The BEST Episodes of Chopped
Every episode ever - ranked by fan votes!
Last Updated: Mar 5, 2020
Network: Food Network
Hosted by Ted Allen, Chopped is a high energy, fast paced cooking competition that challenges four up-and-coming chefs to turn a selection of everyday ingredients into an extraordinary three-course meal. After each course, a contestant gets "chopped" by our panel of esteemed culinary luminaries until the last man or woman left standing claims victory.
#1 - Wild Ride
Season 24 - Episode 8 - Aired Sep 3, 2015
Fun at the carnival is the theme for this special Chopped competition. In a sign of what's to come, the chefs open the first basket to find that two out of the four ingredients are deep-fried. An outrageous sundae is the centerpiece of the second basket, but it's the deep-fried ravioli that causes trouble for one competitor. Then, after a wild final round, the judges face an unprecedented dilemma.
9.73 #2 - Chopped Chops
Season 20 - Episode 12 - Aired Nov 18, 2014
Frog leg fest: The chefs open the first basket to find the French delicacy and some fine fungi. Then in the entree round, some little beans and big pork chops cause the competitors difficulties. And one of the finalists decides to take the cheese in the basket and use it in an ice cream. Will it work?
9.71 #3 - All-Stars Tournament: Part 4
Season 24 - Episode 4 - Aired May 19, 2015
There's just one more spot in the Grand Finale up for grabs, and Rocco DiSpirito, Jet Tila, Fabio Viviani and Lee Anne Wong all want it. The All-Stars open the appetizer baskets and find a succulent seafood and an Asian pastry. In the entree round, the chefs will need to get creative in order to cook a perfect piece of beef in time. And some fish-shaped snacks meet crystals that pop in the dessert round.
9.66 #4 - Money Saver
Season 21 - Episode 13 - Aired Jan 13, 2015
The chefs learn that there is a "money saver" theme for this special competition: Ingredients in each basket will not exceed $10, but the chefs' dishes are still expected to look and taste like a million bucks. In the first round, a meatless basket has some of the chefs searching for protein in the pantry. Then various levels of creativity are one of the factors that the judges consider while analyzing three ham-steak entrees. And the dessert basket, including chocolate chips, seems deceptively simple.
9.56 #5 - Haricot Flair
Season 20 - Episode 10 - Aired Oct 28, 2014
Yes, we have no bananas! But we do have banana blossoms in the first basket and four women competing! The three chefs who make it to the entree round must work with a notoriously stinky ingredient. And will a colorful ingredient in the last basket prompt the finalists to sprinkle a little fun on to their desserts?
9.55 #6 - Liver and Learn
Season 17 - Episode 7 - Aired Oct 1, 2013
The chefs receive calves' livers and ranch dressing in the first round, and the judges watch as four appetizers come together in 20 minutes. Then in the entree round, a small bird and a citrusy spice make for an interesting combination. And will hot sauce be a hit in the finalists' desserts?
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#7 - Ultimate Champions: Amateur Champs
Season 21 - Episode 8 - Aired Sep 2, 2014
Some of the most beloved amateur winners return to the Chopped Kitchen for a shot to compete in the $50,000 finale. In the appetizer round the competitors must use salsa and cheese blintzes in their culinary masterpieces. Then as the entree round gets started, an off-balance tug-of-war over a piece of equipment has everybody laughing, except for the chef who loses the fight. And grapefruit is among the loot the last two champs find in the dessert basket.
9.51 #8 - Family Affair
Season 26 - Episode 7 - Aired Dec 15, 2015
A mom, dad, son and aunt who work in the same restaurant meet in the Chopped Kitchen, where it's every chef for themselves. In the first round, one family member's grill pan gets taken over by two relatives. In the entree round, chicken breasts seem like an easy protein to work with, but how will the chefs fare with the other mystery ingredients? The final two family members make desserts using dried fruit and a very sweet cake.
