Chopped (United States)
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A high energy, fast paced cooking competition that challenges four up-and-coming chefs to turn a selection of everyday ingredients into an extraordinary three-course meal. After each course, a contestant gets “chopped” by our panel of esteemed culinary luminaries until the last man or woman left standing claims victory.
Streaming Availability
Seasons
Episodes
Season 1 (January 2009 - April 2009)
1. Pilot: Octopus, Duck, Animal Crackers
Aired: 13-01-2009
In the series opener, four chefs must use octopus, duck and animal crackers to make an extraordinary three-course meal in three rounds of competition. A panel of culinary experts determines which chef's dishes deserve the $10,000 prize. Hosted by Ted Allen.
2. Tofu, Blueberries, Oysters
Aired: 20-01-2009
Featured ingredients include tofu, blueberries and oysters.
3. Avocado, Tahini, Bran Flakes
Aired: 27-01-2009
The chefs must work with avocado, cantaloupe, pecans, bran flakes and brioche bread.
4. Banana, Collard Greens, Grits
Aired: 03-02-2009
The chefs must work with bananas, collard greens and grits.
5. Yucca, Watermelon, Tortillas
Aired: 10-02-2009
The chefs must work with yucca, watermelon and tortillas in three rounds of competition.
6. Canned Peaches, Rice Cakes, Beets
Aired: 17-02-2009
Featured ingredients include canned peaches (appetizers); fruit punch and rice cakes (entrée); and beets, goat cheese and oatmeal (final course).
7. Quail, Arctic Char, Beer
Aired: 24-02-2009
The chefs must use quail in their appetizers, arctic char in their entrées, and beer in their desserts.
8. Coconut, Calamari and Donuts
Aired: 03-03-2009
The chefs must use coconut in their appetizers, calamari in their entrées and donuts with smoked Gouda in their desserts.
9. Mac & Cheese, Cola, Bacon
Aired: 10-03-2009
Macaroni-and-cheese, cola and bacon are among the featured ingredients.
10. String Cheese, Jicama, Gingersnaps
Aired: 17-03-2009
The chefs must use string cheese in their appetizers, jicama in their entrées and gingersnaps in their desserts.
11. Jumbo Shrimp, Pepperoni, Cereal
Aired: 24-03-2009
The chefs must use apples, shrimp and peanut butter in their appetizers; pickled peppers and pepperoni in their entrées; and cereal in their desserts.
12. Chocolate, Mussels and Figs
Aired: 31-03-2009
Chocolate, figs and mussels are among the featured ingredients.
13. Strawberries, Turkey and Gummi Bears
Aired: 07-04-2009
The chefs must work with strawberries, turkey and gummi bears.
Season 2 (June 2009 - September 2009)
1. A Prickly Situation
Aired: 14-06-2009
In the Season 2 opener, four chefs find a spiny surprise in their appetizer baskets. Then, one has a serious snafu with snapper in the entrée round. Judges: Aaron Sanchez; Alex Guarnaschelli; and Chris Santos.
2. Salted Veggies and Heated Battles
Aired: 16-06-2009
The chefs must use salty vegetables in their appetizers, Thai chilis in their entrées, and Mexican ingredients in their desserts. Judges: Alex Guarnaschelli; Chris Santos; and Marc Murphy
3. High Hopes
Aired: 23-06-2009
Featured ingredients include whole calamari (appetizers), bison meat (entrées) and ancho chilis (desserts).
4. Floundering Around
Aired: 30-06-2009
The chefs are presented with a challenging cut of meat in the appetizer round. In the entrée round, they work with miniature produce and whole flounder.
5. Pride on the Plate
Aired: 07-07-2009
The chefs try to represent their cultural heritage through duck appetizers. Then they work with Serrano ham in the entrée round.
6. Pretty Please with a Pepper on Top
Aired: 14-07-2009
Piquillo peppers and snap peas are among the featured ingredients.
7. Pods, Grills, and Sticky Fingers
Aired: 28-07-2009
The mystery ingredients include star fruit, liquor and spicy merguez sausage.
8. A Wish Upon a Starfruit
Aired: 11-08-2009
Part 1 of 4. Past "Chopped" winners return to compete in a champions round. Some chefs have an edge when a Southern specialty shows up in the appetizer basket. Then Japanese noodles and leafy greens create a challenge for the entrées.
9. Buckwheat Blunders and Twists of Fate
Aired: 25-08-2009
Part 2 of 4. Four past "Chopped" winners face off in a champions round. Featured ingredients include cockles, ground chicken and apples.
10. Chopped Champions - Round One: The Ultimate Face-Off(42 min)
Aired: 08-09-2009
The first tournament featuring past Chopped champions, where the winner advances to face three new champions next week. First up, chefs must create an appetizer using crayfish and fiddlehead ferns and an entrée that includes dinosaur kale.
11. Chopped Champions - Round Two: Best of the Best(42 min)
Aired: 15-09-2009
Round Two features the Round One victor against three more returning champions. Featured ingredients include cockles, kohlrabi, and goji berries.
12. Chopped Champions - Round Three: All-Stars Showdown(42 min)
Aired: 22-09-2009
The reigning Round Two All-Star Champion competes against three more previous winners. Featured ingredients: lavash, beef jerky, and gin.
13. Chopped Champions - Round Four: Bring It!(42 min)
Aired: 29-09-2009
Conclusion. Four "Chopped" all-stars face off for $10,000. Featured ingredients include bananas, endives, melons and molasses.
Season 3 (October 2009 - March 2010)
1. When Chefs Collide
Aired: 13-10-2009
The chefs must use kumquats and croissants in their appetizers; green beans and ground pork in their entrées; and grits in their desserts.
2. Oh My Goshy, Umeboshi
Aired: 20-10-2009
Featured ingredients include eel, umeboshi, parsnips and soda crackers.
3. Judge Knows Best
Aired: 27-10-2009
The chefs must work with a fish that's traditionally used for sushi in the appetizer round. Then, they find an unfamiliar condiment in the entrée basket and prosecco is used to make dessert.
4. A Nori Story
Aired: 03-11-2009
The chefs must use graham crackers in their appetizers; puffed-rice cereal and chorizo in their entrées; and coffee beans in their desserts.
5. Sticking To It
Aired: 10-11-2009
The chefs must use graham crackers in their appetizers; puffed-rice cereal and chorizo in their entrées; and coffee beans in their desserts.
6. Season's Choppings
Aired: 08-12-2009
The chefs must cook with the holidays in mind when working with the mystery ingredients, which include venison and marshmallows.
7. Flower Power
Aired: 05-01-2010
The chefs must incorporate zucchini blossoms into their appetizers; burdock root into their entrées; and chickpeas into their desserts.
8. Sweet Redemption
Aired: 12-01-2010
Four previous runners-up return and compete again in hopes of finally being named a "Chopped" champion.
9. Winging It
Aired: 19-01-2010
The chefs must work with chicken wings in the appetizer round; catfish in the entrée round; and cherry tomatoes in the dessert round.
10. In a Pinch
Aired: 26-01-2010
A challenging piece of meat poses problems for the chefs in the entrée round. They also must use soft-shell crabs in their appetizers and peppermint sticks in their desserts.
11. Raw Enthusiasm
Aired: 16-02-2010
The chefs must use raw oysters in their appetizers; a rare fruit in their entrées; and miso in their desserts.
12. Against the Tide
Aired: 02-03-2010
The chefs must combine fish with chocolate in the appetizer round. Then, a trendy root vegetable shows up in the entrée round and violet mustard is used to make desserts.
13. Chopped Liver
Aired: 09-03-2010
The chefs must use liver in their appetizers; pasta sheets in their entrées; and cactus pears in their desserts.
Season 4 (April 2010 - July 2010)
1. Rattle and Roll
Aired: 06-04-2010
Rattlesnake meat must be included in the chef's first course.
2. My Froggy Clementine
Aired: 13-04-2010
The chefs find frog legs in the first basket for the Appetizer Round.
3. Jitters & Giant Eggs
Aired: 20-04-2010
Panic threatens to paralyze one of the competitors who is feeling jittery.
4. Dr. Deckle & Mr. Fried
Aired: 27-04-2010
Three of the four chefs make a huge mistake with the jumbo shrimp.
5. Mussels Mastery & Cotton Candy Can-Do(42 min)
Aired: 04-05-2010
The chefs have to muscle through to come up with a terrific mussels appetizer in just 20 minutes. Then in the entrée Round, a humble breakfast food must be combined with a high-brow delicacy. And with a favorite childhood treat in the final mystery basket, the judges are expecting whimsical desserts, but will the chefs deliver?
6. Fired Up!(42 min)
Aired: 05-05-2010
The competitors get fired up when they discover this competition is all about grilling! They find some strange basket fellows in the Appetizer Round: striped bass and strawberries. In a smok'n entrée Round the chefs try to glean ideas from one another on how to handle a tricky ingredient. And in the last course, a classic American food – perfect for the grill but peculiar in dessert – complicates the judges' final decision.
7. First Things Worst(42 min)
Aired: 11-05-2010
When time runs out on a frantic appetizer round, two of the chefs are unhappy with what did not make it on to their plates in the final moments, while one chef is upset that a little something extra accidentally did. Then in the entrée round, it's up to the judges to determine who fell short whose dish was a cut above the rest. And the two finalists devise ambitious plans for using a salty condiment and a sweet fruit in their desserts.
8. Quahog Quandaries and Pickle Puzzles(42 min)
Aired: 08-06-2010
When panic sets in at the end of the appetizer round, the judges cheer on a competitor who appears to be giving up. Then in the rush to get a tantalizing entrée finished, one chef makes a dangerous mistake. And even though they find peanuts in the dessert basket, the finalists know that they are competing for so much more and bump the intensity level up a notch as they face off for $10,000.
9. Turbot Powered
Aired: 15-06-2010
One of the finalists suffers an injury as he attempts a Chopped first.
10. Keep On Cook'n On
Aired: 22-06-2010
Mint liqueur and canned fish make an odd combination for the first course.
11. Green Apps and Lamb
Aired: 29-06-2010
The appetizer basket's ingredients get the chefs pondering ballgame fare.
12. Crunch Time
Aired: 06-07-2010
In the final, the two remaining chefs go all out.
13. Rowdy with a Chance of Meatballs(42 min)
Aired: 13-07-2010
In the final, the two remaining chefs go all out.
Season 5 (July 2010 - November 2010)
1. Dream'n of Redeem'n(42 min)
Aired: 20-07-2010
Past runners-up return in a quest to redeem themselves. They must use a pungent English condiment in their appetizers; cookies and fish in their entrées; and blueberry jelly beans in their desserts.
2. Wok This Way(42 min)
Aired: 27-07-2010
The chefs must incorporate trout and white chocolate in their appetizers; whole coconuts in entrées; and two Japanese ingredients in their desserts..
3. Squashed(42 min)
Aired: 10-08-2010
Four female chefs compete. Featured ingredients include kabocha squash and sardines.
4. $50,000 Tournament: Round One(42 min)
Aired: 31-08-2010
Bring on the Champions for the $50,000 prize! Four previous winners return to compete in the first leg of an extraordinary, five-part Chopped event. A repeat win gets a berth in the Grand Finale competition with $50,000 at stake! But when the champs discover Rocky Mountain oysters in the appetizer basket, things get off to a bumpy start.
5. $50,000 Tournament: Round Two(42 min)
Aired: 07-09-2010
Ready to repeat?! Four new returning champs compete for one of the prized spots in the $50,000 Grand Finale fight. Feeling the pressure of this potentially life-changing opportunity, the chefs set off with record speed and exceptional confidence. But the judges must debate whose catfish appetizer will get one champ chopped.
6. $50,000 Tournament: Round Three(42 min)
Aired: 14-09-2010
Four previously unbeatable chefs compete to see who will win the chance to return to fight for $50,000! But in the appetizer round, will the sweetbreads be the not-so-sweet surprise that unhinges a proven champ?
7. $50,000 Tournament: Round Four(42 min)
Aired: 21-09-2010
One spot left!! Four returning champs compete to see who can secure the very last place in the Grand Finale champions' contest. With their minds on the $50,000 grand prize, the chefs open the appetizer baskets to find something fishy and something fizzy.
8. $50,000 Tournament: Grand Finale(42 min)
Aired: 28-09-2010
Who is the unstoppable, un-"choppable" champion? Four tenacious repeat winners fight it out for the three-peat and the biggest cash prize in Chopped history! Ready for anything, the chefs open the appetizer baskets to find an over-sized sea creature and a scoop-shop treat. Then a wild combination in the entrée basket makes an intense round even more outrageously difficult. And when the two remaining champions find champagne in their baskets, just whose victory the judges will be toasting is the $50,000 question.
9. Spouting Off(42 min)
Aired: 05-10-2010
A chef spills beer during the appetizer round; the entrée round features an ancient grain; and global ingredients are used for the desserts.
10. When Octopuses Attack(42 min)
Aired: 12-10-2010
The chefs must use octopus in their appetizers; flank steak and granola bars in their entrées; and Greek and Japanese ingredients in their desserts.
11. Fright Bites(42 min)
Aired: 19-10-2010
A Halloween-theme challenge has the chefs cooking with creepy ingredients, including a very daunting piece of meat.
12. Cornuchopia(42 min)
Aired: 16-11-2010
The chefs must make a Thanksgiving meal, using assorted cheeses, a bitter vegetable, mushrooms and a Chinese condiment.
13. Yes, Virginia, There Is a Chopping Block(42 min)
Aired: 28-11-2010
Holiday dishes are made using non-traditional ingredients, such as gingerbread oysters and a sweet jarred fruit.
Season 6 (January 2011 - April 2011)
1. Victory on the Brain(42 min)
Aired: 04-01-2011
The chefs must use goat brains in their appetizers. Later, they're faced with a stinky surprise.
2. Prove it on the Plate(42 min)
Aired: 11-01-2011
The chefs must use mussels and waffles in their appetizers; a lean meat and a delicate flower in their entrées; and a nostalgic candy in their desserts.
3. Marrowly We Roll Along(42 min)
Aired: 18-01-2011
Marrow bones and a frozen ingredient show up in the mystery basket.
4. Doughs and Don'ts(42 min)
Aired: 25-01-2011
A chef faces a major setback while preparing her trout appetizer. Then another chef's behavior brings up safety concerns in the entrée round. And coquitos present a challenge when the contestants make their desserts.
5. Step Right Up!(42 min)
Aired: 01-02-2011
The chefs must use catfish and marshmallows in their appetizers; pork country-style ribs in their entrées; and a Latin ingredient in their desserts.
6. All-Stars Tournament: Round One – Competitors from "The Next Food Network Star"(42 min)
Aired: 06-03-2011
Part 1 of 5. Fan favorites from "The Next Food Network Star" begin competing for charity. Mystery ingredients include pound cake; calf's liver; an unusually bitter vegetable; and a small game bird.
7. All-Stars Tournament: Round Two – Food Network Personalities(42 min)
Aired: 13-03-2011
Part 2 of 5. Four popular Food Network personalities compete for charity. They must used teething biscuits in their appetizers; a kid's breakfast favorite in their entrées; and jelly beans and baby fennel in their desserts.
8. All-Stars Tournament: Round Three – Notable Chefs(42 min)
Aired: 20-03-2011
Part 3 of 5. Four acclaimed chefs compete for charity. They must use fresh pasta sheets in their appetizers; big fish and little crackers in their entrées; and a Chinese spice in their desserts.
9. All-Stars Tournament: Round Four – "Chopped" Judges(42 min)
Aired: 27-03-2011
Part 4 of 5. The "Chopped" judges compete for charity. Featured ingredients include smoked fish; strawberry powder; and a labor-intensive protein.
10. All-Stars Tournament: Grand Finale!(42 min)
Aired: 03-04-2011
Conclusion. The final round of the All-Stars Tournament finds four celebrity chefs cooking with offal, a tangy fruit and trail mix in a quest to win $50,000 for their favorite charity.
11. A Cornish Mess(42 min)
Aired: 10-04-2011
Peking duck, a seemingly simple protein, and an unusual fruit are among the featured ingredients.
12. Chefs on a Mission(42 min)
Aired: 26-04-2011
Rivals face off! Four solid competitors from rival cities enthusiastically jump into the first round. But will they be able to settle on a firm idea of what to do with firm tofu and recover from some absentminded mistakes? Then one chef shows incredible speed moving around the kitchen, and a sugary surprise in the entrée basket poses a creative challenge. And once the finalists open up the dessert baskets, they make it their mission to make delicious mission fig dishes and to make the judges decision very difficult.
Season 7 (May 2011 - July 2011)
1. The Icing on the Steak(42 min)
Aired: 03-05-2011
Ready? Go! Confidence abounds in the first round when four determined chefs try to get a leg up on the competition through their smoked turkey leg dishes. Then when the chefs are challenged to use beef and chocolate frosting in the entrée round, one competitor makes a big splash, but not intentionally. And after the two finalists present battling banana desserts, it is up to the judges to decide which chef will not survive the third chop.
2. Canned Cheese, Please!(42 min)
Aired: 10-05-2011
Say canned cheese! The chefs are not all smiles when they see the first-round basket. Can canned cheese make for delicious appetizers? Then the competitors who move on to the entrée round must figure out how to work with two ingredients that are entirely new to them. And when a crunchy vegetable and a frozen treat meet in the dessert basket, will the finalists be able to push their creative limits to make some great dishes?
3. Saying Sayonara(42 min)
Aired: 17-05-2011
Ah, shucks! Oysters in the first basket cause some problems, leading up to an emotional ending to the round. Then the competitors gain momentum in the entrée round when they're challenged to work with two Japanese ingredients. And the judges have to say sayonara to one last chef, after tasting the finalists' passionately prepared passion fruit desserts.
4. Have a Heart(42 min)
Aired: 24-05-2011
Have a heart! Duck-heart starters are the chefs' ticket to the second round. But will every competitor know how to make this organ meat delicious? Will anyone just give up? Then a super slimy surprise awaits the chefs in the entrée basket, but it may not end up being the most challenging ingredient of the round. And when the finalists find an English tea treat and gelatin candy in the dessert basket, they push themselves to create final dishes sweet enough to propel them to victory.
5. Gotta Grill!(42 min)
Aired: 31-05-2011
It is a Chopping Block block party! The chefs are surprised to learn they must grill as part of this special competition. With a classic condiment in each round's basket, it should be easy to get into the cookout spirit. Yet, which competitor will be fired up enough to make it all the way to the final round and win the $10,000 prize?
6. Get It Together!(42 min)
Aired: 07-06-2011
With canned fruit and a seafood delicacy in the appetizer basket, the chefs have to get it together fast, to get a cohesive dish made. Then in the entrée round, when the chefs set out to make snapper dishes in a snap, two of the competitors run out of time to do exactly what they planned. Will it hurt their chances? Then, after two very driven finalists tackle the dessert round, the judges face a difficult choice.
7. Bite Your Pickled Beef Tongue
Aired: 14-06-2011
With tongue in the first basket, the chefs attempt to lick their competition. Sadly, proper cleaning technique, creativity, and the 20-minute timeframe pose problems. Then in a highly competitive second round, the chefs must take a colorful vegetable and a lean meat and make hearty main dishes. And when the two finalists move on to the dessert round, the judges are on pins and needles, wondering which chef will edge ahead.
8. Go for It!
Aired: 21-06-2011
With a Frenchman and an Irishman in the mix, the competition could take on a European edge. When one of the chefs goes for plates with less than two minutes left on the clock in the appetizer round, the judges urge him to get all of the ingredients onto the dishes. The competitors are given tequila to give their entree dishes a kick, and another ingredient could make them scream. Then second thoughts on what to do with the corn tortillas in the dessert basket cause some problems for one of the finalists.
9. Thyme Flies
Aired: 28-06-2011
Double trouble! With two proteins in the appetizer basket, the chefs struggle to marry flavors, and the judges caution competitors against cooking to please instead of cooking from their hearts. Then as the clock ticks down on the entrée round, the chaos in the kitchen ramps up. Will the chefs be able to get out of the woods in time to make their hen-of-the-woods mushroom dishes delicious? Then with cookie dough in the final basket, it seems like the chefs have a head start with dessert. The judges wonder if the competitors will take advantage of the opportunity to create some exceptional dessert surprise.
10. Nopales, No Problem
Aired: 05-07-2011
Cooking with Cacti! The chefs must stay sharp as they carefully navigate a first basket that includes prickly nopales; and in talking about the texture of the food, the judges must consider the slime factor. Then in the entrée round, a colorful Chinese ingredient and a less popular pork product make for an intense challenge. Finally, in the last round when things suddenly go all wrong for one of the competitors, the judges watch breathlessly to see if the chocolate dessert can be salvaged.
Season 8 (July 2011 - December 2011)
1. Easy Peasy?
Aired: 12-07-2011
British invasion! Four English chefs face off to see who will be headed back over the big pond with the big money. In the first basket, an American staple and a Japanese snack get the food festivities started. Will the judges be impressed by the visiting Brits appetizer plates? Then the chefs find a crunchy, cheesy surprise in the entrée basket, and one competitor sets out to make a very complex dish. But is it too complicated a dish for the allotted 30 minutes? And when the two finalists discover a distinctly British biscuit in the dessert basket, they attempt to make the familiar extraordinary. The judges are on the edge of their seats watching to see whether one competitor's cakes will make it onto the plates.
2. Ladies First!
Aired: 19-07-2011
Four women compete for the $10,000 prize. Wait until they see the outrageous ingredients in the first basket! Then in the entrée round, will there be a party on the plates when the chefs must cook with sherry? In a very competitive dessert round, the two lady finalists get a pre-made dough and a canned vegetable, and the judges challenge them to stand tall at the Chopping Block.
3. Sweet Second Chance!
Aired: 26-07-2011
Chopped, no more! Four previously-defeated chefs get a second chance at the $10,000 prize! Coming into this competition they could not have wanted a victory more, but will they want to call it quits once they see the mystery ingredients in the appetizer round? Then in the entrée round, the competitors' own hearts skip a beat at the sight of lamb hearts in the basket. And with just minutes left in the round, a frightening kitchen accident has everybody shaken. With an off-the-wall mystery ingredient in the mix in the final basket, the chefs are totally floored. And in a very physical dessert round, the finalists both yearn desperately to achieve sweet success at last.
4. Chard & True
Aired: 02-08-2011
Octo-tastic! The four chefs take on an eight-armed mystery ingredient in the appetizer round. And the judges wonder if the cooperative behavior they see in the kitchen will continue after someone is chopped. Then in the entrée course, more seafood surprises make the 30-minute time limit seem extraordinarily difficult. And following the final round - in which the chefs had to incorporate some ballpark favorites into their desserts - the judges ponder how sportsmanship and preconceived game plans factored in.
5. My Way
Aired: 09-08-2011
Time starts now! In the first round the chefs try to figure out how to make a pretty fruit work with two different seafood ingredients. And the judges wonder how the chefs' unique experiences will come into play. Then, time is not on the competitors' side in the entrée round. Two competitors are unhappy that they undercooked one of the mystery ingredients, while the other chef says it was a deliberate choice to have undercooked a second basket item. And in the dessert round, a Chopped first: soup in the mystery basket! There is no way to make borscht desserts boring. But will they be good?
6. A Is for Apple, U Is for Udon
Aired: 16-08-2011
The chefs find some beautiful ingredients in the first basket, including yummy udon noodles and a brightly colored veggie. Then in the entrée round, the judges hope that the chefs can up the level of creativity, but a seemingly straight-forward basket poses some difficulties. And the chefs must resist the urge to cry when they learn they must use onions in their desserts. But some delicious apples, also in the mix, could save the finalists from despair.
7. Trick or Treat, Chicken Feet!
Aired: 16-10-2011
It's Halloween! The chefs step bravely into the first round and find candy and ... chicken feet! But it turns into a "nail-biter" at the Chopping Block when the judges discover claws in their appetizers. Then more sweets and uncommon meats in the entrée round keep the competitors cooking creatively. And in the last round, the chefs must adjust their plans when their dreams of perfect desserts threaten to turn into Halloween nightmares.
8. Give It Your All
Aired: 15-11-2011
It's Thanksgiving in the Chopped kitchen and four chefs are giving it all they have. Things start off on a sweet note, with maple syrup in the appetizer basket. Then when the chefs get an ingredient in the entrée round that is more popular as a decoration than as a food, will they be able to make the beautiful, edible? And after cooking with some traditional turkey day favorites in the last round, the two finalists hope the judges will want to gobble, gobble up their desserts.
9. Can't Catch Me, I'm the Gingerbread Lobster!
Aired: 06-12-2011
It's holiday time on Chopped! The competitors are challenged to stay in the spirit of the season throughout the meal. In the appetizer round the chefs, not-so-gingerly, take down some gingerbread houses. And adrenaline runs so high that one chef does not realize that something has gone very wrong with his dish until it is too late. Then in the entrée round, a prized piece of meat and a beautiful vegetable have the makings of a great main dish, but a sweet surprise in the basket may present "ye old yuletide" pitfall for the chefs. And when the finalists find an often-disparaged holiday classic in the dessert basket, who will be able to elevate the ingredient and be on their merry way with $10,000?
Season 9 (August 2011 - December 2011)
1. Champions' Tournament: Part 1
Aired: 30-08-2011
Welcome back, champs! Four Chopped heroes return to action to see who can go up against the very best and win again. But this time, time becomes a very big challenge in the first round. Then with the sting of the judges' harsh criticisms fresh on their minds, the competitors face stinging nettles and antelope in the entrée round. And in the decisive last round, it is clear that both chefs are craving a chance to move on to the finale, but only one will prevail once the judges taste the pie crust desserts.
2. Champions' Tournament: Part 2
Aired: 06-09-2011
Four returning winners fight for a spot in the $50,000 grand finale competition. In the first round a pre-made breakfast food prevents some of the competitors from being as creative as they should, and presentation flaws plague the champs. The remaining competitors are left trying to figure out what to do with an expensive fish and an unusual snack food in the entrée round. And the two champs who move on to the dessert round have to do their best with a dough that they don't know well.
3. Champions' Tournament: Part 3
Aired: 13-09-2011
With only two spots remaining in the $50,000 Chopped Champions Grand Finale competition, four champs attempt to elbow their way to victory. In the appetizer round, the chefs are unsure how to treat a pretty fruit and a succulent seafood product. Whose choices will leave the judges impressed? Then the champs try to balance out the flavors of a great big fish and a little cookie in the entrée round. And with two champs left champing at the bit to cook dessert, the judges wonder if either one can turn duck fat and guava paste into sweet perfection.
4. Champions' Tournament: Part 4
Aired: 20-09-2011
Four returning winners fight for the last remaining spot in the Chopped Champions Grand Finale! The heat is on when the chefs discover hot cross buns and a shocking meat in the appetizer basket. Then in the entrée round, will anyone make a wreck of the wreck fish? And the last two chefs must make delectable desserts using a box of something familiar plus a can of something sweet.
5. Champions' Tournament: Grand Finale
Aired: 27-09-2011
This is it! The $50,000 Chopped Champions Grand Finale! Only one two-time champ can become a "three-peater" and claim the prize. The chefs think they've caught a break when they find catfish in the first basket, but will the cherry soda sink them? Then in the entrée round, the chefs face a little pig, as they fight for the big money. And the ingredients in the dessert basket seem surprisingly simple. But as the two remaining champs push themselves to make a dish to clinch the win, they take some risky chances.
6. Time & Space
Aired: 04-10-2011
Can openers are in order for the opening round, when the chefs find a shocker of a protein in the basket. Then the remaining competitors blast into the entrée round to find astronaut ice cream. But will the mission go awry for one chef after he asks a competitor for a generous favor? And a gritty grits battle in the dessert round reveals the finalists' creative strengths.
7. Everything's Rosy
Aired: 11-10-2011
A seafood surprise in the mystery basket plus four distinct cooking styles keep things lively in the appetizer round. And things take a rosy turn in the entrée round, with edible flowers in the basket. But when one chef attempts to create something very special using the flowers, will he get it on the plates in time? Then both finalists jump into crisis mode when things go wrong in the dessert round.
8. Make a Splash!
Aired: 25-10-2011
With sea urchin and cranberry juice in the first basket, the chefs have to dive deep to try to imagine and then create the perfect appetizers. Then in the entrée round, can canned fruit and pork hock come together well on the plates? The three remaining competitors try to make it work when they deliver three very different main dishes. And it's a gingerbread dough showdown in the dessert round!
9. One in a Hundred
Aired: 01-11-2011
The first round has the competitors combining a sweet bread and a scrumptious melon. And the chefs tell the judges about their very different reasons for wanting to win. Then in the entrée round, not used to working with almonds in their unripened, fuzzy form, the remaining chefs struggle to make that mystery ingredient tasty, while also filleting and cooking fish. And after dealing with French donut dough in the dessert round, it will be "au revoir" for one finalist.
10. Blood Orange Sorbet, Sweat, & Tears
Aired: 08-11-2011
The chefs hope that their breakfast sausage appetizer will awaken the judges' senses. And as he explains why he loves to cook, one competitor breaks down. Then in the second round, a frozen dessert puts a chill in the chefs' plans to create delicious fish entrees. And the finalists must make sweet fruit work with sour beer in their desserts.
11. Class Acts
Aired: 22-11-2011
Class is in session in the Chopped kitchen! Four school cafeteria chefs compete to raise awareness about the importance of good meals for kids. With White House chef Sam Kass as a guest judge, the ladies seek to make a big impression with their first dishes, made with dill pickles and canned tuna. Then in the entrée round, quinoa is a new ingredient for two out of the three chefs. Will they be able to take something unknown and create something great? The two finalists pour their hearts into making fantastic desserts that include grapes and cream cheese. And an emotional victory brings an incredible competition to its conclusion.
12. Yakety Yak, Yak, Yak
Aired: 29-11-2011
The appetizer basket is packed with sardines, rice cakes and an unusual fruit, but self-confidence may prove to be the most valuable ingredient for the chefs. In the entrée round the competitors have to take yak and dried shrimp and design a delicious main course. Then with $10,000 on the line and chamomile flowers in the basket, creativity blooms in the dessert round, with the judges moved by the personal growth they see from the finalists.
13. Duck for Dinner
Aired: 13-12-2011
The judges are pleased to see duck confit, a heavenly food, in the first basket. But in just twenty minutes, will the competitors be able to pull off divine appetizer dishes? In the entrée round, a trend with the mystery ingredient emerges. Then, each determined to claim the $10,000 prize, the two finalists face off in the dessert round. And one lucky duck takes it.
Season 10 (December 2011 - May 2012)
1. The Big Scoop
Aired: 20-12-2011
One, two, three, four mystery ingredients in the appetizer basket! One competitor loses count in the first round and misses getting marmalade on the plates. When there is no confession highlighting the mistake, can the judges' investigative tasting skills reveal it? Then, the chefs hop into action with rabbit in the entrée round. What a surprise when the big scoop in dessert is vanilla ice cream! Hold on for a chilling finale where one competitor heads for a meltdown.
2. Chop on Through
Aired: 03-01-2012
With a fruit and a root in the first basket, two of the chefs go with a similar approach for their appetizers. Will one dish turn out better than the other? Then in the entree round, a cut of meat with a peculiar name gives the judges something to talk about, while the chefs rush to get the main dishes made. And Camembert is the fromage of choice in the dessert basket. Whose cheesy, sweet creation will be most pleasing to the panel of experts?
3. Far Far Out!
Aired: 10-01-2012
A very lively group of competitors go after the $10,000 prize with gusto. In the appetizer round, distaste for a processed food in the basket inspires some creativity and some defiance. In the entree round, chefs try to find success combining the Indian snack food known as far far and the bird known as squab. While one chef appears to have a clearer plan than the other in the final round, whose corn flakes dessert will taste better?
4. Frozen Fries with That?
Aired: 17-01-2012
When the chefs, including two previous co-workers, find a classic but still-frozen ingredient in the appetizer basket, they must both heat it up and up the creativity level to impress the judges. Then, in the entrée round, a strange meat and a strong drink make for interesting basket fellows. In the dessert round, vinegar is in the mix. Will things go sour for the finalists?
5. Redemption Competition
Aired: 24-01-2012
Back to take it! Four previous Chopped runners-up compete to see which one can finally walk away the winner. The competition gets off to a sweet start, with sweetbreads. But in the entrée round, root beer schnapps in the basket proves very problematic for one chef. And the judges are on the edge of their seats for a very tense dessert match-up.
6. On the Line
Aired: 31-01-2012
Competitors hailing from different countries bring their international know-how to the Chopped kitchen. With $10,000 on the line, the chefs are surprised to find fish in both of the first two baskets. Who will catch a break and make it all the way to the final round to make the best desserts possible with cheese wedges and clove candies?
7. Viewers' Choice
Aired: 03-04-2012
Let's hear it for fan participation! Chopped viewers finally get their chance to weigh in on a weighty question: What should go into the mystery baskets? In the first round of this special competition, the chefs must figure out how to make the fans proud by cooking a dish made with a favorite regional meat product. Then for the entrée round, the viewers have chosen a jarred ingredient that few professional chefs are likely to like. Will one chef's ambitious plans backfire as the clock runs out? Then, while trying to figure out how to combine black licorice root with a salty snack food, one of the final two chefs uses a clever time-saving technique in the dessert round.
8. All Stars: Iron Chefs Do Battle
Aired: 08-04-2012
Iron Chefs in the Chopped kitchen! Four world-class Food Network chefs go head-to-head in the first competition of the $50,000 All-Stars tournament. In the appetizer round the Iron Chefs race into action to make amazing dishes out of beef tendon and crawfish. Then in the entree round a very challenging protein has all the Iron Chefs using a different cooking technique. Who will be successful? And the two remaining Iron Chefs must tackle a dessert round, featuring black beans and queso fresco.
9. All Stars: Prime Time vs. Day Time
Aired: 15-04-2012
Globe-trotting gourmets! Four sensational series' hosts bring international flavors to the All-Stars tournament. But chicken feet in the first basket force them to step out of their comfort zones, and the pressure of the Chopped kitchen affects the caliber of the appetizers. Another difficult protein makes the entrée basket a huge challenge. Can these All-Stars hit their stride? When the final two open the dessert baskets and see a giant surprise, will they know what to do with it?
10. All Stars: Food Network Star Contestants
Aired: 22-04-2012
Food Network Star fans, this Chopped is for you! Four chefs from the hit casting competition attempt to excel in an entirely new arena. First, they try to impress the judges by exhibiting razor sharp skills in the razor clams appetizer round. In a meat-and-potatoes entree round, standing out is the challenge for the chefs. Established rivalries make the fight to get into the final round even more intense. And following the dessert round, featuring white apricots and bacon bits, the judges have some stern words for the chefs.
11. All Stars: Judge Remix
Aired: 29-04-2012
No fear! Vying for the last remaining place in the $50,000 All-Stars finale, four Chopped judges head to the kitchen to prove that they know whereof they speak and really know how to cook. Brawn and brains -- goat brains that is -- are requirements of the appetizer round. At the Chopping Block, we see how the judges feel about being judged themselves. Then after one judge-turned-competitor is chopped, three go on to the entree round where they must create main dishes using Berkshire pork and preserved duck eggs. Who will represent the judges in the All-Stars grand finale?
12. All Stars: Grand Finale
Aired: 06-05-2012
This is it! Four Chopped All Stars champs face off for $50,000 for a good cause! With so much on the line, the celebrity chef who wins it will have to have heart, and guess what is in the appetizer basket? Beef heart! After an excruciatingly difficult first decision, anything can happen in the exciting entree round, featuring a beautiful fish, some beautiful greens and some less-than-beautifully plated dishes. Panforte and pancetta must be included in the finalists' desserts, and the judges must designate just one winner.
