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Clam Clash 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.
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Clock Shock 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.
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Food Truck Luck 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.
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Waffles for the Win 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.
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Comfort Zone 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.
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The Beets Go On 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.
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Spooked 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.
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Feel the Burn 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.
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Gimme Gator 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.
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Flavor Savor 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.
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Pie Jinks 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?
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An Iron Chef Thanksgiving 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.
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Espresso Express 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.
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Weird Twist 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!
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Chopped Grand Holiday 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.
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True Grits 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.
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Cocktail Party 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.
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Amped for Ramps 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.
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Mardi Gras Goals 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.
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Dim Sum Yum 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.