Starting Thursday, Oct. 20 at 9|8c, 12 returning Chopped Champions will throw their chef hats into the ring once again, this time competing for a chance to make their signature dish against Food Network superstar Chef Bobby Flay — and a chance at $40,000. In this special tournament, the returning chefs will be tasked with making unforgettable dishes from a basket of mystery ingredients in the appetizer, entree and dessert rounds, but this time Bobby will be choosing a surprise ingredient to go into each of the baskets, hoping to stump the former champs. The winners from the first three rounds will move on to the finale where they’ll battle it out for the $15,000 prize and the chance to make their signature dish against the Beat Bobby Flay star, plus a chance at another $25,000!

Chopped: Beat Bobby Flay, Part 1 – Thursday, Oct. 20 at 9|8c

In the appetizer round of this premiere competition, the champions are tested with a Scandinavian fish and a sugary cereal. A flowery syrup and an onion with sprinkles appear in the entree round. And the chefs find an ingredient that Bobby particularly likes, sandwiched between a cheesy sandwich and some jelly, in the dessert basket.

Chopped: Beat Bobby Flay, Part 2 – Thursday, Oct. 27 at 9|8c

A seafood that needs to be tenderized and a canned product that needs to be creatively incorporated are two of the ingredients the competitors find in the appetizer basket; a king of the sea and a cake of the ice-box are found in the entree round mystery basket. Then in the dessert round, an ingredient Bobby loves ends up in one of the chef’s ice cream recipes, but trouble with the machine has everyone wondering how the dish will turn out.

Chopped: Beat Bobby Flay, Part 3 – Thursday, Nov. 3 at 9|8c

In the last preliminary battle, a set of twins is among the returning Chopped winners striving for the opportunity to make it to the finale and battle it out against Bobby. In the first round, a cold soup and a stuffed lobster challenge the champs, and keeping track of all four ingredients proves problematic for some. The entree basket includes a giant piece of meat and some tasty little dried fruits, and nobody knows how to pronounce the name of a Swedish cookie in the final basket. Will the two chefs who are making dessert know what to do with it?

Judges: Bobby Flay, Alex Guarnaschelli, Aarón Sánchez

Chopped: Beat Bobby Flay, Finale – Thursday Nov. 10 at 9|8c

The $40,000 title finale is here! Returning Chopped Champions compete in three rounds to see who gets to face Bobby. The three undefeated champs must make appetizers with camel meat and a strange sauce, and the level of difficulty in the entree round is off-the-charts. The one contender who survives to compete in the highly anticipated bonus round with Bobby has the advantage of making his or her own signature dish — but using ingredients from a Chopped basket!

Judges: Amanda Freitag, Alex Guarnaschelli, Chris Santos

Tune in to the Chopped: Beat Bobby Flay tournament on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 9|8c to see who will get the chance to battle Bobby.