13. Grilltastic!
Aired: 29-05-2012
It's a grilling spectacular! Four pros set out to show how good cooking over extreme heat in a short period of time can be. But what will these meat-loving competitors do with an unwelcome surprise in the appetizer basket? In the entree round, the judges hope that the chefs are able to coax some big flavors out of some dream ingredients, including wagyu steak. And when one of the final two competitors attempts to wow the judges with a signature recipe in dessert, will the tried-and-true specialty turn out to be truly delicious with mystery basket items like marshmallow spread and stout beer?
Season 11 (February 2012 - November 2012)
1. I'm Your Huckleberry
Aired: 07-02-2012
In the first round four competitors try to make octopus and huckleberry into dishes that will make them stand out as Chopped Champ material. Then in a high-energy second round, champagne corks and hammers go flying. After two finalists create desserts with a Peruvian drink and a Mexican cheese, one walks away with all the dinero while the other gets nada.
2. Chewing the Caul Fat
Aired: 14-02-2012
As the clock ticks down on the first round, one chef gets into a pickle with the pickle juice. Then in the entrée round the chefs must figure out something savvy to do with Savoy cabbage and a curious web of fat. And a very competitive final round - featuring edible flowers - results in a daring dash for the ice cream machine.
3. Good Chop, Bad Chop
Aired: 21-02-2012
With canned spiced ham in the first basket the chefs must stay determined if they want to elevate their dishes. Lake perch is the catch of the entree round. What will the judges think of one chef's unorthodox decision with the avocados? A French bakery staple makes for a buttery surprise in the final basket.
4. Leftovers Extravaganza!
Aired: 06-03-2012
It's a leftovers extravaganza! In this special competition, every basket contains some "leftover" ingredients. For an appetizer, the chefs race to make something fun and tasty out of slices of leftover pizza. A takeout container holds a surprise in the entrée basket. The final two chefs shock the judges with their cold refried beans dessert creations.
5. Plenty of Fish
Aired: 16-03-2012
In the first round, the chefs do their best to delicately cook a familiar fish, as they struggle to decide what to do with a tiny, Indian gourd. A smelly fish product in the second basket leaves the competitors taking risks with lutefisk that they hope will pay off. Then the two remaining chefs hustle to put together their final dishes, but can they create genuine desserts out of Chinese sausage and baby eggplants?
6. Sound the Alarm!
Aired: 23-03-2012
Four firefighters battle to become the Chopped Champ! The kitchen is abuzz with camaraderie and competition, as the brothers jump into the first round. They must find a way to take hot dogs and smoked mozzarella and create an elegant appetizer. Then in the entrée round, the firefighters/chefs try to make the perfect main dish of bison steaks and fire-roasted tomatoes. And when it is time to cook desserts, will the instructions on the crescent roll dough package give the competitors the edge they need to bake something delicious for the judges?
7. Ready, Set, Escargot!
Aired: 10-04-2012
Snails are the first order of business in the Chopped kitchen. Can the competitors make escargot go with red jalapenos? A mishap with a paper towel leads to a dangerous situation at one chef's station. With Chinese eggplant and ground lamb in the entree basket, three chefs all choose a similar direction for their dishes. Then two very driven finalists compete to make great desserts from garnet yams and roasted noodles.
8. Own It!
Aired: 17-04-2012
Four chef/entrepreneurs have something to prove in the Chopped kitchen. In the first round, will their hearts sink when they see hearts of palm and rabbit escabeche in the basket? And a curious ingredient substitution leaves the judges perplexed. Then three chefs fight to make goat chops a great main dish ... or risk being chopped. And it's crunch time for two finalists, when they must make dessert using blue corn tortilla chips.
9. Yuzu Never Know
Aired: 01-05-2012
Does yuzu juice go with sturgeon? That's part of the first-round riddle that the competitors face. One chef's recollection of what he did with a mystery ingredient comes into question when facing the judges. In the second round, something orange and something green color the chefs' choices. And the two finalists find a spicy surprise in the dessert basket.
10. Reversal of Fortune
Aired: 08-05-2012
The chefs struggle to make composed, elegant dishes with green goddess salad dressing in the first round. The second round brings about a reversal of fortune, when the competitors impress the judges with what they can do with fortune cookies and brazino. Two finalists go full steam ahead into the last round; but when the chefs realize they are making the exact same dessert, using sourdough bread, will either competitor change course?
11. A Very Piggy Halloween
Aired: 16-10-2012
Getting piggy with it for Halloween, the chefs have to cook with snouts in the first round. Then with fear in their Halloween-loving hearts, the competitors open up the second basket to find a dangerously hot ingredient and popping candy. The judges are in for a main course that is both frightening and delightfully surprising. The finalists pull out all the stops to make lollipops and cereal bars into devilishly delicious desserts.
12. Happy Turkey Gizzards Day!
Aired: 13-11-2012
Gobble, gobble, it's Turkey Day in the Chopped Kitchen! When the chefs are given gizzards in the first basket, will they feel thankful? The competitors step up their games when everyone's favorite — pumpkin pie — shows up in the entree basket. In the end the challenge is to compose some chocolatey desserts as part of the final Thanksgiving offering.
13. Chopping in a Winter Wonderland
Aired: 25-11-2012
Holiday time is here! The chefs open up the first basket to find spiral ham and beautiful Italian cookies. Family memories influence decisions in their first dishes. Santa Claus melons come to town for the entree round, and one of the competitors makes a big holiday mess in the kitchen. Then in the dessert round, the two remaining chefs must turn eggnog and Hanukkah gelt into the perfect final gift for the judges.
Season 12 (June 2012 - November 2012)
1. Sunny Side Apps
Aired: 05-06-2012
The chefs get an unusual wake-up call in the appetizer basket: gummy fried eggs. Will they be able to successfully transform this novelty candy into something that tastes good with corned beef? Then a sweet-and-sour surprise in the entree round sends the chefs running to the pantry to find suitable complementary ingredients. The two chefs who make it to a fiercely competitive dessert round must make do with knodel and almond flour.
2. A Guts Reaction
Aired: 12-06-2012
The chefs need to have guts when they discover poultry intestines and red miso in the first basket. The ingredients are less daunting for the entree round, but some big technical flaws are disappointing to the judges. And two talented competitors advance to the dessert round with something to prove with candied nuts and kombucha as mystery ingredients.
3. Chocolate Challenge
Aired: 19-06-2012
It's a chocolate lover's dream competition: Chocolate in every course! Will the chefs take well to this sweet challenge? The appetizer round is a heart-stopping affair with a romantic gift as the centerpiece of the basket. The three chefs who advance to cook the second course have a love/hate response to the thematic ingredient. And when the chefs are given a molded chocolate novelty item in the dessert round, they battle to prove who can finish strong.
4. Pride of New Orleans
Aired: 26-06-2012
Four chefs from the Big Easy take on the big challenge of excelling in the Chopped Kitchen. In the first basket, half of the ingredients are very familiar, while the other mystery items just might throw the competitors off their game. In the entree round, the chefs make some very original choices with chai tea powder, and a judge makes a very surprising discovery on one of the plates. When both finalists take similar approaches to the dessert course, whose dish will the judges prefer?
5. All-American Competition
Aired: 03-07-2012
It's a special all-American Chopped! Fierce competition is a matter of national and personal pride, as four chefs face off to see who will be the champ. From apple pie in the appetizer basket to bourbon for dessert, the patriotic theme makes for some yummy, original dishes. And 10,000 American dollars will go to the one chef who bests the others.
6. Orzo It Seemed
Aired: 17-07-2012
Three of the chefs go in a very similar direction with the first course, and yet the judges find creativity in the variety of flavors in their seafood sausage appetizers. In the entree round, the chefs must integrate tiny pasta and a powerful liqueur into their dishes. In the dessert round, when one competitor's plans fall apart, will there be enough time to redirect?
7. Belly Dance!
Aired: 31-07-2012
When the chefs confront the first basket, their degrees of expertise with tuna belly come into play. Lamb top round is round two's mystery protein, and it's a mystery whose dish the judge like least, until the cloche is lifted. With cayenne pepper and canned pumpkin desserts in the works, one chef has some serious difficulties and races to get everything onto the plate.
8. Cake Walk!
Aired: 07-08-2012
The chefs find carrot cake in the first basket, along with an unusual seafood product: Will they be able to pull together cohesive appetizers? In the entree round, the competitors take three different approaches with a familiar protein, but the judges are disappointed by the chefs' scant usage of a prized ingredient. Pop goes the dessert round, with caramel corn in the basket.
9. Oui, Oui, Confit
Aired: 14-08-2012
The judges are pleased to see duck confit in the first basket. But when it comes time to taste, they're disappointed that they must consider a competitor's very minimal use of one of the other ingredients. Then in the entree round, a jar of peanut butter and a can of shrimp are two of the puzzling items that the chefs discover in the baskets. As the competition wraps up, will wonton wrappers and grape jelly beans stump the finalists?
10. Drawing a Flank
Aired: 21-08-2012
When the first basket contains licorice, licking the competition on creativity becomes the chefs' main challenge in the appetizer round. The competitors get a jolt of energy in the form of espresso powder, which they must match with flank steak for their entree dish. When it becomes clear that neither finalist's polenta and sherry dessert is a sure thing, who will become the Chopped Champion?
11. A Bunny Thing Happened
Aired: 11-09-2012
A pink candy surprise in the appetizer basket prompts the chefs to make some very creative choices. Then in the entree round, the chefs have to hop to it with a chocolate bunny and an imposing cut of meat as ingredients. A sweet baked good seems like a good start for some delicious desserts, but will the chefs' final dishes be inventive enough to impress the judges?
12. Charge!
Aired: 09-10-2012
With pluck aplenty, four chefs charge into the competition. But will spaghetti in a can spell trouble for them in the first round? In the entree course, everybody raids the pantry for potatoes that they think will complement the tile fish from the basket. A very tough final basket, which includes cocktail franks, has the two final chefs puzzled. Can they come up with creative, delicious desserts?
13. For Sake's Sake
Aired: 20-11-2012
Ostrich tenderloin appetizers are on the menu for the judges after a dramatic first round of cooking. And then, for creativity's sake, the chefs must work hard to make terrific entrees with sable fish and sake. When one of the final competitors uses a rolling pin to compress hot dog buns, the judges wonder what kind of dessert they will get.
Season 13 (September 2012 - February 2013)
1. Stacking Up
Aired: 04-09-2012
The competition starts off strongly with four chefs, cooking with gusto, as they attempt to make delicious jumbo shrimp appetizers. Then, in the entree round, with less than a minute remaining, one of the chefs has yet to get one of the mystery ingredients on the plates! The judges watch on the edge of their seats to see if the competitor will remember before time runs out. When the two finalists find frozen pancakes in the final basket, whose dessert will stack up to a $10,000 victory?
2. Class Acts, Too
Aired: 25-09-2012
Class is once again in session in the Chopped Kitchen, with ladies from America's school cafeterias competing and sharing their stories. In the first round, ground turkey and frozen yogurt test the chefs' skills. Then the ladies must sweat out a 30-minute entree round with sweet potatoes and hoisin sauce as ingredients. The final two competitors advance to dessert round to find a basket of healthy items. And when one chef's plans literally fall apart, she must decide whether to rethink her idea or try, try again.
3. No Kidding!
Aired: 02-10-2012
Teenagers are taking over the Chopped Kitchen! Four talented young cooks bravely attempt a challenge that often throws off trained professionals. Watching the first round, featuring fish filets and a sugary frozen treat, the judges are amazed by the level of maturity, poise and skill: And it's a very difficult choice deciding which rising culinary star will not get a chance to move on. There are some fun items in the second round baskets: cotton candy and French-fried onions. Then the two terrific teens who make it to the dessert round, and find movie-theater popcorn in the basket, put on a great show.
4. Pigging Out!
Aired: 23-10-2012
The chefs learn that they have come to the Chopped Kitchen for a special competition where they will be cooking with unusual cuts of meat, embracing the philosophy that almost every part of an animal can be considered food. The big surprise for the competitors in the first basket, a whole pig's head! The chefs who make it to the second round open the basket to find out how the nose-to-tail theme will play out, and the task looks three-times more difficult than imagined. When the last basket is opened, the competitors' faces say it all: it's going to be a very tough round.
5. Unsung Heroes
Aired: 06-11-2012
Four culinary heroes, who use their talents to do good in their communities, arrive at the Chopped Kitchen to compete. In an impressive first round, the chefs pull from their varied skill sets to create four beautiful plates of food. Then in the entree round, something gamey and something fizzy make for an interesting mix of mystery ingredients. And when the final two chefs advance to the last round, they make desserts layered with sugary surprises. Which chef's final dish will complete the winning meal?
6. Bird in the Pan
Aired: 27-11-2012
In the appetizer round, three out of the four chefs make a similar choice with a tricky basket ingredient: Will the fourth chef's different approach work in his favor? Then for the entrees, the competitors attempt to make delicious Cornish hen dishes, knowing that a nicely cooked bird in the pan could be worth a trip to the final round. And in the dessert round, neither the judges nor the chefs have any idea what to expect on the plates after a wild fiasco with the ice cream machine.
7. Thirsty for Victory
Aired: 11-12-2012
Appetizer: lump crabmeat and ice cream cones Entree: a sports drink. Dessert: carob syrup and spaghetti squash.
8. Trout Bout
Aired: 18-12-2012
With brook trout in the first basket, the chefs try to reel the judges in with some amazing appetizers. Then candy and kale in the entree round keep the chefs' creativity on overdrive. And as the finalists attempt to make sesame seed buns into tasty desserts, they make some intriguing choices.
9. Belly Up
Aired: 01-01-2013
The chefs must combine cocoa mix with Japanese peppers in challenging fish-course round. Then in the entree round — a big, big, oops! — one chef accidentally drops pork belly onto the floor! But it's what happens when the chef picks the meat up off the floor that shocks the judges most. Then can an ice-cream-truck treat go well with wheat grass? The two finalists attempt to make great, green desserts.
10. Hecho en the Chopped Kitchen
Aired: 07-02-2013
The chefs open the appetizer basket and find exciting ingredients from Mexico, including pigs' feet and tres leches cake. Then the chefs are presented with a second basket of surprises from South of the Border, including goat chops. And one chef sees the chance of a carefree round literally go up in flames when a pan gets much too hot. Nothing is yucky about yucca and coconuts. But when one of the finalists runs into all sorts of trouble getting through the round, will the judges like the end results?
11. Make No Mistake
Aired: 17-02-2013
Four returning losers — chefs who made big mistakes in their first competition — are dead set on not repeating history in the Chopped Kitchen. Having practiced and prepared to do better, the chefs open up the appetizer basket and fight to stay in it: but one pulpo and fava bean appetizer will not be good enough. Then, in the entree round, the chefs have to stay sharp to cook with cactus and manage their time well. And when the two finalists find a classic cookie and a tangy fruit in the dessert basket, make no mistake both of these former losers really want to win it!
12. Untrained, Undaunted
Aired: 26-02-2013
Four amateur cooks step into the Chopped Kitchen, believing that they can show the pros how it's done. First, the cooks' raw talent is put to the test with a sushi platter in the appetizer basket. Then in the entree round, do the home chefs have what it takes to take ostrich fillets and blueberry wine and create remarkable dishes? Lastly, after the dessert round, the judges are left to compare two very similar plates.
Season 14 (January 2013 - May 2013)
1. Leftovers Overload
Aired: 06-01-2013
In this special episode, all the baskets are full of leftover foods, and the four competitors demonstrate some tricks and recipes you might want to try at home. In the first round, one chef makes a very daring soup using pieces of a sub sandwich, and the judges do not know whether to be impressed or frightened. Then in the entree round, two competitors think of a similar idea, and the other chef tries to make the argument that creativity with the leftover rib-eye steak is higher in his alternative concept. And the two finalists endeavor to create fresh, fun desserts from flat soda, mushy bananas and a melting sundae.
2. Chopped Champions: Part 1
Aired: 15-01-2013
Four champions return to try to win a chance to compete for the $50,000 grand prize, and the baskets are far from simple. Hating haggis will get the champs nowhere in the first round, where they must find creative approaches to the much-maligned meat dish in order to pass the judges' scrutiny. Then in the entree round, sweet dough and an unnerving protein put the pressure on the competitors. And with unripe plantains in the final basket, the kitchen is rife with creativity.
3. Chopped Champions: Part 2
Aired: 22-01-2013
Vying for one of three remaining spots in the Chopped Champions $50,000 grand finale, four returning chefs open the first basket to find a seafood delicacy and a traditional holiday food/gift. In the second round, a slip of the knife threatens to slow one champion down, as the chefs put together entrees using peanut butter and jelly ... and squab. Then, with just two chefs left fighting in the dessert round, patience might be the most important ingredient, as one competitor seems overly eager to take his baked concoction out of the oven.
4. Chopped Champions: Part 3
Aired: 29-01-2013
With just two spots left in the tournament's $50,000 grand finale, four winners return to try to beat the odds and be victorious again. As time runs out in the first round, one chef struggles to get every ingredient onto every plate of his smoked eel appetizer: Will he do it? The champs leap into an entree round, featuring frog legs and gin. Two very different styles are represented in the dessert round, featuring araucana eggs and coconut macaroons, leaving the judges with a complex final decision to work out.
5. Chopped Champions: Part 4
Aired: 05-02-2013
Four chefs vie for the last remaining place in the $50,000 Chopped Champions contest. Appetizer: sour apple martini mix. Entree: an imposing cut of meat and a sweet wine. Dessert: two very different treats made from corn nut and Marashino cherry desserts.
6. Chopped Champions: Finale
Aired: 12-02-2013
In the grand finale of the Chopped Champions tournament, four two-time winners stride into the kitchen with their eyes on the big prize: $50,000! Some fresh surprises and a baked good challenge the champs in the first round. Then after saying goodbye to the first chef, the competition takes a slimy turn with sea snails in the basket.
7. Just For The Halibut
Aired: 12-03-2013
The chefs hope the basket ingredients speak to them and inspire them to create some delicious appetizers from smoked beef tongue and garbanzo beans. Then the competitors have a heck of a time making halibut work with aquavit in their entree dishes. And the judges are eager to see what the last two chefs can do with banana chips and almond butter in the dessert round.
8. Redemption Intention
Aired: 19-03-2013
Back for the victory! Four Chopped runners-up courageously return to the competition, intent on redeeming their previous defeats. Will a pre-cooked protein and a slimy sea creature in the first basket throw anybody off their game? The chefs who make it to the entree round cannot duck a very difficult basket, featuring poultry tongue and pineapple. Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/chopped/redemption-intention/index.
9. Chopped All-Stars: Food Network vs. Cooking Channel
Aired: 07-04-2013
In this first competition of the celebrity tournament, fans of Food Network and Cooking Channel get to see some of their favorite stars in action in the Chopped Kitchen. One chef's dash to deliver a creative appetizer before the clock runs makes for a very exciting first round. Then in the second round, something's fishy in the basket, and one chef's dish is at risk when two competitors bump into each other. And with a spot in the $50,000 All-Stars finale and a favorite charity on the line, two finalists go head-to-head in the dessert round.
10. Chopped All-Stars: Mega Chefs
Aired: 14-04-2013
In this second fight of the All-Stars $50,000 tournament, contenders with considerable competitive prowess take each other on in the Chopped Kitchen. The judges are eager to see what the chefs can do with sea bass and cream soda in the first round. Then in the entree round, the competitors must get their tails in gear to make oxtail and labaneh into delicious dishes. And it is no piece of cake for the finalists, figuring out how to transform a classic snack cake into an elegant dessert.
11. Chopped All-Stars: Judges
Aired: 21-04-2013
What will happen when the tables are turned and four friends and colleagues compete in the Chopped Kitchen? In the first round, the judges-turned-competitors must crack the code of the basket after cracking open diver scallops. Then in the entree round, can the chefs make a beautiful bird fly with canned pizza sauce? And with bragging rights and a shot at making it to the $50,000 finale on the line, the last two chefs bravely tackle the dessert basket.
12. Chopped All-Stars: Celebrities
Aired: 28-04-2013
Four celebrities with different backgrounds, and a shared love of cooking, charge into the Chopped Kitchen. Plain vanilla is something that none of the competitors can relate to, but can they skillfully use vanilla cupcakes to create appetizers as one-of-a-kind as they are? Then something crispy and something jiggly make the main course a study in contrasts. And when two entertaining cooks proceed to the final round, they put on a performance with circus peanuts and curry powder.
13. Chopped All-Stars: Finale!
Aired: 05-05-2013
our returning All-Stars champs compete for $50,000 for charitable causes that are very meaningful to them. Two of the surprises in the first basket are a super salty veggie and a super fresh seafood item. Then cheddar-filled pretzels help make it a fun-filled entree round. And the judges cannot wait to taste a couple of creative desserts made from freeze dried grapes and marcona almonds.
Season 15 (April 2013 - July 2013)
1. Heads Up!
Aired: 02-04-2013
Appetizer: lamb's head and chocolate cake. Entree: arctic char and vinegar. Dessert: yellow rice and persimmons.
2. Viewers' Choice Baskets
Aired: 09-04-2013
For this Viewers' Choice competition, Chopped fans devise the cruelest baskets ever. Appetizer: two brightly colored manmade items and one of nature's most odious foods. Entree: a canned product that became infamous in a previous competition. The dessert basket proves very difficult for the finalists.
3. Aussie Awesome
Aired: 16-04-2013
The chefs open the first basket to find ingredients inspired by Australia, including one that has everybody's jaw dropping. Then in the entree round, one competitor makes very ambitious plans; will everything come together for him as time runs out? And the finalists better not lollygag with lollies and lemon verbena in the dessert basket.
4. Without Missing a Beet
Aired: 30-04-2013
With a pre-grilled protein and a dried fruit in the appetizer basket, the chefs attempt to make an amazing first impression in the first round. Jitters in the second round cause one chef to drop something on the floor: Will she be able to pull herself together to put together a decent entree? In the final round, the last two chefs are in a hurry to make curry desserts that the judges will love, but one chef runs into serious trouble in the final seconds.
5. Momumental
Aired: 07-05-2013
Four talented moms, who are not professional chefs, take on the mother of all kitchens, the Chopped kitchen. In the first round, the competitors have a lot of work to do, including breaking down an uncommon protein and figuring out how to make coffee a key part of their appetizers. Then in the entree round, a grain and a green must make it onto the plate. And when the last two moms find themselves facing off in the dessert round, they must make nutty and fruity flavors work together.
6. Amazing Amateurs
Aired: 14-05-2013
Four amateur chefs who have been yearning to compete in the Chopped kitchen get their chance! Yet, will they be sorry when they open up the first basket and find a daunting sea creature? Then in the entree round, an unfamiliar tuber challenges the competitors as the energy level peaks. The two amateurs remaining in the final round must create a dessert using crackers and red wine.
7. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner!
Aired: 21-05-2013
The usual rounds of appetizer, entree and dessert are replaced with breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the judges are hoping for pure decadence! In the first round, black forest bacon and prune juice are two of the mystery ingredients that the competitors must manage to transform. Then in the lunch round, some colorful surprises are in the basket.
8. Military Salute
Aired: 28-05-2013
Hup, two, three ... four chefs who have served in the Army or Navy bring military precision to the Chopped kitchen! In the appetizer round, a freeze-dried surprise in the basket has the chefs scrambling to add much-needed flavor to their plates. A large loaf and a tough candy make for a challenging second round. The last two military chefs go head-to-head in the dessert round, both badly wanting the win.
9. Cook Your Butt Off!
Aired: 30-05-2013
Four chefs with incredible weight-loss stories charge into the Chopped kitchen to compete. In the first mystery basket they find a fatty protein that challenges them to stick to their healthier-food philosophies. In the entree round, there's a fish to breakdown and a snackfood to transform. And when the final two physically fit competitors dash into the dessert round, the judges watch eagerly to see if their angel food cake creations will be heavenly.
10. Better Saffron Than Sorry
Aired: 04-06-2013
The chefs show off in the appetizer round by creating four unique interpretations of mussels with saffron. In the entree round, the baskets contain a particularly daunting protein: Will the competitors have the knowledge or experience to treat it correctly and make it work with blackberries? And pasta sheets make for a good blank canvas for dessert.
11. Take Heart
Aired: 06-06-2013
In the appetizer round, the chefs discover various creative ways to combine peppers and pork, and the judges wonder why one competitor makes a strange, last-minute decision. Then in the entree round, the chefs must wrestle with a heart-stopping protein. And the challenge in the dessert basket seems to be taming some super sweet ingredients.
12. Wheatgrass Roots
Aired: 18-06-2013
The chefs' first challenge is to see what they can do with a very earthy first basket, including chia seeds and dandelion greens. Then in the entree round, tempeh is the tempting center of every plate. And the two finalists get a local sweetener and a fresh berry from which to make delicious desserts.
13. Wurst Case Scenario
Aired: 23-07-2013
Four energetic chefs hit the ground running in the appetizer round, but the one chef who runs into the worst trouble with their currywurst dish must be chopped. The big curveball in the entree round — popcorn balls! Berries and oats meet in the final basket.
Season 16 (June 2013 - November 2013)
1. Fry, Fry Again
Aired: 02-06-2013
The chefs are given pots of bubbling oil, so that they can create crispy, delicious additions to their dishes. Catfish catches the chefs by surprise in the first round. In the entree basket, the competitors find a cheese and a cherry preserve.
2. Cleaver Fever
Aired: 11-06-2013
To avoid the judges' cleaver fever, the competitors have to work with bacon popcorn in the first round. In the entree round, an injury causes one chef to lose valuable time on his lamb dish. A mashed treat meets floral syrup in the dessert basket.
3. Mix and Mache
Aired: 13-06-2013
An odd mix of ingredients in the first basket, including mache and pickled sausage, has the four chefs working hard to complete unique appetizer plates: And one chef is up against a personal challenge, defending his dish while trying to control a life-long speech impediment. Then in the entree round, the chefs must make squid dishes that impress the judges.
4. Gyro We Go Again
Aired: 25-06-2013
Another intense competition in the Chopped Kitchen starts when the chefs get gyro meat and hearts of palm in the first basket! Then in the second round, the remaining three chefs must pair steak and donuts.
5. Big Fish, Small Basket
Aired: 27-06-2013
The competitors leap into action and come out strong with four impressive appetizers, made with seitan and mezcal. In the second round, pre-made sauce and a sizable fish are in the basket. When the two finalists proceed to dessert, they must make a pastry and a pork product play nicely on their plates.
6. Teen Invasion
Aired: 02-07-2013
Four amazing teenaged chefs invade the Chopped Kitchen for Chopped's second teen competition. The judges are in awe of what the teen chefs do with tuna and cereal in the first round. In the entree round, will the young cooks be taken aback when they open the basket to find something that requires some skilled butchery? The last two teens standing must make dessert with a snack food and an Asian condiment.
7. Mochi Obliged
Aired: 09-07-2013
In the first round, the competitors must very quickly compose dishes from escargot and biscuit dough. Then in the entree basket, the chefs find an unfamiliar produce and an unappealing pate.
8. Sweet Surprises
Aired: 16-07-2013
The chefs are surprised to discover a decadent, sweet creation along with every basket. In the first round a towering cake threatens to topple the chefs' chances at producing perfect plates. Then in the second round, a very colorful dessert ingredient makes for a very stressful challenge. And the two lucky competitors who make it to the last round are happy to see a fabulously chocolatey treat — a sweet surprise that may finally work in their favor.
9. Break a Crab Leg!
Aired: 30-07-2013
Some of the ingredients in the first basket are difficult to identify and even more difficult to incorporate into proper appetizers. In the second round, the chefs open the basket to find a gargantuan seafood surprise. And when the final two chefs move on to the dessert round, they must waste no time inventing dishes using jicama, but a hiccup with the ice cream machine leaves one competitor unsure of how to carry on.
10. Walk on the Whelk Side
Aired: 06-08-2013
A wild first basket, including whelk snails and lemon bars, has the chefs battling the clock to create delicious dishes. And in the entree round, the chefs all bring their personal styles to their plates in a notable way in their lamb shawarma dishes. Then cucumber salad is a cumbersome ingredient for the finalists' desserts.
11. Chopped Family Feud
Aired: 11-08-2013
In a Chopped first, two pairs of brothers compete to see which chef family prevails. In the first round, the competitors must come up with oodles of ideas for falooda noodles. In the entree down, the judges watch eagerly to see how the three plates of steak and cinnamon rolls will turn out. With family pride and bragging rights looming large, the last two chefs must make desserts from a Greek pudding and a Japanese candy.
12. Extreme Halloween
Aired: 06-10-2013
Halloween means very frightening surprises in the baskets for the chefs. In the first round, they encounter a very troublesome, bloody protein and a can of chips that's more than meets the eye. The three chefs who move on to the second round are in for something gooey and gory — and something that is just offal. The final two chefs boldly move on to a devilishly difficult dessert round.
13. A Chopped Thanksgiving
Aired: 12-11-2013
This Thanksgiving, football doesn't have anything on Chopped! Four chefs fight ferociously to see who can make the best holiday meal from the bountiful mystery baskets. In the first round, the chefs must make green bean casserole into something more inviting. Then the competitors find a big bird and a frozen orange treat in the second basket. And with both of the last two chefs determined to show all that they can do with desserts, ambition is amped up in the final round.
Season 17 (August 2013 - December 2013)
1. Wasted!
Aired: 13-08-2013
In this competition, the baskets are full of usually-discarded food scraps. In the first round the chefs must contend with herb stems and what is left of a filleted fish. Then the competitors open the baskets to find eyes on potatoes looking back at them. And the two chefs left in the dessert round must make yummy sweets from the least desirable part of the bread and the least juicy part of the orange.
2. Keep on Trucking
Aired: 18-08-2013
Four chefs with connections to the booming truck-food business motor into the Chopped Kitchen. And the first basket with two assertively-flavored meats makes for a challenging appetizer round. In the second round, the competitors must make dishes that include a sugary powder and a leafy vegetable.
3. Sports Stars
Aired: 03-09-2013
Danica Patrick, Tiki Barber, Chuck Zito and Natalie Coughlin are four athletes who feel right at home in the kitchen battling it out for charity. The judges are presented with four salmon dishes to taste for the first course. In the second round chocolate-covered marshmallows seem to be the most stress-inducing ingredient. And figuring out how to transform olive oil cake is the challenge for dessert.
4. Hero Chefs
Aired: 10-09-2013
These four extraordinary chefs all serve their communities with their culinary talents. In the first round they must combine chicken soup and barbecue sauce. The second round has the chefs creating scallop dishes with two unusual produce items. And the finalists have to get their buns in gear in the last round, when they are given hamburger buns to cook with. Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/chopped/hero-chefs/index.
5. We Love Leftovers!
Aired: 17-09-2013
All leftovers in the baskets today, and some of the chefs are not happy to hear the news. In the first round the competitors must work with what is left in a casserole dish and at the bottom of a takeout bag. The second round has the chefs wondering what to do with something soggy and something sweet. In the final round — featuring a leftover party beverage — one chef beats the other to the ice cream machine, leaving his competitor scrambling for a new plan.
6. Count Your Chickens
Aired: 24-09-2013
The chefs get a first basket with two chicken surprises: chicken livers and chicken tenders. The trend continue into the second round, where the chefs must make a delicious entree with chicken legs and chicken-flavored crackers? Then in the dessert round, an often-disparaged dessert must be elevated.
7. Liver and Learn
Aired: 01-10-2013
The chefs receive calves' livers and ranch dressing in the first round, and the judges watch as four appetizers come together in 20 minutes. Then in the entree round, a small bird and a citrusy spice make for an interesting combination.
8. Brunch Boxes
Aired: 15-10-2013
The baskets are packed with ingredients from a brunch menu. In a champagne and caviar appetizer round, one chef makes a generous choice. Chefs pair seafood with pancake mix in the entree round.
9. Circus Spectacular
Aired: 24-10-2013
In this Chopped competition, the baskets are all packed with ingredients you might find on a sophisticated brunch menu. Near the end of a champagne and caviar appetizer round, one chef makes a generous, but potentially costly, choice. How will the chefs pair a seafood extravagance with pancake mix in the entree round? Then turning classic brunch items into dessert is the final, demanding challenge for the last two chefs.
10. Competition Italiano
Aired: 29-10-2013
Every basket in this competition features circus-themed ingredients. In the first round the chefs have to make cotton candy and corn dogs doggone delicious. Then in the entree round, one competitor decides to put his nachos — cheese and all — into the food processor: Will the judges like the result? And when snow cones and popcorn pop up in the dessert round, what kind of circusy sweetness will end up on the finalists' plates?
11. Redeemed or Re-Chopped?
Aired: 05-11-2013
Four former runners-up seek redemption; the first round features a faux meat and a hot mustard; sour grapes is an appropriate ingredient in the second basket.
12. Cloche Call
Aired: 19-11-2013
Two cultures collide in the first round, when the chefs must combine kimchi and gefilte fish. The second round has the chefs working with uniquely flavored vodka and a green snack. And when the two finalists find marshmallow cake and citrusy water in the final basket, the judges hope for delicious desserts.
13. Celebrity Holiday Bash(60 min)
Aired: 01-12-2013
Four stars who love to cook compete in the Chopped Kitchen for a favorite charity. The party begins with sparkling cider and doughnuts in the first basket. Wagyu steaks are served up for the entree round. And the final moments of the competition are filled with drama and suspense as the competitors rush to get their plum pudding desserts plated.
Season 18 (November 2013 - May 2014)
1. No Pain, No Shame
Aired: 26-11-2013
The chefs get a special tool in the basket to help them bust apart a challenging ingredient: a giant jawbreaker. The judges hope the shards-of-candy appetizers do not cause them any harm! Then a trendy pastry meets a North African stew in the second basket. And rosemary and ginger must be combined in the desserts.
2. Teen Talent
Aired: 10-12-2013
Four talented teenaged chefs bring their energy and ambition to the Chopped Kitchen! With a $40,000 scholarship on the line, the young competitors open up the first basket and find a sweet drink and a juicy fruit. Then in the entree round, the teen chefs are given some super sophisticated ingredients. And breakfast-like ingredients give the final two teens a rude awakening in the dessert round.
3. Tapas Time
Aired: 17-12-2013
Time to shake things up in a big/small way as the chefs find out that this competition has a tapas theme. In the first round, the baskets contain some beautiful Spanish ingredients, including gazpacho. In the entree round, one chef makes an alarming choice after accidentally starting a small fire. And the two competitors who move on to the dessert round, featuring catalan creme, try to make mini creations bursting with flavor.
4. Waste Not
Aired: 05-01-2014
The chefs must make use of ingredients that are usually thrown out, for being imperfect, overripe or stale. For example, the first basket includes juicer pulp and tea bags. Then in the second round, the competitors have to get creative with a little bit of salad dressing and some paltry scraps of poultry. And the finalists get some often-tossed portions of a fruit and the peels of a veggie to work into their desserts.
5. Firefighter Chefs
Aired: 12-01-2014
Chopped: The firefighter competitors get the meal started with some hearty meat-and-cheese appetizers that would be a hit back at their firehouses, but will the judges enjoy them? Then in the entrée round, some big errors with a non-basket-ingredient gets one of the judges inordinately upset. And playing with fire is part of the challenge in the final round.
6. Hoofin' It!
Aired: 16-01-2014
When the clock starts ticking down from 20 minutes, the chefs must rush to make appetizers with pickled pigs' feet and sweet potato chips. And one chef doesn't realize they've made a potentially costly mistake until it's too late. Then in the entree round, the competitors must try to make pie work with venison. And the two finalists come up with similar ideas for their desserts, but which dish will the judges prefer?
7. Pizza Perfect
Aired: 21-01-2014
The chefs learn they will be expected to make a pizza perfect meal. In the first round one of the competitors takes a loose interpretation of the theme: How will the judges react? Then some unusual toppings must make their way onto the entrée pizzas. And the finalists must make pizza for dessert, with candied mushrooms and salted caramel sauce.
8. All-Burger Meal!
Aired: 09-02-2014
The chefs learn that they will be making hamburgers, in some shape or form, for every round, starting with veal burgers for appetizers. Then in the entree round a little quail egg causes a big headache for some of the competitors. And who's ever heard of a dessert burger?