9.49 #9 - Ultimate Champions: Celebrities
Season 21 - Episode 10 - Aired Sep 16, 2014
Four Chopped Champions from the world of entertainment and sports compete for the last spot in the $50,000 finale. In the appetizer round, the celebrity champs find a peculiar type of flour and sweet tea in the baskets. Then a can of soup in the entree round causes various issues for the competitors. And the judges taste banana paste and cream cheese desserts before deciding on the last finalist.
9.49 #10 - All-Stars Tournament: Grand Finale
Season 24 - Episode 5 - Aired May 26, 2015
With four winning All-Stars returning to the Chopped Kitchen, and $75,000 on the line for someone's favorite charity, the judges are set to enjoy a masterful meal. The competitors find something purple and something fishy in the appetizer basket. In a tense entree round, a seafood tower threatens to topple the competitors' cool. Before being awarded the largest charitable prize in Chopped history, the final two All-Star chefs must handle a very hot pepper and conquer a cookie cake in the dessert round.
9.46 #11 - Big Barbecue Bout
Season 23 - Episode 13 - Aired Jun 16, 2015
It's a battle for all the carnivores, celebrating the art of barbecue in the Chopped Kitchen. In the first basket, the chefs find a regional barbecue sauce and jumbo shrimp. In round two, the chefs scramble to make delicious pork spare ribs entree. After two savory barbecue courses, the last two chefs must make sweet and hearty desserts with bananas and coconuts.
9.45 #12 - Mac and Cheese
Season 25 - Episode 13 - Aired Dec 1, 2015
In this competition, every round features the food pair with a powerful bond — macaroni and cheese! The competitors come out strong in the appetizer round with sophisticated mac and cheese dishes that include Swiss chard. Then in the entree round, when one chef leaves cheese out of their dish, will it add up to approval from the judges? And a time-crunch in the dessert round leaves one of the chefs dashing to get all components on the plate.
9.44 #13 - Short Order Cooks
Season 21 - Episode 12 - Aired Sep 30, 2014
Four fourth and fifth graders attempt to stand tall in the Chopped Kitchen! The mini culinary artists find a very kid-friendly ingredient in the first basket: cotton candy. In the second round, the judges are thoroughly impressed by the three remaining little cooks, who are seeking to make delicious entrees from pizza dough and a bitter green. And an exciting dessert round features brownie mix as one of the mystery ingredients.
9.42 #14 - Teen Tournament: Part Three
Season 21 - Episode 3 - Aired Jul 29, 2014
Four new teen chefs enter the Chopped Kitchen with their sights set on winning a spot in the Grand Finale. Will they think dandelion greens are a dandy ingredient for the first round? The fryer is in high-demand in the entree round, featuring Cornish hens. Then in the dessert round, the ice cream machine is the kitchen toy of choice.
9.38 #15 - Thrill of the Grill
Season 22 - Episode 12 - Aired Jun 23, 2015
The chefs learn that they must grill something in each round of this competition. For their appetizers, the chefs discover watermelon and wine coolers in the basket. A beautiful cut of beef and tedious-to-prep beans await the chefs who make it to the second round. A cone of sugar and a pitcher of lemonade are two of the fun items found in the dessert basket.
9.37 #16 - Chopped, Again!
Season 23 - Episode 3 - Aired Jan 27, 2015
It's a second chance at victory, for four losing chefs seeking redemption. After the chefs make skate and pomegranate molasses appetizers, one chef must endure the indignity of being the first chef re-chopped. In the entree round, the competitors work with a boozy ice cream and an amusingly-named British pudding. In the dessert round, a German tart is a good start.
9.37 #17 - Sitcom Moms
Season 25 - Episode 8 - Aired Sep 29, 2015
Four funny women (Tichina Arnold, Jackee Harry, JoMarie Payton and Betsy Randle) who are best known for playing mothers on TV, take on the role of Chopped competitor! The actresses have a hard time coming up with solid ideas for what to do with the mushrooms and frozen TV dinners in the appetizer basket. In the entree round, the cooks have 30 minutes to deal with minute steak, and the judges worry they might get served overcooked meat. In the final hilarious round, the two sitcom moms remaining are asked to get creative with tiramisu and strawberry sauce.
