Bravo's Top Chef Masters returns for a fifth season with a new cast of award-winning chefs ready to put it all on the line for bragging rights, the title of 'Top Chef Master' and $100,000 for their charity. Celebrity chef Curtis Stone is back as series host along with new head critic Gail Simmons. The chefs compete in some of the most difficult and unique challenges the Top Chef franchise has ever seen, catering for top entertainers and celebrity clientele including: Mindy Kaling, Kathie Lee Gifford, Busy Philipps and the cast of Days Of Our Lives. In a new twist this season, prior to each episode each Master will have his or her sous chef compete in an online competition - Battle of the Sous Chefs hosted by Hugh Acheson. The results of each online episode directly effects the Masters, awarding them advantages such as immunity to the winner of each battle and disadvantages depending on their sous chef's performance (lower performers earn obstacles for their Top Chef Master).