Craig Conover and Madison LeCroy Judge Quickfire Challenge on Top Chef Season 23

Craig Conover and Madison LeCroy traveled from Charleston, South Carolina, to Charlotte, North Carolina, to judge the Quickfire challenge on Top Chef Season 23, which was filmed in the Carolinas. Kristen Kish hosted the episode, introducing Conover and LeCroy from Southern Charm as judges.

The Quickfire challenge was inspired by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store's comfort food and nostalgic atmosphere.

Chefs were tasked with cooking a complete day's worth of meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—creating new country classics not already on Cracker Barrel's menu. Cracker Barrel operates 60 locations in the Carolinas and offers an all-day menu of homestyle country favorites.

Chefs worked in teams of three, with the orange team consisting of Laurence, Oscar, and Sherry; the yellow team of Anthony, Jonathan, and Brandon; and the green team of Duyen, Jennifer, and Justin.

Each team was responsible for one course, and they had 45 minutes to prepare their dishes. Kristen Kish noted to the judges that 45 minutes was "a lot of time for a Quickfire," while Chef Laurence expressed shock at the time limit. Craig Conover brought a gift-wrapped box to the set containing a classic peg board game from Cracker Barrel.