9. Chocolate Competition
Aired: 11-02-2014
With chocolate in every basket of this themed competition, the chefs must figure out how to make this perennial dessert favorite work in the first two savory courses. Then the two competitors who make it to the end must find a way to combine two chocolate ingredients with cherries and a German layer cake.
10. Bacon Baskets!
Aired: 16-02-2014
The chefs get some great news before the cooking begins: bacon will be in every basket! In the first one, they find Mangalista bacon and apple chips. Then in the second round, the judges watch to see if the competitors will be able to make dried cherries work with their pork entrees. French toast and bacon are a breakfast classic, but can the final two chefs manage to transform these mystery ingredients into dessert?
11. Beer Here!
Aired: 23-02-2014
Chefs are brewing up as all three rounds are devoted to beer. Chefs must make sausages work with toasted lager for appetizers and a tasty tripel ale's in the basket for the entree round. The iconic beer & pretzels must be made into dessert.
12. Burn For The Worse
Aired: 07-04-2014
Two starchy ingredients, Chinese dumplings and Middle Eastern noodles, are used in the appetizer round. Later, one chef burns two of the mystery ingredients when making a lamb entrée; and pawpaw desserts are made before the winner is named.
13. An Egg Up
Aired: 13-05-2014
The competing chefs are forced to cook with the so-called "100-year-old egg" in the appetizer round; find mango pudding in their entrée baskets; and make desserts with waffle cones.
Season 19 (February 2014 - June 2014)
1. Ambitious Amateurs
Aired: 04-02-2014
With courage to spare, four home cooks compete in the Chopped Kitchen to prove that they are as good as they think they are: But what will the judges think after tasting their chicken tenderloin appetizers? Then in the entree round, one of the competitors endeavors to pull off a very ambitious hanger steak dish within the 30-minute time limit. And two very unusual ingredients show up in the dessert basket, and the judges watch to see if the amateur cooks can figure out what to do with them.
2. Return and Redeem
Aired: 25-02-2014
Four chefs who lost in previous competitions return, wanting the win more than ever. A bright green dessert and a seafood snack must be worked into the competitors' appetizers. Then in the entree round, the chefs must contend with quinoa and sour candy. And with one more chance to redeem themselves, the two finalists fight to the end, as they make desserts from palm seeds and dulce de leche.
3. Grandma Vs. Grandma(60 min)
Aired: 04-03-2014
For the first time, four determined grannies face off in the Chopped Kitchen. In the appetizer basket they find a favorite grandma leftover: a coffee can of bacon grease. The three feisty grandmas who make it to the entree round must make meatloaf mix work with an aptly named cocktail. And the judges can't wait to get some grandmotherly love served up with their oatmeal desserts.
4. Chopped Tournament of Stars: Sports Stars!
Aired: 09-03-2014
Four athletes, Brandi Chastain, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Greg Louganis and Charles Oakley, bring their fierceness and passion to the Chopped Kitchen for the premiere competition of a five part $50,000 Tournament of Stars. With the charities they are competing for in their minds, they open the first basket to find a scary ingredient: alligator. Then in the entree round, the celebs must cook with strange eggs and tiny limes. The two sports stars who make it to the dessert round put their athleticism and enthusiasm into making great final dishes that include crystallized ginger and wafer cookies.
5. Chopped Tournament of Stars: Rachael vs. Guy!
Aired: 16-03-2014
The four competitors for this second part in the Tournament of Stars are all cooking-competition veterans, alums of Food Network's Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off. But Coolio, Lou Diamond Phillips, Penn Jillette and Carnie Wilson have never stepped foot in the Chopped Kitchen! How will they do with beef tongue and microwaveable chocolate cake in the appetizer basket? Then the stars have a pizza party in the entree round, after they discover leftover slices in the basket. And with hopes of making it to the $50,000 finale, two competitors must make desserts using chocolate bars and banana chips.
6. Chopped Tournament of Stars: Comedians!(60 min)
Aired: 23-03-2014
Bringing the funny to the Chopped Kitchen, four comics (Sinbad, Tommy Davidson, Robert Wuhl and Gillian Vigman) compete for a chance to move on to the $50,000 finale. The stars open up the first basket and get a pork delicacy and a gummy candy. In the entree round, the three remaining comedians must make jalapeno poppers palatable with beer can chicken. And with vanilla cupcakes in the final basket, transforming the ingredient becomes key for the two finalists. (Episode: CQ1911H)
7. Chopped Tournament of Stars: Actors!(60 min)
Aired: 30-03-2014
With only one spot left in the $50,000 charity tournament finale, actors Lucas Grabeel, Michael Imperioli, Peter Scolari and Tasha Smith bravely take on the role of chef. In the first round, one competitor tries desperately to figure out the right cooking technique for a tricky ingredient. And a pretty citrus fruit and a spiny lobster are two of the mystery ingredients that the competitors must demystify in the entree round. Then in the final round, the two remaining stars make a mess in the kitchen and some very creative desserts with mascarpone and strawberries. (Episode: CQ1912H)
8. Chopped Tournament of Stars: Finale!
Aired: 06-04-2014
The four amazing finalists open the first basket and get a drive-thru snack and a cold dessert. $50,000 is destined to go to one of the last three celebrities' favorite charities, but which stars will have good luck with the duck in the entree basket? And the fifteenth and final round of the Chopped Tournament of Stars is bound to be intense: do the competitors have enough culinary stamina left to make something yummy, beautiful and creative from churros and champagne? (Episode: CQ1913H)
9. Peri Peri Determined
Aired: 22-04-2014
In the first basket, the fryer gets pretty crowded as the chefs race to make crispy chicken wings, and the chefs are challenged to make African peri peri rub work in their dishes. Then in the entree round, a difficult cut of meat and a salty sandwich spread are among the mandatory ingredients. And will either finalist decide to bake a pie from the pie dough in the dessert basket?
10. Mother's Day
Aired: 06-05-2014
Four mothers attempt to stay composed as they cook in a much larger arena. In the appetizer basket are chicken noodle soup and salsa. In the entree round, they must contend with a sugary ingredient often banned from breakfast.
11. Cool, Palm and Perfected
Aired: 27-05-2014
Appetizers are made using blowfish tail; the chefs have a can of something orange and a jar of date palm to work with when creating entrées; and basil juice is a key ingredient in the dessert round.
12. There Will Be Bloody Marys
Aired: 03-06-2014
The chefs open up the first basket to find a fancy cake and a Bloody Mary. Then in the entree round, the three chefs try to create excellent dishes from ground chicken and seafood paella. And an ice cream machine blunder causes problems for one of the finalists.
13. Four Fathers
Aired: 10-06-2014
Four dads take on the Chopped Kitchen, but how will the fathers-turned-competitors fare w/fish & salt-vinegar potato chips in the appetizer round? A bottle of scotch is in the entrée basket; dessert ingredients are rice pudding & pretzels.
Season 20 (March 2014 - November 2014)
1. Dread and Breakfast
Aired: 18-03-2014
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are made by the competing chefs, who must prepare a morning meal from coffee cake and cream-filled chocolate eggs. Round 2 features fish dishes and an emergency situation.
2. Leftovers Rescue Mission
Aired: 29-04-2014
All of the baskets contain leftovers. Included: the chefs must transform the contents of restaurant-takeout containers; use packets of hot sauce in their entrées; and make bacon-centric desserts.
3. G'day, Chefs!
Aired: 20-05-2014
Basket contents have an Australian theme, beginning with lamb ribs and a very alcoholic beverage in Round 1. Also: the chefs serve emu entrées to the judges; and one finalist makes a mistake when using the ice-cream machine for dessert.
4. Salt Pearls of Wisdom
Aired: 17-06-2014
Appetizers are made with shrimp and chickpeas; entrée ingredients include baklava and salt pearls; and dessert dishes feature booze and cashews.
5. Swai Not?
Aired: 24-06-2014
Falafel mix and date paste are among the mandatory ingredients in the appetizer round. Also: a fish proves puzzling for the competing chefs; and there is hesitation about transforming a cookie.
6. Short and Sweetbreads
Aired: 01-07-2014
Sweetbreads and a strong spice blend show up in the first two rounds. For dessert, the final two chefs serve dishes that are chocolaty, salty and fruity.
7. Fig Out
Aired: 08-07-2014
Two fishy ingredients are used in the appetizer round. Later, entrées are made with spiny leaves and beef kidneys; and a collision in the kitchen occurs when the two finalists rush to make desserts from figs and lemon verbena.
8. Big Hitters
Aired: 08-10-2014
A battle, featuring chefs from baseball stadiums, finds the competitors cooking with Italian sausage, flank steak and blueberries.
9. Offal Surprise
Aired: 21-10-2014
The chefs get creative with ramen in the appetizer round; and stress over an offal surprise when making entrées. Also: the dessert basket contains four ingredients, including a New England treat.
10. Haricot Flair
Aired: 28-10-2014
Four women compete to prepare tasty appetizers, using banana blossoms. Later, a notoriously stinky ingredient is featured in entrée dishes; and dessert baskets hold a colorful surprise.
11. Frankly Frantic
Aired: 04-11-2014
The chefs open the appetizer basket to find vegan franks and three other meatless ingredients. In the entree round, the judges wonder if a chef's decision about what to throw into the blender will be a blunder or a sweet success.
12. Chopped Chops
Aired: 18-11-2014
The chefs open the first basket to find frog legs and some fine fungi. In the entree round, little beans and big pork chops cause the competitors difficulties; one of the finalists incorporates cheese into an ice cream.
13. Pesto Chango
Aired: 25-11-2014
Pesto sauce and chicken are the mandatory appetizer ingredients; the chefs are forced to get creative when spirulina chips appear in the entrée baskets; and a treat from Kazakhstan helps make the dessert round interesting.
Season 21 (July 2014 - January 2015)
1. Teen Tournament: Part One
Aired: 15-07-2014
For the first competition in the first ever Chopped Teen Tournament, four very talented young cooks compete for a chance to move on to the finale and win $25,000 and a culinary school scholarship. In the appetizer round, the cooks must work with lamb loin chops and kale chips. Perhaps surprisingly, the teen chefs seem less than happy to get French fries and cookies in the main course round. Then when the final two cooks open the dessert baskets to find a frozen treat, will they transform the ingredient into something new and delicious?
2. Teen Tournament: Part Two
Aired: 22-07-2014
Intensity and energy abound in the second competition of the Teen Tournament! Cleaning shrimp and slicing jalapenos are the first order of business in the appetizer round. The teen chefs have to hop to it when they find out they have to cook frog leg entrees. And in the dessert round, an iconic New York cookie must be combined with a popular nut.
3. Teen Tournament: Part Three
Aired: 29-07-2014
Four new teen chefs enter the Chopped Kitchen with their sights set on winning a spot in the Grand Finale. Will they think dandelion greens are a dandy ingredient for the first round? The fryer is in high-demand in the entree round, featuring Cornish hens. Then in the dessert round, the ice cream machine is the kitchen toy of choice.
4. Teen Tournament: Part Four
Aired: 05-08-2014
Four more very skilled teen chefs fight it out in the Chopped Kitchen for the last remaining place in the Grand Finale. In the appetizer round, salsa verde is a very fresh surprise. Then in an intense entree round, the competitors do their best with couscous and buffalo, and one teen chef must stay strong to finish the round after a big setback. And popcorn balls and gummy fish are paired up in a sweet dessert round.
5. Teen Tournament: Grand Finale
Aired: 12-08-2014
In this finale of the Chopped Teen Tournament, four amazing champs from the preliminary competitions return to see which one will take the tournament and the huge grand prize: $25,000 and a culinary school scholarship! In the first round, there's a spectacular sea creature shocker in the basket. A classic kids' snack in the basket adds to the fun in the entree round. And when the last two remaining teen chefs face off in their second dessert round, the ice cream maker stirs up an interesting encounter between the competitors.
6. Food Truck Fight
Aired: 19-08-2014
Food-truck and food-cart pros, on a roll, fight it out for Chopped Kitchen dominance. The mandatory appetizer round ingredients range from a cheap, sweet treat to a fine-dining indulgence. The three chefs who move on to the entree round find a pork delicacy and a Mexican staple. And when the finalists take on the dessert round, there is potential for confrontation over a key piece of equipment.
7. Ultimate Champions: Pros
Aired: 26-08-2014
Four distinct groups of champs will return to the Chopped Kitchen: professionals, amateurs, heroes and celebrities, all leading up to a grand finale where one chef will seize the biggest prize in Chopped history: $50,000 and a new car! In this initial battle, four stellar professionals fight to see who will represent the pros in the finale. They have to wrangle and cook eels and figure out what to do with a super salty veggie for their appetizers. Then in the entree round, the champs have to work with a bird and a soda. And a special cheese and a creepy chocolate item appear in the dessert basket.
8. Ultimate Champions: Amateur Champs
Aired: 02-09-2014
Some of the most beloved amateur winners return to the Chopped Kitchen for a shot to compete in the $50,000 finale. In the appetizer round the competitors must use salsa and cheese blintzes in their culinary masterpieces. Then as the entree round gets started, an off-balance tug-of-war over a piece of equipment has everybody laughing, except for the chef who loses the fight. And grapefruit is among the loot the last two champs find in the dessert basket.
9. Ultimate Champions: Heroes
Aired: 09-09-2014
With two spots left in the $50,000 Ultimate Tournament Grand Finale, the Chopped Kitchen welcomes back four incredible cooking heroes — two firefighters, a police officer and an army vet. In the appetizer round, the hero champs must get creative in order to make savory dishes with pineapple and fruit and nut bars. Then in the entree round, the champs find some lovely stalks of spring garlic in the basket, as well as some beautiful lamb chops. And an unpleasantly purple ingredient that the cooks must work into a dessert makes for a challenging last round.
10. Ultimate Champions: Celebrities
Aired: 16-09-2014
Four Chopped Champions from the world of entertainment and sports compete for the last spot in the $50,000 finale. In the appetizer round, the celebrity champs find a peculiar type of flour and sweet tea in the baskets. Then a can of soup in the entree round causes various issues for the competitors. And the judges taste banana paste and cream cheese desserts before deciding on the last finalist.
11. Ultimate Champions: Grand Finale!
Aired: 23-09-2014
In a Chopped first, three not-at-all-average "Joes" fight it out against one outstanding pro, with $50,000 and a new car on the line! When the competitors get risotto in the first round, they have to decide whether to completely transform it or to greatly enhance its flavor. Then in the entree round, there's a huge surprise in the basket that not all of the champs are excited to see. And with the grand prize looming large, the last two competitors open the basket to find some booze and some baked goods.
12. Short Order Cooks
Aired: 30-09-2014
Fourth and fifth graders compete; the first basket contains cotton candy; the second round features entrees made from pizza dough and a bitter green; the dessert round basket contains brownie mix.
13. Money Saver
Aired: 13-01-2015
The competing chefs are given mystery basket ingredients, that cost less than $10, and are expected to transform them into winning dishes. Included: a meatless appetizer round; ham steaks as entrées; and chocolate chips for dessert.
Season 22 (October 2014 - June 2015)
1. Mummies and Gummies
Aired: 14-10-2014
In the first basket, a freaky gummy and a funny mummy hit on the Halloween theme. In the second round the chefs find some awfully scary offal and some more gummy goodness. When the final round rolls around, the remaining two chefs are left spinning their gears about what to do with spider webs made with pretzels and blue cheese.
2. Chopped Family Thanksgiving(60 min)
Aired: 11-11-2014
Turkey time means family time, even in the Chopped Kitchen as the whole Chopped family -- all of the judges -- are gathered together. In the first round, the four judges-turned-competitors must use hominy and gummy turkey feet in the appetizers they make for their four colleagues judging from the Chopping Block. Then in the entree round, beautiful ingredients like boniato sweet potatoes and savoy cabbage allow these world-class chefs to showcase their skills. And a Thanksgiving-themed spirit is one of the mystery ingredients in the final, suspenseful round.
3. Meatball Madness
Aired: 02-12-2014
Spaghetti's bosom buddy, and breadcrumb's perfect mate, is the tasty theme for this special competition as the chefs learn they must make meatballs in every round. Creme brulee is the mystery ingredient curveball in the first meatball round. Then in the entree round, boar shoulder meets the meat grinder. And what exactly constitutes a "dessert meatball?" The two finalists come up with unique interpretations.
4. The Holiday Kitchen
Aired: 09-12-2014
We're decking the Chopped halls with the stars of Food Network's The Kitchen! In the first round, the talented co-hosts must make merry appetizers out of seafood salad and challah bread. Then in the entree round, meat and potatoes seem like a great gimme, but what will the star cooks do to bring yule logs to the holiday party? And the two finalists' demeanors become fast and focused as they try to win a $10,000 holiday gift for a favorite charity.
5. Family Food Fight
Aired: 23-12-2014
It's four chefs, one family, in a Chopped first when a mother, father, daughter and son who run a restaurant together compete to see who will become the Chopped Champion. The family opens up the first basket to find a flatbread and a strong citrus. Then with three family members left in the entree round, there is fish to de-bone and tofu to flavor. The last two chefs proudly fight for the title as they create desserts using lobster tail pastries and cinnamon chips.
6. Bizarre Baskets!
Aired: 20-01-2015
Guest judge Andrew Zimmern is on hand in this competition filled with bizarre surprises in all the baskets. The chefs have to contend with an offbeat ice cream flavor and an unusual meat in the appetizer round. In the entree round, a shocking-looking protein must be combined with a pink veggie. And the dessert basket contains some odd eggs and a peculiar Turkish treat.
7. Reality TV Stars(60 min)
Aired: 17-02-2015
Reality stars Renee Graziano (Mob Wives), Travis Lofland (Deadliest Catch), Amy Roloff (Little People, Big World) and Kathy Wakile (Real Housewives of New Jersey) are ready for battle in the Chopped Kitchen. They'll have to tackle biscuit dough, vegetable cream cheese and cherry pie filling if they're going to take home $10,000 for their favorite charity.
8. Late Night Food Brawl
Aired: 24-02-2015
It's a night owls' nosh-fest, when the chefs learn that they will be preparing decadent dishes best enjoyed in the late-night hours. For the first course, the chefs must work with a carb-heavy Canadian snack and an Italian sausage. In the entree round, the chefs find themselves taking apart tiny burgers in an effort to creatively transform a midnight snack. Things get really "loco" in the dessert round with burritos in the basket.
9. Amateurs' Brawl
Aired: 07-04-2015
Four fearless home cooks put their pride on the line in the Chopped Kitchen. In the first basket, this group of awesome amateurs must transform spinach vinaigrette and chicken truffle sausages. Then in the entree round, will the chefs endeavor to be wildly creative with wild boar roast? And the finalists utilize some interesting techniques to makes something new from marshmallow chocolate cookies.
10. Fabulous Baker Boys
Aired: 21-04-2015
You can put all your bread on a bet that a baker is going to take the $10,000 prize in this competition. In the first round, the competitors must bake focaccia and figure out how to make a rich fish work with rice pudding. The ingredients in the second basket strongly hint at a particular recipe: Is it a trap? The two bakers to make it to the dessert round consider themselves lucky, until they are stymied by an alarming candied ingredient.
11. Hot Stuff
Aired: 02-06-2015
Will the chefs think the "chilified" baskets in this special competition are too hot to handle? In the first round the heat is on with habanero peppers. In the entree round, the competitors must work with one of the hottest peppers known to man, in beef jerky form. And the finalists must find a way to balance spice and sugar in their desserts.
12. Thrill of the Grill
Aired: 23-06-2015
The chefs learn that they must grill something in each round of this competition. For their appetizers, the chefs discover watermelon and wine coolers in the basket. A beautiful cut of beef and tedious-to-prep beans await the chefs who make it to the second round. A cone of sugar and a pitcher of lemonade are two of the fun items found in the dessert basket.
13. Scoops On!
Aired: 30-06-2015
It's an ice cream dream come true with an entire Chopped competition devoted to everyone's favorite sweet, cold treat. In the first round, the chefs find some beautiful gourmet scoops in cones, which they must find a way to make work with halibut. In the entree round, another ice cream surprise awaits the competitors, as well as some premium cuts of beef. When the two finalists move on to the dessert round, they'll have two ice cream machines and one goal: frozen perfection.
Season 23 (December 2014 - June 2015)
1. Every 'Wich Way
Aired: 16-12-2014
This special competition is all about celebrating the sandwich, every "wich" way it may be prepared. The four competitors must get creative, starting with beef brisket appetizer sandwiches, but when two chefs make the same big mistakes, who will move on? The chefs must make entree-worthy sandwiches from pork shoulder and pate. And stacking up dessert sandwiches is so much fun, but what will the two finalists make with Thai curry paste and chocolate-covered espresso beans?
2. Viewers' Choice Ingredients
Aired: 06-01-2015
The mystery baskets were filled with ingredients suggested by fans via social media. The first round was from Twitter; the second from Facebook; and the third from Instagram. Chef Emily and Chef Vandy were in a relationship prior to competing on this episode.
3. Chopped, Again!
Aired: 27-01-2015
It's a second chance at victory for four losing chefs seeking redemption. After the chefs make skate and pomegranate molasses appetizers, one chef must endure the indignity of being the first chef re-chopped. In the entree round, the competitors work with a boozy ice cream and an amusingly-named British pudding. In the dessert round, a German tart is a good start.
4. Say Cheese!
Aired: 03-02-2015
Cheese is not just a key ingredient for many comfort food classics, it's also the theme for this competition. In the first round, the chefs must make creative use of blue cheese and goats cheese in their appetizer plates. In the entree round, two French cheeses must be used with chicken thighs and garlic scapes. Two ferocious competitors fight the final cheesy course to the very end.
5. Chocolate Rush!
Aired: 10-02-2015
A surge of excitement is felt in the Chopped Kitchen when the chefs find out that every mystery basket will contain chocolate! In the first round, the chefs must figure out how to make chocolate ingredients work with pork chops. The baskets in the entree round contain beef along with dark chocolate. The two lucky, talented finalists aim to amaze the judges with their milk chocolate and graham cracker desserts.
6. Double Trouble(60 min)
Aired: 03-03-2015
Eight chefs comprised of cooking duos have been invited to the Chopped Kitchen to compete in pairs. In the first round, the couples learn to navigate the space together as they make appetizers that include date vinegar and chili garlic coated peas. For the entree round, there is a lively sea critter in the basket as well as some sweet potato patties. And the two cooking couples who make it to the dessert round must come up with some fresh ideas for creme fraiche and port wine.
7. T.G.I. Fry-Day(60 min)
Aired: 10-03-2015
It's fry-day in the Chopped Kitchen and the judges will be expecting deep-fried deliciousness on every plate. In the first round, the competitors work with hot dogs and taro root. During judging on the entree round, featuring cookies and cube steak, the judges must debate whether a repeated mistake should warrant one chef's elimination. And an ooey, gooey cake and salted caramel make for some sweet creations in the final round.
8. Amateurs Redemption(60 min)
Aired: 17-03-2015
It takes a very brave home cook to take on Chopped once, and these amateurs are courageous enough to come back for a second time. In the first round, vegan roast is an ingredient to be reckoned with. In the second round, a small bird and a sugary breakfast item are part of the vexing entree puzzle that the amateurs must solve. Some sweet-and-savory candies and a special spice blend keep the last two competitors on their toes, as they fight to be the last one standing tall as the Chopped Champion.
9. Let's Do Lunch
Aired: 24-03-2015
In this competition, the usual rounds are replaced with breakfast, lunch and dinner. The morning meal must include tiny eggs and fancy coffee. In the second round, the chefs have to make midday meals featuring lunchbox favorite peanut butter and jelly. A strange turn of events in the dinner round finds one of the competitors searching frantically for an ingredient that has mysteriously vanished from sight.
10. Fake Cake, Real Stakes
Aired: 31-03-2015
It's a great fake out, when all the basket ingredients are in disguise. Everyone should taste the "chicken wings" in the first basket, which are a secretly sweet item. The "cake" in the second round and "tomato soup" in the dessert basket also require a close inspection. The duplicitous ingredients lead to trouble for all and even more potential for trickery lurks in the pantry.
11. First Responders
Aired: 23-06-2015
Police officers and paramedics with culinary chops are in the Chopped Kitchen. In the first round, the contestants respond to a basket with hummus chips and ground bison. In the second round, they must jump into action and figure out how to make fiery jawbreakers work with rotisserie chicken. And angel food cake in the final basket is apropos.
12. Judges' Face-Off
Aired: 09-06-2015
It's a friendly competition between friends, when the Chopped judges face off with baskets containing leftover ingredients. In the appetizer round, the chefs must turn tuna noodle casserole into something new. Rice left in a pan and soup saved for later are two of the ingredients in the entree basket. In the dessert round, leftover cake must be turned into something innovative and delicious.
13. Big Barbecue Bout
Aired: 16-06-2015
It's a battle for all the carnivores, celebrating the art of barbecue in the Chopped Kitchen. In the first basket, the chefs find a regional barbecue sauce and jumbo shrimp. In round two, the chefs scramble to make delicious pork spare ribs entree. After two savory barbecue courses, the last two chefs must make sweet and hearty desserts with bananas and coconuts.
Season 24 (April 2015 - December 2015)
1. All-Stars Tournament: Part 1
Aired: 28-04-2015
All-Star chefs Madison Cowan, Eric Greenspan, Brian Malarkey and Art Smith converge in the Chopped Kitchen to fight it out for a spot in the $75,000 finale. In the first round, a slimy ingredient provokes some disgusted reactions from the competitors and judges. In the entree round, the beautiful fish in the basket leads the chefs to make some surprising mistakes. And when the two finalists go in totally different directions with their desserts, it's up in the air which approach will be more pleasing to the judges.
2. All-Stars Tournament: Part 2
Aired: 05-05-2015
The second group of All-Star chefs, Anne Burrell, Hung Huynh, Mary Sue Milliken and Dale Talde, come out swinging for the fences with appetizer baskets containing a soup and a sour surprise. In the entree round, a cheesy party food must be matched with some expensive offal. The two star chefs who make it to the dessert round are challenged to make delicious dishes with a refreshing drink and some airy cookies.
3. All-Stars Tournament: Part 3
Aired: 12-05-2015
Four new All-Stars (Cat Cora, Antonia Lofaso, Michael Psilakis and Marcel Vigneron) strut into the Chopped Kitchen, sights set on the Grand Finale. In the first round, a special Spanish meat must be paired with an airy cookie. The chefs who make it to the second round face a huge ingredient to butcher and some tiny, sour fruits to tame. Flavored water and clarified butter are part of the culinary puzzle that the final two chefs have to solve in their desserts.
4. All-Stars Tournament: Part 4
Aired: 19-05-2015
There's just one more spot in the Grand Finale up for grabs, and Rocco DiSpirito, Jet Tila, Fabio Viviani and Lee Anne Wong all want it. The All-Stars open the appetizer baskets and find a succulent seafood and an Asian pastry. In the entree round, the chefs will need to get creative in order to cook a perfect piece of beef in time. And some fish-shaped snacks meet crystals that pop in the dessert round.
5. All-Stars Tournament: Grand Finale
Aired: 26-05-2015
With four winning All-Stars returning to the Chopped Kitchen, and $75,000 on the line for someone's favorite charity, the judges are set to enjoy a masterful meal. The competitors find something purple and something fishy in the appetizer basket. In a tense entree round, a seafood tower threatens to topple the competitors' cool. Before being awarded the largest charitable prize in Chopped history, the final two All-Star chefs must handle a very hot pepper and conquer a cookie cake in the dessert round.
6. Tendon Intentions
Aired: 07-07-2015
The chefs get beef tendon balls in the appetizer basket, a very tough ingredient -- literally. In the entree round, fresh vermicelli noodles seem to get the best of some smart competitors. And caramelized onions don't scream dessert, but shouting out for more time in the final round is not an option for the last two chefs.
7. Rock Stars
Aired: 18-08-2015
Four rock stars with a passion for cooking (Lita Ford, Kelly Hansen, Eddie Ojeda and Dweezil Zappa) take over the Chopped Kitchen in hopes of winning $10,000 for a favorite cause. In the first round the cooks attempt to make harmonious appetizers with a bubbly drink and a "punny" protein. In the entree round, lamb is the jam. The final rock 'n' roll-themed round has the competitors cooking with rock candy and lemon rolls.
8. Wild Ride
Aired: 03-09-2015
Fun at the carnival is the theme for this special Chopped competition. In a sign of what's to come, the chefs open the first basket to find that two out of the four ingredients are deep-fried. An outrageous sundae is the centerpiece of the second basket, but it's the deep-fried ravioli that causes trouble for one competitor. Then, after a wild final round, the judges face an unprecedented dilemma.
9. College Challenge
Aired: 10-09-2015
Taking a break from their studies to crush it in the Chopped Kitchen, four college students compete for culinary superiority. In the first round, the young amateur cooks must work with a dorm-life starchy staple and a bag of frozen veggies. The college kids then look for creative ways to make use of a savory microwaveable snack in the entree round. And with both sweet and salty surprises in the dessert basket, the final two cooks seek to make balanced desserts to complete their meals.
10. Light Makes Right
Aired: 20-10-2015
In this special competition, the baskets are packed with healthy ingredients, from which the chefs will be creating delicious dishes that also happen to be nutritious and moderate in calories. In the first round, the judges are impressed by the fish dishes that the lean, mean competitors prepare. Then in the entree round, some heat in the basket helps the chefs add flavor without adding fat. And will the finalists be able to make yummy desserts that include green smoothies and rice crackers?
11. Tailgate Fate
Aired: 03-11-2015
It's a Chopped tailgate party! In the first round, the chefs must prepare pretzel roll and chicken wing appetizers. Then will the chefs make the obvious from the burger patties in the second basket, or stretch their imaginations in an effort to impress the judges? With the end zone in sight, the final two chefs open the dessert round to find four fruity surprises.
12. Chopped Gastropub
Aired: 26-11-2015
The four chefs learn that the mystery ingredients must be transformed into delicious gastropub food. House-smoked bacon and homemade pickles are found in the appetizer baskets. A cocktail and a classic English pub dish must be transformed in the entree plates, and suds and tots have to be included in the desserts.
13. Holiday Cooking
Aired: 08-12-2015
Faster than a speeding reindeer, Cooking Channel stars Gabriele Corcos, Kelsey Nixon, Roger Mooking and Jim Stacy are set to take on a holiday challenge in the Chopped Kitchen, with $10,000 on the line for their favorite charity. The beautiful appetizer basket features a whole roasted goose. Then after a meat-and-potatoes entree round, the two finalists open the dessert basket to find some fruit and some pie dough. Will they take the hint or take a more creative approach?
Season 25 (August 2015 - December 2015)
1. Teen Tournament: Episode One
Aired: 25-08-2015
In the first preliminary competition of the Chopped Teen Tournament, a strangely fuzzy ingredient is one of the surprises awaiting the young chefs in the appetizer round. Then in the entree round, a challenging protein must be paired with a processed cheese. And the judges become increasingly concerned for the last two teens, who encounter a number of problems combining chips and candies into yummy final dishes.
2. Teen Tournament: Episode Two
Aired: 01-09-2015
Four new whiz kids battle it out in this second competition of the Teen Tournament. Expensive crustaceans are a bit of a shocker in the appetizer baskets, while nerves and mishaps plague round two, and one of the competitors gets flustered with the sharpness of the knives and the scarcity of time allotted to complete creative lamb entrees. The two teen chefs who make it to the dessert round must create yummy, sweet dishes with a frozen treat and an Indian spice.
3. Teen Tournament: Episode Three
Aired: 15-09-2015
The new group of teen chefs must grapple with vegan chicken in the first basket. The entree round finds the teens daringly slicing into big butternut squashes and working out their mixed feelings about okra. There's a special delivery in the dessert basket -- a box of assorted cookies -- which the teen chefs are tasked with repurposing into dishes that also include walnuts and plums.
4. Teen Tournament: Episode Four
Aired: 15-09-2015
Four ambitious teens set their sights on the last remaining place in the Teen Tournament Grand Finale! The heat is on in the appetizer round with a spicy protein and a strong pepper in the basket. The judges find it difficult to watch without offering help as the young chefs tackle an entree basket that includes thick veal chops and beautiful heirloom tomatoes. Then a classic candy bar and a sweet fruit juice are two of the ingredients at play in a very competitive dessert round.
5. Teen Tournament: Grand Finale!
Aired: 22-09-2015
Four returning teen winners come back to compete for $25,000 and the title of Chopped Grand Champion! Excitement is at an all-time high, as the young cooks open the first baskets and find a pasta, some jarred seafood, a candy, and a veggie. Breaking down a giant fish is a daunting way to begin the entree round, and scant use of a certain other basket ingredient could mean elimination for one young champ. Then in an intense final round, the two remaining teens turn a mocktail and a festive cake into a $25,000 dessert.
6. Viewers' Baskets
Aired: 17-09-2015
Fans took to social media to pick the basket ingredients in this special viewers' choice competition. In the first basket, the chefs warily taste a curious canned product before forming their plans. Then in the entree round, some weird candy and a slimy surprise keep the "ugh"-factor high. And the two chefs who make it to the dessert round must make sweet creations using an unusual condiment and a dairy delicacy.
7. Teen Redeem
Aired: 24-09-2015
Four teen chefs return to the Chopped Kitchen with victory -- and redemption -- on their minds. With lump meat crab and mayo in the first basket, crab cake seems like the safe route, but will they surprise the judges with something more creative? In the entree round, one of the teens seems particularly unhappy to see a nostalgic candy, and a lovely vegetable is a novel ingredient for the young cooks. And the two teenagers who make it to the dessert round hustle to make sweet creations from Italian cookies and peanut butter toast.
8. Sitcom Moms
Aired: 29-11-2015
Four funny women (Tichina Arnold, Jackee Harry, JoMarie Payton and Betsy Randle) who are best known for playing mothers on TV, take on the role of Chopped competitor! The actresses have a hard time coming up with solid ideas for what to do with the mushrooms and frozen TV dinners in the appetizer basket. In the entree round, the cooks have 30 minutes to deal with minute steak, and the judges worry they might get served overcooked meat. In the final hilarious round, the two sitcom moms remaining are asked to get creative with tiramisu and strawberry sauce.
9. Bizarre Battle
Aired: 08-10-2015
The chefs are shocked to find out that in this special episode, bizarre foods will be found in all the baskets. In the first round, a strange bird part and a stinky young fruit are two of the surprises in the baskets. Then the three chefs who get a shot at the entree round must turn some very hot candies and some ugly offal into beautiful, balanced dishes. And something purple and something fermented make for a very difficult dessert round.
10. Oktoberfest!
Aired: 13-10-2015
Don your lederhosen and hold your steins high for Oktoberfest in the Chopped Kitchen! The chefs discover fine fare for a German party in the first basket, including pretzels and sauerkraut. Schnitzel and beer keep the celebration going in the entree round. And the judges are impressed by the complex desserts that the two finalists make from spaetzle and chocolate sausage.
11. Thanksgiving Soup-er Stars
Aired: 09-11-2015
All four chefs in this special Thanksgiving competition dedicate their time and talents to soup kitchens. In the first round, the chefs each come up with distinctive appetizer concepts in response to the typical Thanksgiving leftovers found in the baskets. Then in the entree round, the remaining chefs are surprised to see a theme emerging with the baskets. And an ice cream cake and a starchy candy are two of the perplexing items to be dealt with in the final round.
12. Cooking With Bass
Aired: 24-11-2015
The chefs open up their appetizer baskets to discover chicken hearts as one of the mandatory ingredients. Three fancy fish dishes are in store for the judges, following an exciting entree round featuring sea bass and an expensive spice. And breaking brittle and slicing zucchini are two of the tasks that the final pair of chefs must complete on their way to creating desserts that they hope will be delectable.
