Celebrity Chopped! Four V.I.P chefs compete to see who can claim a spot in the All-Stars finale for a chance at winning $50,000 for their favorite charitable organization. The other competitors hope that a famous pastry chef will get tripped up in one of the first two rounds and fail to make it to dessert. And when one of the other chefs makes a very original choice with the fresh pasta sheets in the appetizer basket, it is clear that these stars will be pushing the limits of creativity. Then, in the entree course, a big fish and some little crackers are mandatory, and the chefs are extraordinarily focused. And with a Mexican sugar and a Chinese spice in the dessert basket, the all-stars must think globally if they want to win decisively.
Born in Hiroshima, Japan, Iron Chef Japanese Masaharu Morimoto trained in a sushi restaurant before moving to the U.S. in 1985 at the age of 30. After working in several restaurants, he joined the highly acclaimed Nobu restaurant in New York City.
Morimoto polished his craft in New York's melting pot and became a state-of-the-art world chef. His cutting-edge cuisine attracted the attention of Iron Chef producers, who invited him to become a Japanese Iron Chef. His skill, which outshines the trademark diamond stud in his left ear, has been recognized all around the world. While his cooking has Japanese roots, it's actually "global cooking" for the 21st century. His unique fusion cuisine takes advantage of Japanese color combinations and aromas and uses Chinese spices and simple Italian ingredients, while maintaining a refined French style of presentation.
"Cooking is entertainment," proclaims the revolutionary. Morimoto's attitude is evident in his dishes, which retain a sense of fun and a bit of spice.
Morimoto opened his own restaurant, Morimoto, in Philadelphia in 2002 and a second one in New York City in 2006.
Andrew Zimmern joins the crowds looking for lunch before hitting the sand and surf at a food truck rally in Huntington Beach, Calif., a town rightfully dubbed Surf City, USA. He meets two young college buddies who traded in their corporate jobs in New York City to open their Chinese-inspired food truck, Mad Dumplings. Their funky menu includes dumplings stuffed with fried chicken and longanisa sausage. Andrew is also intrigued by El Governador, a family-owned taco truck that claims to make the best shrimp tacos in Orange County. Then he visits the bright red Tumaca Truck, a Spanish sandwich and tapas truck run by a French husband and Spanish wife who are serious about the ingredients in their Serrano ham sandwiches, croquetas ibericas and more. Finally, Andrew rewards one deserving culinary dreamer with a $10,000 tip and a Food Network seal of approval.