[6] Once the 16 contestants are chosen, each episode consists of team and individual challenges on a weekly theme.

Each mentor selects one dish to represent his or her team, which is tasted by a guest judge.

[11][12] Starting in the third season, the two contestants who receive the highest number of red stars in the individual challenge compete in a 40 minute, sudden-death taste-off.

The judges/mentors are Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Ludo Lefebvre, and Marcus Samuelsson.

[2][3] Michelin Guide chef David Kinch was a guest judge on episode 4 of season one, titled "Daring Pairings".

[15][16] In the team challenge, the creator of the best dish receives immunity from elimination for that episode.

Season 3 of The Taste premiered on December 4, 2014 with Ludo, Nigella, Marcus, and Anthony as the judges.