13. Mac and Cheese
Aired: 01-12-2015
In this competition, every round features the food pair with a powerful bond -- macaroni and cheese! The competitors come out strong in the appetizer round with sophisticated mac and cheese dishes that include Swiss chard. Then in the entree round, when one chef leaves cheese out of their dish, will it add up to approval from the judges? And a time-crunch in the dessert round leaves one of the chefs dashing to get all components on the plate.
Season 26 (October 2015 - December 2015)
1. A Chopped Halloween
Aired: 06-10-2015
The chefs are sure to be spooked when they see the Halloween-themed ingredients in the baskets. In the first round, real blood and fake eyeballs are some of the freaky surprises. In the second round, a coffin-shaped seafood creation prompts the competitors to get dead serious about making outstanding Halloween entrees. And there's plenty of fright packed into the dessert basket, in the form of a ghostly drink and some chocolate creepy crawlies.
2. Chopped Catwalk
Aired: 15-10-2015
Four chefs who are also fashion models strut their stuff in the Chopped Kitchen, where they find tuna and kale chips in the appetizer basket. In the second round, the chefs must make fish and seeds work in their dishes. Something frozen and something crunchy are found in the dessert basket.
3. Food Truck Kitchen
Aired: 27-10-2015
The Chopped Kitchen is taken over by food truck chefs, steering toward success! The first basket contains ingredients from Chinese and Greek cuisines, while a classic American street food meets a fun-to-say Korean dish in the entree basket. The two food truck chefs facing off in the dessert round work with unripe fruit and a much-loved sweet spread.
4. Military Vets
Aired: 10-11-2015
Veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard face off in the Chopped Kitchen. In the first round, one of the chefs stumbles upon a brilliant way to treat scalloped potatoes. What to do with a precooked meatloaf is the big challenge in the second round. And the two final chefs go all out in the dessert round, making very clever sweet treats from a crispy snack and a sweet and tart drink.
5. Chopped Desserts!
Aired: 23-11-2015
The normal Chopped rounds have been replaced with chocolate, candy and cake for this special competition, featuring four pastry chefs. In the first round, the judges are drawn in as they watch the competitors make delicious chocolate dishes that include Mississippi mud pie and cherries. Then in the second round, the chefs have to incorporate something bubbly and something crispy into their candy creations. And the finalists have an hour to mix, bake and decorate cakes that contain rice and avocadoes.
6. In-Laws, in Teams!
Aired: 10-12-2015
They're family by marriage, and teammates in this competition: Pairs of mothers and daughters-in-law are taking over the Chopped Kitchen. In the appetizer round, a boozy accessory and a standard leftover are part of the challenge. In the entree round, the remaining teams find odd eggs and mashed potatoes in the baskets. And a subtropical fruit and a gooey bread are two of the surprise ingredients that the final teams must conquer in their desserts.
7. Family Affair
Aired: 15-12-2015
A mom, dad, son and aunt who work in the same restaurant meet in the Chopped Kitchen, where it's every chef for themselves. In the first round, one family member's grill pan gets taken over by two relatives. In the entree round, chicken breasts seem like an easy protein to work with, but how will the chefs fare with the other mystery ingredients? The final two family members make desserts using dried fruit and a very sweet cake.
8. Battle of the Grandpas
Aired: 17-12-2015
Four beloved grandfathers fight it out in the Chopped Kitchen in hopes of making their families proud. In the first round, a breakfast starch and a classic soda fountain choice are two of the mystery basket ingredients. Then in the entree round, beef and peanut butter taffy bites are what's for dinner. And in the final round, featuring a homey pie and a fresh fruit, one of the granddads experiences a moment of confusion, resulting in a potentially costly mishap.
Season 27 (January 2016 - March 2016)
1. Knife Strife
Aired: 05-01-2016
The competition begins with a gory story in the appetizer round, when the chefs find blood sausages in the basket. Then, in a wild entree round, the chefs attempt very ambitious plans for a basket that includes a caramelized pudding and a pork product. Finally, a fat and a dough in the dessert basket result in some decadent dishes.
2. Healthy Rivalry
Aired: 12-01-2016
Four chefs are challenged to create light dishes from baskets full of nutritious surprises. In the first round, the competitors must make tasty fish dishes that include an unusual alternative carb, and two of the chefs suffer from serious time-management issues. In the entree round, a grain and a green noodle are part of the culinary puzzle, and moderation is key in a dessert round that forces the chefs to use butter and sugar in smarter, minimal ways.
3. Brunch Battle
Aired: 19-01-2016
Four chefs are challenged with making the magic of brunch look easy and creating the kind of meal that friends and family would love to linger over. Booze and eggs are some of the very brunch-y surprises found in the first two baskets, and in the dessert round, the finalists must make a fried sweet work with a poached fruit.
4. Chinese New Year
Aired: 26-01-2016
Cue the fireworks as China's biggest holiday has its moment in the Chopped Kitchen! For the first course of their Chinese New Year feasts, the chefs must create appetizers using one of American diners' favorite Chinese dishes. Then, in the entree round, a giant fish is front and center in the basket, and in the final round, the chefs must include an oversized cookie and a strawberry-flavored treat in their desserts.
5. Tailgate Party
Aired: 02-02-2016
It's game time in the Chopped Kitchen for four fanatical tailgaters, who are out to prove that their passion for cooking is equal to their passion for their teams. Some of the competitors are not pleased to find a vegetarian patty in the first basket, and in the second round, cheese and sausage are two of the mandatory ingredients. A salty and sweet treat in the dessert basket makes for a fine tailgating dessert on its own, but how will it be transformed into a final, plated dish?
6. Bacon Boys
Aired: 07-02-2016
Four self-assured guys are lucky to get bacon as their theme, but how will these "bacon boys" do in the first round with bacon in the baskets alongside banana jam? A bacon-packed round two has the chefs wondering what to do with a weird ice cream and some lovely greens, and bacon in dessert is not a new thing anymore, but can the last two chefs create original, delicious sweet-and-salty dishes?
7. Love Bites
Aired: 09-02-2016
It's food to get you in the mood, with aphrodisiacs in all of the baskets! As the chefs attempt to get in touch with their sensual sides, some are turned off by the oysters in the first basket. Tasting the entree dishes, the judges criticize a chef for not plating some sexy stuff, which he left in a pan. And two alluring, pre-made desserts in the final basket seem like a head start but could be a trap.
8. Ready for Redemption
Aired: 16-02-2016
our former Chopped runners up are brave enough to return to the Chopped Kitchen, and in the appetizer basket, they find a shocker of a protein and some sweet jam. Sugar and spice are in store for the chefs in the second round, when they must use cheesecake and garam masala in their entrees. The dessert round finds the remaining two chefs gunning for victory... finally!
9. Cooking Caribbean
Aired: 23-02-2016
Full of flavor and fun, Caribbean cuisine is the focus of this special Chopped competition! The judges are excited to taste four shrimp appetizers, but one chef suffers a big setback. Then, some beautiful Caribbean ingredients in the second basket inspire the chefs to embark on laborious entree plates, and in the final round, the judges look forward to tasting some sweet potato and rum desserts.
10. Truck Stop Stars
Aired: 01-03-2016
Four talented truck stop chefs bring their renowned take on comfort food to the Chopped Kitchen. In the first round, meatloaf mix is a pleasant surprise, but some are not very familiar with fennel. A purple veggie and a sweet drink are two of the mystery ingredients in the second round, and the finalists hope the dessert round will be easy as pie after they discover apple pie in the basket.
11. Beg, Borrow or Eel
Aired: 08-03-2016
In the first basket, nobody is thrilled to see a slimy surprise -- will there be enough time to deal with it properly and still creatively address the other three ingredients? Displays of talent and technique in the entree round have the judges eager to taste three Cornish hen dishes, and a very bold choice with a nostalgic treat in the dessert basket keeps the judges guessing.
12. Chopped: College
Aired: 15-03-2016
Four college kids with serious cooking chops take over the Chopped Kitchen to see if they can make the grade. First, they must think of something new and delicious to do with the chicken and tomato soup in the appetizer basket, then in the entree round, they must contend with a hot drink and a frozen side dish. Finally, dessert has the last two college kids working with a tropical fruit and a tasty topping.
13. The Bold and the Baconful
Aired: 17-03-2016
In the first basket, the chefs are shocked to find that a certain fun food has been wrapped in bacon, and in round two, the three remaining competitors present pork and noodle dishes. Then, one of the final chefs looks very proud of a bold chance he took with his dessert, but will the judges agree that his final plate is both creative and delicious?
Season 28 (March 2016 - June 2016)
1. Chopped Champions: Battle 1, Best of the Best
Aired: 29-03-2016
Returning winners, daunting baskets, killer pressure -- it must be Chopped Champions! The five-part tournament kicks off with a stellar group of defending champs, who must first rock a basket that includes pig ears. In the second round, the chefs must navigate the complicated relationship between fish and cheese; then, both the chefs and judges agree that artichokes are a cruel draw for dessert.
2. Chopped Champions: Battle 2, Fighting Shape
Aired: 29-03-2016
A lively group of returning winners are revved up for more Chopped Champions drama and excitement, but when the first basket features deceptively simple sausage and cabbage, will they choke or shine? An organ meat plays the starring role in the second basket, and the final, extremely challenging basket will take some champion swagger and skill to crack.
3. Chopped Champions: Battle 3, Chefs in Control
Aired: 12-04-2016
Four returning champs are ready to give it all they've got, and in the appetizer round, they must endure a hard-to-melt candy and a difficult-to-prep veggie. In the entree round, the champs suffer some surprising execution errors with a seemingly cheffy protein. Then, will the finalists think it was jerky to put bison jerky in the dessert basket?
4. Chopped Champions: Battle 4, Kitchen Storm
Aired: 19-04-2016
Geared up for killer cooking and serious drama, a husband and wife are among the returning champs for the fourth round of Chopped Champions. Crab claws and vanilla frosting are two of the surprises in the first basket, then the champs must confront a wild boar for their entrees. In the dessert round, a savory mousse causes the competitors some alarm.
5. Chopped Champions: Conclusion, $50,000 Pay Day
Aired: 26-04-2016
It's the $50,000 grand finale and one of the returning champs is destined to win the grand prize and considerable bragging rights! Some unusual clams and a decadent meat are part of the culinary riddle to be solved in the first round. In the entree round, the protein almost takes up the entire basket. Then, when the last two chefs face each other in the dessert round, will the onions in the basket make them cry?
6. Cinco de Mayo Fiesta
Aired: 03-05-2016
Four cooks are surprised by a Cinco de Mayo theme, and in the first basket, they must grapple with a green pie and a big fish fillet. The fiesta continues in round two when the chefs must work with a cheese blend and a Mexican barbecue specialty, then black beans and chocolate are part of the dessert challenge.
7. Tortellini Trials
Aired: 10-05-2016
It's trying times in the appetizer round when the chefs aren't sure how to creatively use the pasta from the basket. Then, in the entree round, the judges are worried about what the competitors might do with a particular chocolate-covered ingredient. Finally, the two chefs who move onto dessert must make the most of a tropical fruit and a super-savory jarred product.
8. Hungry for Love
Aired: 17-05-2016
There's romance in the air in the Chopped Kitchen as eight cooking singles are paired up on blind dates! In the first round, the couples get to know each other and the ingredients, which include scallops in the shell and a strange citrus. The six competitors left for round two all decide to grind the protein in the entree basket, and the minimal use of one of the ingredients gives the judges something to discuss. Then, the creme anglaise in the dessert basket seems like a gift for the final two pairs, but neither team makes a dash for the ice cream machine.
9. Summer Heat
Aired: 24-05-2016
For this heated summer battle, the chefs must work with seasonal foods like lobsters and cocktails in the first round. In the second basket, the chefs find another seafood mystery ingredient and potato chips. Then, the two chefs who make it to the final round must figure out how to make summer desserts from a refreshing beverage and an indulgent frozen treat.
10. Deadliest Baskets
Aired: 31-05-2016
Chefs, beware: every round in this special competition will feature ingredients that are not just challenging, but actually dangerous! Poisonous seeds and a fierce creature make round one interesting for all. In the entree round, a potent alcohol and a shellfish keep the chefs fearful, then some ugly fungus and a deadly fruit keep the finalists on edge in the dessert round.
11. Chopping Block Blues
Aired: 07-06-2016
There's eggs in the baskets -- Scotch eggs, that is! Will the competitors know what to do with this sausage-enrobed pub food in the appetizer round? In the entree round, some big fish and a black liquid are two of the ingredients that need taming, then the finalists get reacquainted with a super sugary kids' cereal in the dessert round.
12. San Franchopco
Aired: 14-06-2016
Four chefs from the same city throw down in the Chopped Kitchen to find out who's the best in town! In the first round, a mighty midnight snack poses a creative challenge, then the chefs who move on to the entree round get a beer and a bird they should know well. To decide a tightly contested battle, the chefs cook up desserts that include premium chocolate bars and Irish coffee.
13. Leap of Faith
Aired: 21-06-2016
A priest, a nun-in-training, a rabbi, and a pastor compete in the Chopped Kitchen! In the first round, the judges are surprised to find out that one of the cooks has never worked with fish before, but salmon is in the basket. Fruit and wine are two of the mystery basket items that must make it to the faithful cooks' entree dishes, then the two finalists draw on their heritage to make yummy fig desserts.
Season 29 (August 2016 - September 2016)
1. Fried Chicken Time
Aired: 07-08-2016
Comfort food king, fried chicken, gets the royal Chopped treatment for three rounds! A weird syrup and a savory pancake are two of the ingredients that the chefs must use in their fried bird appetizers. The poultry party continues in round two with fried chicken entrees that have to include peach cobbler, and what will be expected from the chefs in a fried chicken-themed dessert round?
2. Snail Snafus
Aired: 09-08-2016
When the chefs get escargot in the appetizer round, they have just twenty minutes to prove that snails can work with the other ingredients in the basket, including some troublesome sprouts. Garlic knots prove to be easy to use in the entree round, and a light and airy cake in the dessert round puts the chefs in a focused and inspired mood.
3. Hot Doggin'
Aired: 14-08-2016
The theme for this competition is everyone's favorite all-American bun-buster, the hot dog! In the first round, the chefs get some very rare hot dogs and an uncommon condiment. A tiny ingredient causes big problems for two of the competitors in the entree round, and the last two chefs are left to tackle the strange challenge of making hot dog desserts.
4. Souper Chefs
Aired: 16-08-2016
Never stop cooking -- a seventy-something chef who blew off retirement to return to the stove is among the four chefs competing! In the appetizer round, he and the rest of the group must make trout dishes that also include dill pickle soup. A weirdly spicy beer is one of the entree basket ingredients. Then, dough and sugar in the dessert basket seem to give the finalists a head start, but looks can be deceiving!
5. Chili Cook-Off
Aired: 21-08-2016
The chefs battle in a Chopped chili challenge as they put their own spin on the classic American dish. Chocolate and sausage are two of the mandatory ingredients in the appetizer round, and degrees of spice and levels of creativity are big factors in the entree round. For dessert, chili-inspired sweet dishes are requested.
6. Teen Tournament: Battle 1
Aired: 23-08-2016
Sixteen young chefs-in-training will compete to see who can become the Chopped Teen Tournament Grand Champion and score the $25,000 prize! In this first preliminary battle, the young competitors must make appetizers from a strange hybrid snack and a decadent pork product. In the entree round, the teens must figure out how to combine poultry with a weird casserole, then work with a spicy nut and a savory green fruit for dessert.
7. Teen Tournament: Battle 2
Aired: 30-08-2016
Four new formidable young competitors fight to get to the finale, but in the first round, nerves and indecision keep everybody guessing whether all the teen chefs will finish their sausage appetizers. Seafood surprises await the teen chefs in round two, then some breakfast items take on a creative form in the dessert basket.
8. Teen Tournament: Battle 3
Aired: 06-09-2016
In the third of four preliminary competitions, a new group of teen chefs arrives in the Chopped Kitchen with tons of energy, which they put to good use cooking short rib appetizers. An already-cooked, artificially-colored ingredient appears to be the most puzzling ingredient in the entree basket, and in the dessert round, a pastry bag of pate a choux leaves the competitors wondering what to do.
9. Teen Tournament: Battle 4
Aired: 13-09-2016
Four more teen chefs battle it out for the last spot in the $25,000 finale. A can of something strange and a bottle of something sour are two of the ingredients that the competitors must use in the appetizer round. The fryer sees some action in the entree round when one teen chef decides to deep-fry the basket's protein. Then, the two finalists must figure out how to repurpose a cake they find in the dessert basket.
10. Teen Tournament: Finale Fight
Aired: 20-09-2016
Four teen winners have returned to compete in the grand finale of the tournament with $25,000 at stake. The young cooks find a surf-and-turf combination in the appetizer basket and aim to distinguish themselves from their opponents with their first plates. Butchering skills come into play in the entree round, then one teen chef's premonition about a mango in the dessert basket comes true!
11. Twins for the Win
Aired: 08-09-2016
Teams of twins face off in this competition, bringing twice the excitement to the kitchen! In the first round, some improbable eggs and incomplete crustaceans are in the basket. A royal-inspired meat product and a soda shop staple keep things interesting in the entree round, then the last two pairs of twins make some surprising choices when they get pastry dough in the dessert basket.
12. Naan the Wiser
Aired: 15-09-2016
A serious time management issue in the first round featuring naan and blood sausages gets one of the competitors in trouble as the last seconds tick away. A very expensive fish in the entree basket has the judges hoping that the chefs know how to treat it right. Then, the finalists come up with some creative desserts as they tackle a fruit-filled third basket.
13. Worst Cooks Challenge
Aired: 27-09-2016
Former winners and runners up from Worst Cooks in America arrive at the Chopped Kitchen with something to prove. In the first round, the competitors do a nice job with their frog leg appetizers, but the second round has the remaining chefs struggling to cook steak correctly. Then, in the last round, the cooks rely on ready-made doughs from the pantry to help them with their cocoa powder and pear desserts.
Season 30 (September 2016 - December 2016)
1. Kefir and Loathing
Aired: 22-09-2016
A basket ingredient with a "secret" history and the fermented milk drink kefir are at the forefront of the appetizer round. The second basket looks to be deceptively simple, except for a strange blue drink. Then, something you wouldn't expect to find in a can is discovered in the dessert basket, and the last two chefs decide to go in a similar direction with their final plates.
2. Sweetbread Dread
Aired: 29-09-2016
The judges are pleased to see fresh sardines in the first basket, but will the competitors treat these little fish properly? Some pricey basket items, including sweetbreads, add an air of luxury to the second round. Then, both of the final chefs want to make ice cream in the dessert round, but will they have time to pull it off?
3. Best Halloween Ever
Aired: 03-10-2016
Four one-of-a-kind cooks have dressed up for Halloween in the Chopped Kitchen, and the judges are eager to see what a drag queen, a witch, a medieval re-enactor and a bloody-faced warrior will cook for them using a wild collection of appetizer ingredients! Some frightening sights in the second basket turn out to be pretty nice picks for a pork tenderloin entree, and a spiky fruit and clever cookie-crumb creation are two of the ingredients that the final competitors get to scare up a dessert.
4. On the Quack Burner
Aired: 06-10-2016
Quack if you love duck tongues! The chefs must make use of this unusual meat in their appetizers, and a seaweed pasta product may be the weirdest item in the second basket. Then, spicy alcohol and a sweet cream are two of the components that the finalists have to work into their desserts.
5. Web Stars
Aired: 11-10-2016
Competitors with successful online cooking shows arrive in the Chopped Kitchen ready to put their web-honed culinary skills to the test. There are smiley faces all around when the cooks find emoji cookies in the first basket, but round two has the judges monitoring the clock with doubts that all three chefs will be able to get a particular basket ingredient cooked in time. Then, a familiar boxed ingredient is one of the first things the finalists need to tackle for dessert.
6. Turkey Day Heroes
Aired: 14-11-2016
Four chefs who cook in soup kitchens come to the Chopped Kitchen to face off in this special competition. In the appetizer round, they get creative with some fun bread and orange sauce. Turkey is a given in the entree round, but they also face an epic cake which defies description and is more than meets the eye! Some items in the dessert basket sound pretty healthy, like yogurt and fruit, but will the finalists' Thanksgiving desserts be nutritious or decadent?
7. Holiday Reality Check
Aired: 05-12-2016
Chopped is hosting a holiday party with four stars of reality television: Les Gold (Hardcore Pawn), Claudia Jordan (The Real Housewives of Atlanta), Jenni Pulos (Flipping Out) and Karina Smirnoff (Dancing With the Stars). In the first round, the larger-than-life celebs must use an edible wreath and festively-shaped bread. In the second round, the judges are surprised to hear that one of the competitors has never eaten a common green veggie found in the basket. Finally, marshmallow men and holiday cocktails make for a celebratory, unpredictable dessert round.
8. New Year's Bash
Aired: 20-12-2016
It's the first ever Chopped New Year's party and the competitors get the celebration started with an extravagant appetizer basket that includes $50 worth of caviar and other pricy ingredients. The chefs find more premium items in the entree baskets, as well as a traditional southern New Year's legume. The last two chefs in this New Year's fight face some dressed-up ice cream cones and a limited number of grapes for dessert.
Season 31 (October 2016 - December 2016)
1. Smorgastarta Your Engines
Aired: 13-10-2016
The chefs learn all about the wonders of savory Swedish layer cake when they get the competition underway with some smorgastarta appetizers. A sweet powder and prickly produce make the entree round more complicated than the competitors wished it would be. And eggplant seems like a doozy for dessert, but preserved in sugar, the veggie is easier for the finalists to incorporate into their sweet plates.
2. Tailgate Greats
Aired: 18-10-2016
Four devoted football fans are super proud of their can't-fail tailgating games, but in the Chopped Kitchen, only one can become a champ. Handy sandwiches and sweet popcorn are two of the ingredients the competitors face in the first round. Will a strange take on mimosa be hard for the chefs to swallow in the second round? Then, the two finalists hustle to figure out the correct technique to execute their creative ideas for dessert.
3. Beat Bobby Flay: Battle One
Aired: 20-10-2016
First part of a 4-part tournament featuring twelve returning Chopped champions. Each episode's winner progressed to the finale, where the three episode winners competed to determine the tournament finalist. The finalist would choose a dish and compete for $40,000 against Bobby Flay in making a better version of the dish. For the whole tournament, one item in each basket was chosen by Bobby Flay.
4. Midnight Snack Attack
Aired: 25-10-2016
The four chefs in this special competition are tasked with making the perfect midnight meal. In the first round, fried foods and a trendy cocktail are creatively reimagined in appetizers. Prized mushrooms and a much-craved street food are part of the basket challenge in the second round. And the finalists hope breakfast flavors wake up the judges' palates in the last round.
5. Beat Bobby Flay: Battle Two
Aired: 27-10-2016
Second part of a 4-part tournament. Chef Thomas is the youngest competitor in this tournament, having won the first all-teen episode back in season 13. In round 1, the can of fruit contained peaches, grapes, pears, and cherries. Also, due to the extensive prep time required, the abalone in round 1 was pre-cleaned.
6. Chaudin Chow (aka Hearty Party)
Aired: 01-11-2016
The chefs unveil a Cajun specialty in the first basket that is "offal-y" special. A prized protein adds some porky flavor to the chefs' fish entrees. And a drink that you have to chew is certainly the oddest mystery ingredient in the final basket.
7. Beat Bobby Flay: Battle Three
Aired: 03-11-2016
Third part of a 4-part tournament. Contestants Matt Romine and Mike Romine previously competed together in a twins' team competition episode, but competed individually in this episode. The "ultimate milkshake" in the third round was reminiscent of "unicorn milkshakes" that are overloaded with rainbow candies, rainbow cereal, and colorful cookies in a large mug.
8. Cheap Eats
Aired: 08-11-2016
The chefs are surprised with some thrifty, yet uniquely yummy, finds in the baskets, like pork buns and Mexican street corn in the first round. The competitors must pair a pickled product with a fair favorite in their entrees, then some delectable little cakes and an odd sauce make an appearance in the last basket.
9. Beat Bobby Flay: Finale
Aired: 10-11-2016
Final part of a 4-part tournament. The 3 finalists competed over 2 rounds (appetizer and entree) to win a guaranteed $15,000. The winner faced Bobby Flay in a $25,000 wild card round for a chance to increase their winnings to $40,000. This round was played like the second round on Beat Bobby Flay with both chefs making a dish of the winner's choice, which in this case was bibimbap. The chefs had 45 minutes in the 3rd round instead of the usual 30 to accommodate the crossover format.
10. Battle of the Butchers
Aired: 17-11-2016
Chopped brings butchers to the stoves to show what practiced protein pros can do! In the appetizer round, the butchers direct their cleavers at a beautiful cut of pork as one of the competitors passes around whiskey shots. A big bird and an unfortunately-named radish mingle in the entree basket, then in the dessert basket, the finalists find an ice cream that only a butcher could love.
11. Beast Feast
Aired: 22-11-2016
The competitors face off in a protein-packed battle, even featuring some fierce ingredients that are too big for the baskets. In a fast and loud appetizer round, the blenders are booming as the chefs try to make meaty appetizers with a creative touch. Then, the chefs get to choose what part of an imposing whole animal to use in their second dish. The final chefs must rise to the challenge in order to make marvelously piggy desserts.
12. Back in Time
Aired: 24-11-2016
The baskets are filled with retro ingredients, which have the competitors and the judges thinking back on bygone eras and savoring flavor memories. In the first basket, a familiar can and a space-age beverage are two of the foods that transport them back in time. Something frozen in time and something nostalgically spherical are part of the challenge in round two, and a refreshment named for a movie legend is one of the throwback ingredients in the dessert basket.
13. Viewers' Vengeance
Aired: 29-11-2016
Extra difficult baskets are guaranteed when four lucky chefs arrive in the Chopped Kitchen for a viewers' choice competition! The fans pick a creepy protein and a bloody soup for the first round, while something hearty and something super-hot are in the second basket. Then, the judges must put a fork to pork in dessert dishes made with offal and atole.
14. Entree Basket Blues
Aired: 01-12-2016
Making canned ham tasty and cleaning mussels are a couple of the challenges in round one. In the entree round, some of the chefs attempt to creatively mask the bright blue color of one of the basket ingredients. Then, will the final two chefs' fruit-and-fries creations please the judges?
15. Taco Time!
Aired: 08-12-2016
In each round of this competition, the chefs are tasked with showcasing their creative take on the taco. The judges talk tripe and mustard rabe after an exciting appetizer round. Asian sauce and a beautiful protein are in the entree basket, and the finalists bring tortillas to the sweet side with inventive desserts that include Mexican chocolate.
16. Sweet Heat
Aired: 13-12-2016
First, it's a pizza puzzle when the chefs open the appetizer basket to find something that's called pizza but doesn't look or taste like the dish they know and love. Two proteins in the second round require the competitors' attention, then the judges expect a hit of heat with their sweets during a dessert round featuring chilies.
17. Betting on the Farm
Aired: 15-12-2016
The chefs are treated to some farm-fresh basket ingredients directly from the source! The first round has them rushing to make dishes with poultry and pickled chilies. In the entree round, the judges are eager to eat three lamb dishes, but worry that some fresh greens might be forgotten as the clock ticks down. Then, some odd choices by the finalists in the dessert round keep everyone wondering how the competition will end.
18. Million Dollar Baskets
Aired: 22-12-2016
No expense has been spared with these top-notch, top-dollar basket ingredients! The chefs get to work with caviar and a very pricey seafood in the first round. The second million dollar basket features something lavishly sweet and something deliciously rare. And a $100 breakfast item is one of the prize ingredients that the finalists discover in the last basket.
19. Basket Buzz
Aired: 27-12-2016
The first basket includes a giant circle of dough with a long history and veggies that look like tiny watermelons, but taste like something else. Chewy candy and sweet cheese must make their way to the chefs' entree plates, and in the dessert round, green leaves and blueberries present a colorful challenge.
20. Wild Times
Aired: 29-12-2016
Straight from nature to the chefs' baskets, ingredients in this competition are favorites of hunters and foragers! The first round puts an aquatic wonder and a delicate flower into the hands of the four competitors. An imposing root and a wild beast are part of the entree round challenge. Then, the final wild round is a sweet one featuring berries and butter.
Season 32 (January 2017 - May 2017)
1. Clean Eatin'
Aired: 03-01-2017
The chefs must make delicious, healthy dishes; legumes confound some of the chefs; a fancy fish and a fermented drink for the entrees; fruit-and-grain dishes for desserts.
2. Whiskey and Wings
Aired: 10-01-2017
Whiskey and wings appear in every basket; a fun starch for the appetizer round; hot sauce for round two; wings for dessert.
3. Celebrating Veterans
Aired: 17-01-2017
Four former military service members who are pursuing culinary careers compete to see who will be the Chopped Champion. In the first round, a favorite American comfort food must mingle on the plate with a super-sweet drink, and curiously, three of the four competitors pull tortillas from the pantry. A patriotic pasta and an already-cooked savory pie are two of the mandatory ingredients in the entree round. Then, will the finalists be able to adeptly combine cheese and pudding in desserts?
4. Oodles of Noodles
Aired: 24-01-2017
The chefs are tasked with making noodle or pasta dishes from the items in the mystery baskets. In the first round, the competitors get ingredients that seem to point them in an Asian direction, then they crank out fresh pasta in round two. The final round has the chefs using their noodles to try to make desserts that fit the theme
5. Game Day Party
Aired: 31-01-2017
The chefs take on a football-themed competition, aiming to create elevated game day food in every course. Creative reinterpretations of mac and cheese add a comfort food spin to the appetizer round. Artichokes prove to be a difficult ingredient for some of the competitors in the entree round. And will a stadium starch in the dessert basket help or hurt the final chefs' chances of finishing strong with their football feasts?
6. Chocolate Obsession
Aired: 07-02-2017
In this competition, the chefs get grand chocolaty surprises in each basket. The appetizers must combine white chocolate and soft shell crab. A chocolate adult beverage and a chocolate showpiece dessert keep the delicious theme going in the second round. The two chefs with the privilege of making chocolate desserts get luscious apricots to work with as well.
7. Blue Plate Fate
Aired: 14-02-2017
Four modern diner chefs compete to transform the baskets into blue plate specials worthy of $10,000. In the appetizer round, the chefs must sling out dishes using some late night food and a classic three-ingredient sandwich. Then, the chefs get creative with a deep-fried snack in the entree round. Some diner staples in the dessert basket are tasty on their own, but can the final two chefs succeed in reinventing them?
8. Chefs in a Pickle
Aired: 21-02-2017
The tricky challenge in this competition is to include pickles in every dish -- including dessert! The first round has the chefs working with brine and Brussels sprouts. Half-sour but entirely delicious flank steak dishes are the goal in the entree round. Then, pickles with peanut butter is an unusual but not unheard-of combo that the chefs find in the dessert basket.
9. Raw Deal
Aired: 28-02-2017
Raw fish is in the first basket, but in a rather unusual form. A wonder drink and some beautiful peppers must grace the entree plates, then will a hefty salt block ruin the chefs' chances of success in the dessert round?
10. Something Dumpling
Aired: 07-03-2017
Dumplings are the theme for this competition, as the chefs are instructed to make stuffed morsels of dough inspired by any part of the world. A flavorful pork product and a Japanese condiment make up part of the first mystery basket, and nerves and timing take a toll. Meat-and-potato dumpling entrees are in order for round two, and the two chefs left to cook dessert dumplings must marry some spicy chips with a tropical fruit.
11. Latin Cuisine Dream
Aired: 14-03-2017
The baskets are packed with favorite foods from Latin America, and the chefs bring pride of their native countries to every plate. In the first round, the competitors get a soup and a dough to show off their appetizer-making skills. A yummy cookie and a can of beans are part of the puzzle in the entree round. Then, will the final two chefs feel the love for the passion fruit in the dessert basket?
12. Jump for Bok Choy
Aired: 02-05-2017
An Argentinian meat and something challengingly sweet are two of the appetizer surprises. In round two, the judges are happy to see a favorite seafood selection in the basket, and bok choy also finds its way to their plates. Finally, some giant sheets of tofu and an alluring take on cheesecake keep the finalists on their toes in the dessert round.
Season 33 (March 2017 - May 2017)
1. Best Laid Pans
Aired: 21-03-2017
A big setback leaves one chef unsure whether her sausage and okra appetizer will come together on time and as planned. Savory pie and a fresh Italian cheese meet on the chefs' entree plates. Then, peppers and pears pair up in an exciting dessert round.
2. Star Power: Web Stars!
Aired: 28-03-2017
Chopped kicks off a magnificent, five-part, star-studded tournament event, where celebrities who are famous in different fields take over the kitchen for a shot at scoring $50,000 for charity. In the first competition, web stars who shine online for millions of followers will shine on TV, including Josh Elkin, Justine Ezarik, Hilah Johnson and Lazarus Lynch. In the appetizer round, the Internet phenoms seek to dazzle the judges with their blood sausage appetizers. Dealing with duck could be the biggest obstacle in the entree round, then a Japanese frozen dessert and an instant breakfast food challenge two web stars in the dessert round.
3. Star Power: Culinary Muscle!
Aired: 04-04-2017
In the second preliminary competition of Chopped's Star Power Tournament, four star athletes -- Dorothy Hamill, Paige VanZant, LaMarr Woodley and Mariel Zagunis -- battle it out in the kitchen. An exceptionally weird flavor of soda and a pleasingly cheesy dish are two of the basket stumpers that they face in round one. The judges get three distinct lamb dishes from a threesome of sports stars in the entree round, then the two athletes who get to rock dessert get rock candy as one of their mandatory ingredients.
4. Star Power: The Last Laugh!
Aired: 11-04-2017
Four funny actors engage in a rowdy display of cooking improv in the third competition of Chopped's Star Power tournament, including Illeana Douglas, Ron Funches, Jonathan Sadowski and Julie White. In a frenzied first round, a South American flatbread and a beautiful seafood product take the spotlight. Taming the sweet factor becomes important in an entree round with marshmallows in the basket. Then, premade dough seems to give the final two cooks a head start in the dessert round, but will they know what to do with it?
5. Star Power: Screen Sensations!
Aired: 18-04-2017
Four famous stars of film and TV light up the fourth and final preliminary competition of the Star Power tournament! In the appetizer round, actors Rick Fox, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, Alysia Reiner and Alan Thicke must find a role for bass and ice pops in their dishes. The judges are entertained by one competitor's liberal use of a particular pantry ingredient in round two. Finally, the ice cream machine is a hot commodity for making cold treats in the dessert round.
6. Star Power: Grand Finale
Aired: 25-04-2017
Four celebrity champions return to try to reap a $50,000 win for their favorite charity in the grand finale of the Star Power tournament! The finale drama revs up after the competitors find a breakfast pastry and a pretty but bland fruit in their appetizer baskets. A pineapple transformed into something extra special is at the center of an exhilarating second round, then the last round of the tournament features a basket with a tower of cookies and a tropical fruit.
7. The Newly Wed Game
Aired: 16-05-2017
Four newlywed couples compete as teams to see which married pair will be united in victory! A playfully-named toast and some sexy shellfish get the party started in the appetizer round. In the second round, the chefs must tackle a legume that's time-consuming to deal with and a pork cut that's challenging to cook just right. And will making desserts with the loves of their lives be as sweet as can be, or a Chopped nightmare?
8. An Ugly Turn
Aired: 30-05-2017
The chefs are encouraged to embrace beautiful imperfections as they work with so-called ugly ingredients. In the appetizer round, they find often-discarded seafood and misshapen veggies in the baskets. A perilous-looking fish presents a fierce challenge in the entree round. The last ugly turn is the dessert round, which has the chefs working with an overly-baked item.
Season 34 (May 2017 - November 2017)
1. Thanks, Mom!
Aired: 09-05-2017
To honor the wonderful women who raised them right, four famous Food Network cooks -- Ted Allen, Jeff Mauro, Jet Tila and Chris Santos -- compete with their moms! In the first round, the mother/son teams strive to manage their time and to carefully crack quail eggs. A large fish and some lovely lemons make up part of the second basket. Then, the final two family duos must find sweet ways to use blood oranges and walnuts.
