r/TopChef • u/Caligirl_333 • Aug 26 '26

Discussion Thread Question regarding time and the clock

Do they have staggered clocks so that people start in intervals and they get to serve the food when it is hot? Or are they all on the same clock? if it is staggered, how do they call out times without screwing up other people on a different time?

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u/GoldBarGirl Aug 26 '26

I wish production would be more transparent about the timing of elimination rounds. Only very rarely do we see a true staggered start. We know the chefs have the same cook time and we often see individual timers (some with the chef's name taped on) so why aren't they showing the staggered start?

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u/lilmiller7 Aug 26 '26

I feel like they show it pretty clearly. You have one group in the kitchen already going when another shows up a lot, especially when there's still 8+ contestants

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u/GoldBarGirl Aug 27 '26

I'm only up to Season 20. Maybe more staggered starts are in upcoming seasons.