For the first Chairman's Challenge, Alton Brown jump-starts the proceedings by serving up an array of wild ingredients, and the chefs must use their expert techniques to make a top-tier dish right out of the gate. Alton determines the most and least successful dishes, and the bottom-rated chef is thrown into the deep end for a Secret Ingredient Showdown against a competitor chosen by the winner. Dishes are presented to judges Donatella Arpaia and Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, and one competitor is sent home.

• Alton Brown
• Michael Symon
• Masaharu Morimoto