2. Grill Game
Aired: 23-05-2017
No ovens? No problem! The chefs give the grill pans a major workout in this special competition, where they must get grillin' from the get-go. The group makes sausage appetizers that must also include a fruity beverage. A beautiful open-faced sandwich meets a diminutive veggie in the entree basket, then the two competitors left to grill dessert face a basket that includes a boozy marshmallow and a bag of nuts.
3. Greater Tater
Aired: 06-06-2017
The chefs learn that their competition has a potato theme, with spuds of some kind in every basket! The chefs must incorporate two tater products into their Canadian bacon appetizers. In a wild round two, chili fries find their way to a blender and a whole potato finds its way to the deep fryer. Then, sweet potato pie meets toffee in the dessert basket.
4. Father's Day
Aired: 13-06-2017
Who could ask for a better teammate in the Chopped Kitchen than good ol' Dad? Four fathers join forces with their grown-up kids to make collaborative dishes and to make their families proud. A thematic cookie in the first basket gets a laugh, then the salmon in the second basket seems simple but creates some problems. In the dessert round, an unusual flavor of gelato presents the final father/kid pairs with a challenge.
5. Got Your Goat
Aired: 20-06-2017
The chefs race to figure out what to do with a seafood product and some boozy veggies in the first round. Then, the judges must decide who's got the chops to get goat chops just right in the second round. Finally, a tough dessert basket, which includes a cheese and a vegetable, keeps the finalists scrambling to the end.
6. Snap Pea to It!
Aired: 27-06-2017
In the first round, the chefs must make lamb appetizers that include a trendy toast, and one competitor gets a little overzealous trying to make his plates pretty. Poultry and snap peas are part of the round two challenge, then the competitors do their best with fruits and a fermented beverage in the dessert round.
7. Bangin' Backyard Cookout
Aired: 04-07-2017
The chefs imagine they're making a memorable meal for a backyard party in this cookout competition. A wacky hybrid protein and a ketchup stand-in are two of the ingredients the competitors must work into appetizers. Burger fixings but no beef in the second basket force the chefs to get creative, then a clever edible centerpiece meets a crunchy snack in the dessert basket.
8. Flour Power
Aired: 11-07-2017
Four bold female bakers attempt to rise to the challenge and clinch a $10,000 victory. A dough typically used for flatbreads and a strong-tasting melon are two of the mystery basket items in round one. A different dough is at the center of the second basket, prompting the competitors to bake again. Then, the two women who make it to the dessert round jump at the chance to show off their pastry skills in final dishes featuring a marshmallow spread and lemon balm.
9. Alton's Challenge, Part 1
Aired: 10-10-2017
Alton Brown is taking over the Chopped Kitchen for an epic five-part tournament! With $50,000 on the line, the first four chefs bravely take on his challenge. For this first battle, Alton demonstrates the science behind smoking foods, and the chefs are encouraged to infuse every dish with smoky flavor. Tiny radishes and a strangely savory cookie are in the mix for round one. Alton whips up a signature smoked item for the second basket, then an exotic drink is the smoky component in basket number three.
10. Alton's Challenge, Part 2
Aired: 17-10-2017
In the second Alton's Challenge battle, there's a dehydration theme for the baskets, and Alton Brown demonstrates a home hack that makes removing moisture from food a breeze. The first round has the chefs making quick use of instant mashed potatoes, then an Alton specialty is one of the mandatory ingredients for the entree round. A diabolical dessert basket has the chefs scrambling to make dehydrated eggs work in their final plates.
11. Alton's Challenge, Part 3
Aired: 24-10-2017
The chefs explore the wonders of molecular gastronomy in the third Alton's Challenge battle. Making a powder from a fat and clearing up the problem with transparent ravioli are some of the struggles in round one. In the entree round, the chefs get lamb cooked with a modernist method and some new age noodles. Then, a cake that looks and tastes like a drop of water gives the last pair of chefs a perplexing puzzle to solve for dessert.
12. Alton's Challenge, Part 4
Aired: 31-10-2017
For the fourth battle of Alton's Challenge, Alton Brown demonstrates the mad science of champagne, and the competitors embrace a fermentation theme. A strange, stringy Japanese specialty is the talk of the entree round, then an unusual cake inspires some unusual choices in the dessert round.
13. Alton's Challenge, Grand Finale
Aired: 07-11-2017
Expect the ultimate in brainy, zany baskets from Alton Brown, as four Challenge champions return to fight for $50,000! Ingredients harken back to the themes of the preliminary battles: molecular gastronomy, smoke, dehydration and fermentation. In the first round, a small fish and a strange condiment puzzle the champs. A stunningly-presented protein and a jar of something stinky are in the entree basket. Finally, Alton makes a grand entrance in the dessert round to demonstrate the science of one of the ingredients, before an unprecedented turn of events.
Season 35 (July 2017 - March 2018)
1. Clam Clash
Aired: 18-07-2017
In the lightning-fast first round, the chefs must create appetizers in just 20 minutes from clams and a sweet dried fruit. Squid ink and a strong-flavored candy are part of the entree round puzzle. Then, a pie made of beans and an alcoholic drink made with sorbet are two of the mystery basket ingredients for dessert.
2. Clock Shock
Aired: 25-07-2017
The chefs get some gorgeous crustaceans and a fancy pasta in the first basket, and the clock surprises them with its speed. Then, the judges hope that the competitors make the most of an expensive mushroom in round two. Finally, one of the last two chefs runs into trouble while trying to make an apple dessert.
3. Food Truck Luck
Aired: 05-09-2017
Which food truck chef will fortune shine upon in this competition of determined mobile meal vendors? There's a traffic jam at the fryer as the chefs attempt to make outstanding appetizers with two proteins. In the entree basket, the chefs find a New England sandwich and a Mexican pepper. The final two food truck chefs left in the fight receive dessert nachos in the last basket.
4. Waffles for the Win
Aired: 12-09-2017
The judges have a pressing matter to discuss with four lucky chefs: waffles! The competitors prove waffles are no longer just for breakfast by making them the star of every plate and every round. First, the chefs bring some heat to their waffle appetizers by seasoning them with chiles de arbol. A thick Belgian waffle dough hits the irons in round two, then waffles take the form of cookies in the dessert round.
5. Comfort Zone
Aired: 19-09-2017
In this special competition, the baskets are filled with enticing, soul-soothing comfort foods! The chefs are asked to carry the comfort food theme onto their completed plates, starting in round one when they must utilize something starchy and something greasy. A homey protein and some beautiful tomatoes are in the mix in the entree round, then a nostalgic cookie meets a dairy delight in the dessert basket.
6. The Beets Go On
Aired: 26-09-2017
In the appetizer round, the chefs bake premade dough and try to figure out the best plan for including a Persian hot dog stew in their dishes. The entree plates must include a prized seafood and a floral component, then the competitors discover beets and a classic French dessert in the final basket.
7. Spooked
Aired: 03-10-2017
Creepy surprises and freaky finds -- the chefs are sure to be spooked by what they get in the baskets for Halloween! A special meat platter grabs the competitors' attention at the start of round one, then a certain frightening ingredient is staring back at the chefs from the entree basket. The two finalists get hyped up on Halloween candy as they scare up some creative desserts.
8. Feel the Burn
Aired: 19-10-2017
In this heated competition, the chefs make the most of fiery, spicy ingredients in the baskets. In round one, a dip made with hot sauce and a spicy piece of poultry challenge the chefs. Then, the hot raw root in the entree basket serves as proof that peppers aren't the only way to spice up a dish. Finally, some spicy candy and a baby fruit occupy the competitors' minds in the dessert round.
9. Gimme Gator
Aired: 26-10-2017
Strange incarnations of everyday ingredients, black garlic and coconut vinegar, challenge the chefs in the appetizer round. The judges go on the hunt for compelling flavor combinations in the chefs' alligator entrees, then a Peruvian fruit is the most unusual find in the dessert basket.
10. Flavor Savor
Aired: 02-11-2017
The chefs are pleased when they open the first basket and it's filled with bright, fresh Mediterranean foods, including baby octopus. A prickly green and a meaty fish share the entree basket spotlight. Finally, the ice cream machine and the deep fryer come into play in a busy dessert round.
11. Pie Jinks
Aired: 09-11-2017
The chefs get news that the judges will be expecting three courses of flaky, perfect pies. Sour gummies and sausage are part of the appetizer round pie puzzle, then the entree round has the three remaining chefs making savory pies that must include baby kale. After a dessert round with candied ginger in the basket, who will be left eating humble pie, and who will win $10,000?
12. An Iron Chef Thanksgiving
Aired: 14-11-2017
Three brilliant Iron Chefs -- Marc Forgione, Jose Garces and Alex Guarnaschelli -- are set to judge four exceptional Chopped Champions on a mission to create an incredible Thanksgiving feast! The champs' Turkey Day appetizers must include turkey in more than one form, then another bird gets some love in the entree round. Then, an epic sandwich and a sweet casserole are two of the ingredients that keep the final two champs' gears spinning.
13. Espresso Express
Aired: 21-11-2017
The chefs get a jolt of energy in the first basket in the form of ground espresso, but can they quickly make coffee click with the rest of the ingredients? Sweetbreads are one of the sweet surprises that the competitors must work with in round two, and a brightly-colored sugary snack must be balanced with black molasses in the dessert round.
14. Weird Twist
Aired: 28-11-2017
The chefs learn they'll be cooking with ingredients that are bizarre, even by Chopped standards. Something slimy and something strangely-shaped are found in the first wonderfully weird basket. Garlic ice cream is not the most startling discovery in the entree basket. Then, the most shocking ingredient in the dessert basket doesn't seem so wild -- until you pop it in your mouth and get a jolt!
15. Chopped Grand Holiday
Aired: 05-12-2017
Four of Chopped's biggest winners return to share stories of their life-changing victories and -- in the spirit of the season -- play for a favorite charity. The four undefeated repeat champs open up the first basket to find a variety of festive surprises. A clever take on hardboiled eggs and a deckle of beef present the champs with a challenging task in the entree round. Then, only one chef can be named the champion again after the judges taste creative holiday desserts that include honey and chocolate.
16. True Grits
Aired: 07-12-2017
The chefs get the Southern classic grits in the first basket and race to make appetizers that deliver on flavor, but one of the competitors has major difficulties in the final seconds of the round. An ingredient that is surprisingly similar to grits is discovered in the second basket, so the chefs must think fast and keep the creativity level high. Then, something blue and something boiled are in the dessert basket.
17. Cocktail Party
Aired: 19-12-2017
Shaken, stirred, or Chopped? Cheers to a fabulous first: a Chopped cocktail party! The chefs learn that they'll be preparing small plates as well as creative drinks in every round of this special competition. Tiny, lovely finger limes must end up on the plates or in the cocktails in round one. Scotch whisky and summer truffles keep the party going in the second round, then edible gold in the final basket guarantees the chefs will end on a festive note.
18. Amped for Ramps
Aired: 26-12-2017
The competitors find a prized member of the onion family in the first basket, ramps! But will the flavorful wild leeks play nicely with the other mandatory ingredients? An organ meat and an Italian treat are in basket two, then the two chefs who make it to the dessert round get a popcorn-flavored candy and a citrus-flavored stalk.
19. Mardi Gras Goals
Aired: 06-02-2018
Get ready for some culinary revelry as four New Orleans chefs take on a Mardi Gras competition! The baskets are packed with perennial NOLA favorites, including po' boys in the appetizer round. The judges hope none of the competitors ruin the roux in the second basket, and a traditional cake and a boozy coffee challenge the final two chefs in dessert.
20. Dim Sum Yum
Aired: 06-03-2018
Pop goes the basket as the chefs must make bubblegum-flavored candy balance with hot and sour soup in their appetizer plates. Classic Cantonese dim sum is a yummy surprise in basket two. Then, the competitors who make it to the dessert round wind up working with something out-of-the-ordinary in a can plus a pink paste.
Season 36 (December 2017 - June 2018)
1. Better Duck Next Time
Aired: 12-12-2017
Luck is not on the competitors' side as they open the first basket to find not duck breast, but a more formidable foe: duck tongue. A bitter juice and a pretentiously presented American classic challenge the chefs in the entree round. For the last two chefs battling it out in the dessert round, a peachy final basket is anything but easy.
2. Gold Medal Games: Frying
Aired: 02-01-2018
In this gripping heat, four famous fry masters compete to see which elite competitor will move on to the $50,000 Gold Medal Games finale. The first basket comes packed with a fun fair treat and a gamey meat. The most challenging item that the chefs must manage in the second basket is, unfortunately, in a can. And the remaining competitors must roll with whatever is matched with matcha powder in the dessert basket.
3. Gold Medal Games: Grilling
Aired: 09-01-2018
Four renowned chefs battle to prove why grilling is a winter "sport" worth cheering for, but only one can advance to the $50,000 Grand Finale. An uncooked pastry and a bone-in steak challenge the chefs in the appetizer round. In the entree round, the competitors encounter a guilty-pleasure snack and a Korean side dish. And will the last two contenders know what a pig pickin' cake is or how to reimagine it in the dessert round?
4. Gold Medal Games: Fast!
Aired: 16-01-2018
Four culinary contenders race to make a phenomenal meal under pressure in this exciting Gold Medal Games heat featuring chefs who are speed demons in the kitchen. The chefs are shocked to learn that every round will be five minutes shorter than usual! In the 15-minute appetizer round, the culinary athletes are burdened by some extremely tedious prep work and challenged by a sweet surprise. A wild watermelon and an expensive fish keep things interesting in the entree round. And there's no shortage of nopales in the dessert basket as the final two speedster chefs chase their dream of landing a spot in the $50,000 Grand Finale.
5. Gold Medal Games: Baking
Aired: 23-01-2018
Four chefs famous for baking take on a thrilling heat in the Chopped Gold Medal Games! In the first round, the chefs must focus their creativity on a grocery store breakfast dough and a lovely cut of lamb. The peculiarities of a second dough and nostalgic spaghetti product must be sorted out in round two. Baking opportunities abound in round three, but will the judges be happy with the desserts the remaining competitors make with hot chocolate and banana curd? Only one chef will advance to the $50,000 Grand Finale.
6. Gold Medal Games: Grand Finale
Aired: 30-01-2018
All eyes are on the four returning champions to find out who will be the Gold Medal Games Grand Champion and go home with $50,000! In the first round, the elite culinary athletes open up their baskets to find something grilled and something intended to frighten them. In the entree round, the judges wonder which competitors will be far, far off in their treatment of far far, an Indian snack food. And champagne (in an unusual form) is in the final basket, but there won't be any celebrating until after the final chop!
7. Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate!
Aired: 13-02-2018
The pastry experts battling it out in the Chopped Kitchen are excited to learn that they'll be making candy, cake and ice cream in this all-desserts challenge. They face three rounds of chocolate, but an unwelcome, squirmy invader in the first basket threatens to dampen their enthusiasm. Round two has the chefs making ambitious baking plans that must include hummus, and some savory finds in the final basket challenge the remaining competitors to strike a flavor balance or risk being chopped.
8. The Light Stuff
Aired: 20-02-2018
Four fit chefs take on the challenge to cook creative, healthy dishes that are light on calories but big on flavor. A faux noodle and a beautiful fish fillet are two of the round one mystery ingredients, and the second round revolves around a diet drink and a protein-packed snack box. When both remaining chefs plan to use the ice cream machine for their acai berry powder desserts, there's a chance someone will be left out in the cold when time runs out.
9. Epic Eats
Aired: 27-02-2018
In an indisputably indulgent competition, the chefs find that every basket contains at least one epic ingredient -- an extreme example of something completely craveable. The appetizer basket brings them a big, bold marriage of two classic American comfort foods, and a savory cake is the showstopper in the entree round. A puzzling dessert basket reveals something gummy and something over-the-top yummy.
10. Pork on the Brain
Aired: 20-03-2018
Everyone goes hog wild in the Chopped Kitchen as the chefs take on a pork-themed competition. The first basket threatens to contain too much of a good thing, and a beautiful cut of heritage-breed pork is juxtaposed with a questionable canned product in the entree round, sending the chefs in some creative directions with their dishes. While they would have welcomed bacon in round three, the finalists must make use of more unusual porky items in their desserts.
11. Fat Chance
Aired: 27-03-2018
The appetizer round prompts a couple of critical questions -- namely, what in the world is a narutomaki, and what are you supposed to do with it? The judges are astonished when one of the chefs takes an extremely unusual approach with the fish from the entree basket that also includes caul fat. Finally, the last two chefs attempt to make scrumptious dishes in the dessert round with Swedish syrup and a classic cookie.
12. You've Been Canned
Aired: 10-04-2018
The judges are excited by the prospect of beautiful octopus appetizers in the first round as the four chefs scramble to create dishes featuring mollusk morsels. The canned product in the second round threatens to throw the competitors off their game and leaves one chef in an unusual predicament. The two remaining chefs choose the same format for their Gorgonzola dolce desserts in the final round, leaving the judges to thoroughly compare the two dishes.
13. Million-Dollar Meals
Aired: 05-06-2018
Four competitors learn they will be treated to high-end, top-dollar ingredients and will be cooking for new judge Martha Stewart. A prized pork product and a spruced-up baked good are some of the wonders that the chefs discover in the first basket. In the entree round, an extraordinary burger and a fancy adult beverage are part of the basket riddle. Finally, an unusual chocolate treat and a special cake up the "wow" factor in the dessert round.
Season 37 (March 2018 - June 2019)
1. Luck of the Irish
Aired: 13-03-2018
The chefs have the good fortune to get treats from Ireland in every round, beginning with an iconic stout in the appetizer basket. One chef doesn't hide their distaste for a certain Irish delicacy in the entree round. Finally, the two remaining chefs hustle to make plates with a favorite Irish ice cream treat and some booze for the third round.
2. Wild Game Plan
Aired: 03-04-2018
The competitors are in for some wild times after they learn they'll be working with game meat in every round, starting with wild boar in the first basket. Two wild proteins then make for a crowded entree basket. Finally, Black Forest cake is the sweetest of the woodsy treasures that the two remaining chefs are up against in the dessert round.
3. Leftover Takeover
Aired: 01-05-2018
The competitors are called upon to rescue foods that would normally be thrown out in a special leftovers competition. Some unfinished Chinese takeout and something remaining from a meal at an Italian restaurant make for some fusion cooking in round one. Half of a sandwich and a bottle of sweet liquid are two of the leftover surprises in the second basket. Then the chefs face a confounding culinary puzzle when they find coffee and grapes in the dessert basket.
4. Sensational Sandwiches
Aired: 24-04-2018
The chefs get revved up for a sensational sandwich battle that begins with a mound of meat and some colorful potatoes in round one. Everyone's favorite hybrid bird makes an appearance in the second basket. And sandwiches for dessert? You bet! The final two chefs take on a salty-and-sweet basket in the last round.
5. A Frog Leg Up
Aired: 01-05-2018
Four chefs open the first basket to find a strange, modern food: donut-shaped sushi. Will they know how to make it work with a crunchy snack in their appetizers? The judges are happy to see frog legs in the second basket, but they aren't quick to leap to any conclusions about how the entrees will turn out. And some challenging textures in the dessert basket jeopardize the last two chefs' chances for perfect final plates
6. Hush Puppy Love
Aired: 08-05-2018
The competitors take on Southern classics like hush puppies and black-eyed peas in the first basket. Something fried meets something sweet in the entree round. Then fruity, creamy and doughy desserts are the result of a busy final round.
7. Plum Luck
Aired: 15-05-2018
In the first round, the chefs find a classic Asian food in an innovative form and some lovely plums. A tough cut of meat and a container full of an unusual mayonnaise product test the chefs' creativity in Round Two. And a giant surprise made of sugary breakfast cereal invigorates the competition in the final round
8. Under the Cuban Sun
Aired: 11-09-2018
Four chefs with personal connections to Cuba are treated to ingredient baskets filled with a variety of Cuban foods. But which competitor will best represent the country's cooking traditions? In the appetizer round, butchering a whole fish gives one chef a whole lot of trouble. The chefs are less than thrilled to find a jarred version of a favorite Cuban sauce in the entree basket, and the two who make it to the dessert round must piece together a culinary puzzle that includes a cocktail and a fruit.
9. Tacos and Tequila
Aired: 25-09-2018
It’s fiesta time and the chefs are taking on tacos and tequila-themed baskets. Each competitor must make taco-inspired dishes that include a delicious delicacy in the blanco tequila-spiked first round. Two out of the three remaining chefs feel the meat grinder is a must in the second round. Then, a sweet take on taco shells keeps the theme going into the dessert round.
10. Rocky Mountain Masters
Aired: 25-12-2018
Right out of the gate, the chefs are surprised by a bold delicacy that is seafood in name only. Will they know how to turn Rocky Mountain oysters into a tasty appetizer? A soda shop treat is a sweet hurdle for the entree-round competitors, and the finalists find a jackfruit in the Round Three dessert box.
11. Chicken Challenge
Aired: 19-02-2019
The competitors must stay steady and focused as they take on three chicken-themed rounds in this special competition. The chicken in the first basket looks strikingly strange. Can the chefs make it taste delicious? Another unusual poultry product graces the basket in round two. Will the chefs know just how to treat it? And the chefs nervously wonder what a chicken-themed dessert basket might contain.
12. Beer and Brats
Aired: 26-02-2019
The chefs take part in a Bavarian bash, starting with an appetizer basket that also includes potato chips. The entree basket includes a savory pie that's fun to say and a flight of beers that's a blast to taste. Finally, the judges watch to see what the final two chefs can do with beer and brats in their dessert basket.
13. Team Ice Cream
Aired: 11-06-2019
Four chefs set out to prove that ice cream can work well in two savory courses. A scoop is sandwiched in the middle of an indulgent ingredient in the first basket. Then a unique ice cream flavor at the center of an unusual dish is the big surprise in the second basket. And the judges have high hopes for the much-anticipated ice cream dessert round.
14. Grill Masters: Kansas City
Aired: 31-07-2018
Regional rivals from the Kansas City barbecue world compete for a spot in the Grill Masters grand finale. They start off with double cut pork chops in the appetizer round and are surprised by something bubbly in the second basket.
15. Grill Masters: North Carolina
Aired: 07-08-2018
Regional rivals deeply devoted to North Carolina-style barbecue battle for a spot in the Grill Masters finale. The pork-loving pitmasters face fish in the first basket, and the dessert round features Southern favorites.
16. Grill Masters: Memphis
Aired: 14-08-2018
Chefs who live and breathe Memphis-style barbecue compete for a spot in the Grill Masters finale. The competitors are stunned to see a gigantic sandwich in the second basket, and peaches in the dessert basket seem like a gift.
17. Grill Masters: Texas
Aired: 21-08-2018
Four barbecue pitmasters compete to be the Lone Star State representative in the Grill Masters grand finale. A state fair treat shows up in the second basket, and the final basket holds Texas-inspired ingredients.
18. Grill Masters: Final Showdown
Aired: 28-08-2018
Grill Masters champs represent their regional styles -- Texas, Memphis, North Carolina and Kansas City -- in the grand finale with $50,000 on the line.
19. A Frog Leg Up
Aired: 17-04-2018
Four chefs open the first basket to find a strange, modern food: donut-shaped sushi. Will they know how to make it work with a crunchy snack in their appetizers? The judges are happy to see frog legs in the second basket, but they aren't quick to leap to any conclusions about how the entrees will turn out. And some challenging textures in the dessert basket jeopardize the last two chefs' chances for perfect final plates.
Season 38 (May 2018 - May 2019)
1. Plum Luck
Aired: 15-05-2018
In the first round, the chefs find a classic Asian food in an innovative form and some lovely plums. A tough cut of meat and a container full of an unusual mayonnaise product test the chefs' creativity in Round Two. And a giant surprise made of sugary breakfast cereal invigorates the competition in the final round.
2. Hot Off the Grill!
Aired: 22-05-2018
The chefs must cook a glorious meal for the judges using only fired-up grill pans. The first basket contains a shocker of a meat and a sweet surprise that the competitors wish they could ignore. A freshwater fish and a fermented product challenge the chefs in Round Two. And in the dessert round, some strange s'mores and weirder burger buns keep things interesting for the last remaining contenders.
3. Bowled Over
Aired: 12-06-2018
Four chefs must layer flavors in perfect, trendy bowls under the watchful eye of new judge Martha Stewart. For the first basket, Martha brings a special surprise from her garden. In Round Two, the chefs must make a nostalgic canned food balance with an Indian condiment in their entree bowls. And dessert bowls made from an Italian syrup and a candied treat are the final order of business for the last two remaining chefs.
4. Doughnut Dash
Aired: 19-06-2018
From kitschy classics to artisanal designer donuts, the chefs will get a taste of it all as they celebrate delicious rings of joy in every round and feel the pressure of performing well for a very demanding donut connoisseur, judge Martha Stewart. A box of donuts and a jar of a particular condiment challenge the competitors in the appetizer round. A wild donut creation is the centerpiece of the entrée basket. Then, the two chefs lucky enough to advance to the donut dessert round must make Martha proud using her own donut dough recipe.
5. Room for Shrooms
Aired: 10-07-2018
The Chopped chefs get swept up in mushroom mania, with mushroom surprises in the baskets and plenty in the pantry. In Round One, the competitors try to make a great first impression on judge Martha Stewart with an unusual cocktail and an intensely-flavored protein. In the second basket, the chefs discover a creative use for bacon and a French dessert with a wild twist. Then in the final round, two chefs face the difficult task of making mushrooms into sweet creations.
6. Beach Bites
Aired: 24-07-2018
The competing chefs are told to picture themselves in a lovely coastal town as they prepare a meal of magnificent beach bites for the judges. A variety of seafood and a flotilla of edible boats kick things off in the appetizer basket. When more than one of the competitors don’t leave much time to plate, they cut it close and try to beat the clock. A cute, beach-themed surprise makes an appearance in the entrée basket, and desserts with a splash of rum and a dose of fun are in store for the judges.
7. Bar Fight
Aired: 01-01-2019
Four bartenders who love to cook compete in this special competition to prove that barkeeps know how to keep the flavors coming. An outrageous cocktail is the centerpiece of a fun first basket, and in the entree round, a potato dish prompts two of the contenders to grab more spuds from the pantry. The pressure is on in the final round when the two remaining bartenders must make the best desserts they can with a trendy drink and a classic pie.fries and sprouting cauliflower are found in the tricky entree basket. And not everything goes according to plan when the final two kids take on desserts made from a fermented beverage and a sweet novelty item.
8. Nourish and Flourish
Aired: 08-01-2019
The chefs get foods that heal in the ingredient baskets and have to make dishes that are both yummy and healthy. A little fish packed with nutrients is the star of the appetizer basket, but will it go well with the rest of the mystery ingredients? Following some frantic moments at the end of the entree round, the judges must decide whether a competitor's ill-advised decision to slice beef tenderloin is a deal breaker. In the dessert round, the final two chefs race to make plates that include nuts and berries.
9. Deadly Catch
Aired: 15-01-2019
The chefs face an adrenaline-packed competition filled with daunting seafood ingredients. A prized surprise awaits them in the first basket and a shocking salad meets a beautiful fish in the entree round. Finally, the judges temper their expectations as the chefs face an extraordinarily tough dessert basket.
10. Wonton Wonder
Aired: 12-02-2019
Four chefs have to get creative with wonton wrappers after finding lowbrow eclairs in the first basket. A can full of cheesy comfort food and a lean bird are on the entree agenda. And a strange pastry is the odd find in the final round -- will it be a piece of cake for the final two competitors?
11. Meat Your Match
Aired: 05-03-2019
Four female butchers battle it out for a shot at $10,000. In the first round, the competitors must break down a large piece of beef while sizing up a sweet salad in the basket. Fresh chickpeas pose a time-consuming challenge in the second basket. Then, a third savory round gives the last two women a final chance to show off their butchery skills.
12. Gefilte Dish
Aired: 12-03-2019
The chefs get some surprises in the ingredient baskets, starting with the appetizer round, when they have to make gefilte fish work with something super sweet and something soft and salty. The judges are excited to see a beautiful pork product in the entree basket, but will the chefs treat it right? And a particularly strange collection of ingredients in the dessert basket leaves the remaining two chefs scrambling to solve the final culinary puzzle.
13. Dill Dilemma
Aired: 28-05-2019
There's a flavor clash happening in the Chopped kitchen as the first basket challenges the chefs to come up with a yummy solution to a perplexing culinary puzzle that includes a dill pickle-flavored treat. A Midwestern casserole and some stunningly presented pork make for a grand entree basket, and as the clock winds down in the final round, a chef's injury puts their Gjetost cheese dessert in jeopardy.
Season 39 (June 2018 - May 2019)
1. Lamb Slam
Aired: 03-07-2018
Judge Martha Stewart tastes a corn dog for the very first time as a fun version of the famous fair food challenges the chefs in the appetizer basket. Then, an exciting second round has the competitors working with lamb and pie. Will the judges slam their dishes or find them delicious? In the final round, an unusual coffee drink and a special citrus ingredient prompt the chefs to bring some distinct flavors to the plate.
2. Breakfast Battle
Aired: 18-12-2018
The chefs get bountiful breakfast foods in every basket and are asked to stretch the most important meal of the day into three indulgent courses. They even get to work with farm fresh eggs direct from the chicken coops of judge Martha Stewart! A series of mishaps plagues one of the competitors in the second round, and then in the dessert round, French toast and Chinese porridge must find a place in the remaining chefs' final dishes.
3. Wellington Woes
Aired: 18-09-2018
The competitors bring their best to the Chopped kitchen to impress judge Martha Stewart. In the appetizer round, they face a modern take on beef Wellington and an iconic canned meat, and one chef's ambitious plans force him to rush to beat the clock. In the entree round, Martha is excited to see what the chefs create with one of her favorite ingredients. The final two competitors have the same idea about what to make for dessert, but whose dish will be better?
4. Pizza Poetry
Aired: 19-03-2019
When four pizza pros bring their considerable talent and competitive drive to the Chopped kitchen, the judges are in for a pizza party to remember. A piece of pork that takes up much of the first basket has the competitors getting their hands dirty from the start. A regional dough and a convenience store staple are part of the pizza puzzle in the entree round. And do the final two pizza pros really have to use olives on their dessert pizzas? You bet they do!
5. Viewers Rule
Aired: 23-04-2019
The chefs gear up for difficult baskets when they find out that Chopped viewers have selected all their ingredients. A stunning but texturally challenging dessert meets a canned meat product in the appetizer basket. A weird egg from the Philippines in the entree round is startling, even for the judges, and fishy ice cream in the dessert basket proves that Chopped fans show no mercy.
6. Eat Your Veggies!
Aired: 14-05-2019
Martha Stewart, the queen of farm-to-table cooking, is excited to judge a competition with gorgeous garden goodies in every basket. In the first round, the chefs find some impressive greens and a sweet treat with a good-for-you spin. Squash is the meatiest find in the second produce-packed basket. Will the chefs successfully make it a star on their plates? Finally, a puzzling dessert basket includes spinach as a savory surprise.
7. You've Got Snail!
Aired: 09-04-2019
The bar for balancing flavors is set high as four chefs find sea snails and candy in the first basket. A mishap in the entree round dramatically affects one chef's scallop dish. The two remaining competitors must then work with a dessert basket that includes something porky and something sticky.
8. Dollar Dishes
Aired: 26-03-2019
Four chefs set out to make low-cost items taste like a million bucks in three "dollar dish" challenges. Some homegrown greens and a box of frozen finger foods are two of the no-frills finds in the appetizer round. One of the competitors is shocked to find the ingredient that they most fear is in the second basket. Finally, the inexpensive collection of goods in the dessert basket includes a clever hack for what to do with leftover wine.
9. Pasta Possibilities
Aired: 02-04-2019
Four chefs face a three-round culinary battle where pasta is found on every plate. They start off the carb-tastic competition by making pasta appetizers that include pea tendrils and a fatty, delicious fish. A common vegetable causes some surprising problems in the entree round. Finally, a huge, sweet surprise in the final basket gets the judges excited for dessert.
10. Squab Goals
Aired: 16-04-2019
An ingredient basket containing squab kicks off an action-packed first round in the Chopped kitchen. As the chefs endeavor to make great entrees in round two, they must break down a large fish and figure out what to do with a sweet beverage. Cookie mix in the dessert basket seems like a breeze, but the variety of cookie mix may give the competitors pause.
11. Think Small!
Aired: 26-06-2018
The chefs are excited to find a small plates theme in effect for their competition. The judges -- including Martha Stewart -- are expecting modern, creative dining experiences in every round. The first basket features a surprise from one judge's restaurant. The round two basket contains a German sandwich that sounds unappealing to the uninitiated, and the third basket has the final two chefs scrambling to make small plates with big flavor that include a sensational citrus.
12. Belly of the Beast
Aired: 30-04-2019
The chefs dive into the first basket to discover a beautiful example of their competition's "belly of the beasts" theme -- tuna belly! A cocktail named after poultry and a boxed product that brings low-cost meals from childhood to mind play supporting roles in basket two. And both chefs choose to add chocolate to their desserts but will it taste great with the mystery ingredients?
13. Brunch Brilliance
Aired: 07-05-2019
The chefs set out to wow the judges with brunch meals that wake their palates. A classic brunch combination-turned ice cream flavor makes for a challenging first basket. A unique take on eggs keeps the brunch theme front-and-center in the entree round. The two chefs remaining in the dessert round then get to find out what goes into boozy cereal.
Season 40 (December 2018 - March 2019)
1. Whiz Kid Cooks
Aired: 01-01-2019
Kids who love to cook take over the Chopped Kitchen to prove they are forces to be reckoned with in the culinary world. The young competitors focus on finding creative ways to prepare ground chicken in round one. Both fries and sprouting cauliflower are found in the tricky entree basket. And not everything goes according to plan when the final two kids take on desserts made from a fermented beverage and a sweet novelty item.
2. It's a Sibling Thing
Aired: 08-01-2019
Talented kid cooks compete with their brothers and sisters in an impressive show of cooperation in the Chopped Kitchen. The sibling teams uncover a strange pizza and some bitter greens in the appetizer basket. In round two, the judges find out if the kids have the chops to cook goat chops. Finally, a tropical fruit and a sugary cereal keep the kids on their toes in the dessert round.
3. Tea Eggs and Sympathy
Aired: 15-01-2019
Four chefs enter the Chopped Kitchen and lay it all on the line to get it done! The appetizer round has the chefs wondering what exactly a Chinese tea egg is and what exactly they got themselves into by agreeing to compete. Pizza in a strange format and an uncommonly eaten piece of pork appear in the entree basket. A big, stinky fruit is the talk of the dessert round, and the big question is whether the finalists know how to make it delicious.
4. Hot Dog Hot Shots
Aired: 22-01-2019
Four talented chefs work to stay focused and stay sharp in this competition. They're surprised by a strange hot dog creation in the first basket, but they push on with some delicious results. The entree basket contains a can of something that's not usually used in gourmet cuisine, and the two determined competitors who move onto the dessert round get to make final dishes using a yummy cake and a Japanese drink.
5. Fire It Up!
Aired: 29-01-2019
Firefighter cooks take over the Chopped stoves in this special competition, proving that they're cool under pressure and thrive when the heat is on! Will some familiar finds in the first basket lead the competitors in predictable or creative directions? In the entree round, the firefighters must make a strange sweet treat work with beef, and the dessert basket reveals a flaming surprise for the two finalists.
6. Halloween Hijinks
Aired: 05-02-2019
Martha Stewart is thrilled to celebrate her favorite holiday, Halloween, as a judge in the Chopped kitchen. All manner of spooky fun is found in the first basket, including a scary sight in a martini glass and macaroni and cheese in a clever package. A witch's cauldron holds a green, savory surprise in the entree basket, and it's demolition day at the haunted gingerbread house as the final two chefs make their desserts.
