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Knife Strife 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.
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Healthy Rivalry 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.
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Brunch Battle 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.
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Chinese New Year 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.
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Tailgate Party 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?
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Bacon Boys 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?
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Love Bites 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.
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Ready for Redemption 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!
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Cooking Caribbean 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.
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Truck Stop Stars 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.
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Beg, Borrow or Eel 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.
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Chopped: College 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.
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The Bold and the Baconful 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?