Chopped Battle Italiano 17 Photos
Italian enthusiasts like Scott, Alex and Gabe are saying "Ciao!" to 16 chefs who are set to compete in this Italian-themed tournament.
Un-Choppable
Inside the Competition
The Exclusive Look 9 Photos
Get a behind-the-scenes peek into the making of Chopped.
The Best of After Hours 61 Photos
From top moments to crazy mishaps, see what happens.
Judge Exclusives
Best Reactions 36 Photos
As dramatic battles unfold, the judges can't hold back.
Loving Their Jobs 11 Photos
Each judge reveals a favorite thing about the show.
Chopped Cookbook
Get the book with recipes inspired by the show's mystery basket ingredients.
Episodes
See Episode GuideTaco Throwdown
Crunchy or soft, minimalist or filled to the max, it's taco time! The chefs are tasked with making tacos that are worth ten thousand bucks. A beverage is in the first basket, as well as a seafood surprise. Meaty tacos are in the works for the entree round, but can the competitors find a place on their plates for a squirmy shocker? Then, spicy dessert tacos sound delicious in the final round, however, time management issues become a problem after both chefs decide to make tortillas from scratch.
Battle Italiano: Emilia-Romagna
Four chefs get to the heart of Italian cuisine as they explore the incredible influence that the robust Emilia-Romagna region has on the culinary world. A slithery surprise and a frozen favorite challenge the chefs in the appetizer round, and those who make it to the entrée round have very different ideas for their veal and mushroom dishes. Then, the two competitors who remain for the dessert round endeavor to represent themselves and their region!
Battle Italiano: Emilia-Romagna
Four chefs get to the heart of Italian cuisine as they explore the incredible influence that the robust Emilia-Romagna region has on the culinary world. A slithery surprise and a frozen favorite challenge the chefs in the appetizer round, and those who make it to the entrée round have very different ideas for their veal and mushroom dishes. Then, the two competitors who remain for the dessert round endeavor to represent themselves and their region!
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.
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.
Thanks, Mom!
To honor the wonderful women who raised them right, four famous Food Network cooks -- Ted Allen, Jeff Mauro, Jet Tila and Chris Santos -- compete with their moms! In the first round, the mother/son teams strive to manage their time and to carefully crack quail eggs. A large fish and some lovely lemons make up part of the second basket. Then, the final two family duos must find sweet ways to use blood oranges and walnuts.
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.
Noodle-palooza
Nothing's better than noodles! Four chefs who specialize in all things noodles compete in a delicious battle to see who can take a food that's loved the whole world over and make it out of this world. In the first round, a spicy surprise in the basket means the chefs' noodle appetizers might come with a kick. Something canned and something freeze-dried challenges the chefs in the entrée round, and an extra special coffee makes an appearance in the dessert round.
A Taste of China
Four talented chefs are thrilled to compete in a battle celebrating Chinese cuisine! When an item in the first basket prompts the chefs to make very similar appetizer plates, the cooks scramble to distinguish themselves. In the entrée round, the judges are happy when the chefs take the opportunity to showcase their unique styles, but they must still send someone's salmon plate to the chopping block. In the end, the final two competitors find noodles and a cool candy in the dessert basket.
Battle Italiano: Veneto
In a celebration of foods from the Veneto region of Italy, famous for its hearty yet elegant cuisine, the chefs showcase what they know about making amazing Venetian dishes. A strikingly strange ingredient in the first basket threatens to throw them off their game, while using polenta to best effect in a half-hour entree round is a tremendous task. After two ambitious chefs set out to leave an impression with their pear and cheese desserts, the judges will have to decide who has secured a spot in the Battle Italiano finale!
Too Yacht to Handle
Chefs who usually hit the high seas by cooking on yachts battle on dry land, trading their sea legs for a topsy-turvy experience in the Chopped kitchen! Predictably, the chefs get seafood in the first basket, but proverbial rough waters in the appetizer round make for a rocky start to the competition. Creativity abounds from the chefs as they make entrées, but the judges find some technical issues with the plates. Then, it's a tight race in the dessert round as the chefs seek to make incredible final dishes with a strange butter and a tropical cocktail.
Too Yacht to Handle
Chefs who usually hit the high seas by cooking on yachts battle on dry land, trading their sea legs for a topsy-turvy experience in the Chopped kitchen! Predictably, the chefs get seafood in the first basket, but proverbial rough waters in the appetizer round make for a rocky start to the competition. Creativity abounds from the chefs as they make entrées, but the judges find some technical issues with the plates. Then, it's a tight race in the dessert round as the chefs seek to make incredible final dishes with a strange butter and a tropical cocktail.
Battle Italiano: Veneto
In a celebration of foods from the Veneto region of Italy, famous for its hearty yet elegant cuisine, the chefs showcase what they know about making amazing Venetian dishes. A strikingly strange ingredient in the first basket threatens to throw them off their game, while using polenta to best effect in a half-hour entree round is a tremendous task. After two ambitious chefs set out to leave an impression with their pear and cheese desserts, the judges will have to decide who has secured a spot in the Battle Italiano finale!
Claws Out!
Ready? Set? Crack those claws! In the first round, the chefs hustle to procure enough crab meat to make their appetizers. Then, a strange dip in the second round is a big part of the entrée challenge, and the final round is filled with plenty of fun when the basket includes mocktails and fruit balls.
