Host Giada DeLaurentiis says "Howdy" to the perfect food-filled weekend in one of the hippest cities in the Lone Star State, Austin, Texas. From a two-stepping steak night to famous barbecue, Giada tastes a dreamy creamy ice cream, a Bat-tini cocktail and the best spicy breakfast in a "hip-zip" neighborhood.
With two spots left in the $50,000 Ultimate Champions Grand Finale, the Chopped Kitchen welcomes back four incredible cooking heroes -- two firefighters, a police officer and an army vet. In the appetizer round, the hero champs must get creative in order to make savory dishes with pineapple and fruit and nut bars. Then in the entree round, the champs find some lovely stalks of spring garlic in the basket, as well as some beautiful lamb chops. And an unpleasantly purple ingredient that the cooks must work into a dessert makes for a challenging last round.
This is it! The $50,000 Chopped Champions Grand Finale! Only one two-time champ can become a "three-peater" and claim the prize. The chefs think they've caught a break when they find catfish in the first basket, but will the cherry soda sink them? Then, in the entree round, the chefs face a little pig, as they fight for the big money. And the ingredients in the dessert basket seem surprisingly simple. But as the two remaining champs push themselves to make a dish to clinch the win, they take some risky chances.
In the grand finale of the Chopped Champions tournament, four two-time winners stride into the kitchen with their eyes on the big prize: $50,000! Some fresh surprises and a baked good challenge the champs in the first round. Then after saying goodbye to the first chef, the competition takes a slimy turn with sea snails in the basket. And with expectations and pressure sky-high, what will the two chefs who have managed to make it through nine rounds of cooking manage to do with carrot juice and honeycomb for dessert?
Emeril Lagasse stops by to make a holiday Rack of Lamb with Apple Mint Puree, then take holiday parties up a notch with Katie Lee's Christmas Tree Cheese Ball and Marcela Valladolid's Snowman Cheese Ball. Plus, two ways to serve ham for the holidays, the quickest tricks to create a classic Yule Log Cake, and new tips on how to decorate a store-bought gingerbread house. Geoffrey Zakarian warms everyone up with Peppermint Hot Chocolate while carolers amp up the holiday spirit!
Mentioned in this episode:
Holiday Cheese Balls
Gingerbread House
Yule Log Hacks
This protein- and fiber-packed salmon dinner for two is cooked all in one sheet pan. The veggies get a head start, then the salmon fillets join in so everything finishes at the same time.