Chopped (TV Series)
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''Chopped'' is an American
reality Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within a system, as opposed to that which is only imaginary. The term is also used to refer to the ontological status of things, indicating their existence. In physical terms, r ...
-based cooking television
game show A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or Let's Play, demonstrative and are typically directed b ...
series created by Michael Krupat, Dave Noll and Linda Lea. It is hosted by
Ted Allen Edward Reese Allen (born May 20, 1965) is an American author and television personality. He was the food and wine connoisseur on the Bravo network's television program '' Queer Eye'', and has been the host of the TV cooking competition series ' ...
. The series pits four chefs against each other as they compete for a chance to win $10,000. The series debuted in 2009, and episodes air every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on
Food Network Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (which holds a 69% ownership stake of the network) and Nexstar Media Group ...
. A dessert-themed spin-off titled ''Chopped Sweets'' premiered on February 3, 2020, with
Scott Conant Scott Conant (born February 19, 1971) is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author. Since 2009, Conant has been a judge on the reality cooking television series '' Chopped''. He has published four cookbooks. Early life Conan ...
as host.


Format

In each episode, four chefs compete in a three-round contest, where they attempt to incorporate unusual combinations of ingredients into dishes that are later evaluated by a panel of three judges. At the beginning of each round (typically "
Appetizer An hors d'oeuvre ( ; french: hors-d'œuvre ), appetiser or starter is a small dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the ...
", "
Entrée An entrée (, ; ) in modern French table service and that of much of the English-speaking world (apart from the United States and parts of Canada) is a dish served before the main course of a meal. Outside North America, it is generally synonym ...
", and "
Dessert Dessert is a course (food), course that concludes a meal. The course consists of sweet foods, such as confections, and possibly a beverage such as dessert wine and liqueur. In some parts of the world, such as much of Greece and West Africa, and ...
", but with occasional exceptions), the chefs are each given a basket containing four mystery ingredients and are expected to create dishes that use all of them in some way. Although failing to use an ingredient is not an automatic disqualification, the judges do take such omissions into account when making their decisions. The ingredients are often not commonly prepared together. For example, in the episode "Yucca, Watermelon, Tortillas," the Appetizer ingredients consisted of
watermelon Watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a flowering plant species of the Cucurbitaceae family and the name of its edible fruit. A scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, it is a highly cultivated fruit worldwide, with more than 1,000 varieti ...
,
canned sardines Sardines ("pilchards") are a nutrient-rich, small, oily fish widely consumed by humans and as forage fish by larger fish species, seabirds and marine mammals. Sardines are a source of omega-3 fatty acids. Sardines are often served in cans, but c ...
,
pepper jack cheese Monterey Jack, sometimes shortened to Jack, is a Californian white, semi-hard cheese made using cow's milk, with a mild flavor and slight sweetness. It has been called "an American original" and "as a vestige of Spanish rule in the early ninetee ...
, and
zucchini The zucchini (; plural: zucchini or zucchinis), courgette (; plural: courgettes) or baby marrow (''Cucurbita pepo'') is a summer squash, a vining herbaceous plant whose fruit are harvested when their immature seeds and epicarp (rind) are stil ...
. The chefs are given unlimited access to a
pantry A pantry is a room or cupboard where beverages, food, and sometimes dishes, household cleaning products, linens or provisions are stored within a home or office. Food and beverage pantries serve in an ancillary capacity to the kitchen. Etymol ...
and
refrigerator A refrigerator, colloquially fridge, is a commercial and home appliance consisting of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump (mechanical, electronic or chemical) that transfers heat from its inside to its external environment so th ...
stocked with a wide variety of other ingredients, and each chef has his/her own stations for preparing and cooking food. The kitchen also includes a variety of specialized tools and equipment for the chefs' use, such as a
deep fryer A deep fryer (also referred to as a deep fat fryer), is a kitchen appliance used for deep frying. Deep frying is a method of cooking by submerging food into oil at high heat, typically between temperatures of . While commonly used in commercia ...
, a blast chiller, and an
ice cream Ice cream is a sweetened frozen food typically eaten as a snack or dessert. It may be made from milk or cream and is flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit such as str ...
machine. Each round has a time limit, typically 20 minutes for Appetizer, and 30 minutes each for Entrée and Dessert. These limits have been extended on occasion for special-format episodes and for rounds in which one or more mystery ingredients require additional preparation/cooking time. The chefs must cook their dishes and complete four platings (three for the judges and one "beauty plate") before time runs out. Once time has expired, the judges critique the dishes based on presentation, taste and creativity and select one chef to be "chopped" - eliminated from the competition with no winnings. Allen reveals the judges' decision by lifting a cloche on their table to show the eliminated chef's dish, and one judge comments on the reasoning behind the choice. The Appetizer and Entrée rounds are judged independently from one another, while in the Dessert round, the judges consider the chefs' overall performance during the entire competition. The winner receives $10,000, but special competitions and tournaments have featured larger cash prizes.


