TV Top Chef - Season 18 Episode 12 : The Cheesier the Better Top Chef - Season 18 Episode 12 : The Cheesier the Better 6.738/10 by 63 users As the final four chefs near the end of their journey in Portland, Padma is joined by Vitaly Paley and Gregory Gourdet to introduce an old school Quickfire Challenge paying homage to the Oregon Trail. For the Elimination Challenge, legendary chef and special guest Massimo Bottura tasks the chefs to pull inspiration from his famous parmigiano reggiano dish and create delectable dishes utilizing cheddar five different ways. To gain inspiration, the chefs embark on a tour of the Tillamook Creamery. Dale Talde and Ed Lee serve as this week’s guest judges and help determine which three chefs move forward. Details Casts Posters Images Title Top Chef - Season 18 Episode 12 : The Cheesier the Better Alternative Titles First Air Date 2006-03-08 Last Air Date 2025-06-05 Number of Episodes 328 Number of Seasons 22 Genres Reality, Networks Bravo, Casts Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, Kristen Kish Plot Keywords , Self - Head Judge Tom Colicchio Self - Judge Gail Simmons Self - Host Kristen Kish Episodes List Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 1 First Impressions First Impressions 2021-04-01 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs... Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 2 Trouble Brewing Trouble Brewing 2021-04-08 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs... Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 3 Pan African Portland Pan African Portland 2021-04-15 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs... Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 4 Thrown for a Loop Thrown for a Loop 2021-04-22 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs... Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 5 Meet You at the Drive-In Meet You at the Drive-In 2021-04-29 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs... Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 6 Stumptown U.S.A. Stumptown U.S.A. 2021-05-06 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs... Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 7 Feeding the Frontlines Feeding the Frontlines 2021-05-13 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs... Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 8 Restaurant Wars Restaurant Wars 2021-05-20 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs... Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 9 Portland-ia Portland-ia 2021-05-27 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs... Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 10 Tournament of Tofu Tournament of Tofu 2021-06-03 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs... Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 11 Blind Ambitions Blind Ambitions 2021-06-10 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs... Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 12 The Cheesier the Better The Cheesier the Better 2021-06-17 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs... Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 13 Shellfishly Delicious Shellfishly Delicious 2021-06-24 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs... Top Chef Season 18 :Episode 14 The Next Top Chef Is... The Next Top Chef Is... 2021-07-01 An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs...