"The historic racetrack that hosts the Kentucky Derby served as the lively backdrop for the Top Chef Season 16 premiere, complete with horses, buglers, bourbon barrels, and pastel-hatted, tipsy spectators. Contestants were greeted by the show's hosts and competed in a Derby-themed Quickfire—a two-minute mise en place sprint followed by a no-knives challenge—where a beet-pickled egg with beef-fat carrots won and earned Derby tickets. The venue also contributed culinary credibility to the episode by supplying a guest judge who oversees food at the track." - Greg Morabito