7. Chopped Champs Throwdown: Battle 1
Aired: 12-02-2019
In pursuit of $50,000, four Chopped champions are back at the stoves with renewed ambition, seeking to be named the best of the best! The appetizer round is as exciting as they come, and a fire extinguisher is used for the first time in Chopped history. Extreme examples of salty and sweet meet in the second basket, and a colorful, unconventional surprise in the dessert basket gets a "wow" from everyone, but can the chefs get it to work in their final plates?
8. Chopped Champs Throwdown: Battle 2
Aired: 19-02-2019
Four Chopped champions come back fiercer than ever with their sights set on the tournament's $50,000 grand finale. The chefs create wildly different appetizers from a basket that includes black garlic. A novelty candy in the second basket requires a hammer and some culinary imagination, and plenty of competing flavors in the dessert basket leave the chefs with some decisions to make.
9. Chopped Champs Throwdown: Battle 3
Aired: 26-02-2019
The judges grapple with how to chop champions when four talented winners return to the Chopped Kitchen for a shot at $50,000. In the first basket, the chefs face a delicacy from the sea. A fancy sauce and a plain vanilla treat are two of the ingredients in the mix in round two, and a giant, chocolaty surprise awaits the chefs who make it to the dessert round.
10. Chopped Champs Throwdown: Battle 4
Aired: 05-03-2019
Four returning Chopped champions compete for a chance to make it to the grand finale to fight for $50,000. In the first round, the chefs contend with a basket that includes tiny, infuriatingly time-consuming eggs and a Moroccan meat. Red snapper in the entree basket must be filleted in a snap, and pastries and pops in the dessert basket challenge the two remaining competitors.
11. Chopped Champs Throwdown: Finale
Aired: 12-03-2019
Four repeat champs are back for the Chopped Champions Grand Finale and the chance to make a $50,000 meal! The appetizer basket challenges the chefs with a seafood delicacy that requires a high degree of thoughtfulness. An in-your-face shocker in the second basket leaves the remaining chefs racing to make bold plates. And with the prize at stake, the two remaining chefs face off in a dessert round with a basket that is fittingly difficult.
12. Thankful Siblings
Aired: 19-03-2019
Host Ted Allen and his sister -- plus three judges and their siblings -- crowd the kitchen for a wild Thanksgiving competition! These turkeys are sure to have a blast cooking together, starting round one by tackling a curious green bean creation and a bitter green. There's no bird in the Thanksgiving entree basket but there's plenty of delicious fall goodness. Finally, a latte and lots more await the final competitors in the dessert basket.
13. Holly Jolly Grandmas
Aired: 04-12-2018
Four grandmas bring their homey cooking styles to the Chopped Kitchen and give the judges a holiday dining experience to remember. In the first round, the matriarchs cook appetizers with love, care and some unusual candy canes. A gilded surprise is the centerpiece of the second basket. Finally, the two grandmas who move on to the dessert round are delighted to find a selection of holiday cookies -- but will they know what to make with them?
Season 41 (December 2018 - March 2020)
1. Ultimate Redemption
Aired: 11-12-2018
Four chefs who didn't make it in high-stakes tournaments return in search of redemption. The competitors face goat chop appetizers in the first round. A breakfast cereal is the crunchy curveball in the entree basket. The remaining chefs then open their final basket to find a cookie behemoth and a strange soda.
2. Game On!
Aired: 29-01-2019
The chefs must cook a game-day feast and set out to tackle the challenge with gusto! In the first basket, they find a whimsical dish that looks like nachos. Three chefs then get to feel the rhythm of a drumsticks entree round. Finally, a fusion snack meets a hybrid beverage in the dessert basket.
3. Three Cheers for Chocolate!
Aired: 05-02-2019
Four talented pastry chefs get to make a chocolate feast for the Chopped judges. In the first round of this all-desserts battle, the competitors must make dark chocolate creations that include a prized fruit and a salty snack. The second round is a celebration of judge Martha Stewart's favorite variety of chocolate, milk chocolate. And 30 minutes might not be enough time for the last two competitors to get everything they intend to their final plates.
4. Bacon, Burgers and Beer!
Aired: 21-05-2019
In what may be the best Chopped competition theme ever, the chefs' baskets are packed with bacon, burgers and beer! In the bacon appetizer round, the competitors go in some inventive directions with their dishes, including pizza and poutine. Round two is an adrenaline-packed burger battle that has the chefs working with a fun take on onion rings. And the alliterative theme comes to its boozy conclusion in the dessert round, with beer boldly represented in the baskets.
5. Just Add Cheese!
Aired: 04-06-2019
Comfort food connoisseurs and gourmands alike know that any dish can benefit from a slice, a melt or a sprinkling of cheese! In this special competition, every basket is filled with cheesy yumminess including an unusual take on a Philadelphia classic in the first round. The chefs must work with a crunchy cringe-worthy surprise in addition to a fancy Spanish cheese in the entree round. And a cheese-tastic tower is one of the building blocks for the finalists' desserts.
6. Holy Bologna!
Aired: 18-06-2019
Four chefs are forced to get creative from the start when they find a kitschy, oddball cake and an unusual hybrid veggie in their appetizer baskets. An offal surprise and a fun fungus dish keep things interesting in round two. In the final round, an ice cream mishap leaves one of the chefs scrambling to put a key lime dessert together.
7. Plum Fantastic
Aired: 25-06-2019
As the competition kicks off, the chefs are challenged with making appetizers using a delicate herb and a playful take on potatoes. When the chefs get a strange Italian street food in the entree basket, they must do as the Neapolitans do. And the judges hope the Dutch baby pancake and sour plums in the dessert basket will spark some delicious creativity.
8. Culinary Fireworks
Aired: 02-07-2019
Four chefs prepare for summertime dinners in America using a variety of sunny ingredients including patriotic deviled eggs and star-spangled spaghetti. A clever keg and a new spin on a fair favorite kick off the fun in the first round. Then, the bounty of the second basket includes a cowboy's dream ingredient and some colorful kebobs. And there's a bombshell surprise in the dessert basket -- can the chefs successfully create something delicious to complete the meal?
9. Take the Cake
Aired: 23-07-2019
In the first round, the chefs learn they must make appetizers that include ginger-like galangal and a trendy taco. Miniature fruit and softshell crabs are two of the surprises that the competitors face in the entree round, and a pretty cake that reminds one judge of his childhood is at the center of an eclectic dessert basket.
10. So Sumac Me!
Aired: 13-08-2019
Four enthusiastic chefs are up to the challenge as they attempt to outsmart the baskets in a race against the clock. Minced meat and something sweet are part of the appetizer round puzzle. Will sumac plus a super salty curve ball in the second basket leave the chefs wondering what to make? And eggs, fruit and sugar in the dessert basket should be relatively easy to work with, but nothing is as simple as it seems on Chopped.
11. Tendon Loving Care
Aired: 11-02-2020
Tenderizing beef tendon and bringing joy to bok choy are two of the challenges in round one. A veggie that barely fits in the basket and a prized protein are part of the culinary puzzle in the entree round, and a famed French dessert meets a bubbly jarred surprise in the dessert basket.
12. Poutine Cuisine
Aired: 17-03-2020
A plate of poutine and a jar of bamboo challenge the competitors in the appetizer round. Not all the chefs are happy to see a whole fish in the second basket, and as the round winds down, the judges start to panic that not everyone will finish. In the dessert round, the chefs must hurry up and figure out how to use a colorful snack food.
13. Frying Times
Aired: 31-03-2020
With $10,000 at stake, there's a twist in the competition! The chefs learn that they will be required to fry something in every course. In the appetizer round, a brightly colored beverage and a stuffed pasta are part of the puzzle. A decadent finger food and a protein-packed shocker challenge the chefs in the entree basket, while a classic cookie and a wild sundae bring the fun to an exciting, frying dessert round.
Season 42 (November 2018 - June 2020)
1. Thanksgiving Pie, Oh My!
Aired: 20-11-2018
The chefs learn that instead of the usual appetizer, entree and dessert baskets, their Thanksgiving-themed rounds will be sides, turkey and pie -- all Turkey Day essentials! In round one, the competitors hustle to make magnificent side dishes using a strange ice cream and soup made from judge Martha Stewart's recipe. The remaining three chefs must attempt to put a creative spin on their turkey plates. Finally, the promise of pies and tawny port makes for a festive pie round.
2. Weird, Wacky, and Wild!
Aired: 17-09-2019
The chefs face baskets filled with some of the most bizarre ingredients imaginable. To start, a strange pig part is the bombshell in the appetizer basket. The competitors then open up their second basket to find a fuzzy vegetable and a shocking meat. Finally, the unusual ingredients in the dessert round include an eye opening, oddly named sweet treat.
3. Sweet and Salty Success
Aired: 07-01-2020
The chefs get a sweet and salty theme and are tasked with perfectly harmonizing the quintessential flavor pairing on their plates. In the first round, the competitors must combine a Moroccan pie and a sugary take on bacon. A classic fair snack and an imaginative breakfast food are included in the entree basket. And the judges are hoping for creative, beautiful desserts made from a puzzling final sweet and salty basket.
4. Chopped U.
Aired: 14-01-2020
Four college students with a passion for cooking take over the Chopped Kitchen to prove who can make the grade. A humble pizza and common protein keep the appetizer basket relatable but present a challenging culinary puzzle. A caffeinated drink is a featured ingredient in the entree round, although the wildly energetic competitors hardly need it. The two remaining competitors must then make ambitious plans for the peanut butter and banana dessert basket.
5. B.L.D.: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner!
Aired: 28-01-2020
The chefs set out to make a whole day's worth of amazing food when the cooking rounds are changed to breakfast, lunch and dinner. Eggs are not in the breakfast basket but the chefs still race to grab them in the fridge. In the second round, the competitors must make terrific mid-day meals with something salty and something reminiscent of a typical American childhood. And the judges hope the chefs who make it to the final round will be able to make lamb dinners to remember.
6. Smokin' Skills
Aired: 04-02-2020
The chefs are excited to face smoked-food challenges requiring them to make delicious modern dishes with the ancient cooking method. First, a colorful, sweet surprise and a buttery fish are two of the ingredients the competitors choose to smoke in the appetizer basket. The second basket features a lean specialty meat and a spicy liqueur. The two chefs left standing must make do with a fishy candy in the dessert round.
7. Clambake Stakes
Aired: 18-02-2020
The chefs set out to make an unforgettable summer feast after learning each challenge will have a clambake theme. In the first round, a colorful cocktail and a gamey sausage help get the party started. The entree basket includes a strange starch and plenty of gifts from the sea. Finally, the competitors who make it to round three get to work with a juicy fruit and something cute.
8. Poke Power
Aired: 02-06-2020
The chefs race the clock as they attempt to bring dynamic flavors to their dishes including a creative take on poke and some special seafood in round one. A piece of pork not found at your average grocery store is a strange discovery in the entree basket. Finally, the competitors who make it all the way to the dessert round must work with a salty and sweet snack.
9. Grills On! Game On!(45 min)
Aired: 09-07-2019
10. Hotdog Hotshots
Aired: 16-07-2019
Season 43 (July 2019 - February 2020)
1. Grills On! Game On!
Aired: 09-07-2019
When the ovens and fryers are turned off, four chefs have no choice but to get their grill on! A rare meat hits the heat in round one, and a frozen food favorite in the second basket might not thrill the competitors. The final two grillers must contend with double-smoked bacon in the dessert basket, and each chef tries to smoke the other in this fiery contest.
2. Beef Cake Mistakes
Aired: 30-07-2019
Four talented chefs are ready to compete in the Chopped Kitchen, but there's something peculiar about the huge, elaborate cake in the appetizer basket: It's made of beef! In the second round, a strange twist on a classic Italian dish tests the competitors' creativity, and the two remaining chefs are challenged to make desserts using a mayo that may be tricky to incorporate.
3. Epic Burgers!
Aired: 06-08-2019
The chefs battle it out to see who can build the most epic burger masterpieces. An awe-inspiring tower kicks off the first round of hamburger hustling. An old-school lunchbox favorite adds a bite of yummy, kitschy fun to the entree round, and a sweet challenge is in store for the two remaining chefs who must make epic burgers suitable for dessert.
4. Hot Dog Hotshots
Aired: 20-08-2019
The chefs gear up for an epic hot dog battle in a nonstop celebration of the phenomenal frankfurter. In the appetizer basket, they discover a hot dog creation that takes the prized piece of Americana to another level. A state fair treat with a twist awaits the three contenders in the entree round, and an intriguing dessert basket contains the mysterious "wieners in a quilt."
5. A Very Brady Chopped
Aired: 27-08-2019
The competitors get the surprise of their lives when they find out that three original cast members of the legendary 70s sitcom will be tasting their food! Christopher Knight, Maureen McCormick and Susan Olsen -- famous for playing siblings Peter, Marcia and Cindy Brady -- take on the role of Chopped judges. In all three rounds, the baskets feature ingredients inspired by the groovy show, including pork chops and applesauce.
6. Brady Bunch Bash
Aired: 03-09-2019
Three stars from the legendary TV show The Brady Bunch are perched at the Chopping Block as guest judges, and they're eager to enjoy a meal prepared by some of their biggest fans. Barry Williams, Eve Plumb and Mike Lookinland -- famous for their roles as Greg, Jan and Bobby Brady -- share stories from their time as fictional siblings. Meanwhile, the starstruck competitors open the first basket to find Hawaiian ingredients in a tribute to the Brady family's notorious vacation to the Aloha State. A creepy-crawly finds its way into the entree basket, and popcorn and a tropical drink keep the Brady bash going in the dessert round.
7. Ooey, Gooey Cheese!
Aired: 10-09-2019
The chefs take on a melted cheese theme with the hope of giving the judges stretchable, craveworthy dishes. A platter of comfort food yumminess is at the center of a decadent first basket, and the ultimate melty cheese dish -- fondue -- finds its way into the second basket. In the dessert round, the remaining chefs have to get creative with the strange, colorful cheese snacks in the basket.
8. Sweets Showdown: Chocolate!
Aired: 01-10-2019
Kicking off a first-of-its-kind, high-stakes desserts tournament, four chefs compete in a series of chocolate challenges. Spicy booze and a book filled with bonbons are in the mix in round one, and an oversize beverage meets a stinky cheese in the entree basket. The dessert basket features a can of something that could be cause for concern as the chefs make chocolatey showpieces to earn a spot in the grand finale and a shot at the $50,000 prize.
9. Sweets Showdown: Doughnuts!
Aired: 08-10-2019
It's much ado about doughnuts in this exciting heat of the $50,000 Sweets Showdown. The chefs must demonstrate doughnut dexterity as they create sweet, savory and filled varieties that incorporate challenging ingredients such as onions and grasshoppers. Only one tenacious chef will conquer all and win the chance to return for the finale.
10. Sweets Showdown: Cake!
Aired: 15-10-2019
With their eyes on the Sweets Showdown $50,000 prize, four top-tier dessert chefs strive to bake their way into the judges' hearts in this all-cakes preliminary battle. A beautifully bare edible art piece is at the center of the first basket, and a soup and a leafy green threaten to hinder the competitors' progress in the entree round. In round three, only one chef can win ultimate baking bragging rights and a trip to the finale.
11. Sweets Showdown: Ice Cream!
Aired: 22-10-2019
The $50,000 Sweets Showdown continues with a preliminary battle that shines the spotlight on ice cream. Each round challenges the competitors to churn out a different frozen treat: milkshakes, ice cream sandwiches and sundaes. But after the judges sample all the cool creations, only one chef can advance to the finale.
12. Sweets Showdown: Grand Finale!
Aired: 29-10-2019
In the thrilling culmination of a five-part tournament, four dessert dynamos return to the Chopped Kitchen in pursuit of the $50,000 prize, but the ultimate sugar high and the prestigious title of Chopped Grand Champion can only go to one extraordinary chef. A wild-looking citrus fruit and some syrupy flowers are part of the challenge in the first round. A colossal cocktail is all the buzz in the entree round, and an edible candelabra is a bright surprise for the two chefs left in the dessert round.
13. Give It a Nest!
Aired: 25-02-2020
Four bold contenders stride into the Chopped Kitchen with winning on their minds. If the tri-tip in the first basket doesn't trip them up, the edible bird's nest just might. Stinging nettles threaten to hurt the competitors' chances for success in round two, and the two finalists must make good use of a dairy delicacy in their desserts.
Season 44 (September 2019 - August 2020)
1. Horror Flick Halloween
Aired: 24-09-2019
In a Halloween-themed competition, the four chefs face ingredient baskets packed with nods to horror movies, which guest judge and actor Rose McGowan knows well. A cringeworthy surprise in the appetizer basket brings to mind a startling plot twist in a classic scary scene featuring maggots. The entree ingredients -- liver, fava beans and Chianti -- are inspired by one of the creepiest quotes in movie history, and a bubbling cauldron is a nice touch in the final basket.
2. NO MEAT? NO PROBLEM!
Aired: 05-11-2019
The competing chefs are challenged to make delicious dishes from plant-based mystery basket ingredients. A marvel of modern food science is the centerpiece of the first basket, and a crispy green makes an appearance in round two.
3. Thanksgiving Champions
Aired: 12-11-2019
Four Chopped champions are hungry for more as they return for a special Thanksgiving competition. The ferociously competitive chefs must deal with a shocking poultry product in the appetizer round, and the three who make it to the entree round get a big, bright orange surprise. A Thanksgiving dessert basket packed with pumpkin and cranberry flavors inspires the chefs to celebrate the holiday on their final plates.
4. Thanksgiving Heroes
Aired: 19-11-2019
Four big-hearted amateur chefs arrive in the Chopped kitchen ready to give the judges an unforgettable Turkey Day meal. The competitors, who are celebrated for serving their communities, get creative in the first round when they must make something usually paired with coffee work with ham. Everyone gives thanks for turkey in the entree basket, and the final two unsung heroes are challenged to find a place for a festive beverage in their desserts.
5. Meat Fight
Aired: 26-11-2019
Where's the beef? In the baskets! A beef theme is a meat lover's dream in this competition. The four chefs must cut jumbo-sized ribs down to appetizer-appropriate portions in the first round. A premium steak and a second-rate grocery store meal meet in a puzzling entree basket, and creativity and a shining example of good sportsmanship are on display in the dessert round.
6. Holiday Sweethearts
Aired: 03-12-2019
Four Chopped judges compete alongside their significant others in a festive, feisty battle between friends. As the teams endeavor to create appetizers quickly and cooperatively, they must figure out how to use novelty pasta and a splendid fruit in their plates. The entree basket contains a stunning protein and a sweet seasonal surprise, and gingerbread and olives are an odd couple in the holiday dessert basket.
7. Holiday Sugar and Spice
Aired: 10-12-2019
Holiday desserts take center stage as four Chopped champions return for a sweet competition with sugar and spice and not everything nice in the baskets! A bold beverage in the first round has the chefs making faces and making do. Unwrapping chocolates in a hurry is a tedious part of the challenge in round two, and a candy cane with an unconventional flavor threatens the champions' plans for magnificent desserts.
8. New Year's Party
Aired: 17-12-2019
As the clock counts down on New Year's Eve, four chefs take on Chopped baskets to celebrate another trip around the sun. In the appetizer basket, a bite of something decadent and a peppery sauce await. Incredibly luxurious ingredients in the second basket set expectations sky high for the New Year's entree course, and a clever champagne treat is a nice touch in the dessert basket.
9. Dine on a Dime
Aired: 17-12-2019
The four competing chefs get budget baskets full of low-cost ingredients for every round, and they have to make basic foods burst with flavor. A box of fish sticks is the big catch in the first basket, and the second round involves a lesson in putting your best foot forward when cooking with chicken feet. Finally, cheap wine and a cake mix mingle in the last budget basket.
10. Eyes on the Prize
Aired: 03-03-2020
Mock meat and an unusual green powder set the level of difficulty high in round one, and an Italian-Japanese mashup ingredient in the entree round threatens to mess up the chefs' plans. When the two remaining competitors find something called frog eye salad in the dessert basket, they both have their eyes on the prize, but only one can achieve their dream.
11. A Pretty Pickle Pizza
Aired: 10-03-2020
Is pickle pizza dill-ightful or frightful? Four chefs must sort out what to do with the unusual pie in the appetizer round. An egg-flavored snack in the second basket leads to some novel ideas for the entree plates, and there's hardly time to stop and smell the rose latte in a speedy dessert round.
12. Lighten Up!
Aired: 19-05-2020
Four chefs who specialize in cooking lighter, healthier fare are challenged to make delicious, lean dishes in the Chopped kitchen. Low-calorie chips and some leafy greens inspire creativity in the first round. After opening the entree basket, the chefs are left pondering whether avocado-free guacamole is yucky or yummy. Finally, light desserts are a tall order, and the remaining chefs try to measure up.
13. Raise Your Game
Aired: 04-08-2020
It's game day in the Chopped kitchen, and when four football-loving chefs bring their best offense, anything can happen. After kickoff, the chefs get an appetizer basket loaded with foods to fuel hungry sports fans. The entree basket has more of the same, including a super strange shot glass and some winning wings. Finally, the chefs left tackling game-day desserts must make cookies work with a cocktail.
Season 45 (January 2020 - July 2021)
1. $50,000 Champs Challenge: Part 1
Aired: 21-01-2020
Chopped champions return to the stoves, racing the clock and conquering basket after basket with the hope of moving on to the $50,000 finale. Watermelon weirdness in the first basket threatens to shake the champs' confidence, and a funky soybean product and an unusual cut of meat challenge the chefs to come up with wholly original entrees. Inside the dessert basket, the remaining chefs find a crunchy surprise that they must make work with a delicate fruit.
2. $50,000 Champs Challenge: Part 2
Aired: 28-01-2020
It's a rough reunion with the Chopped kitchen when the returning champs find a diabolical set of ingredients in their first basket. In round two, a giant fish and a sweet space food get the chefs thinking creatively. The final two champs wrestle to make sense of a salad cake as time ticks away in the dessert round, which sends one chef on to the $50,000 finale.
3. $50,000 Champs Challenge: Part 3
Aired: 04-02-2020
The fiercest Chopped champions are back to defend their titles in a whirlwind, no-holds-barred battle. A frozen oddity throws them a curve ball in the first round, and they find a box of something sweet plus a yummy Chinese specialty in the entree basket. The judges watch to see whether flowers in the dessert basket inspire creativity to bloom, and the winning chef advances to the $50,000 finale.
4. $50,000 Champs Challenge: Part 4
Aired: 11-02-2020
Passionate Chopped champions return for a shot at $50,000, and the competition kicks off with a colossal clam and a starchy comfort food in the first basket. In the entree round, the judges are eager to find out if the chefs can wing it with squab, and the dessert round puzzle includes a wild pizza pie and a purple tuber. The chef who outperforms the others gets to advance to the $50,000 finale.
5. $50,000 Champs Challenge: Grand Finale
Aired: 18-02-2020
Four repeat champions make their triumphant return to the Chopped kitchen to do it all over again for a shot at $50,000! Jaws drop when the chefs find out what's in the first basket, and a dream cut of beef could turn into a nightmare in the 30-minute entree round. The dessert round is the ultimate challenge for two seemingly unstoppable champs, but only one can take the title of Chopped Grand Champion and the $50,000 prize.
6. Chock-Full of Chocolate
Aired: 24-03-2020
Four pastry chefs step into the Chopped kitchen to show off their chocolate skills. A chocolate-covered seafood snack is a sneaky surprise in the appetizer basket, and a tart fruit and a Japanese food staple find their way into the entree basket. The remaining chefs find jerky in the dessert basket, and it just might work in their favor.
7. High on the Hog
Aired: 26-05-2020
Nose-to-tail cannot fail! The competing chefs are elated to get a pork theme for their battle, and the gorgeous cuts of premium meat in the first basket don't disappoint. A Bloody Mary with a special surprise adds to the porky fun in the second round. Then something fizzy and something "offal-ly" difficult to incorporate in a dessert are part of the final challenge.
8. Soda Flop
Aired: 16-06-2020
Four chefs set out to prove that fish heads are delicious in an exhilarating appetizer round. A strange-flavored fizz threatens to throw off the chefs and make their entrees flop, and an equally odd taffy perplexes the remaining competitors in the dessert round.
9. Terrine Cuisine
Aired: 23-06-2020
The chefs must hop to it and make rabbit terrine work with a less highfalutin, packaged product in their appetizers. Combining cake mix and ramen is part of the challenge in round two, and a weird ice cream and a curious condiment test the two finalists as they attempt to make desserts that the judges will love.
10. Time and Turmoil
Aired: 30-06-2020
Four daring competitors are up against the clock to come up with amazing appetizers using a cheesy creation in the first basket. A red spread and dried fish are two of the surprises the chefs must make sense of in round two, and a citrus food and an unusual seaweed snack must be combined in the desserts.
11. Jarring Jars
Aired: 07-07-2020
The four competing chefs are surprised to open their baskets in the appetizer round to find a large, imposing cut of beef. Unusual cupcakes and a curious jarred "candy" are two of the mystery ingredients in round two. When the final two chefs feast their eyes on a jar of pigs' lips in the dessert basket, they struggle to face the challenge gracefully and successfully.
12. Cauliflower Power
Aired: 21-07-2021
Cauliflower is the veggie of the moment and the undisputed star of this Chopped battle. In the first round, the chefs must use the ubiquitous carb substitute in their dishes along with a funky Mexican delicacy. Kung Pao cauliflower is featured in the entree round, and the judges decide whether the remaining chefs' halo-halo cauliflower desserts are so-so or so good.
13. Quail Without Fail
Aired: 28-07-2020
The four competing chefs have a lot to sort out in the appetizer round when they're challenged to create plates with a Korean dish made with intestines and a super spicy condiment. The three remaining competitors attempt to make successful quail entrees, and a shaker of Australian seasoning and a jar of Mexican caramel are two of the surprises in the dessert basket.
Season 46 (July 2020 - October 2020)
1. Beasts and Bourbon
Aired: 14-07-2020
It's a match made in culinary heaven as four chefs must tame wild game meat in every round and use a different bourbon to accent and complement their dishes. The meaty surprise in the appetizer basket is a giant one, and a crispy, carnivorous bite is a tasty part of the challenge in round two. The chefs who move on to the dessert round find that the beasts and bourbon theme plays out with a challenging and sweet final basket.
2. Here to Persevere!
Aired: 11-08-2020
The competing chefs work quickly to make appetizers in just 20 minutes from chewy candy and a canned sauce. The three remaining competitors make some creative choices in the second round, hoping the judges think their dishes are brilliant, not blah. Finally, inspiring sweets in the dessert basket, including a nostalgic powder, keep the final two chefs churning out unique, spontaneous recipes to the end.
3. Skilfish Coping Skills
Aired: 18-08-2020
The competing chefs are in for a surprise when they open the appetizer basket to find a peculiar pate. In round two, the competitors must work with a fish that they've never cooked before. When one of the final competitors has difficulty making ice cream in the dessert round, their Plan B may be meant to be.
4. Booza Blues
Aired: 25-08-2020
Creativity is crucial for the competing chefs trying to impress the judges, starting with deviled ham spread in the first basket. Sweet booza ice cream in the second basket is an unwelcome surprise for savory entree plates, and the competitors who make it to the dessert round get a colorful basket that includes a bright green fruit and a deep red spice.
5. Sweet and Sour Notes
Aired: 01-09-2020
Four chefs embrace a sweet-and-sour theme and seek to harmonize opposite flavors on their plates. A furious first round has them racing to figure out what to do with a ready-to-serve soup and three other basket finds. The goodies in the second basket might point the chefs in an Italian direction, and the remaining competitors invent two very different desserts from the sweet-and-sour surprises they find in the final basket.
6. Pass the Popcorn Shoots
Aired: 08-09-2020
The competing chefs attack an appetizer basket that includes a classic Italian sauce and a simple sandwich. A popcorn product not available at movie theaters plays a starring role in round two, and the final two chefs attempt to make incredible final plates with the bouncy cake and sweet wine they find in the dessert basket.
7. Plumb Loco Moco
Aired: 15-09-2020
It's wild times in the Chopped kitchen as the chefs get loco with Loco Moco, a Hawaiian comfort food, in round one. It's three cheers for the pom pom mushrooms in the entree basket, and the finalists are challenged to use a weird coffee and a crunchy cake in their desserts.
8. Soup and Sandwich Savvy
Aired: 22-09-2020
The competing chefs are challenged to make a scrumptious soup-and-sandwich duo for every round. In the appetizer round, they set out to make dunkable, slurpable creations while utilizing an unusual egg in the basket. In round two, duck bones in the basket seem to hint at the competitors making a stock, but they're short on time. The last two competitors break into a dessert basket that includes prunes in a form the chefs wouldn't ordinarily consume.
9. Want a Gnocchi Sandwich?
Aired: 29-09-2020
The competing chefs are under pressure as the clock ticks down and the judges wonder whether all the steak and dandelion green appetizers will be plated in time. In the entree basket, the chefs get more than they bargained for with gnocchi in sandwich form. Finally, the judges dispense pearls of wisdom after eating desserts that include balsamic pearls.
10. Finer Diner Dining
Aired: 06-10-2020
Four chefs enter the Chopped kitchen for a diner-themed battle with three courses of elevated comfort food, all under the watchful eyes of guest judge Neil Patrick Harris. The chefs find pie in the first basket and must rise to the challenge of making an appetizer with it. A play on pancakes is a clever addition to the second basket, and a breakfast-inspired final basket leads the chefs in two distinct directions.
11. Pancake Panic
Aired: 13-10-2020
The competing chefs get a ton of sugar in the first basket in the form of a breakfast classic with a twist, and the level of cooking in the entree round seems extraordinary as the chefs excitedly dig into a seven-layer dip. In the dessert round, the remaining chefs are happy to see loquats in the basket, but ice cream machine drama threatens their plans.
12. Fries and Thighs
Aired: 20-10-2020
The chefs get fries and thighs in every basket, starting with a delicate protein paired with a newfangled starch in the appetizer basket. Bubble tea crashes the theme party in the second round, and the dessert basket features a fun, sugary twist on fries, but the chefs are challenged to make thigh meat work with dessert.
13. Dressed for Success(42 min)
Aired: 27-10-2020
The chefs open the first basket to find dressed beer and three other surprises. A weird fungus and a peculiar pizza pie are the shockers in the entree round, and the two remaining chefs break down some adorable dumplings on a quest to build remarkable desserts.
Season 47 (April 2020 - May 2021)
1. Beat the Judge: Alex(42 min)
Aired: 07-04-2020
Can Chopped champions beat Chopped royalty? In this first-of-its-kind battle, fearless returning winners compete for a chance to face off against illustrious Chopped judge Alex Guarnaschelli. The chefs are brave to attempt to beat Alex on her home turf, but these competitors may have second thoughts when they feast their eyes on the jar of bright orange sauce in the appetizer basket. In the entree round, the chefs have a lot to deal with, including a latte in a puzzling package. The champ who makes it to the final round stands to win major bragging rights if they can turn a gooey cake and savory morsels into a $10,000 dessert. The round ends on a chaotic note, leaving everyone wondering how the final dishes from Alex and her challenger will turn out.
2. Beat the Judge: Scott(42 min)
Aired: 14-04-2020
Three Chopped winners with more to prove set out to pull off an upset by taking down Chopped judge Scott Conant. First-round jitters could make the champs' path to another victory more difficult, and the alligator in the entree basket seems more frightening to one chef than the other. In the last round, Scott Conant's rare appearance at the Chopped stoves is made memorable by his fierce determination to succeed and his fierce hatred for one of the basket ingredients. Can he rise to the challenge and defeat the champ?
3. Beat the Judge: Tiffani(42 min)
Aired: 21-04-2020
Three determined chefs return to the Chopped kitchen eager to take on Chopped judge Tiffani Faison, but first they have to battle each other! An unusual snack food is part of the puzzle in the appetizer round, and in the entree round, the champs try not to let a mashup ingredient get them down. The chef who moves on to the Beat Tiffani round faces some high-brow and low-brow ingredients and stiff competition from a judge who loves to win.
4. Beat the Judge: Amanda(42 min)
Aired: 28-04-2020
Three champions arrive back in the Chopped kitchen with their sights set on taking down a formidable foe, esteemed judge Amanda Freitag. The champions realize it will be a tough challenge when they open up the first basket and find chicken gizzards and fish heads. In the entree round, duck seems like a gift, but at least one champion struggles to cook it properly in the given time. When Amanda and her challenger must work with a Japanese omelet and a Mexican beverage in the final round, will the combination result in brilliant fusion or total confusion?
5. Beat the Judge: Marc(42 min)
Aired: 05-05-2020
Three champions are on a mission to beat Chopped judge Marc Murphy and prove they're top-level, no-nonsense contenders in the competitive cooking world. The champs get escargot in the first basket but have to move a lot faster than a snail's pace to get amazing appetizers done in 20 minutes. Then a superspicy surprise awaits the chefs in the entree basket. Finally, Marc must outsmart and outperform the last remaining champ to claim his first victory in the Chopped kitchen.
6. Beat the Judge: Maneet(42 min)
Aired: 12-05-2020
Three bold, talented Chopped winners return with purpose and passion to beat judge Maneet Chauhan. Sugary cereal and oddball meatballs make for a tough challenge in round one, and an edible centerpiece is a fun find in the entree basket. The champ left standing gets the coveted chance to battle Maneet in a round featuring a spice that she knows well.
7. Beat Bobby Flay: Battle 1
Aired: 09-08-2020
First of 4 episodes where 4 Chefs compete to be the one who will face off against Bobby Flay for USD 50,000 in a fifth episode. This is Chopped at a whole new level!
8. Beat Bobby Flay: Battle 2
Aired: 16-08-2020
Second of 4 episodes where 4 Chefs compete to be the one who will face off against Bobby Flay for USD 50,000 in a fifth episode. This is Chopped at a whole new level!
9. Beat Bobby Flay: Battle 3
Aired: 23-08-2020
Third of 4 episodes where 4 Chefs compete to be the one who will face off against Bobby Flay for USD 50,000 in a fifth episode. This is Chopped at a whole new level!
10. Beat Bobby Flay: Battle 4(60 min)
Aired: 30-08-2020
Fourth of 4 episodes where 4 Chefs compete to be the one who will face off against Bobby Flay for USD 50,000 in a fifth episode. This is Chopped at a whole new level!
11. Beat Bobby Flay: Finale Fight(42 min)
Aired: 06-09-2020
Finally the true Master round where 4 Chefs compete to be the one who will face off against Bobby Flay for USD 50,000. This is Chopped at a whole new level!
12. Pickle Panic(42 min)
Aired: 29-12-2020
The chefs are thrown off by the combination they see in the first basket, including some beer-battered seafood and a bizarre bouquet of pickles! The second basket fails the smell test with a stinky surprise inside. Then, salty and sweet meet in the dessert round as the chefs attempt to make delicious final dishes using powdered candy and a savory-sounding cookie.
13. PB and J(42 min)
Aired: 25-05-2021
Hooray for PB and J! The ingredient baskets in this battle are inspired by a low-brow, high-protein, nostalgic classic: peanut butter and jelly! The chefs are encouraged to innovate, but the 20-minute clock in the appetizer round causes some issues. A giant sweet surprise in the second basket must find its way, somehow, onto chicken entree plates, and in a dramatic final round, not everything goes smoothly for the chefs as they hustle to complete their PB and J desserts.
Season 48 (December 2020 - April 2021)
1. Burgers And Bravado
Aired: 15-12-2020
Competing chefs attempt to prove from the start that they're the one to beat. In the first basket, a big burger with a gluttonous twist gives the chefs a lot of options. Parsley cake is a curve ball in round two, and when the last remaining chefs focus their attention on a dessert basket that includes Cara Cara oranges and a curiously boozy condiment, the judges are impressed by the level of skill they see.
