continue their philosophy of the evolution of Cuban cuisine. The four chefs Anne Burrell brings to owners Sonia and Monica are first asked to create their own adobo blend and are then tasked with cooking a classic and nuevo version of a tradition Cuban dish. The last two chefs standing are given the keys to run dinner service for a night. They each handle the pressure so well, that the owners are faced with a very tough decision on which chef is the right fit for the family at Victor's Cafe.

Miami, Fla., hotspot Nikki Beach needs an executive chef to head up their new Ibiza, Spain location. The candidates Chef Anne Burrell brings in for the job are first tasked with creating a platter for guests to share during the day and then they must create an elegant seafood dish for the evening. The remaining two chefs each run the restaurant for an evening: One chef starts well but struggles with execution problems while the other stumbles at the start but recovers well.