Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio's crew head to California for some of the toughest challenges yet.

Thirteen is about to be the lucky number for one culinary hopeful when Top Chef Season 13 in December. This season the cheftestants will head to California for a six-city expedition with stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Oakland, and the Greater Palm Springs area. Host Padma Lakshmi and head judge Tom Colicchio are back, alonside veteran judges Gail Simmons, Richard Blais, and Emeril Lagasse. The two-night premiere will take place on Wednesday, December 2 and Thursday, December 3 at 10/9 c.

The season will offer up some unique challenges for the Cheftestants (as seen in the clip above), who are cooking for a myriad of stars — including rapper MC Hammer in Oakland and Bravo superfan/supermodel and Chrissy Teigen in Palm Springs — and face the return of the Sudden Death Quickfire challenge, as well as the most daunting Restaurant Wars ever.

A who's who from the culinary and celebrity worlds will also stop by, including Hugh Acheson, Max Silvestri, Ludo Lefebvre, Dana Cowin, Michael Cimarusti, Jose Andres, John Besh, Art Smith, Javier Plascencia, Antonia Lofaso, Michael Voltaggio, Jacques LaMerde, Bill Chait, Jonathan Waxman, Martin Yan, Adam Fleischman, Traci Des Jardins, and Hubert Keller.

This season's cheftestants include: Karen Akunowicz (Boston, MA), Angelina Bastidas (Miami, FL), Carl Dooley (Boston, MA), Garret Flemming (Washington, DC), Jeremy Ford (Miami, FL), Renee Kelly (Shawnee Mision, KS), Phillip Frankland Lee (Los Angeles, CA), Marjorie Meek-Bradley (Washington, D.C.), Kwame Onwuachi (Washington, D.C.), Amar Santana (Orange County, CA), Grayson Schmitz (New York, NY), Jason Stratton (Seattle, WA), Frances Tariga-Weshnak (New York, NY), Isaac Toups (New Orleans), Wesley True (Atlanta, GA), Giselle Wellman (Los Angeles, CA), and Chad White (San Diego, CA & Tijuana, Mexico).

The Cheftestants are battling it out for $125,000 furnished by San Pellegrino, a feature in FOOD & WINE magazine, as well as a showcase at the annual FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen. And, duh, the chance to be named Top Chef. Top Chef airs Thursday nights at 10/9c.

But, that's not all: the Emmy-Winning companion digital video series Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen also returns on Thursday, December 3, hosted by Tom Colicchio. Looking for even more Top Chef in your life? Check out the newly minted Top Chef Instagram account (@BravoTopChef), which will featuring exclusive custom content to satisfy all your TC cravings.