Hawaiian, Italian and Texas State Fair families compete to win a life-changing $10,000 for their restaurant. In the first round, Valerie Bertinelli challenges the teams to make a deep-fried family favorite using proteins that are frozen solid. Then the remaining two families have to use bacon in three totally different applications and blow away judges Alex Guarnaschelli, Antonia Lofaso and Simon Majumdar.
Anthony Anderson heads to the Got to Be NC Festival in Raleigh, N.C. for some Southern-fried carnival goodness. He tickles his taste buds with everything from redneck egg rolls to the most intense bacon-wrapped deep-fried dessert this side of the Mississippi. After his belly has settled, he tries his hand at the lumberjack competition and bets the farm at the pig races.
Anthony Anderson is in Sacramento, Calif. for the county fair, where he finds cowboys aplenty and enough carnival treats to feed the whole Golden State. He dives into the deep end of carnival food with a burger with a "cheese skirt" and a bacon-topped cinnamon roll sundae. In between bites, he learns how to milk a cow and rides the most daring ride at the midway.
America's boardwalks are calling out to Curtis Stone and he heads to Venice Beach, Calif., Virginia Beach, Va., and Key West, Fla., to find the most delicious boardwalk bites. Whether it's a deep-fried hot dog wrapped in bacon, a crispy soft-shelled crab sandwich or melt-in-your-mouth chicken tacos, these dishes and more will have you wishing for a boardwalk vacation!
Noah Cappe hits the Hunt County Fair in Greenville, Texas, and makes short work of the Smoke Bomb and the French Toast Crunch Burger. But it's the Blue Bacon Cheesecake that really knocks him out. Then he's off to California, where the annual Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival has inspired sweet berry treats like the Pizza Berry Pie and the surprising Strawberry Crisp Corn Dog.
The chefs learn that their competition has a potato theme, with spuds of some kind in every basket! The chefs must incorporate two tater products into their Canadian bacon appetizers. In a wild round two, chili fries find their way to a blender and a whole potato finds its way to the deep fryer. Then, sweet potato pie meets toffee in the dessert basket.
In the first basket, the chefs are shocked to find that a certain fun food has been wrapped in bacon, and in round two, the three remaining competitors present pork and noodle dishes. Then, one of the final chefs looks very proud of a bold chance he took with his dessert, but will the judges agree that his final plate is both creative and delicious?
For the first time, four determined grannies face off in the Chopped Kitchen. In the appetizer basket they find a favorite grandma leftover: a coffee can of bacon grease. The three feisty grandmas who make it to the entree round must make meatloaf mix work with an aptly named cocktail. And the judges can't wait to get some grandmotherly love served up with their oatmeal desserts.
Big Daddy brings a touch of class to the kitchen today with his 'Easy Elegance' menu. First, he's making a delicious appetizer, Gnocchi with Peas & Bacon. Then, for the main course he's pulling out all the stops with a tangy Seared Black Bass complemented by a Warm Mushroom Salad. Finally, he finishes with a dessert that screams, 'Easy Elegance,' a rich Chocolate Ricotta Tiramisu!
The Neelys are taking you for a walk in Memphis that will make your mouth water. They start their stroll with a Grilled Halibut W/ BBQ Butter. Then it’s time for the perfect side: Black-Eyed Peas With Bacon and Pork, and a Crusty Cornbread that would be wonderful addition to any meal. And to finish this stroll off is a Grilled Watermelon Sundae.