Production notes

According to host
Ted Allen Edward Reese Allen (born May 20, 1965) is an American author and television personality. He was the food and wine connoisseur on the Bravo network's television program '' Queer Eye'', and has been the host of the TV cooking competition series ' ...
, the show's unaired
pilot episode A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...
was "...originally a lot more elaborate. It was set in a mansion, the host was a butler (played by Christopher Flockton, narrator of VH1's The Fabulous Life), the butler held a Chihuahua, and when a chef was chopped the losing dish was fed to the Chihuahua." The Food Network found the pilot episode "a little too weird", but decided to keep the general premise of the show in a more straightforward competition format. An episode of ''Chopped'' takes approximately 12 hours to tape, with deliberations after each round taking about 20 minutes. Judging is done by consensus among the judges. While contestants do not know the ingredients ahead of time, they are given a tour of the kitchen prior to taping. Some preliminary tasks, such as preheating ovens and bringing water to a boil, are done in advance of each round. Chefs must be 19 years or older to appear on the regular show. Teenagers and children are occasionally invited to compete in special episodes. Medical personnel are present in the studio to treat any injuries sustained by the chefs and may, at their discretion, disqualify a chef who appears unable to continue safely in the competition. If the judges consider a dish to be unsafe to eat for any reason, such as contamination by blood or other bodily fluids, they do not taste it but may still evaluate it on presentation and creativity.


Special episodes


Chopped Champions

Starting September 8, 2009, Food Network aired a four-episode ''Chopped Champions'' tournament, in which 13 previous winners were invited to face off again. Four chefs competed per episode; the three losing chefs were eliminated from the tournament, while the winner received $10,000 and faced three new competitors in the next episode. As of February 2020, the network has aired six additional ''Chopped Champions'' tournaments, each consisting of four preliminary heats and a finale. Four previous champions compete in each preliminary heat; the winner receives no money, but secures a slot in the finale to compete for a $50,000 grand prize.


Chopped All-Stars

Starting March 6, 2011, and continuing for four additional episodes, Food Network aired the "Chopped All-Stars" Tournament. Sixteen chefs competed. The first four episodes featured four types of chef: ''
The Next Food Network Star ''Food Network Star'' is a reality television series that premiered June 5, 2005. It was produced by CBS EYEtoo Productions for seasons 1–8 and by Triage Entertainment for subsequent seasons. It airs on the Food Network in the United States. ...
'' contestants, Food Network celebrities, celebrity chefs, and ''Chopped'' judges. The winners of those four episodes then competed against each other in the "Grand Finale", where the winner received $50,000 to donate to a charity of his or her choice. Nate Appleman, a celebrity chef, won the competition and donated his $50,000 to
Kawasaki Disease Kawasaki disease is a syndrome of unknown cause that results in a fever and mainly affects children under 5 years of age. It is a form of vasculitis, where blood vessels become inflamed throughout the body. The fever typically lasts for more tha ...
research, a disease from which his son suffered. Starting April 8, 2012, and continuing for four additional episodes, Food Network aired the second "Chopped All-Stars" Tournament. Sixteen new chefs competed, again ranging from four different categories of chef: ''
Iron Chef America ''Iron Chef America'' is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's ''Iron Chef'', and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed ''Iron Chef USA'' that aired in 2001. The show is produced by Food Network, whi ...
'' chefs (the newest of the four categories), Food Network and Cooking Channel celebrities, ''
The Next Food Network Star ''Food Network Star'' is a reality television series that premiered June 5, 2005. It was produced by CBS EYEtoo Productions for seasons 1–8 and by Triage Entertainment for subsequent seasons. It airs on the Food Network in the United States. ...
'' contestants, and ''Chopped'' judges. Celebrity chef & ''Chopped'' judge
Marcus Samuelsson 25 January 1971) is an Ethiopian-born Swedish-American celebrity chef, restaurateur and television personality. He is the head chef of Red Rooster in Harlem, New York. Early life and education Kassahun Joar Tsegie was born in Ethiopia. His fat ...
won this second competition, donating the $50,000 grand prize to the Careers Through Culinary Arts Program of New York (aka C-CAP), which helps under-served youth through culinary arts education and employment. On April 7, 2013, the third installment of the "Chopped All-Stars" Tournament premiered on Food Network. Over the course of four episodes, sixteen chefs competed in groups of four. There were four different categories of the chefs through the episodes: Food Network vs. Cooking Channel, Mega Chefs, Chopped Judges, and celebrities, respectively. Winners of each of these rounds went on to compete against each other in the "Grand Finale" episode, where the winner received $50,000 to donate to a charity of his or her choice. Celebrity chef and ''Chopped'' judge Scott Conant won this competition, donating $50,000 to the Keep Memory Alive Foundation. On April 28, 2015, the fourth "All-Stars" Tournament began airing, with an increased grand prize of $75,000 to the winner. As before, they are split into groups of four chefs per episode, with the winner of each of the first four episodes competing in the fifth "Grand Finale" episode for the top prize. Unlike previous tournaments, however, the 16 chefs involved were not split into "categories", but were sorted in what seems to be a more random fashion. The winner was Anne Burrell who was playing for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.


