The WORST episodes of Chopped
Every episode of Chopped ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Chopped!
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 - Take The Cake
Season 42 - Episode 11 - Aired 7/23/2019
In the first round, the chefs learn they must make appetizers that include ginger-like galangal and a trendy taco. A pretty cake that reminds one judge of his childhood is at the center of an eclectic dessert basket.
#2 - Squab Goals
Season 41 - Episode 10 - Aired 4/16/2019
A basket containing squab kicks off an action-packed first round in the Chopped kitchen. As the chefs endeavor to make great entrees in round two, they must break down a large fish and figure out what to do with a sweet beverage.
#3 - Viewers Rule
Season 41 - Episode 11 - Aired 4/23/2019
The chefs gear up for difficult baskets when they find out that Chopped viewers have selected all their ingredients.
#4 - Belly of the Beast
Season 41 - Episode 12 - Aired 4/30/2019
Chefs dive into the first basket to discover tuna belly; a cocktail named after poultry and a boxed product greet chefs in the second round; chefs choose to add chocolate to their desserts.
#5 - Brunch Brilliance
Season 41 - Episode 13 - Aired 5/7/2019
The chefs set out to wow the judges with brunch meals that wake their palates. A classic brunch combination-turned ice cream flavor makes for a challenging first basket. A unique take on eggs keeps the brunch theme front-and-center in the entree round. The two chefs remaining in the dessert round then get to find out what goes into boozy cereal.
#6 - Dill Dilemma
Season 42 - Episode 3 - Aired 5/28/2019
The first basket challenges the chefs to come up with a yummy solution to a dill pickle-flavored treat; a Midwestern casserole in the entree basket; a chef's injury puts their Gjetost cheese dessert in jeopardy.
#7 - Just Add Cheese!
Season 42 - Episode 4 - Aired 6/4/2019
Comfort food connoisseurs and gourmands alike know that any dish can benefit from a slice, a melt or a sprinkling of cheese! In this special competition, every basket is filled with cheesy yumminess including an unusual take on a Philadelphia classic in the first round. The chefs must work with a crunchy cringe-worthy surprise in addition to a fancy Spanish cheese in the entree round. And a cheese-tastic tower is one of the building blocks for the finalists' desserts.
#8 - Team Ice Cream
Season 42 - Episode 5 - Aired 6/11/2019
Four chefs set out to prove that ice cream can work well in two savory courses; a scoop sandwiched in the middle of an indulgent ingredient in the first basket; a unique ice cream flavor at the center of an unusual dish in the second basket.
#9 - Holy Bologna!
Season 42 - Episode 6 - Aired 6/18/2019
Four chefs are forced to get creative from the start when they find a kitschy, oddball cake and an unusual hybrid veggie in their appetizer baskets; an offal surprise and a fun fungus dish keep things interesting in Round 2; a key lime dessert.
#10 - Plum Fantastic
Season 42 - Episode 7 - Aired 6/25/2019
Ingredients: Appetizer: kinome, raspberry wasabi mustard, buffalo potato tots, chicken hearts Entrée: guinea hen, mixed oca, nopales, 'o pere e 'o musso Dessert: micro lemongrass, strawberry cream liqueur, sour plums, Dutch baby pancakes Judges: Scott Conant Geoffrey Zakarian Marcus Samuelsson
#11 - Culinary Fireworks
Season 42 - Episode 8 - Aired 7/2/2019
Four chefs prepare for summertime dinners in America using a variety of sunny ingredients including patriotic deviled eggs and star-spangled spaghetti.
#12 - Grills On! Game On!
Season 42 - Episode 9 - Aired 7/9/2019
When the ovens and fryers are turned off, four chefs have no choice but to get their grill on. A rare meat hits the heat in round one, and a frozen food favorite in the second basket might not thrill the competitors.
#13 - Hotdog Hotshots
Season 42 - Episode 10 - Aired 7/16/2019
The chefs take on an epic hot dog battle that includes a state fair treat with a twist in the entree round. An intriguing dessert basket contains the mysterious "wieners in a quilt."
#14 - You've Got Snail!
Season 41 - Episode 9 - Aired 4/9/2019
The bar for balancing flavors is set high as four chefs find sea snails and candy in the first basket. A mishap in the entree round dramatically affects one chef's scallop dish. The two remaining competitors must then work with a dessert basket that includes something porky and something sticky.
#15 - Beef Cake Mistake
Season 42 - Episode 12 - Aired 7/30/2019
Four talented chefs are ready to compete in the Chopped Kitchen, but there's something peculiar about the huge, elaborate cake in the appetizer basket: It's made of beef! In the second round, a strange twist on a classic Italian dish tests the competitors' creativity, and the two remaining chefs are challenged to make desserts using a mayo that may be tricky to incorporate.
