Thierry Rautureau

Top Chef Masters is back for season four... and headed to Viva Las Vegas. In true Sin City fashion, the Chefs will be playing a culinary card game to get their ingredients, judged by Las Vegas dealers. The Chefs will then have to break into teams to create a high-end buffet on the strip, but this is no ordinary buffet, as the Masters will be feeding the performers from all of the hot shows in town.

Catering to the desires of celebrity diners is essential to a Top Chef'’s career, and this week five Masters are put to the test. Carmen Gonzalez (Chef Consultant), David Burke (David Burke Townhouse), Marcus Samuelsson (The Red Rooster), Monica Pope (T’afia) and Thierry Rautureau (Rovers) face off at the posh Thompson hotel in Beverly Hills. The renowned chefs are charged with crafting an unforgettable meal for a birthday party thrown by award-winning actor Mekhi Phifer and his closest friends.

They can cook, but can they put on a show? The Chefs will be split into teams of three and have their skills put on full view as they cook up a three-course meal to serve VIP guests at the most challenging of chef's tables, a Teppanyaki. With only 30 minutes to put on a delicious and dazzling show, they’ll be serving some of our favorite Top Chef Masters along with our critics. Special guest judges include: Olympic gold medalist Brian Boitano and acclaimed chefs May Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger, Rick Moonen, Jonathan Waxman.

The Chefs are tasked with taking ordinary salad bar ingredients and making them "pop" for music legends, the B-52’s. Then the Chefs will head to the Grand Canyon for a cookout like never before. The Chefs will be paired up to cook for the Hualapai tribe, using ingredients from the tribe’s sacred land.

On this week’s episode, the Chefs will be creating an aphrodisiac dish using known aphrodisiac ingredients. The Chef whose dish really turns them on will be the winner for this challenge. Lotus of Siam is a legendary Nevada Culinary landmark that has amassed award after award. For this Elimination Challenge, our Chefs will be faced with the task of creating their own Thai restaurant in the Top Chef Masters kitchen and attempting to create their own versions of classic Thai dishes. Special guest judge is Dita Von Teese.