Four new chefs battle to see if they have the chops to win Chopped. In the appetizer round, one competitor makes a risky choice to prepare a basket ingredient in two different ways. Will her dish be a hit or a flop? Then in the second round, the chefs are challenged to make excellent elk entrees in just 30 minutes, or else face elimination. Finally, ice cream nachos in the dessert basket seem whimsical, but the final half hour in the Chopped kitchen is not all fun and games for the final two chefs.
This trip, Guy Fieri's diving into next-level barbecue fusion, the freshest catch and more! Texas meets Ethiopia at a Dallas-area barbecue joint, where they're cookin' up pork ribs with awaze glaze, the-bomb berbere mac, and big-time brisket injera nachos. There's farm-and-boat-to-table with a West Coast influence in Naples, Fla., plating gangster grouper ceviche and a gluten-free twist on beignets. Then, it's scratch-made Mexican in Atlanta from a second-generation chef, serving craveable carnitas and a fully loaded barbacoa tortilla sandwich.
Let's Eat is celebrating everyone's favorite food group: carbs! Brandi Milloy kicks things off with a sweet and gooey Pull-Apart Confetti Cake, and Vivian Chan shares a tip for cutting perfectly even cake layers. Jamika Pessoa adds a satisfying crunch to Crispy Egg Noodle Wrapped Shrimp, and Stuart O'Keeffe combines two guilty pleasures for his decadent Pasta and Potato Pierogi Lasagna. Later, Vivian stops by FryGuys to check out the Frycano, a three-tier tower of fries, and Brandi piles the toppings on her Nacho French Fries.
Baker Ashley Foxen takes food artistry to new heights with her lookalike cupcakes that are both sweet and clever. For a New York bagel company celebrating its six-month anniversary, she replicates their iconic bagel sandwich in cupcake form. Then, a Long Island fire department wants to honor its volunteers with custom cupcakes that resemble a full-blown barbecue. Finally, Ashley and her baking team are tasked by NY Islander Johnny Boychuk with creating cupcakes that look like popcorn, nachos and beer for Military Appreciation Night at the hockey game.
The Kitchen crew shares comforting and classic bar food recipes to recreate at home. Kicking things off with apps, Sunny Anderson creates Easy Loaded Nacho Skins, and Jeff Mauro fries Beer Battered Italian Mozza Balls. Then, Alex Guarnaschelli whips up a delectable Santa Fe-Style Burger with Cheesy Sauce and Fresh Chiles, while Katie Lee Biegel makes an indulgent Caramel Apple Bread Pudding. Plus, Geoffrey Zakarian pairs up some favorite pub drinks and snacks: Pilsner with Asiago Garlic Cheese Twists, Old Fashioned with Spiced Mixed Nuts and Citrus Marinated Olives.
Six previous Holiday Baking Championship winners step back into the kitchen for a new competition judged by Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Lorraine Pascale. Competitors Maeve Rochford, Jason Smith, Jen Barney, Jordan Pilarski, Nacho Aguirre and Michelle Antonishek bring their very best for a shot at a second Holiday Baking Champion title. In the pre-heat, the bakers are teamed up to turn the lightest of all pastries -- pate a choux -- into eclair holiday light strings. For the main heat, the teams take on the metallic trend with stunning monochromatic gold and silver Christmas cakes.
Ham on the Street gets back to nature—as George goes camping. The comforts of home hit the trail as George uses his gas powered blender to froth up smoothies for some surprised hikers. George's campsite neighbors test their jerky-tasting skills in a dehydrating game of Name That Meat. Then it's George's twist on an American camping classic, Nachos S’Mores. Finally, George organizes a farewell feast for his fellow campers--featuring beans that have simmered all day in an underground beanhole, and his open-fire orange cinnamon rolls for dessert.
Everything tastes better when it's eaten outside, and Food Paradise is here to fulfill your al fresco appetite. At Saltwater Cowboys in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, watch the shrimp boats come in while chowing down on BBQ pork trashcan nachos. Denver's Los Chingones serves up sky-high chimichangas with rooftop views of the Mile High City. Pub food goes Cali cool with al pastor fries on the lawn of Golden Road Brewing, and Austin's Easy Tiger Bake Shop and Beer Garden is serving up a venison cheddar hotlink by the cool creek.