Chopped Grill Masters

Starting July 22, 2012, and continuing for four additional episodes, Food Network aired the "Chopped Grill Masters" Tournament. Sixteen "pro" grillers competed. The winners of the first four episodes competed against each other in the "Grand Finale" for a $50,000
prize A prize is an award to be given to a person or a group of people (such as sporting teams and organizations) to recognize and reward their actions and achievements.
. The "Grill Masters" episodes were taped outdoors at Old Tucson Studios near Tucson, AZ. The winner was Ernest Servantes, Executive Chef at
Texas Lutheran University Texas Lutheran University (TLU) is a private Evangelical Lutheran Church in America university in Seguin, Texas. History The university traces its roots back to 1891, to an academy of the first German Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Texas, in Br ...
and Pit Boss at Burnt Bean Company. In the summer of 2015, a second "Grill Masters" Tournament occurred, and was sponsored by Lea & Perrins. Like the previous "Grill Masters" Tournament, it was filmed on location and 16 "pro" grillers competed. The 4 preliminary heat winners advanced to the finals where they would compete for a $50,000 grand prize. The winner was Angie Mar. The second heat of this particular tournament marked the first time that Chopped used a brand name on a basket ingredient, which in this case was the Worcestershire sauce, possibly because the ingredient was a product of tournament sponsor Lea & Perrins. On July 5, 2016 another 5-part "Grill Masters" Tournament premiered. This tournament was taped at the Beringer Vineyards in Napa Valley, CA, and featured 16 "pro" grillers. In contrast to past tournaments, the 4 finalists each won a guaranteed $10,000 for winning their heat, and the finalists competed to win another $50,000 for a total grand prize of $60,000. The winner of this tournament was Sophina Uong.


Chopped Tournament Of Stars

During Season 19, Chopped held a 5-part "Tournament Of Stars". It was identical in format to the "All Stars" Tournaments, with 16 celebrities competing to win $50,000 for charity. The contestants were divided into 4 categorical groups for the first four episodes (sports stars, '' Rachael Vs. Guy'' finalists, comedians, and actors, respectively). Winner
Michael Imperioli Michael Imperioli (born March 26, 1966) is an American actor, writer, and musician. He is best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti in the HBO crime drama ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), which earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Out ...
donated his winnings to the Pure Land Project, an organization that helps build and maintain schools in rural
Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
.


Chopped Ultimate Champions

During Season 21, a 5-part "Ultimate Champions" Tournament was held, featuring 16 returning champions (12 amateurs and 4 professional chefs) competing to win $50,000, plus a new car of the winners choice from Buick. Like most celebrity tournaments, the returning champions were divided into 4 categorical groups for the first four episodes (professionals, amateur champs, heroes, and celebrities, respectively). The winner was Diana Sabater. The finale of this tournament also marked the first time that both civilian and celebrity contestants competed in the same episode.


Chopped: Impossible

In the fall of 2015, ''Chopped'' aired a four-part "Chopped: Impossible" Tournament in which 12 former champions were invited back to compete for a grand prize of up to $40,000. Each basket contained ingredient combinations that were specifically chosen to be more difficult than usual. Four chefs competed in each of three preliminary heats, with '' Restaurant: Impossible'' host
Robert Irvine Robert Paul Irvine (; born 24 September 1965) is an English celebrity chef and talk show host who has appeared on and hosted a variety of Food Network programs including '' Dinner: Impossible'', ''Worst Cooks in America'', '' Restaurant: Imposs ...
as one of the three judges. The winners advanced to a two-round finale (Appetizer and Entree), in which Irvine observed their cooking but did not serve as a judge. The winner of the finale received $15,000 and competed directly against Irvine in a "Wild Card Entree" round, receiving an additional $25,000 if his/her dish was judged superior to Irvine's.