2. Grudge Match: Battle 1
Aired: 05-01-2021
A $100,000 grand prize is up for grabs in this extraordinary five-part tournament event, featuring some of the most brilliant stars of the game. In this preliminary battle, defeated culinary heavyweights return with a score to settle, and one ambitious champion runs into two major problems toward the end of the first round. Something stinky in the entree basket has the competitors nervous, and after both remaining champs cook their hearts out in dessert, the judges have a gut-wrenching decision to make.
3. Grudge Match: Battle 2
Aired: 12-01-2021
In this spectacular battle of the judges, four Chopped deities -- Amanda Freitag, Marcus Samuelsson, Chris Santos and Tiffani Faison -- bring an intensity to the kitchen that has never been seen before. With their sights set on making it to the tournament's $100,000 finale, the judge-competitors open the appetizer basket and find a strange fish dish and some tiny exotic fruits. A pizza topped with something wild is the star ingredient in the entree basket, and a vegetable disguised as a meat is a treat in the dessert basket. A riveting final elimination will leave only one Chopped titan jubilant.
4. Grudge Match: Battle 3
Aired: 19-01-2021
Four champions who were previously defeated by Chopped judges return to the kitchen, hungrier than ever to take down everyone in their paths and win a $100,000 grand prize. Big stakes, little fish: sardines are the main protein in the champs' appetizer basket, and a jiggly mustard-flavored surprise threatens to throw the chefs off their game in the second round. Then, in the dessert round, two chefs must try to make something magical using unicorn milkshakes.
5. Grudge Match: Battle 4
Aired: 26-01-2021
In this phenomenal battle, Chopped legends Scott Conant, Maneet Chauhan and Marc Murphy are joined by smack-talking champ Stephen Coe to face off for a chance at the $100,000 finale! In the first round, incorporating a sweet, doughy breakfast item into an amazing appetizer is part of the challenge. A clever fusion food in the entree basket has the potential to bring crunch and flavor to the dishes, and will the edible Zen garden in the final basket bring peace and tranquility to the dessert round? With such fierce competitors gunning for victory, it's doubtful!
6. Grudge Match: $100,000 Finale!
Aired: 02-02-2021
In the conclusion of this historic tournament, it's judges vs. champions! Two separate knockout rounds with the same basket will determine which genius judge and brilliant champ make it to the $100,000 title fight. The stakes are high as the competitors find an unusual seafood delicacy and a hot regional specialty in the first basket. Then, one champ and one judge will be left to duke it out. Who will score the biggest prize in Chopped history, and who will be chopped?
7. Meat Fight: Goat!
Aired: 09-02-2021
Meat lovers rejoice as four chefs are amped up for a meat battle featuring goat! In an intense first round, the competitors aim to impress with their butchery and flavor artistry. Then, the three remaining chefs must work with an unfamiliar goat-milk product in the entree basket, and balancing sweet and savory is key in the dessert round. The judges are hopeful that the dueling duo left will rise to the challenge.
8. Meat Fight: Pork
Aired: 16-02-2021
Four carnivores are ready to crush it with a chef favorite -- pork! The battle begins with a double helping of piggy goodness in the basket, including a mouthwatering barbecued offering. Gloriously sized cuts of pork are the centerpiece of an entree basket that also includes some fancy mushrooms. The judges giddily approve of the meaty candy bar in the dessert basket, but obstacles arise for the last two contenders with the clock ticking down.
9. Meat Fight: Beef!
Aired: 23-02-2021
Bring on the beef! Four chefs battle it out with bovine-centric ingredients. In the first round, more than one of the competitors decide to show off their raw talent by serving uncooked meat. The chefs demonstrate their steak skills with the second basket, and some setbacks in the dessert round leave the outcome of the competition up in the air.
10. Meat Fight: Bison!
Aired: 02-03-2021
For this fierce meat battle, the baskets feature a trending lean, mean protein: bison! The first round sees the chefs going in distinct directions with their jelly bean and short rib appetizers. As the competitors get more comfortable with the bison theme in round two, some unusual rice balls and a savory tea complicate the challenge. In the final round, the last two contenders take on bison for dessert with gusto and grace.
11. Hangry Baskets: Dumped
Aired: 16-03-2021
Hangry baskets are back for a battle featuring foods for the broken hearted. The chefs must incorporate the post-breakup standbys wine and chocolate into their appetizer plates. A nostalgic treat and a shocker of a protein keep the competitors on their toes in round two. Then, after the finalists make desserts using "divorce cake," the judges grapple with who has made the hangriest, yummiest meal.
12. Hangry Baskets: Hungover
Aired: 23-03-2021
The baskets for this battle are packed with must-have ingredients for feeling hungover and hangry! A greasy favorite and some soupy carbs get the chefs' creative juices flowing in the first round. In the entree round, the judges are curious about some of the unusual choices the chefs make, and the final competitors must transform a tried-and-true hangover snack into a scrumptious dessert.
13. Hangry Baskets: Hot & Hangry
Aired: 30-03-2021
Hungry plus angry equals hangry! These battles celebrate the foods we crave when "hanger" strikes, and the baskets are filled with super spicy items, including one of the hottest peppers on earth for the first round. An unapologetically hot Indian dish finds its way into the entree basket, and, in the dessert round, some classic spicy candy is part of the puzzle as the last two chefs push hard to impress the judges with their final plates.
14. Hangry Baskets: Late Night
Aired: 06-04-2021
In a boisterous battle, the chefs get baskets inspired by late-night food cravings. They must resist the temptation to munch away at the fried snack in the first round and cook something with it! The competitors have some whimsical ideas for the entree basket, which includes a creamy comfort food dish and a simple staple. Then, with the judges hangry for dessert, the last two chefs open the final basket to find sweet and salty surprises.
Season 49 (November 2020 - July 2021)
1. Comfort Food Feud: Bacon
Aired: 10-11-2020
Four competitors embrace bacon perfection as they attempt to advance to the grand finale of the Comfort Food Feud. The appetizer basket includes a Japanese condiment and a bacon-y bar food. Biscuit dough is part of the puzzle in the entree round, and the two chefs remaining in the final round attempt to make satisfying desserts featuring chocolate and more bacon!
2. Comfort Food Feud: Burgers
Aired: 17-11-2020
Burgers, how do we love thee? The competitors count the ways in a thrilling battle of the $25,000 Comfort Food Feud. In the first basket, the chefs get a deep-fried surprise and a sloppy classic. In the entree round, they must figure out what to do with a bizarre canned product. The burger-themed dessert round includes sweet creations made with mustard ice cream, and the winner advances to the Comfort Food Feud finale.
3. Comfort Food Feud: Mac and Cheese(42 min)
Aired: 24-11-2020
In this round of the Comfort Food Feud, the chefs try to prove they have what it takes to conquer mac and cheese and move on to the tournament's grand finale. In the appetizer round, the chefs get creative with a cocktail and tiny cheesy morsels. The entree round sees the competitors working with a mac and cheese-inspired brunch item, and the final two chefs hope to turn pancake mix and mac and cheese into a heavenly dessert.
4. Comfort Food Feud: Pizza(42 min)
Aired: 01-12-2020
The $25,000 Comfort Food Feud continues with a battle devoted to everyone's favorite cheesy, doughy guilty pleasure: pizza. A flavor-packed appetizer basket leaves the chefs with a lot of decisions to make. The competitors find spaghetti and meatballs in an unusual form in the entree basket, and the two chefs who make it to the dessert round get some spicy, salty and sugary ingredients to reimagine.
5. Comfort Food Feud: Finale(42 min)
Aired: 08-12-2020
Four Comfort Food Feud champions return to a decked-out outdoor arena to battle for the $25,000 prize and the title of Chopped Grand Champion! The ingredient baskets contain delicious reminders of the tournament's culinary themes, starting with a special sandwich and a play on pot pie in the appetizer round. The entree basket contains a turkey stuffed with something somewhat shocking, and the last two chefs battling it out for the grand prize race the clock to create $25,000 desserts that make brilliant use of a mashup monstrosity and mango ketchup.
6. Cooked with Care!(42 min)
Aired: 09-03-2021
Thank you, nurses! Four compassionate nurses, who also cook, bring their TLC to the Chopped kitchen. The judges are impressed by how the competitors handle the time pressure and their mahi-mahi appetizers. In the entree round, a juice made from a vegetable and a prize protein are two of the ingredients the nurses must nurture. Then, a favorite hospital snack is a funny surprise in the dessert basket, but the cooks may not be smiling when the round is done.
7. Hangry Baskets: Late Night(42 min)
Aired: 06-04-2021
In a boisterous battle, the chefs get baskets inspired by late-night food cravings. They must resist the temptation to munch away at the fried snack in the first round and cook something with it! The competitors have some whimsical ideas for the entree basket, which includes a creamy comfort food dish and a simple staple. Then, with the judges hangry for dessert, the last two chefs open the final basket to find sweet and salty surprises.
8. Martha Rules: Pantry Surprise!(42 min)
Aired: 13-04-2021
Martha Stewart takes over Chopped! In a glorious outdoor kitchen in Kennebunkport, Maine, Martha calls the shots and even changes the rules as 16 fearless chefs compete for a $50,000 grand prize. As four competitors set out to make a stellar first impression, Martha has a big surprise related to the pantry. Maine-inspired basket ingredients like blueberry pie and clam chowder set the scene for a sensational coastal feast.
9. Martha Rules: Tick Tock!(42 min)
Aired: 20-04-2021
Martha Stewart takes the reins for another gripping battle in the $50,000 Martha Rules tournament, and she has some tricks up her sleeve regarding the timing of the rounds. In the first basket, the chefs get a seafood delicacy befitting the beautiful coastal setting of the outdoor Chopped kitchen. The three chefs who make it to the second round must whip up Cornish hen entrees, and a citrus fruit meets a local candy in the dessert basket as the remaining competitors fight for a coveted spot in the finale.
10. Martha Rules: Blade and Switch(42 min)
Aired: 27-04-2021
Martha Stewart shocks the four competing chefs in the Martha Rules tournament when she reveals that she plans to make them switch stations – and dishes – at any time! Creativity and agility are on display as the chefs cook under the most peculiar and demanding circumstances. The basket ingredients include everything from sea urchin and lobster rolls to peanut brittle and sauerkraut.
11. Martha Rules: Mystery Competitor(42 min)
Aired: 04-05-2021
Martha Stewart is at it again, revealing a showstopping twist in the Martha Rules tournament: There's only one spot in the dessert round because a mysterious fifth chef is waiting in the wings to compete against whomever makes it that far. The four competing chefs can be eliminated at any time, for any reason, and the mood is tense as they dig into the appetizer basket, which includes a beautiful cake and a bitter beverage. The entree basket contains a hot dog with a long history in Maine, the site of the competition. The mystery competitor steps up for the sudden-death dessert round, and only one chef advances to the $50,000 finale.
12. Martha Rules: Grande Finale!(42 min)
Aired: 11-05-2021
In the finale of the Martha Rules tournament, Martha Stewart pulls out all the stops to make the road to $50,000 extra challenging. In the appetizer round, the chefs wonder what's up when they find footwear in the ingredient basket. The entree round has three chefs working with a bountiful collection of New England-inspired gastronomic goodness, and an extra mandatory task in the dessert round promises to be both time-consuming and educational. Only one chef will keep their head in the game and claim the $50,000 prize and title of Chopped Champion.
13. Taco Brawl(42 min)
Aired: 18-05-2021
Let's taco 'bout it! Four chefs attempt to prove who deserves to win all the dinero for their all-taco meal. A frantic first round leads to some missteps in the kitchen, and fish tacos are in order for the entree round, when the chefs find red snapper in the baskets. In the dessert round, a festive cocktail is part of the puzzle, but will the judges be toasting the chefs' final plates?
14. Alton's Maniacal Baskets: Part 4(42 min)
Aired: 13-07-2021
Alton Brown is at it again! The chefs in his Maniacal Baskets tournament are seriously tripped up by a canned wonder in the appetizer round, and the clock isn't doing them any favors either. A shelf-stable surprise in the entree basket is unlikely to be a crowd pleaser. Can the chefs elevate it? In the dessert round, pudding in the basket would ordinarily be nice to see, but not this particular type of pudding!
15. Alton's Maniacal Baskets: Finale(42 min)
Aired: 20-07-2021
In the wild conclusion of Alton Brown's Maniacal Baskets Tournament, champions from the first four battles compete for the title of Chopped Grand Champion! Before cooking begins, Alton has a big announcement that's sure to get the chefs fired up. Of course, the finale ingredients are super tough. For the entree round, the chefs open the baskets to discover one of the items staring back at them! A weird wedding cake is part of the dessert round puzzle as the two remaining chefs face off to see who will score major bragging rights and the grand prize.
Season 50 (July 2021 - September 2021)
1. Chef's Best Friend
Aired: 27-07-2021
It's a doggone Chopped event! In addition to competing with appetizers, entrees and desserts, dog-loving chefs make treats for a canine judge! Things could get "ruff" if the golden retriever with the golden palate turns up its nose at their hard work. The chefs are literally thrown a bone in the first basket, and a dog-friendly beverage and a pasta dish must be combined in the second round. The dessert round finds the competitors figuring out what to do with bananas and a certain nose-to-tail treasure before this Chopped dog show reaches its exciting conclusion.
2. Ballpark Baskets
Aired: 03-08-2021
Simple concession stand snacks are so old-school! The latest stadium fare is substantial and out-of-the-park sensational and substantial, so when four bold competitors get ballpark foods in every basket, the judges have high expectations. Cheesy, fruity and doughy appetizers are in the lineup for round one, and the entree basket contains some basic finger foods that the chefs must turn into home runs. The remaining chefs in the dessert round face no shortage of sweet surprises in the final ballpark basket.
3. Playing with Fire: Wild Things
Aired: 10-08-2021
In a live-fire Chopped tournament to show what hot ideas, techniques and flavors chefs bring to the table, the competitors take a walk on the wild side with wild game in every basket. In the appetizer basket, a crispy Korean snack food is a creepy-crawly shocker. The judges wonder what to expect when they chomp down on alligator entrees, and in the dessert round, the two chefs left fighting for a spot in the finale wrestle with a basket that includes wild sandwiches and daring dairy.
4. Playing with Fire: Hog Heaven
Aired: 17-08-2021
Four phenomenal live-fire cooks stand tall, ready to claim the last remaining spot in the tournament's finale. They get lucky with a promise of perfectly porky baskets, but only one chef will take the judges to hog heaven. One of nature's sweetest gifts is a part of the appetizer basket, but it may not be a treat to the competitors. A prized piece of pork seems like a gimme in the entree basket, and as the last two competitors race the clock in the dessert round, the $25,000 grand prize begins to feel within reach. But only one chef will still be in the running after the last cloche is lifted.
5. Playing with Fire: High Stakes
Aired: 24-08-2021
Playing with fire is serious business in this "high-steaks" preliminary battle of Chopped's thrilling, flame-filled tournament. The four competitors are excited about the delicious possibilities of a steak-centric meal, but a weird watermelon adds to the challenge in round one. The entree round finds the chefs wondering what to do with a giant slab of meat in just 30 minutes, and the two chefs who make it to the dessert round compete with humility, passion and grilled pizza as they face off for a spot in the finale.
6. Playing with Fire: Surf and Turf
Aired: 31-08-2021
Four talented chefs push themselves to the limit in order to impress the judges and win a spot in the $25,000 live-fire tournament finale. They must make flame-kissed dishes that celebrate the treasures of both land and sea, and the judges want to see them modernize an old concept. In the first basket, strange sushi requires raw talent, and a bowl of cheese could be an unwelcome addition to the entree basket. The two finalists discover what's lurking inside the surf-and-turf dessert basket.
7. Playing with Fire: Finale
Aired: 07-09-2021
In this fiery tournament finale, four winners return with their sights set on taking the title of Chopped Grand Champion. The baskets contain ingredients reminiscent of the preliminary battle themes: wild game, steaks, surf and turf and pork. The appetizer round has the chefs working with a meat not found in the grocery store. A bucket of something frozen is part of the entree basket puzzle, and the two finalists who make it to the dessert round endeavor to give it their all with corn on the cob and an unconventional cheesecake. Only one chef can score the life-changing grand prize and walk away knowing they triumphed while 15 other skilled chefs went down in flames.
8. Shakes and Fries
Aired: 14-09-2021
Two diner favorites find a home in the ingredient baskets, and the competitors are challenged to make the most of milkshakes and French fries. First, they must make berry and basil work together in the appetizer round. A city's signature dish is part of the challenge in round two, and a toaster treat meets a fun fry variation in the dessert basket.
Season 51 (December 2021 - April 2022)
1. Pasta, Pasta, Pasta
Aired: 28-12-2021
Four chefs who are passionate about pasta are ready to show the judges what they've got! The appetizer basket seems like a gift, but ambitious plans leave some of the competitors racing the clock. In round two, the chefs hurry to make spectacular pasta plates that must include a succulent seafood and a strange sweet. Then, the last two chefs bring a ton of heart to the final round, and the judges are eager to try desserts made with cookies and coffee.
2. Casino Royale: Battle 1
Aired: 04-01-2022
Chopped is always a gamble, but the Casino Royale tournament allows competitors to replace basket ingredients with a roll of the dice; in the first round, something slithery is in the basket, and a Vegas-themed item in round two isn't a big hit.
3. Casino Royale: Battle 2
Aired: 11-01-2022
In the second battle of this special Chopped tournament, the chefs get to gamble for a chance to replace a basket ingredient, and the fish offal in the first basket is begging to be gambled away. More gambling in round three leads to serious drama.
4. Casino Royale: Battle 3(60 min)
Aired: 18-01-2022
In this third battle of the tournament, the chefs can gamble to get lucky or unlucky replacement ingredients. The appetizer basket reveals a notoriously challenging ingredient, and the final round chefs decide to take a chance by baking something.
5. Casino Royale: Battle 4
Aired: 25-01-2022
In the fourth battle of the tournament, the chefs try their luck at replacement basket ingredients. A roll of the dice in the entree round leaves one chef with two proteins, and an interesting gamble keeps things exciting in the final round.
6. Casino Royale: Finale(60 min)
Aired: 01-02-2022
Four winners return to Chopped's Casino Royale, gunning for the jackpot and the title of grand champion! As in the prelim battles, the chefs will have a choice to gamble away an ingredient before each round, and the $25,000 jackpot will get higher or lower depending on the champs' good or bad fortune. The appetizer round is a frenzy of excitement, as the competitors race to raise the bar and deliver the flavor. Nobody wants to swap out the beautiful rack of lamb in the entree basket, but the level of intensity is sky-high as the intoxicating possibility of a finale win sinks in. It all leads up to the final rolls and the final cooking round! Who will leave the casino with a huge jackpot and an even bigger sense of accomplishment?
7. Cooking for Love
Aired: 08-02-2022
Looking for love in all the wrong places? Eight single-and-ready-to-mingle chefs are set up with blind dates as their teammates for a quadruple date and culinary showdown all in one! An aquatic aphrodisiac is a fun find in the appetizer basket, and steak in the entree basket takes the date up a notch. Finally, the last two pairs work passionately to create passionfruit and matcha desserts that earn them the $10,000 prize.
8. Black History Month Celebration
Aired: 15-02-2022
A proud legacy of delicious cooking! Four chefs celebrate Black History Month through incredible food. Fish fillets and fish peppers must be combined for the appetizer course, and a hearty soup and a Southern vegetable inspire the chefs in the entree round. Then, when chefs with two unique perspectives make it into the dessert round, they both have a good feeling about the basket, but only time will tell if the ingredients can come together just as they would like.
9. Chocolate Frenzy
Aired: 22-02-2022
For the love of chocolate! In this battle, the chefs are blessed with an abundance of the so-called food of the gods. In the first round, the competitors attempt to make duck and chocolate fly. Faux deviled eggs are a sweet trick in the entree basket, and by the time the dessert round is done, it might be natural to ask if there's such a thing as too much chocolate. Not for the winner of this chocolate challenge!
10. Greater Gator
Aired: 01-03-2022
Chomp, chomp, chop! The chefs get alligator in the first basket and race to see who can make it most tender and flavorful. The three competitors who advance to the second round are determined to show their skill and creativity, but the clock threatens to upset their plans. Then, when missteps in the final minutes of the dessert round result in errors, will the judges be disappointed or unfazed by the plates they get?
11. Meal of Fortune
Aired: 08-03-2022
Golden baskets are packed with the fanciest of ingredients, and the chefs are challenged to rise to the occasion and create upscale meals, worthy of their top-notch components. Caviar potato chips are a posh crunchy surprise in the first basket. High-class sushi and a swanky veggie are two of the grand ingredients the competitors must include in their entrees. Then, as the last two chefs race to make elegant desserts, the clock gives them a run for their money.
12. Takeout Takedown
Aired: 15-03-2022
Four chefs tackle a takeout takedown in this thrilling battle. The baskets are packed with go-to, to-go choices like pizza in the first round. In the second round, the chefs must make a Chinese specialty work with an Italian cocktail. Then, a tower of something sweet and a cup of something bubbly are part of the puzzle for the dessert round.
13. Deep-Fried Deliciousness
Aired: 22-03-2022
The competing chefs must use the fryers to create crunchy, decadent dishes; the appetizer basket contains something spicy and a strange soda; the judges are excited for fried fish entrees but won't let anyone off the hook for making mistakes.
14. In the Fans' Hands
Aired: 29-03-2022
The chefs are scared when they find out that the ingredients for their battle were chosen by fans via social media; an alarming sandwich appears in the first basket, and a gag-inducing soda is a frightening find in the dessert basket.
15. Epic BLT Battle
Aired: 05-04-2022
The chefs find BLT-themed ingredients in every basket, including a cheesy-creamy comfort food in the first round; in the dessert round, a lettuce-flavored ingredient has the final two competitors shaking their heads and crossing their fingers.
Season 52 (April 2022 - June 2022)
1. Pie in the Sky
Aired: 12-04-2022
Four chefs set out to make perfect pies, and one chef scrambles in the appetizer round when a competitor declines to share a coveted pantry ingredient; an abundance of protein in the entree basket means meat-lovers pies are in order.
2. Pickled Tricks
Aired: 19-04-2022
Four chefs show off their pickling talent; pickle ice cream and pickled flower blossoms.
3. Deli Duel
Aired: 26-04-2022
Step up to the counter and be amazed! Four delicatessen pros take over the Chopped Kitchen to prove that sandwiches are just the start of their culinary expertise. A platter with a classic combo and a fruit with a cult following are two of the ingredients in the appetizer basket. The chefs get a sweet soda and a stuffed spud to work with in round two, and a clever cold treat must be combined with a salty-sour condiment in the dessert round.
4. Taco Throwdown
Aired: 03-05-2022
Crunchy or soft, minimalist or filled to the max, it's taco time! The chefs are tasked with making tacos that are worth ten thousand bucks. A beverage is in the first basket, as well as a seafood surprise. Meaty tacos are in the works for the entree round, but can the competitors find a place on their plates for a squirmy shocker? Then, spicy dessert tacos sound delicious in the final round, however, time management issues become a problem after both chefs decide to make tortillas from scratch.
5. Sexy Feast
Aired: 10-05-2022
Ooh la la! When the Chopped baskets contain aphrodisiacs, the judges expect the competitors to come through with some sexy dishes. A favorite seductive seafood meets a pun-tastic item in the appetizer basket. In the entree basket, a heart-shaped comfort food and a sweet fruit make for a rare pair. The two competitors who rendezvous in the final round hustle to make sexy desserts with a quirky pie and a spicy root.
6. Pride and Pea Tendrils
Aired: 17-05-2022
The four competitors in this Chopped battle share a common goal: to be the last chef standing! An orange powder provides some colorful inspiration in the first round. A savory cake is not exactly the prized protein the chefs were hoping for in the entree round, but they must make it work. In the final round, the ice cream machine creates drama, and one chef attempts to save their dessert
7. Chuck Wagon Cook-Off
Aired: 24-05-2022
Round up the cowboys and cowgirls! Four competitors who love rustic chuck-wagon food are ready to show they have the chops to win. Booze and bell peppers in the appetizer basket get things started as the chefs learn that the pace in the Chopped Kitchen is much speedier than life on the range. The three remaining chefs must hustle to make yummy pork entrees in round two, and in the final round, the judges are on pins and needles waiting to try some prickly pear desserts.
8. Desperately Seeking Sous-Chef: Battle 1
Aired: 31-05-2022
Three legendary Chopped judges are desperately seeking a sous chef, and they've invited 16 ambitious cooks to the Chopped Kitchen to battle for the opportunity of a lifetime. In the first preliminary battle of this five-part event, four hopeful candidates must tackle an appetizer basket that includes some fish-shaped cakes and some plant-based chicken. Major clock concerns make for some dramatic moments. In the entrée round, a flavorful, carb-y snack and an intimidating piece of poultry challenge the chefs. And as the two remaining contenders fight it out for a spot in the finale, they must make desserts using something Sicilian and something gelatinous.
9. Desperately Seeking Sous-Chef: Battle 2
Aired: 07-06-2022
With their sights set on joining a Chopped judge's restaurant empire, four new motivated chefs arrive to give everything they've got to land their dream job. Judges Maneet Chauhan, Scott Conant and Chris Santos will be watching the competitors' every move and tasting every plate to see which candidate deserves a chance to become one of their sous chefs. In the first round, emotions run high as the clock ticks down. Then, in the entree round, the chefs are challenged to break down whole chickens, and with one of Scott's favorite dessert ingredients in the final basket, it would behoove the chefs to do it justice. The winner will advance to the Desperately Seeking Sous Chef finale, where one champion will score the opportunity of a lifetime.
10. Desperately Seeking Sous-Chef: Battle 3
Aired: 14-06-2022
Four more enterprising chefs try to ace the most difficult job interview imaginable and score the chance to work for a Chopped judge. In round one, offal is an awfully shocking surprise, and judge Maneet Chauhan will be watching to see who stumbles and who shines. Then, in the entree round, when a cut of meat proves problematic, can the chefs figure out the best approach in time to get dinner on the table for a potential future boss? And in the dessert round, judge Chris Santos is excited to see what the chefs can do with deep-fried champagne. The winner of this battle moves on to the tournament's finale, where one champion will conquer all to seize the opportunity of a lifetime.
11. Desperately Seeking Sous-Chef: Battle 4
Aired: 21-06-2022
Four chefs are aiming high as they attempt to impress Chopped judges Maneet Chauhan, Scott Conant and Chris Santos, who are desperately looking for sous-chefs, but they won't settle for anything less than the perfect candidate. In this fourth preliminary battle of the tournament, the chefs open the appetizer basket and find a special seafood item that Scott knows very well. In the entree round, the chefs gain some confidence as they work with an Asian street food and a sugary soft drink. In the dessert round, Maneet is eager to see how the chefs use one of her favorite ingredients. If they can balance flavors, they might win her favor. The victorious chef from this battle will move on to the tournament's finale.
12. Desperately Seeking Sous-Chef: Finale
Aired: 28-06-2022
Season 53 (October 2022 - December 2022)
1. Grilling on the Edge(42 min)
Aired: 18-10-2022
Four chefs with a talent for live-fire cooking bring their passion to the Chopped kitchen. Second-guessing in round two leaves one chef confused about the main protein, and the two finalists must make dessert plates that include a dough and a fancy fruit.
2. Tiny But Mighty(42 min)
Aired: 25-10-2022
The chefs turn dainty ingredients into petite dishes that don't skimp on taste, presentation or creativity. Tiny sausages and an adorable breakfast item show up in the appetizer basket, and the dessert round includes an unusual berry and a baby vegetable.
3. Social Showdown(42 min)
Aired: 01-11-2022
They may be hot on social media, but four online cooking stars have to prove they have what it takes to compete in the Chopped kitchen. The appetizer round proves tough for one competitor, who runs into trouble with the mussels in the basket.
4. More Cheese, Please!(42 min)
Aired: 08-11-2022
Please, pile on the cheese! The chefs find cheese in every basket and have to make it the star of every plate. They impress the judges with their talent and speed in the appetizer round, raising expectations for the courses to come, and a wild comfort food hybrid proves challenging in round two. The final two chefs take some risks in the dessert round, but will their sweetly cheesy desserts come together in time?
5. Thankful for Teachers!(42 min)
Aired: 15-11-2022
It's Thanksgiving and class is in session! Four beloved teachers get the chance to compete for the title of Chopped Champion. In the first Turkey Day basket, they find something fried and something shaped like a pumpkin.
6. Buzzworthy Bizarre Baskets(42 min)
Aired: 22-11-2022
The baskets are loaded up with ingredients that have the chefs shaking their heads in disbelief. The first basket features a cut of pork not available at the local supermarket, and the chefs contend with a wild stew and a savory cake in the entree round.
7. Gargantuan Surprises(42 min)
Aired: 29-11-2022
In addition to the three mandatory ingredients in each basket, the competing chefs have to share a colossal fourth ingredient in every round. It's a shockingly big surprise that takes some getting used to.
8. Grandmas' Grand Holiday(42 min)
Aired: 06-12-2022
Four talented grandmothers are put in charge of making a remarkable holiday feast with love in every bite. They open the first basket to find a wreath made of something sweet, but nerves lead to some mistakes and scrambling.
Season 54 (December 2022 - April 2023)
1. Noodle-palooza(42 min)
Aired: 27-12-2022
Four chefs who specialize in all things noodles compete in a delicious battle to make a beloved food out of this world. A spicy surprise means the noodle appetizers might come with a kick, and an extra special coffee makes an appearance for dessert.
2. Casino Royale XL: Battle One(42 min)
Aired: 03-01-2023
The chefs tempt fate when they are given the risky option to switch out their ingredients, and everyone is shocked when one competitor decides to keep an extra strange one. A wild turn of events leaves a chef with an ingredient nobody saw coming.
3. Casino Royale XL: Battle Two(42 min)
Aired: 10-01-2023
Four more culinary gamblers have high hopes as they arrive for a preliminary battle of an extraordinary tournament event. The chefs unanimously agree to give one appetizer ingredient the boot and debate on using an odd cotton candy creation in the entrée.
4. Casino Royale XL: Battle Three(42 min)
Aired: 17-01-2023
In the first basket, something super-sweet seems super problematic, so more than one chef decides to ditch it. Once the cooking gets started, some of the chefs find it difficult to stay focused while the clock ticks down. The chefs open the entrée basket to find a cured piece of seafood that doesn't seem like a piece of cake. When two passionate chefs make it to the third round, their fate in the casino has major ramifications in their desserts.
5. Casino Royale XL: Battle Four(42 min)
Aired: 24-01-2023
With a spot in the tournament's grand finale at stake, the four chefs in this preliminary battle open their first basket to find something called "goat water." Then, a squirmy sea creature in the second basket doesn't seem like a keeper, but a risky switch could land something even worse. In the dessert round, an unpredictable moment leaves one chef awestruck, but it's anybody's guess how the competition will shake out after the last dishes are served.
6. Casino Royale XL: Grand Finale(42 min)
Aired: 31-01-2023
The champs open up the final appetizer basket and come eye-to-eye with a shocking ingredient. Then, only one chef chooses to gamble away their finale entrée basket and are forced to deal with the consequences. Champagne in the dessert basket foreshadows the celebration that lies ahead for one of the competitors. With life-changing money on the line, every move matters and every mistake could mean the difference between becoming the grand champion or leaving as the runner-up.
7. Pig Candy(42 min)
Aired: 07-02-2023
A pork theme is a true treat! The chefs get basket ingredients that make them feel like they've died and gone to hog heaven. Round-by-round, the competitor who's able to celebrate the pig the best in their dishes is bound to be the champ. A prized cut of meat is a nice head start for the chefs in the appetizer round, but they'll need to cook it perfectly to do it justice. Then in the entrée round, an offal surprise in the baskets leaves some chefs spooked. Donuts and an unusual nose-to-tail offering keep the chefs on their toes in the dessert round.
8. Blind Date Night(42 min)
Aired: 14-02-2023
Meeting a blind date at a coffee shop is so passé! The Chopped Kitchen is the place to go when looking for love and the experience of a lifetime. Four pairs of chefs are set up on teams to compete against other lovelorn duos in an epic showdown, where sparks could fly in the heat of battle. Heart-shaped pasta and a flirty cocktail get things going in the appetizer round. As they cook up chateaubriand entrees, the couples find ways to connect, like doing shots in the pantry and discovering matching tattoos. A race to the ice cream machine in the final round adds some stress to the blind dates and has everyone wondering which duo can persevere under pressure and win.
9. Good Ole Creole Cookin'(42 min)
Aired: 21-02-2023
An amazing blend of cultures, Creole cuisine is as comforting as it is complex. Four chefs who specialize in this cooking style are challenged to be creatively inspired by the basket ingredients. The judges are excited to chomp down on alligator meat in their appetizers, but the chefs seem overwhelmed by an imposing protein in the entrée basket. Then in the dessert round, the final two chefs struggle to settle on clear plans for the ingredients.
10. Gluten for Punishment
Aired: 28-02-2023
A fried ingredient is a bit of a head-scratcher for the chefs in round one
11. Flamin' Hot
Aired: 07-03-2023
With powerful peppers in every basket, four chefs learn that they'll get chilies increasing in heat for every round. After balancing hot and cold components in the entree, they'll have to use finesse to add one of the hottest peppers to their desserts
12. A Bunch of Abalone!
Aired: 14-03-2023
Four chefs with distinct personalities enter the Chopped kitchen on a quest to show the judges who they are and what they can do. In the first basket, they're not too thrilled to see a sea creature nobody has worked with before, and a fryer battle ensues. Steak in the entrée basket seems like a luckier draw, but the chefs will have to ace the doneness under pressure. Finally, a condiment made with worms is a squirmy surprise in the dessert basket
13. Uncommon Ramen
Aired: 22-03-2023
Four determined chefs may think that combining ramen with fruity cereal is their biggest challenge, but a serious injury leaves one competitor stunned. Then, the chefs must deal with a strange frozen food and show their point of view with meaty desserts
14. Wanna Pizza Me?
Aired: 29-03-2023
It's a pizza style showdown as four pizza pros race the clock in a battle for $10,000. In the appetizer round, the chefs discover that a notorious pizza topping is a mandatory ingredient, and dessert deals them one of the most controversial toppings ever
15. Fry of the Beholder
Aired: 05-04-2023
The chefs must fry and fly as they use the deep fryer or air fryer to make crispy, creative cuisine. First round jitters affect the chefs as they rush to fry up appetizers, and it's unclear whether everyone will remember to plate every basket ingredient
16. Fiesta Mexicana
Aired: 12-04-2023
It's a Mexican fiesta in the Chopped kitchen as every basket features foods from our neighbor to the south, and the chefs will be encouraged to dial up the flavor to make extra scrumptious dishes. In the first round, the chefs struggle under the time pressure and hope that their appetizers don't fall flat when it comes to technique. In the second round, the chefs must combine a weird ice cream and a classic Mexican sauce. Then in a neck-and-neck final round, the chefs get creative with some unusual potato chips and a distinctively flavored leafy green
17. Ribeye on the Prize
Aired: 18-04-2023
When four competitors feast their eyes on the thinly sliced ribeye in the basket, they each take their appetizers in very different directions; in the entrée round, the chefs must incorporate a movie snack and a piece of poultry into their dishes
Season 55 (April 2023 - June 2023)
1. Military Salute: Navy
Aired: 25-04-2023
U.S. Navy chefs will have to create spectacular appetizers using an aged meat product before reworking a patriotic cake for dessert, all with $75,000 for a charitable cause on the line.
