The BEST episodes of Top Chef (FR) season 17
Every episode of Top Chef (FR) season 17, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Top Chef (FR) season 17!
Twelve young hopeful French chefs compete to win the title of "Top Chef," 100,000 euros. and be judged by the best in the business.
#1 - Comfort food in the mountains - Tignes
Season 17 - Episode 1 - Aired 3/4/2026
Melted cheese, gratins, home-style comfort food, hot chocolate, waffles... Eight out of ten French people say they find comfort in these “comfort foods.” Today, top chefs are taking these seemingly unrefined, hearty dishes and using all their talent to elevate them to the level of gourmet cuisine while preserving their indulgent character.
#2 - 24 Hours in a Luxury Hotel - The Peninsula Paris
Season 17 - Episode 10 - Aired 5/7/2026
This week, the contestants immerse themselves in the demanding daily routine of a Parisian luxury hotel by spending 24 hours in the shoes of a chef. It is at the heart of the Parisian luxury hotel “The Peninsula” that they will take on this extraordinary challenge, in a world where every detail counts and service never stops. From room service breakfasts to exceptional gourmet dining experiences, they’ll have to adapt to the intense pace of a place where excellence is the absolute rule.
#3 - The MOFs - Jules Verne Circus in Amiens
Season 17 - Episode 5 - Aired 4/1/2026
Technique, precision, and meticulous execution… this week is all about excellence with the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France. As true guardians of French culinary expertise, they embody an ideal to which many chefs aspire: one day earning the prestigious blue-white-red collar. For this fifth week of the competition, the contestants will experience a true immersion in the world of the MOF competition. They’re headed to the Cirque Jules Verne in Amiens, transformed for the occasion into a culinary arena where they’ll face a marathon of technical challenges.
#4 - Sweet treats are all the rage! - At the Château de Fontainebleau
Season 17 - Episode 7 - Aired 4/15/2026
Who can beat France’s top pastry chefs? In France, people eat twice as many desserts as their European neighbors, and the big names in the culinary world are well aware of this: more and more of them are venturing into the world of sweets. At the Château de Fontainebleau, the contestants will have to reinvent the île flottante against Jeffrey Cagnes, and rice pudding against Sébastien Vauxion. To judge their creations, guide them, and challenge them, four renowned chefs will be on hand: Nicolas Paciello, Marie Simon, Christophe Michalak, and Jessica Préalpato.
#5 - Beach Cuisine - Le Touquet
Season 17 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/11/2026
Freshly caught fish simply grilled, light salads, ice cream cones, and indulgent fritters—these are all the delights to be savored at the beach. It’s a playground that today’s top chefs are increasingly taking over! They’re setting up shop by the sea, keeping the dishes simple while infusing them with their bold creativity and culinary expertise. Take Alexandre Gauthier, for example, with his gourmet beach hut right on the water, where you’ll find seafood platters, fish and chips, and sweet fritters... But also Christopher Coutanceau in La Rochelle, Éric Frechon in Biarritz, and Pierre Gagnaire in Châtelaillon-Plage
#6 - Low prices, great food! - Puteaux Market
Season 17 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/25/2026
Today, more and more Michelin-starred chefs are offering menus for under 50 euros that are still gourmet! This week, Philippe Hardy, France’s most affordable Michelin-starred chef, and Cédric Burtin take the contestants to the heart of the Puteaux market. They’ll have to create a starter and a protein-based main course on a tight budget, to prove that great dishes can be made on a budget.
#7 - Tribute to Paul Bocuse - Collonges Abbey
Season 17 - Episode 3 - Aired 3/18/2026
Nicknamed the “Pope of Gastronomy,” Paul Bocuse reinvented French cuisine with a revolutionary idea: bringing chefs out of their kitchens to interact directly with customers. Carving at the table, flambéing, culinary sleight of hand: the chef thus becomes the star of a true show, much to the delight of the guests! Today, the greatest chefs of the new generation are following suit: Jérôme Banctel, in his Parisian palace, and Jordi Roca. Chefs are “breaking down the wall” of their kitchens!
#8 - The Restaurants Wars - Kids' Menus
Season 17 - Episode 6 - Aired 4/8/2026
Top chefs know what they’re talking about: children are the customers of tomorrow. To cultivate their palates from an early age, more and more fine-dining restaurants are now offering dedicated children’s menus. Gone are the days of endless nuggets and fries and simple half-portions of adult dishes: today, children are treated to creative, flavorful, and balanced meals designed especially for them. With François-Régis Gaudry and Charles Patin O'Coohoon.
#9 - Everyday ingredients, extraordinary dishes - Scènes de Ménages
Season 17 - Episode 9 - Aired 4/29/2026
Top chefs showcase their skills by working with exceptional ingredients, but they also pour all their talent and ingenuity into elevating simple, everyday items—the kinds of ingredients we all have in our refrigerators or pantries at home! And that’s today’s challenge for the contestants, who will have to transform these ordinary ingredients into extraordinary dishes! And for this special day, the most iconic refrigerators from the small screen will serve as their pantry. The couples from Scènes de ménages, played by Gérard Hernandez, Anne-Elisabeth Blateau, David Mora, Grégoire Bonnet, Claire Chust, and Vinnie Dargaud, open the doors to their kitchens to take on the challenge.
#10 - Surprise Special! - Jardin d'Acclimatation
Season 17 - Episode 8 - Aired 4/22/2026
Everyone knows it: top chefs love to surprise their guests! Behind every exceptional dish lies a story, an emotion, and sometimes even a genuine surprise. But the surprise doesn’t stop at unexpected combinations. Chefs also seek to evoke a powerful emotional response during the tasting: the feeling of a memory resurfacing, a Proustian madeleine that sends shivers down your spine. The contestants are headed to the Jardin d’Acclimatation for a day filled with surprises. Surrounded by their loved ones and joined by Chef Adrien Cachot, they begin by creating an emotionally charged dish, in the style of a “Proustian madeleine,” and then must work with unexpected pairings featuring cauliflower, which they must pair with either chocolate or blueberries.