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Clean Eatin' 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.
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Whiskey and Wings Whiskey and wings appear in every basket; a fun starch for the appetizer round; hot sauce for round two; wings for dessert.
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Celebrating Veterans 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?
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Oodles of Noodles 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
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Game Day Party 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?
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Chocolate Obsession 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.
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Blue Plate Fate 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?
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Chefs in a Pickle 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.
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Raw Deal 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?
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Something Dumpling 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.
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Latin Cuisine Dream 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?
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Jump for Bok Choy 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.