Teen Tournament

Three 5-part Teen Tournaments have been held to date, in seasons 21, 25 and 29, following the same structure as other tournaments. Four teen chefs competed in each preliminary heat, with the winners advancing to the finale. Prizes were awarded in the finale as follows: * ''Season 21:'' $25,000 cash and a $40,000 culinary school scholarship for the winner; $1,000 FoodNetwork.com gift certificate for each of the other finalists * ''Seasons 25 and 29:'' $25,000 cash for the winner; $1,000 FoodNetwork.com gift certificate and a show-branded chef's jacket for each of the other finalists


Chopped After Hours

''Chopped After Hours'' is a spin-off series that premiered on September 15, 2015 and airs at 11 p.m. ET on Tuesdays. Episodes consist of three segments, each featuring judges from a different ''Chopped'' episode as they prepare dishes using one of the mystery ingredient baskets given to the original contestants. The second season premiered on July 5, 2016.


Chopped Star Power

In season 33, ''Chopped'' will be holding a tournament consisting of 16 celebrities divided into four categories: internet celebrities, athletes, comedians, and TV and film stars, with a grand prize of $50,000 for charity. The event began on March 28, 2017.


Chopped: Sweets Showdown

On September 5, 2019, it was announced that a five-episode stunt titled ''Chopped: Sweets Showdown'' will premiere on October 1, 2019.


Chopped: Beat the Judge

On April 7, 2020, the 47th season premiered with a series of episodes titled ''Chopped: Beat the Judge''. Three champions from previous episodes compete through the Appetizer and Entrée rounds. Allen then announces the format for the third round, in which the remaining chef competes against a ''Chopped'' judge for the $10,000 prize.


Chopped: Desperately Seeking Sous-Chef

On May 31, 2022, 16 chefs competed in a five-episode tournament judged by Maneet Chauhan, Scott Conant, and Chris Santos. The winners of four preliminary heats advanced to the finale, in which the winner became a
sous-chef A sous-chef is a chef who is second in command in a kitchen; the person ranking next after the head chef, usually the more hands on manager with regards to training staff and organising the kitchen. Duties and functions The sous-chef has many re ...
at a restaurant owned by the judge of his/her choice.


Other special episodes

Chopped Amateurs features contestants who do not have professional training or schooling; most are self-taught. Celebrity episodes: four celebrities competing for charity. Some episodes have featured teens or children competing. Occasionally the prize is a scholarship to a culinary school. Losing contestants on these episodes often receive a consolation prize, typically a $1,000 shopping spree on foodnetwork.com. On one occurrence the prize was a $40,000 scholarship, the runner-up received a $20,000 scholarship while the other two contestants each received a $5,000 scholarship. Holiday themed episodes have also occurred featuring holiday inspired ingredients (such as a chocolate
Santa Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnigh ...
on a Christmas episode or candy blood on a halloween show) and the contestants are asked to prepare holiday themed dishes. There were also several themed episodes with non-holiday themes. These themes were based on either themed ingredients (e.g. spicy foods), world cuisines (e.g. Italian, Australian, New Orleans), chefs with the same background (notably, redemption episodes featuring former contestants that got "chopped" in their first appearances), or a combination.


Judges


Regular judges

The following judges have appeared in four or more seasons:


Guest Judges

The following judges have appeared in three or fewer seasons:


Episodes


Former contestants competing in other reality shows

Some of the contestants on ''Chopped'' would go on to appear in Fox's reality show ''
Hell's Kitchen Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton, is a neighborhood on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is considered to be bordered by 34th Street (or 41st Street) to the south, 59th Street to the north, Eighth Avenue to the eas ...
''. William Lustberg, the runner up on the ninth episode of the first season, was the runner up on season 9 of ''Hell's Kitchen''. Roshni Mansukhani, the winner of the fourth episode of the second season, was eliminated in the eighth episode of the tenth season of ''Hell's Kitchen''. Jackie Baldassari, who was eliminated after the entrée in the tenth episode of the ninth season of Chopped, was eliminated in the ninth episode of the eleventh season of ''Hell's Kitchen''. Anthony "Anton" Testino, who was eliminated after the appetizer in the tenth episode of the fifth season, was eliminated in the fourteenth episode of the twelfth season of ''Hell's Kitchen''. Robyn Almodovar, the winner of the sixth episode of the twenty-fourth season, had previously been eliminated in the sixteenth episode of the tenth season of ''Hell's Kitchen'' and was later eliminated in thirteenth episode of the seventeenth season of ''Hell's Kitchen''. Finally, Hassan Musselmani, who was eliminated after the dessert in the third episode of the 35th season of Chopped, had previously been eliminated in the seventh episode of the fifteenth season of ''Hell's Kitchen''. In addition, Frank Bilotti, who was eliminated after the entrée in the third episode of the 37th season, had previously been eliminated in the tenth episode of the thirteenth season of ''Hell's Kitchen''. Some former contestants and judges from Chopped have also appeared on
Beat Bobby Flay ''Beat Bobby Flay'' is an American cooking competition show on the Food Network. It features various chefs competing against Bobby Flay. The show is taped in front of a live audience. Format In the first round, two guests, often a celebrity che ...
, as well as several former contestants appearing on another Food Network series ''
Cutthroat Kitchen ''Cutthroat Kitchen'' is an American cooking show hosted by Alton Brown that aired on the Food Network from August 11, 2013 to July 19, 2017. It features four chefs competing in a three-round elimination cooking competition. The contestants face ...
''.


Awards

''Chopped'' won two James Beard Awards in 2012 from the James Beard Foundation: one medal for Best Show, In-Studio or Fixed Location, given to Ted Allen, the team of judges, Food Network, and producers Linda Lea, Dave Noll, and Vivian Sorenson; the other for Media Personality or Host, given to Allen. Also, "Chopped" was inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame in 2012.


''Chopped Sweets''

A spin-off series titled ''Chopped Sweets'' premiered on February 3, 2020, with
Scott Conant Scott Conant (born February 19, 1971) is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author. Since 2009, Conant has been a judge on the reality cooking television series '' Chopped''. He has published four cookbooks. Early life Conan ...
as host. It follows the same three-round competition/judging structure and $10,000 prize as the original, with chefs required to make desserts in every round that adhere to a theme announced by Conant. The judging panel consists of Conant and two other judges, and the time limit is typically extended from 30 minutes to 45 to allow proper time for baking.


Episode list


International adaptations


''Chopped Canada''

Beginning on January 2, 2014, Food Network also aired a Canadian version of ''Chopped'' called ''
Chopped Canada ''Chopped Canada'' is a Canadian reality cooking television series based on the US series ''Chopped''. The program pits four chefs against each other as they compete to win $10,000 and the title of Chopped Canada Champion. It first aired on Jan ...
'', which features Canadian contestants and judges. That adaptation was originally hosted by Canadian-born actor
Dean McDermott Dean McDermott (born November 16, 1966) is a Canadian actor best known as a reality television personality with his wife, actress Tori Spelling, and as the host of the cooking competition ''Chopped Canada''. He played the role of Constable Renfi ...
for the first two seasons, and was then hosted by former
CFL The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
wide receiver
Brad Smith Brad or Bradley Smith may refer to: Sportspeople * Bradley Smith (cricketer) (born 1969), English former cricketer * Brad Smith (footballer, born 1948), Australian rules footballer and premiership coach of East Fremantle * Brad Smith (ice hockey) ...
. The rules are identical to the US counterpart as is the $10,000 prize. The show was cancelled on February 11, 2017, after four seasons.


''Chopped South Africa''

Beginning July 23, 2014, Food Network South Africa began airing a local adaptation of ''Chopped'' called ''Chopped South Africa''.


''Chopped تحدي الطبخ''

Beginning June 27, 2021, Dubai TV began airing a local adaptation of ''Chopped'' called ''Chopped تحدي الطبخ''.


See also

* ''
Sweet Genius ''Sweet Genius'' was an American reality-based cooking television series on the Food Network. The series was hosted by pastry chef Ron Ben-Israel Ron Ben-Israel ( he, רון בן-ישראל; born 1957) is an Israeli-American pastry chef. He is ...
'' * ''
Cupcake Wars ''Cupcake Wars'' is an American reality competition series that premiered on December 27, 2009, on cable television network Food Network. The show, which is based on creating unique and professional-style cupcakes, was hosted by Justin Willman a ...
'' * '' Chopped: Canada'' * ''
Chopped Junior ''Chopped Junior'' is an American reality-based cooking television game show series hosted by Ted Allen that pits four adolescent chefs against each other, competing for a chance to win $10,000 and a Chopped Junior chef's coat. The show is a sp ...
''


Notes


References


External links

* * {{Food Network series 2009 American television series debuts 2000s American cooking television series 2010s American cooking television series 2020s American cooking television series English-language television shows Food Network original programming Food reality television series Reality competition television series Cooking competitions in the United States