The essential episodes of Chopped
Watch these 15 in order and you've got Chopped — each pick states its reason.
- 01
Octopus, Duck and Animal Crackers
All bets are off when a slimy surprise in the Round One mystery basket surprises everybody. Then in the Entrée Round, one chef makes a risky creative choice. Will it pay off? And for the two chefs who survive the dreaded Chopping Block and make it all the way to the Dessert Round, challenges abound, when the competitors present their masterpieces made with animal crackers and prunes, will the judges prefer the more whimsical or traditional dish?
- 02
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!
- 03
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.
- 04
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.
- 05
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.
- 06
Battle Italiano: Emilia-Romagna
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!
- 07
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!
- 08
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.
- 09
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!
- 10
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!
- 11
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.
- 12
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.
- 13
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.
- 14
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!
- 15
In the appetizer round, a peculiar cereal is the strangest find in the basket. Then, when one of the chefs begins cooking her fluke fillets very late in the round, the judges wonder whether they will be happy with the results. The entrée round mystery basket ingredients run the gamut from light to hearty, and the finalists must work a clever crepe and an interactive candy into their desserts.
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