Back to the Chopping Block: All-Star Top Cheftestants Return!

Bravo brings back 18 also-ran contestants for eighth, New York-set season of Emmy-winning reality hit

They couldn't take the heat the first time around. But they're done staying out of the kitchen.

Bravo has announced that 18 all-stars from Top Chef seasons past will reconvene for the eighth season of the newly-Emmy'd reality show, as chefs we loved (watch cheat on their significant others) and loved to hate (watch get their heads shaved) once again battle it out for the culinary coup.

"With seven seasons of Top Chef under our belt, the timing feels right for an All-Stars edition," judge Tom Colicchio said. "It has all the elements to be our best season yet. Getting Tony Bourdain to serve as a judge throughout the season was the icing on the cake."

The cantankerous palette-bully joins the judging panel full-time for the forthcoming season, joining Padma Lakshmi, Gail Simmons and Colicchio for the New York-set run.

Top Chef: All-Stars kicks off Dec. 1. Here are the 18 returning contestants:

• Elia Aboumrad, season two (final four)
• Stephen Asprinio, season one (top five)
• Richard Blais, season four (finalist)
• Jennifer Carroll, season six (final four)
• Tiffany Derry, season seven (top five)
• Tiffani Faison, season one (finalist)
• Carla Hal, season five (finalist)
• Mike Isabella, season six (top seven)
• Jamie Lauren, season five (top seven)
• Dale Levitski, season three (finalist)
• Antonia Lofaso, season four (final four)
• Spike Mendelsohn, season four (top five)
• Angelo Sosa, season seven (finalist)
• Dale Talde, season four (top six)
• Casey Thompson, season three (finalist and fan favorite)
• Marcel Vigneron, season two (finalist)
• Fabio Viviani, season five (final four and fan favorite)
• Tre Wilcox, season three (top eight)