#16 - Epic Burgers
Season 42 - Episode 13 - Aired 8/6/2019
The chefs battle it out to see who can build the most epic burger masterpieces. An awe-inspiring tower kicks off the first round of hamburger hustling. An old-school lunchbox favorite adds a bite of yummy, kitschy fun to the entree round, and a sweet challenge is in store for the two remaining chefs who must make epic burgers suitable for dessert.
#17 - So Sumac Me!
Season 43 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/13/2019
Ingredients: Appetizer: kibbeh nayeh, lemon meringue tart, Persian cucumbers, roti Entrée: monkfish tails, asparagus, sumac, umeboshi Dessert: dragon fruit, cured egg yolks, piloncillo, butter crackers
#18 - Hot Dog Hot Shots
Season 43 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/20/2019
Four talented chefs work to stay focused and stay sharp in this competition. They're surprised by a strange hot dog creation in the first basket, but they push on with some delicious results. The entree basket contains a can of something that's not usually used in gourmet cuisine, and the two determined competitors who move onto the dessert round get to make final dishes using a yummy cake and a Japanese drink.
#19 - A Very Brady Chopped
Season 43 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/27/2019
The competitors get the surprise of their lives when they find out that three original cast members of the legendary 70s sitcom will be tasting their food! Christopher Knight, Maureen McCormick and Susan Olsen -- famous for playing siblings Peter, Marcia and Cindy Brady -- take on the role of Chopped judges. In all three rounds, the baskets feature ingredients inspired by the groovy show, including pork chops and applesauce.
#20 - Brady Bunch Bash
Season 43 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/3/2019
Three stars from the legendary TV show The Brady Bunch are perched at the Chopping Block as guest judges, and they're eager to enjoy a meal prepared by some of their biggest fans. Barry Williams, Eve Plumb and Mike Lookinland -- famous for their roles as Greg, Jan and Bobby Brady -- share stories from their time as fictional siblings. Meanwhile, the starstruck competitors open the first basket to find Hawaiian ingredients in a tribute to the Brady family's notorious vacation to the Aloha State. A creepy-crawly finds its way into the entree basket, and popcorn and a tropical drink keep the Brady bash going in the dessert round.
#21 - Ooey, Gooey Cheese!
Season 43 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/10/2019
The chefs take on a melted cheese theme with the hope of giving the judges stretchable, craveworthy dishes. A platter of comfort food yumminess is at the center of a decadent first basket, and the ultimate melty cheese dish -- fondue -- finds its way into the second basket. In the dessert round, the remaining chefs have to get creative with the strange, colorful cheese snacks in the basket.
#22 - Weird, Wacky, and Wild!
Season 43 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/17/2019
The chefs face baskets filled with some of the most bizarre ingredients imaginable. To start, a strange pig part is the bombshell in the appetizer basket. The competitors then open up their second basket to find a fuzzy vegetable and a shocking meat. Finally, the unusual ingredients in the dessert round include an eye opening, oddly named sweet treat.
#23 - Horror Flick Halloween
Season 43 - Episode 7 - Aired 9/24/2019
In a Halloween-themed competition, the four chefs face ingredient baskets packed with nods to horror movies, which guest judge and actor Rose McGowan knows well. A cringeworthy surprise in the appetizer basket brings to mind a startling plot twist in a classic scary scene featuring maggots. The entree ingredients -- liver, fava beans and Chianti -- are inspired by one of the creepiest quotes in movie history, and a bubbling cauldron is a nice touch in the final basket.
#24 - Sweets Showdown: Chocolate!
Season 43 - Episode 8 - Aired 10/1/2019
Kicking off a first-of-its-kind, high-stakes desserts tournament, four chefs compete in a series of chocolate challenges. Spicy booze and a book filled with bonbons are in the mix in round one, and an oversize beverage meets a stinky cheese in the entree basket. The dessert basket features a can of something that could be cause for concern as the chefs make chocolatey showpieces to earn a spot in the grand finale and a shot at the $50,000 prize.
#25 - Sweets Showdown: Doughnuts!
Season 43 - Episode 9 - Aired 10/8/2019
It's much ado about doughnuts in this exciting heat of the $50,000 Sweets Showdown. The chefs must demonstrate doughnut dexterity as they create sweet, savory and filled varieties that incorporate challenging ingredients such as onions and grasshoppers. Only one tenacious chef will conquer all and win the chance to return for the finale.