Actor and Food Network superfan Ben Rappaport teams up with Chopped judge Amanda Freitag for an extra special behind-the-scenes episode. Things get personal when two people who know Bobby Flay better than anyone -- culinary producer Katie Renda and culinary stylist Richmond Flores -- try to beat their boss!
Sebastien Rouxel recently joined Stephen Starr Restaurant Group as corporate pastry chef to oversee current properties as well as new ones in the works. Prior to this, Sebastien served as executive pastry chef for the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group for 15 years, overseeing all aspects of the pastry department for the group’s 11 establishments: The French Laundry, Per Se and Ad Hoc, as well as the Bouchon Bistros and Bouchon Bakery outposts in Yountville, Las Vegas, New York City and Los Angeles. Rouxel joined the organization in 1999 as pastry chef at The French Laundry in Yountville, California, where he quickly became known for creating dessert menus with unusual flavor combinations designed to perfectly complement Keller’s distinctive cuisine. Rouxel relocated to New York City for the opening of Per Se in 2004, and was tapped once again for the opening of Bouchon Bakeries New York city in 2006 and 2011. Rouxel grew up in the Loire Valley of France, and began his culinary education at a very early age. At the young age of 16, he was in training as a savory cook at Les Jardins de la Forge a Michelin one-star in Champtoceaux.(France). Realizing that patisserie was his true interest, Rouxel took an internship at Le Peché Mignon in Nantes, where he experienced an intensive training, and earned his Mastery Diploma.By age 20, Rouxel, for his military duty, was appointed pastry chef at the Palais de L'Elysée, the house of the President of France. Afterwards, went on to become pastry chef at the Michelin two-star restaurant Le Grand Véfour inside the Palais Royal in Paris. In 1996, Rouxel came to the United States and worked at L'Orangerie Restaurant in Los Angeles and at Lutèce in New York before beginning his long-standing culinary relationship with Thomas Keller.In 2005, he was named a “Rising Starchef” by Star Chef Magazine.In 2006 and again in 2008, Pastry Art and Design Magazine declared him one of the “Top Ten Best Pastry Chefs in America.” Sebastien is the co-author of Bouchon Bakery, a #1 New York Times Bestseller. Sebastien's Book:Bouchon Bakery (2012)
The judges grapple with how to chop champions when four talented winners return to the Chopped Kitchen for a shot at $50,000. In the first basket, the chefs face a delicacy from the sea. A fancy sauce and a plain vanilla treat are two of the ingredients in the mix in round two, and a giant, chocolaty surprise awaits the chefs who make it to the dessert round.
For GGG's 3rd annual April Fools' special in honor of legendary chef and prankster Carl "The Cuban" Ruiz, Guy Fieri has invited a bunch of Carl's all-star friends to Flavortown Market for a night of epic food and twisted pranks. The four chefs get one hour to prepare a spicy appetizer and an even spicier entree that will make judges sweat their pants off! Guy gives the chefs a generous budget to make their meals but then forces them to bid for the privilege to shop their favorite aisle. The chef who survives Guy's pranks and cooks the best food gets the last laugh -- their name engraved on the April Fools' winner plaque and the chance to win up to $20,000! Plus, someone is getting dunked -- literally -- in the most outrageous April Fools' twist ever.
It's four chefs, one family, in a Chopped first when a mother, father, daughter and son who run a restaurant together compete to see who will become the Chopped Champion. The family opens up the first basket to find a flatbread and a strong citrus. Then with three family members left in the entree round, there is fish to de-bone and tofu to flavor. The last two chefs proudly fight for the title as they create desserts using lobster tail pastries and cinnamon chips.