"Top Chef" heads to the Carolinas with 15 new chefs. For their first Quickfire Challenge, the chefs head to Charlotte Motor Speedway where they are greeted by Kristen, Tom and Gail, and the first guest judges of the season – NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson and two-time NASCAR cup series champion Kyle Busch. The chefs divide into teams of three and face a high-speed challenge as they prepare and plate their finest dish before the time it takes a professional driver to complete 23 laps. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs will draw on their own culinary roots and create a dish featuring sweet potatoes, North Carolina's state vegetable. The judges are joined by Chef Sean Brock and "Top Chef" alum Jamie Lynch.

Chef Emeril Lagasse joins Kristen in the kitchen for the quickfire challenge where the chefs are tasked with giving livermush a makeover; for the elimination challenge, the chefs must honor North Carolina's rich textile history by incorporating natural food-dyed elements into their dishes; flour shop founder Amirah Kassem joins Emeril, Kristen, Tom and Gail at the judges' table.