9.36 #18 - Judges' Face-Off
Season 23 - Episode 12 - Aired Jun 9, 2015
It's a friendly competition between friends, when the Chopped judges face off with baskets containing leftover ingredients. In the appetizer round, the chefs must turn tuna noodle casserole into something new. Rice left in a pan and soup saved for later are two of the ingredients in the entree basket. In the dessert round, leftover cake must be turned into something innovative and delicious.
9.34 #19 - First Responders
Season 23 - Episode 11 - Aired Apr 14, 2015
Police officers and paramedics with culinary chops are in the Chopped Kitchen. In the first round, the contestants respond to a basket with hummus chips and ground bison. In the second round, they must jump into action and figure out how to make fiery jawbreakers work with rotisserie chicken. And angel food cake in the final basket is apropos.
9.33 #20 - Teen Tournament: Grand Finale!
Season 25 - Episode 6 - Aired Sep 22, 2015
Four returning teen winners come back to compete for $25,000 and the title of Chopped Grand Champion! Excitement is at an all-time high, as the young cooks open the first baskets and find a pasta, some jarred seafood, a candy, and a veggie. Breaking down a giant fish is a daunting way to begin the entree round, and scant use of a certain other basket ingredient could mean elimination for one young champ. Then in an intense final round, the two remaining teens turn a mocktail and a festive cake into a $25,000 dessert.
9.32 #21 - All-Stars Tournament: Part 1
Season 24 - Episode 1 - Aired Apr 28, 2015
All-Star chefs Madison Cowan, Eric Greenspan, Brian Malarkey and Art Smith converge in the Chopped Kitchen to fight it out for a spot in the $75,000 finale. In the first round, a slimy ingredient provokes some disgusted reactions from the competitors and judges. In the entree round, the beautiful fish in the basket leads the chefs to make some surprising mistakes. And when the two finalists go in totally different directions with their desserts, it's up in the air which approach will be more pleasing to the judges.
9.31 #22 - Tendon Intentions
Season 24 - Episode 6 - Aired Jul 7, 2015
The chefs get beef tendon balls in the appetizer basket, a very tough ingredient — literally. In the entree round, fresh vermicelli noodles seem to get the best of some smart competitors. And caramelized onions don't scream dessert, but shouting out for more time in the final round is not an option for the last two chefs.
9.31 #23 - Teen Tournament: Part Two
Season 21 - Episode 2 - Aired Jul 22, 2014
Intensity and energy abound in the second competition of the Teen Tournament! Cleaning shrimp and slicing jalapenos are the first order of business in the appetizer round. The teen chefs have to hop to it when they find out they have to cook frog leg entrees. And in the dessert round, an iconic New York cookie must be combined with a popular nut.
9.30 #24 - Ultimate Champions: Pros
Season 21 - Episode 7 - Aired Aug 26, 2014
Four distinct groups of champs will return to the Chopped Kitchen: professionals, amateurs, heroes and celebrities, all leading up to a grand finale where one chef will seize the biggest prize in Chopped history: $50,000 and a new car! In this initial battle, four stellar professionals fight to see who will represent the pros in the finale. They have to wrangle and cook eels and figure out what to do with a super salty veggie for their appetizers. Then in the entree round, the champs have to work with a bird and a soda. And a special cheese and a creepy chocolate item appear in the dessert basket.
9.30 #25 - College Challenge
Season 24 - Episode 9 - Aired Sep 10, 2015
Taking a break from their studies to crush it in the Chopped Kitchen, four college students compete for culinary superiority. In the first round, the young amateur cooks must work with a dorm-life starchy staple and a bag of frozen veggies. The college kids then look for creative ways to make use of a savory microwaveable snack in the entree round. And with both sweet and salty surprises in the dessert basket, the final two cooks seek to make balanced desserts to complete their meals.
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