Battle Italiano: Veneto
In a celebration of foods from the Veneto region of Italy, famous for its hearty yet elegant cuisine, the chefs showcase what they know about making amazing Venetian dishes. A strikingly strange ingredient in the first basket threatens to throw them off their game, while using polenta to best effect in a half-hour entree round is a tremendous task. After two ambitious chefs set out to leave an impression with their pear and cheese desserts, the judges will have to decide who has secured a spot in the Battle Italiano finale!
Claws Out!
Ready? Set? Crack those claws! In the first round, the chefs hustle to procure enough crab meat to make their appetizers. Then, a strange dip in the second round is a big part of the entrée challenge, and the final round is filled with plenty of fun when the basket includes mocktails and fruit balls.
Battle Italiano: Veneto
In a celebration of foods from the Veneto region of Italy, famous for its hearty yet elegant cuisine, the chefs showcase what they know about making amazing Venetian dishes. A strikingly strange ingredient in the first basket threatens to throw them off their game, while using polenta to best effect in a half-hour entree round is a tremendous task. After two ambitious chefs set out to leave an impression with their pear and cheese desserts, the judges will have to decide who has secured a spot in the Battle Italiano finale!
Battle Italiano: Veneto
In a celebration of foods from the Veneto region of Italy, famous for its hearty yet elegant cuisine, the chefs showcase what they know about making amazing Venetian dishes. A strikingly strange ingredient in the first basket threatens to throw them off their game, while using polenta to best effect in a half-hour entree round is a tremendous task. After two ambitious chefs set out to leave an impression with their pear and cheese desserts, the judges will have to decide who has secured a spot in the Battle Italiano finale!
Burger: Impossible
Bring on the burger battle! Four chefs who are obsessed with burger mastery compete to see who will reign supreme. The grinders are going strong from the start as the chefs race to make magnificent appetizer burgers using premium beef before setting their sights on epic lamb burgers for the main. As if making sweet burgers for dessert wasn't challenging enough, one chef ups the level of difficulty by breaking a critical piece of kitchen equipment.
Casino Royale: Battle 1
Chopped is always a gamble, but the Casino Royale tournament takes it to another level. The competitors are given the chance to replace basket ingredients with new ones by the roll of the dice. In this first preliminary battle, something slithery is in the original basket, and a Vegas-themed item in round two isn't a big hit with the chefs. When a chef runs into some bad luck in round three, he doesn't seem phased, but will his bold moves with the ice cream machine result in good flavor? The winner moves on the tournament's finale!
Casino Royale: Battle 2
In the second battle of this special Chopped tournament, the chefs get to gamble for a chance to replace a basket ingredient, and the fish offal in the first basket is begging to be gambled away. In round two, all the remaining chefs have a different least-favorite basket ingredient, and more gambling in round three leads to serious drama. The winner of this preliminary battle advances to the finale, where $25,000 -- or more! -- will be at stake.
Casino Royale: Battle 3
Roll the dice and change your fate! In this third battle of the Casino Royale tournament, the chefs can gamble to get lucky or unlucky replacement basket ingredients, and the appetizer basket reveals a notoriously challenging ingredient. Will everyone opt to swap it out? In round two, the chefs are second guessing their choices when they have bad luck with an ingredient. Then, the remaining two chefs in the final round decide to take a chance by baking something. The winner of this battle scores a seat in the Casino Royale finale!
Casino Royale: Battle 4
In the fourth battle of the Casino Royale tournament, chefs, once again, get to try their luck at replacement basket ingredients, if they dare. When nobody decides to ditch a strange pizza in the appetizer basket, only time will tell if that was a wise move. Before the entree round, a roll of the dice gives one chef two proteins that he must cook, but is there enough time? Then, an interesting gamble and some uncooperative puffed pastry keep things exciting in the final round, and the judges face a difficult decision in selecting the chef who deserves to move on to the finale.
Casino Royale: Finale
Four winners return to Chopped's Casino Royale, gunning for the jackpot and the title of grand champion! As in the prelim battles, the chefs will have a choice to gamble away an ingredient before each round, and the $25,000 jackpot will get higher or lower depending on the champs' good or bad fortune. The appetizer round is a frenzy of excitement, as the competitors race to raise the bar and deliver the flavor. Nobody wants to swap out the beautiful rack of lamb in the entree basket, but the level of intensity is sky-high as the intoxicating possibility of a finale win sinks in. It all leads up to the final rolls and the final cooking round! Who will leave the casino with a huge jackpot and an even bigger sense of accomplishment?
Battle Italiano: Puglia
Four chefs get inspired by Italy's "olive oil capital" as they create coastal cuisine from Puglia. In the appetizer round, a chef's mistake causes a big stink in the kitchen -- literally, and an imposing protein takes up a lot of space in the entrée basket. In the dessert round, a tough basket that includes cactus creates a prickly situation for the final two chefs.
Make No "Misteak"
Baskets open, minds churning! In the first round, a trendy pastry in the basket inspires debate, and as the clock ticks down, the judges worry that not all of the chefs are on pace to finish their appetizers. Getting steaks in the second round seems like a gift, but cooking them perfectly is not a gimme. Then in the final round, the chefs must figure out how to make a hybrid comfort food go with a savory frozen item.