2. Military Salute: Air Force
Aired: 02-05-2023
Flying high and cooking well, four members of the U.S. Air Force arrive in the Chopped kitchen for the special Military Salute tournament! In the appetizer basket, the chefs find a bowl of something comforting and a crunchy snack. For their entrees, they must use a tangy sauce and a snappy vegetable. Then in an exciting dessert round, the last two Air Force chefs remaining create final dishes that include a wild play on pickles
3. Military Salute: Marines
Aired: 09-05-2023
Chopped salutes the U.S. Military and welcomes the few, the proud, the U.S. Marine Corps chefs to the kitchen! In the appetizer round, the chefs must figure out how to make something that's normally "ready to eat" ready for the judges! Then in the entrée round, a breakfast food in the basket will awaken the chefs' creativity. Finally, a savory-sweet mash up in the dessert basket turns the final round into a real head-scratcher for the two Marines still cooking
4. Military Salute: Army
Aired: 16-05-2023
Be all you can be in the Chopped kitchen! Four chefs from the U.S. Army have their marching orders to transform a favorite soldier comfort food into an elevated appetizer. Then, an exotic vegetable and a tender meat surprises the chefs in their entrée baskets before a festive drink shakes up the remaining competitors in the dessert round. The champion of this competition wins a spot in the tournament's finale!
5. Military Salute: Finale
Aired: 23-05-2023
Joining forces for the finale, the four military finalists cook as a team against a mystery Chopped judge in every round! Four-versus-one seems like a clear advantage for the military chefs, but they're teamwork is tested when they disagree about the timing involved for their first round veggie dish. In the second round, everyone is excited to see beautiful steaks in the basket, and the judges are hoping for grilled perfection. Then, hot dogs in the dessert basket are not a pleasant surprise. Whoever reigns supreme in each round will have the chance to win $75,000 for a charitable cause!
6. Get Your Geoducks in a Row(42 min)
Aired: 30-05-2023
The chefs are in for a tricky puzzle when they discover a very sweet drink and a challenging beef product in the first round. Then, a giant clam in the second basket is an exciting find for the competitors, but cooking it correctly may prove challenging.
7. FAN-atics(42 min)
Aired: 06-06-2023
Four lucky superfans get the chance of a lifetime to compete in the Chopped kitchen! They'll have to take on a giant gummy creature and an intimidating piece of protein for the main course before using two tricky ingredients judiciously for dessert.
8. Home on the Range(42 min)
Aired: 13-06-2023
Four chefs prepare food with the western flavor. They find a beautiful cut of meat in the basket but with no time left to prepare and cook it slowly
9. Too Yacht to Handle(42 min)
Aired: 20-06-2023
Chefs who usually hit the high seas by cooking on yachts battle on dry land, trading their sea legs for a topsy-turvy experience in the Chopped kitchen! Predictably, the chefs get seafood in the first basket, but proverbial rough waters in the appetizer round make for a rocky start to the competition. Creativity abounds from the chefs as they make entrées, but the judges find some technical issues with the plates. Then, it's a tight race in the dessert round as the chefs seek to make incredible final dishes with a strange butter and a tropical cocktail
10. Meat and Taters!
Aired: 27-06-2023
Hearty, wholesome meat and potatoes! The baskets for this battle all feature the classic comfort-food combo, and the judges hope to get dishes that take the theme in surprising new directions. In the first round, the chefs are challenged to make appropriately sized appetizers out of a basket that has mighty and meaty portions. When the competitors dig into the entrée basket and see a bizarre savory cake, they all decide to take it in a similar direction. Then, it's anybody's guess what's in store for the final two chefs in a meat-and-taters dessert round!
Season 56 (July 2023 - November 2023)
1. All-American Showdown: West(42 min)
Aired: 11-07-2023
Renowned chefs from across America have been invited to compete in a five-part tournament extravaganza. In this preliminary battle, four culinary greats from the West face off, starting with an appetizer basket that includes a prized fish and a popular pepper. In the entree round, the chefs must get creative with a San Francisco specialty. Then, when a dough in the dessert basket inspires the chefs to take very similar approaches with their final dishes, will the judges be able to taste the differences between the two plates?
2. All-American Showdown: North(42 min)
Aired: 18-07-2023
In this preliminary battle of an elite five-part tournament, Northern chefs, from Detroit to Minnesota, face off to see who will rep their region in the $50,000 finale. In the appetizer round, the chefs must combine a sweet baked good with a strange paste. A certain style of pizza and a signature spud sound right up this group's alley, but the entrée basket is not easy, even for these seasoned pros. Cherries and chips are cheery inclusions in the dessert basket, but the final two contenders are all business rushing to do their best with their final plates.
3. All-American Showdown: South(42 min)
Aired: 25-07-2023
Elite chefs from four regions of America bring their best to a five-part tournament to try to put themselves on the map as Chopped champions and score $50,000. In this battle, four Southern chefs open the appetizer basket and find some hearty comfort foods to inspire them to lean into their culinary roots. A famous soul-food duo is a fun, if challenging, surprise in the entree basket, and when the last two chefs find plenty of sweet Southern goodness in the final basket, the judges hope for flavorful, creative desserts.
4. All-American Showdown: East(42 min)
Aired: 01-08-2023
Elite chefs from the East compete in this preliminary battle to see who can rep their region of the US to win $50,000 while becoming the Grand Champion of the All-American Showdown. In the appetizer basket, a signature dish from the Keystone State must be combined with a Big Apple cocktail. New England pride is on display in the entree basket, and when it's time to make dessert, the two remaining Eastern chefs scramble to make use of scrapple. The winner will face champions from the West, North and South in the finale.
5. All-American Showdown: Finale(42 min)
Aired: 08-08-2023
Returning winners from all corners of the US -- North, South, East and West -- are back to see who can conquer all and win $50,000! In the appetiser round, not everyone is thrilled to see the cut of lamb that they must incorporate into their dishes.
6. Oh My Squash!(41 min)
Aired: 15-08-2023
In the appetiser round, the competitors ramp up the creativity with a peanut butter product to try to give the judges plates they won't forget. Then in the entrée round, all three chefs run for the grill pans after seeing the protein in the basket
7. Burger: Impossible(41 min)
Aired: 22-08-2023
Four chefs who are obsessed with burger mastery compete to see who will reign supreme; the grinders get a workout with magnificent, premium beef appetizers, epic lamb burgers for the main course, and challenging sweet burgers for the dessert round
8. Gummy-Side Up(42 min)
Aired: 05-09-2023
Four chefs hope for a sweet start as they open their appetizer baskets to find a green gummy shocker that is sure to keep them on edge as they try to show off their skills. The big question for the competitors in the entrée round is how to deal with the veal. Then, in the dessert round, a classic Chopped conundrum: when both chefs want to get into the ice cream machine, which one will get there first?!
9. Beef Knuckle Down(41 min)
Aired: 12-09-2023
Do you want kimchi fries with that? When the chefs get fried potatoes topped with Korean chile powder in the appetizer basket, the judges could be in for some fusion confusion or satisfying first plates. The competitors find a versatile and lean cut of meat in the entrée basket: beef knuckle. Then, a strange pizza and a rich nut are two of the mandatory items for the last two chefs in the dessert round
10. Mouth of the South(41 min)
Aired: 19-09-2023
Southern hospitality at its yummy best! Four chefs who hail from down South aim to up their games against talented peers, all dreaming of the title of Chopped champ. The judges love the appetizer basket, which includes a questionable take on fried chicken, but they worry that the Southern chefs need to pick up the pace to get their dishes plated in time. Then, the chefs must get creative with a casserole in the entrée basket. In the dessert round, when one of the chefs grabs the puffed pastry from the pantry, it's uncertain whether there will be enough time to cook it through
11. Halloween Spooktacular(41 min)
Aired: 26-09-2023
It's Halloween in the Chopped kitchen, and the basket goblins have been hard at work finding ingredients that are positively spooky. In the first round, the competitors struggle to wrap their heads around a "pasta brain," and ambitious plans go awry in the second round when trying to make something glorious out of something gross. Then in the third round, some tasty syringes may be the shot the finalists need to ace their dessert plates
12. Friendsgiving
Aired: 07-11-2023
Celebrating the trendy tradition of hosting a Friendsgiving meal, four teams of best buddies compete to make a Thanksgiving feast. Cooperation will be key as good pals set out to show that their bonds can withstand the pressure that comes from one of the toughest cooking competitions around. Mayhem ensues with eight chefs in the kitchen in the first round, as everyone tries to make the most of an iffy canned product. A thematically appropriate and totally weird hot dog is part of the entrée round puzzle, and a pumpkin pie-flavored drink in the dessert basket is a sweet surprise for the two remaining teams of friends.
Season 57 (November 2023 - January 2024)
1. Julia Child's Kitchen: Part 1(42 min)
Aired: 14-11-2023
Julia Child was a chef, instructor, author and legend! Even today she influences modern chefs to achieve greatness and push themselves to be their best. In this competition, four Julia Child fans compete in a preliminary battle with baskets inspired by Julia's recipes. Creativity will have to blossom when the chefs find a blooming onion in the first basket. A French pastry in the entrée basket looks delicious, but the chefs will have to make it work with duck. Then for dessert, the two remaining competitors endeavor to make sweet desserts with a Bitter Frenchman cocktail. The winner will advance to the tournament's finale, where they'll fight for a $25,000 Julia Child-themed dream trip to France!
2. Julia Child's Kitchen: Part 2(42 min)
Aired: 21-11-2023
Strive for excellence, just like Julia! Four chefs arrive to compete in a tournament that celebrates the major impact that Julia Child made on the culinary world. They'll have to be bold and creative as they take baskets inspired by Julia's recipes and make them uniquely their own. Some citrus and a salad are part of the puzzle in the appetizer round, and the three chefs who make it to the entrée round must make use of some unusual powder and fancy mushrooms. Then, they'll do their best with beets in the dessert round. The winner of this battle will advance to the tournament's finale, where a $25,000 dream trip is at stake.
3. Julia Child's Kitchen: Part 3(42 min)
Aired: 28-11-2023
Four chefs embrace their inner culinary idol as they compete in this preliminary battle of a special five-part tournament honoring Julia Child's life and legacy. With guest judge Isabella Rossellini on the panel, the competitors have extra incentive to do their very best! In the appetizer round, the chefs get an unusual piece of chicken and a potato product that would have made Julia cringe. The entrée round features ingredients inspired by Julia's cassoulet recipe, and a big egg signals big trouble for the two chefs cooking dessert. Winner of this battle moves on to the tournament's finale!
4. Julia Child's Kitchen: Part 4(42 min)
Aired: 05-12-2023
We heart Julia Child! Devotees of the cooking icon endeavor to make her proud in this preliminary battle of a five-part tournament event. Every basket will be inspired by a different Julia Child recipe, and every round will be a celebration of her extraordinary life and legacy. In the appetizer round, the competitors are challenged to riff on the idea of fish stew. Upon opening the entrée basket, the chefs discover that their meal will include veal. Then, fruit and processed cheese make for an oddball combo in dessert. The winner advances to the tournament's finale!
5. Julia Child's Kitchen: Finale(42 min)
Aired: 12-12-2023
Four champions return to compete in the finale of a special tournament celebrating Julia Child's legacy. They should be warned that if they move at a snail's pace in the escargot-inspired appetizer round, they will never succeed! The judges think the entrée basket, featuring an uncooked dough, seems very tricky, and the two champs who make it to the dessert round face a huge amount of pressure and some tiny frozen treats. The competitor whose meal is the best will become the grand champion and win a $25,000 dream trip to follow in Julia's footsteps in France!
6. Grand Champs' Holiday Hurrah(42 min)
Aired: 19-12-2023
Holiday wishes do come true! Four Chopped Grand Champions are headed home to the Chopped kitchen for the holidays, but they will be challenged with some extremely tough baskets. The chefs must figure out how to use a kooky candy cane in their appetizers. A meat in the entrée basket is bound to be met with some trepidation. Then, ingenuity, speed and skill are on display in a captivating dessert round that includes pomegranate. Every course will be extra special, since the competitors are all amazingly talented winners with nothing left to prove but plenty left to give
7. Uni Versed?(42 min)
Aired: 26-12-2023
Got the skills to ace the basket? What the chefs know -- or don't know -- about uni (sea urchin) will play a factor in the appetizer round. And the pressure of the clock takes a toll on some of the competitors. A simple soup is part of a complex puzzle in the entrée round, and a corn cake meets a classic candy in the dessert basket
8. Neck and Neck(42 min)
Aired: 02-01-2024
Four determined chefs open the appetizer basket to find a deep-fried treat and a special seafood surprise they'll have to make work together. For the entrée, the competitors stick their necks out trying to make creative dishes out of ostrich neck and curry ketchup. Then in the dessert round, the judges watch anxiously as one of the chefs attempts to bake three of the basket ingredients into a single dish
9. Don't Lose Heart(42 min)
Aired: 09-01-2024
You gotta have heart for this battle! Alligator heart that is, and four wide-eyed Chopped newbies must figure out what to do with such a peculiar curveball in the appetizer basket. Then, a bird and a birthday treat are two surprises in the entrée basket, and an oversized ice cream product in the dessert basket has the competitors thinking big in the final round
10. Make No "Misteak"(42 min)
Aired: 16-01-2024
Baskets open, minds churning! In the first round, a trendy pastry in the basket inspires debate, and as the clock ticks down, the judges worry that not all of the chefs are on pace to finish their appetizers. Getting steaks in the second round seems like a gift, but cooking them perfectly is not a gimme. Then in the final round, the chefs must figure out how to make a hybrid comfort food go with a savory frozen item
11. Double-Edged Swordfish(42 min)
Aired: 23-01-2024
Great minds, limited time! The ingredients in the first basket inspire all the chefs to use the deep fryer, resulting in a kitchen traffic jam. In the second round, the judges are hoping for tender, juicy swordfish steaks, but not all of the chefs appear to be nailing the assignment. Then in the third round, an unusual cheese product prompts one of the chefs to attempt a cheesecake
12. Claws Out!(42 min)
Aired: 30-01-2024
Ready? Set? Crack those claws! In the first round, the chefs hustle to procure enough crab meat to make their appetizers. Then, a strange dip in the second round is a big part of the entrée challenge, and the final round is filled with plenty of fun when the basket includes mocktails and fruit balls
Season 58 (February 2024 - April 2024)
1. Spin It to Win It: Battle 1(41 min)
Aired: 06-02-2024
It's the biggest Chopped shake up ever as a wheel of chance determines which of the sixteen chefs will compete, how the tournament jackpot will go and what randomly selected ingredients will be added to the challenge. In the first battle, four talented and ambitious chefs get a tough appetizer basket that includes a glorious seafood product. In the entrée round, the chefs must combine an acai bowl with an amphibious delicacy. Then, a spin of the wheel gives the chefs a strange beverage they must include in their desserts.
2. Spin It to Win It: Battle 2(42 min)
Aired: 06-02-2024
With twelve chefs left in the pool of potential competitors, only three will be selected by the wheel to attempt to topple a fierce returning champion! In a dramatic appetizer round, the chefs must work with a funny cake and an unusual canned item. Then, the chefs have differing opinions in the entrée round about whether the randomly selected fourth ingredient is a cinch or a problem, while the dessert round has both chefs running into issues trying to make delicious final plates from a weird pie and a nostalgic candy.
3. Spin It to Win It: Battle 3(42 min)
Aired: 13-02-2024
From a pool of nine, the wheel determines which three chefs will be selected to topple a fierce returning champion for a chance at an ever-rising jackpot. In a wild first round, prepping an ingredient eats up time for one chef, which worries the judges. Then, the chefs find ostrich meat in the entrée basket, which seems easy compared to the nightmare ingredient the wheel deals out. The two chefs left give it their all with spicy and sweet desserts in hopes of continuing on to battle four!
4. Spin It to Win It: Battle 4(42 min)
Aired: 20-02-2024
With six chefs left in the pool, three who've been impatiently sidelined finally get their chance at the stoves! In the appetizer round, everyone is unfamiliar with the ingredient that was randomly selected by the wheel, while the protein in the entrée round causes problems. Then, it's a nail-biter of a dessert round as the chefs race to prove who can make the better sweet plate from a breakfast pastry and an Asian spice. Winner will move on to the decisive battle five!
5. Spin It to Win It: Final Battle!(42 min)
Aired: 27-02-2024
Everybody is spinning with excitement for the highly anticipated battle five fight! The three remaining chefs from the pool finally get to cook against the reigning champion, and the already astronomical jackpot is destined to go higher. Upon opening the appetizer basket, the chefs come face-to-face with an intimidating ingredient. In the entrée round, the chefs are shocked at the dollar value of the ingredient from the wheel, and they must tame one of the most bitter ingredients in Chopped history. After the final two contenders discover a giant sweet surprise in the dessert basket, they frantically stir, blend and bake their hearts out in an effort to emerge as the one and only Spin It to Win It grand champion!
6. A Taste of China(42 min)
Aired: 05-03-2024
Four talented chefs are thrilled to compete in a battle celebrating Chinese cuisine! When an item in the first basket prompts the chefs to make very similar appetizer plates, the cooks scramble to distinguish themselves. In the entrée round, the judges are happy when the chefs take the opportunity to showcase their unique styles, but they must still send someone's salmon plate to the chopping block. In the end, the final two competitors find noodles and a cool candy in the dessert basket.
7. As Duck Would Have It(42 min)
Aired: 12-03-2024
Four lucky duck chefs are pumped to get a beautiful appetizer basket that includes a delicious duck as an ingredient, and the judges cheer the competitors on as they race to make a great first impression. In the entrée round, the chefs continue to cook with confidence and creativity when faced with a basket featuring a comfort food mashup. Finally, the two competitors left standing must make desserts using cheese, fruit, and a cornbread mix
8. Truffle Kerfuffle(42 min)
Aired: 19-03-2024
It's a truffle kerfuffle in the Chopped kitchen as four chefs are amped up to work with prized fungi in every round. In the appetizer round, the chefs take their dishes in four very different directions, and the judges aren't sure that everyone is making wise decisions. A pricey cut of meat in the truffle-themed entrée round puts pressure on the chefs to honor an extra extravagant basket, and the dessert round challenges the final two with crafting truffle-forward treats
9. Breakfast Baskets!(42 min)
Aired: 26-03-2024
Inspired by hash browns and energized by eggs, four chefs wake up the judges' palates using baskets packed with breakfast foods. Time constraints in the super short first round have the chefs working frantically to get their plates done, and two chefs battle with breakfast sandwiches in the entrée round. In the dessert round, the competitors face a challenge that includes a strange coffee and a regional meat dish
10. Squidding Around(42 min)
Aired: 02-04-2024
The chefs open the first basket to discover they'll be serving up cephalopods! The appetizer round is filled with energy and ambition as the chefs set out to show they're a clever and competitive bunch. Pork and a Portuguese finger food make up part of the challenge in the second round, and the two chefs who move on to the dessert round are determined to make terrific final dishes with a canned cocktail and a marshmallow treat.
11. Trash into Treasure(42 min)
Aired: 09-04-2024
The Chopped competitors take on ingredients that would usually be thrown away in hopes of turning edible trash into culinary treasures. In the appetizer round, all four chefs have zero reservations about the zero-waste theme, and they have big plans for the shrimp-centric basket. Then, a leftover dish and ignored vegetable tops create a culinary puzzle in the entrée round, and the two finalists make wise use of expired milk before time expires in the dessert round.
12. Abalone Absurdities(42 min)
Aired: 16-04-2024
Just add sea snails! Most of the chefs are shocked and confused when abalone appears in their appetizer baskets. Then, a fusion soup and a colorful veggie are in the mix in the entrée basket, and an unwelcome egg in the dessert basket challenges the competitors to accept their fates and create innovative final plates.
13. Easy Breezy, Mac and Cheesy(42 min)
Aired: 23-04-2024
Four competitors think they're ready for whatever the Chopped kitchen might throw at them! In a dynamic first round, the chefs have a lot of ideas for their turkey legs and milkshakes, but they struggle to keep pace with the clock. Then in a drama-filled second round, the chefs rush to make steak work with a wacky candied surprise. When the final two chefs open the dessert basket and find a lot of frosting and a freeze-dried fruit, they must wrap their heads around the challenge in time to make terrific final plates.
Season 59 (April 2024 - August 2024)
1. Battle Italiano: Emilia-Romagna(42 min)
Aired: 30-04-2024
Four chefs get to the heart of Italian cuisine as they explore the incredible influence that the robust Emilia-Romagna region has on the culinary world. A slithery surprise and a frozen favorite challenge the chefs in the appetizer round, and those who make it to the entrée round have very different ideas for their veal and mushroom dishes. Then, the two competitors who remain for the dessert round endeavor to represent themselves and their region!
2. Battle Italiano: Veneto(41 min)
Aired: 07-05-2024
In a celebration of foods from the Veneto region of Italy, famous for its hearty yet elegant cuisine, the chefs showcase what they know about making amazing Venetian dishes. A strikingly strange ingredient in the first basket threatens to throw them off their game, while using polenta to best effect in a half-hour entree round is a tremendous task. After two ambitious chefs set out to leave an impression with their pear and cheese desserts, the judges will have to decide who has secured a spot in the Battle Italiano finale!
3. Battle Italiano: Puglia(42 min)
Aired: 14-05-2024
Four chefs get inspired by Italy's "olive oil capital" as they create coastal cuisine from Puglia. In the appetizer round, a chef's mistake causes a big stink in the kitchen -- literally, and an imposing protein takes up a lot of space in the entrée basket. In the dessert round, a tough basket that includes cactus creates a prickly situation for the final two chefs.
4. Battle Italiano: Tuscany(42 min)
Aired: 21-05-2024
Four chefs focus on the fabulous food of Tuscany in all its fresh, humble, sensational glory. In the appetizer round, the judges wonder whether the chefs will manage to make good choices while dealing with a super-lean meat in the basket. Then, issues of confidence and competence plague the chefs in round two, and two chefs inspired by an Italian cookie tray -- and their desire to score a spot in the finale -- race to make amazing final plates!
5. Battle Italiano: Finale(42 min)
Aired: 28-05-2024
The four winning chefs return for the Battle Italiano finale, where they'll represent their regions and fight to take home the Grande Campione's $25,000 prize! The baskets are anything but standard issue, and the appetizer round features pizza in a tube! Emotions run high in a dramatic entrée round with just three chefs left in the epic tournament. Then, unfamiliar ingredients in the dessert basket promise to keep the two finalists on their toes!
6. Gimme Guilty Pleasures(41 min)
Aired: 04-06-2024
The chefs go overboard when it comes to making gloriously gluttonous food. In the appetizer round, three chefs compete for their time with the fryer. Steak in the second basket is a welcome surprise, but the chefs struggle when the rest of the basket becomes a challenge. Then, the last two competitors pull out all the stops with gummy candy and cinnamon roll desserts.
7. Drag Brunch(42 min)
Aired: 11-06-2024
In an exuberant Pride-filled competition, extra-large personalities and seriously good food are sure to make it a meal to remember. In the first round, the energetic chefs turn PB&J pancakes into fantastic appetizers. Then, a rainbow-themed ingredient in the entrée basket is not a sunny surprise, and ice cream machine drama in the dessert round has the judges on the edge of their seats.
8. Tickled Pink Pineapple(41 min)
Aired: 18-06-2024
Four chefs will have a nose-to-tail tale to tell after finding a biggie piggy surprise in the appetizer basket and get a bit overzealous pounding pork for their entrée. Then, the final two competitors are tickled pink by the discovery of pink pineapple in their dessert baskets and try to do it justice in their final plates.
9. Southwestern Strength(41 min)
Aired: 25-06-2024
Four Southwestern competitors take the reins in the Chopped kitchen, and the baskets are packed full of ingredients from America's most arid and untamed lands. A cactus product and a comfort food casserole stand out in the appetizer basket, while a spicy surprise forces the competitors to bring the heat in the entrée round. Then, a special flour in the dessert basket could prove to be inspiring or intimidating for the chefs.
10. Avocado Bravado(42 min)
Aired: 09-07-2024
Four chefs have the green light to go wild for avocados! For all their energy and enthusiasm, the chefs struggle to keep up with the clock in the first round, and the judges are on the edges of their seats. Then, figuring out how to work with a "secret" meat in the second basket might be the key to making delectable main dishes, and the two chefs left for the final round must be creative and conscientious to make avocado work well in their desserts
11. Crustacean Craze(42 min)
Aired: 16-07-2024
Shell-shocked, the chefs must crush open crustaceans in every round to make sensational seafood meals that will float the judges' boat. In the appetizer basket, the chefs uncover a royally special seafood surprise, but a more basic ingredient could trip them up. Then, big ambitions in a tight time frame might mean trouble for one of the chefs, and the judges wonder if a risky plan in the dessert round will pan out
12. Heart and Sole(42 min)
Aired: 23-07-2024
Set on success, four chefs are ready to wow the judges with their heart, talent and drive! In the first round, the competitors make appetizers that include a Central Asian bread and a fun sweet-and-sour treat. When the chefs find a packaged product in the entrée basket, they must think up ways to make it sing with sole. Then, it's anybody's guess who will prevail after a dessert round featuring an Indian snack and a plethora of pastries
13. Death Is Not an Option
Aired: 13-08-2024
Four brave chefs prioritize flavor over fear as they take on outrageously daring ingredients to make killer dishes for the judges. The heat is on in the appetizer round with frighteningly difficult ingredients and just twenty minutes to cook. Then, the chefs prove they have the chops to make a swamp-loving chomper tasty in the entrée round and try not be be stung by a shocking sweet in the dessert basket.
14. Celtuce Setbacks(42 min)
Aired: 20-08-2024
Off to the pantry! The chefs are eager to put their own mark on things by grabbing extra items for their appetizers, but their pantry picks may not be the smartest choices. In the entrée round, none of the chefs have worked with celtuce, a leafy Chinese vegetable, and figuring out what to do with it sucks up time and challenges the competitors' skills. Then in the final round, it's crunch time for the two remaining chefs, who find potato chips in the dessert basket.
15. Basket Antics(42 min)
Aired: 27-08-2024
Fooled you! Certain ingredients in the baskets are not what they appear to be, and the chefs do a double take to find they've been faked! An ice cream treat in the appetizer basket is not the sweet it's posing as, pigs in a blanket in the entrée basket turn out to be surprisingly vegetarian-friendly, and the red wine in the dessert basket won't get the chefs tipsy, but it might trip them up.
16. Culinary Fireworks(42 min)
Four chefs prepare for summertime dinners in America using a variety of sunny ingredients including patriotic deviled eggs and star-spangled spaghetti. A clever keg and a new spin on a fair favorite kick off the fun in the first round. Then, the bounty of the second basket includes a cowboy's dream ingredient and some colorful kebobs. And there's a bombshell surprise in the dessert basket -- can the chefs successfully create something delicious to complete the meal?
Season 60 (September 2024 - October 2024)
1. Legends: Scott Conant(42 min)
Aired: 03-09-2024
Four Chopped Champions are asked back to the kitchen via personal invitation from legendary judge Scott Conant and will face off to see who is most worthy of returning to represent Scott in the finale. On the line: a $25,000 cash prize, $25,000 for charity and legendary status
2. Legends: Chris Santos(42 min)
Aired: 10-09-2024
Four extraordinary champions, invited back to the kitchen by legendary judge Chris Santos, relish the chance to be put to the test. The winner of this preliminary competition will go to the grand finale, with Chris as their sous chef, to compete for $25,000 cash, $25,000 for charity and legendary status! A beautiful ode to bacon is one of the ingredients in the appetizer basket designed by Chris himself. A soup and a boozy trend are two of the items the chefs must include in their entrées. Finally, the dessert basket contains something super spicy and something very sweet.
3. Legends: Alex Guarnaschelli(42 min)
Aired: 17-09-2024
Four champions return to the kitchen as favorites of legendary judge Alex Guarnaschelli. The winner will return for the tournament's grand finale, with Alex as their sous chef. In the first round, a French pastry and a richly flavored fish are two pieces of the culinary puzzle that Alex has devised for her special group of competitors. A lowbrow, universally beloved item is in the entrée basket. Then, the two chefs who make it to the dessert round have ambitious plans for some of Alex’s favorite sweet ingredients, but only one champ can advance in this Chopped Legends tournament!
4. Legends: Maneet Chauhan(42 min)
Aired: 24-09-2024
Four incredible competitors return to the stoves after being hand-picked as favorites by legendary judge Maneet Chauhan. The winner gets to compete with Maneet as their sous chef in the tournament's grand finale, with $25,000 cash and $25,000 for charity at stake -- plus legendary status! The baskets that Maneet selects for this battle include a signature Nashville flavoring, an Indian dessert and a frozen cocktail. Who will earn the respect of a legend and advance to the finale, and who will be chopped?
5. Legends: Grand Finale(42 min)
Aired: 01-10-2024
The best of the best face off to see who can emerge victorious in the tournament finale fight to win $25,000 in cash, $25,000 for charity and legendary status! It's a fascinating dynamic as each returning champion has the judge who tapped them for this tournament as their sous chef. Will communication issues cause any problems in the appetizer round as the teams attempt to make amazing first plates that include two interesting pork products? Emotions run high in a frantic second round, as the teams rush to make great duck entrées. Then, an unpopular canned product in the dessert basket is unlikely to be the most difficult obstacle the chefs face in an intense last round.
6. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage(42 min)
Aired: 08-10-2024
Four chefs bring traditions and pride into play as they celebrate their Hispanic culinary cultures. A sweet surprise and a fungus delicacy make for an interesting pair in the appetizer basket. Then, the chefs seek to honor their families' homelands as they race to create great fish entrées, while ambitious plans in the dessert round result in one chef racing to come up with a plan B.
7. Fermented Rice Rice Baby(42 min)
Aired: 15-10-2024
Four feisty chefs share their love of cooking by showcasing their unique personalities on the plate, but a time-consuming flex threatens one competitor's chances of finishing the first round. Then, the judges get excited over fantastic pork and kohlrabi entrée plates, and a fermented find is a head-scratcher in the dessert basket.
8. Big Fat Greek Kitchen(42 min)
Aired: 22-10-2024
Opa! Working with Mediterranean classics and surprises in the baskets, four chefs try to stand out while honoring their shared culinary playbook. The competitors feast their eyes on a special cookie in the appetizer basket, which appears to be staring back. Then, the chefs get a leg up with lamb in the entrée round and are inspired by nostalgic favorites in the dessert basket
9. Zhoug-topia(42 min)
Aired: 29-10-2024
Four chefs compete to make a jiggly surprise in the appetizer basket work in their fish dishes. Then in the entrée round, the chefs zip into action to use zhoug -- a tasty Middle Eastern condiment -- correctly in their creations, while an oddly colored citrus fruit meets mooncake in the dessert basket.
Season 61 (January 2025 - March 2025)
1. Name Your Price: Battle One!(42 min)
Aired: 07-01-2025
Four fearless chefs take on a wild Chopped tournament event with a major curveball: There's an auction before each round to determine each chef's fourth ingredient! The chefs could end up with major advantages or extreme challenges, resulting in an unpredictable competition. In this preliminary battle, things get interesting in the appetizer round when the chef who scores the most enviable auction item ends up struggling with a basic basket ingredient. Then, the pie filling in the entrée basket isn't exactly a treat, and in the dessert round, the tables turn on the chef who seems to have the edge after the auction. The winner of each of four preliminary competitions moves on to the tournament's grand finale, where someone will score a sizable cash prize and the coveted title of Chopped Grand Champion.
2. Name Your Price: Battle Two!(43 min)
Aired: 14-01-2025
In this Name Your Price tournament, the chefs uncover just three items in their mystery baskets and must bid on their fourth ingredients in a live auction. In round one, a crowded fryer derails one chef's carefully timed plans. Then, in the entrée round auction, a bidding war breaks out over a premium ingredient. In the dessert round, one chef makes ambitious plans to make ice cream, but the judges are skeptical of the approach. Only one talented competitor will move on to the tournament's grand finale.
3. Name Your Price: Battle Three!(43 min)
Aired: 21-01-2025
The chefs get only three items in each basket and must bid in a live auction for a fourth ingredient. In this preliminary competition, the chef who ends up with what seems like the least desirable auction item decides to double down on the level of difficulty by using an unusual technique and flavor. Will they make something great or just make a mess? The entrée round auction includes an unusual protein that gets big bids from more than one chef. Then, in the dessert round, when both competitors decide to bake something, they take on a high risk in hopes of a high reward. The winner advances to the tournament's finale to compete for the title of Chopped Grand Champion and an enormous cash prize!
4. Name Your Price: Battle Four!(43 min)
Aired: 28-01-2025
Four new competitors are ready to commit to a tournament that stretches their strategic planning abilities as well as their cooking skills. Every basket has just three items, and a live auction determines what each chef scores as their fourth ingredient. In this preliminary battle, one chef spends a ton of money to secure a favorite ingredient for his appetizer dish, raising expectations that he should be able to ace the round. Will his dish deliver? The chefs open up the second basket to discover a weird burrito, and the most promising auction item seems to be some lovely mushrooms. Then, all eyes are on the last two competitors as they race to make desserts using a fruit, booze and some pastries from the basket, plus the two very different items from the auction. Only one chef will advance to the Name Your Price tournament grand finale!
5. Name Your Price: Grand Finale!(43 min)
Aired: 04-02-2025
Four champions enter the kitchen ready to name their price and fight for every edge as they try to repeat a win by defeating all others! In this high stakes finale, the chefs are given a larger sum of money to bid with, and the auction levels up as the items are revealed one at a time, so the champions have no idea how bad or good each sequential ingredient might be. In an extremely fierce first round, all of the ingredients that the chefs win at auction seem challenging in their own way, and the judges' expectations are sky-high for this group of exceptional chefs. Before the entrée round, one chef's heart seems set on winning the alligator heart at auction. Then, in the decisive dessert round, a clumpy reduction seems to reduce one chef's chances of victory. But after the judges discuss all three courses, who will be the grand champion and walk away with an extraordinary sum of money, and who will be the fifteenth chef of the tournament to be chopped?
6. Thai Takedown!(43 min)
Aired: 11-02-2025
Four chefs aim to create dishes at the highest level as they cook Thai-inspired meals in the culinary tightrope act called Chopped. In the appetizer round, a mishap and a time management issue put the chefs' ability to finish their chicken feet plates in jeopardy. A colorful entrée basket includes some pretty purple dumplings. Then, in the dessert round, a competitor must juggle two simultaneous snafus. Will the last round of this Thai-inspired feast end in disaster?
7. Bacon Me Crazy(43 min)
Aired: 18-02-2025
Four wildly carnivorous cooks are thrilled to get a bacon theme for their competition, but can they do justice to one of their favorite foods? In the appetizer round, a bold breakfast sandwich joins Berkshire bacon in the basket. Whoever said "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" was not thinking of the bacon-forward apple creation in the entrée basket. Then, as the final round flies by, the chefs are not particularly concerned about how to include bacon in their desserts. The cruel clock, on the other hand, gives them plenty to worry about
8. Soul Food Showdown(43 min)
Aired: 25-02-2025
Tasting the love in every bite is a given when four chefs battle to cook the best soul food meal in the Chopped kitchen! In the appetizer round, a classic mismatched pair is a nice -- already cooked! -- surprise in the basket. Something crunchy and something cheesy are two of the mandatory entrée basket ingredients, and the judges are suitably eager to savor soul food desserts made with fruit and cornbread
9. Mizuna Matata(43 min)
Aired: 04-03-2025
Four chefs are eager to impress as they race to make appetizers with mizuna and a weird pizza, but first round jitters are a real problem. A deep-fried oddity is part of the challenge for the competitors in the second round. In the dessert round, both chefs get a little bit frazzled attempting to make marvelous last plates that include a breakfast indulgence
10. Sooner or Gator
Aired: 11-03-2025
When the chefs get alligator in the first baskets, they rush to come up with smart ways to utilize it, but they soon learn their gator plans might be difficult to execute. One chef must pivot in the middle of the entrée round to avoid having to sheepishly present undercooked lamb to the judges. In the dessert round, an ice cream machine fiasco spells trouble for one of the competitors
11. Midnight Snack Attack
Aired: 18-03-2025
This battle is all about indulging wholeheartedly in late-night cravings, with no worries and no regrets. In the first round, tacos and ramen in the basket force fusion plates. A very hot pepper and a beloved potato product are two of the mandatory entrée round ingredients. A risky move in the dessert round makes a baking blunder a distinct possibility