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Top Chef Season 18 premiere: Portland brings diverse cuisines

By Cristine Struble

TOP CHEF -- Episode 1801 -- Pictured: (l-r) Dale Talde, Melissa King, Gregory Gourdet, Padma Lakshmi, Kwame Onwuachi, Tom Colicchio, Richard Blais, Gail Simmons, Amar Santana -- (Photo by: David Moir/Bravo)
TOP CHEF -- Episode 1801 -- Pictured: (l-r) Dale Talde, Melissa King, Gregory Gourdet, Padma Lakshmi, Kwame Onwuachi, Tom Colicchio, Richard Blais, Gail Simmons, Amar Santana -- (Photo by: David Moir/Bravo) /
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The kitchen is open and Top Chef Season 18 premiere is here. As 15 new chef-testants converge on Portland, only one will hear the coveted phrase, “You Are Top Chef.” Which of these talented chefs will be the first one to have to pack their knives and go?

According to Bravo, the Top Chef Season 18 premiere, “First Impressions,” features the following:

"Fifteen of the country’s best chefs compete in the Portland, Oregon; for their first challenge, chefs combine their favorite ingredients into one cohesive dish; contestants must create a dish featuring one of Portland’s iconic local birds."

Before diving into the specifics of the episode, it should be notes that Top Chef Season 18 was filmed during the pandemic. While many references will be made to the current climate, it did cause some changes to the typical format. For example, returning Top Chef winners, fan favorites and other chefs will serve as a panel. It will be interesting to see how the chefs’ perspectives change from the judging side.

Although it seems to be said every season, but this group of chef-testants could be the best group yet. Given the depth of talent and the diversity in this group of 15 chefs, foodies watching from home will be longing for their own spot at the judging table.

Looking specifically at the episode synopsis, the first challenge seems daunting. While these chefs should be able to find harmony amongst ingredients, egos could become the sour note. Since this challenge seems to be a way to discover the chefs, their perspectives and potentially their personalities, it will be curious to see if the tensions run high.

As for the second challenge, a famous bird might be a reference to the iconic Portland restaurant, Le Pigeon or Little Bird, restaurants by the talented Chef Gabriel Rucker. While those two restaurants featured foul, the chefs will need to use care in this challenge. If a chef wants to soar, he better get some air beneath his wings.

Ready to watch the Top Chef Season 18 premiere? Here’s how.

Date: Thursday, April 1, 2021

Start Time: 8 p.m. ET

Episode: “First Impressions”

TV Channel: Bravo

Live Stream: Watch live on Fubo TV. Sign up now for a free seven-day trial. You can also watch on Food Network’s website or app.

Top Chef Season 18 airs on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

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