Chopped All-Stars, Season 4: Part 1 in Review

Chefs: Eric Greenspan, Madison Cowan, Brian Malarkey and Art Smith work on their appetizers that must include: smoked pork tails, Culantro, Natto and clamsfor Chopped $75,000 charity All-Stars competition, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 24.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Cooking by Southern Persuasion

Using smoked pork tails, cilantro, natto and clams, the chefs are challenged to create an appetizer in 20 minutes. "My secret strategy is to put a little Southern in every dish," says Art. "They eat everything except the squeal," he explains about the region, so he's not afraid to cook with the pork tails.

Chef Brian Malarkey works on his appetizer that must include: smoked pork tails, Culantro, Natto and clamsfor Chopped $75,000 charity All-Stars competition, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 24.

Photo: David Lang ©

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A Game of Hide-and-Don't-Seek

"That natto — I can't get it out of my mouth," says Brian, who tasted the fermented soybeans for the first time. "Get me a toothbrush, please!" He decides to "stomp [it] out of existence" by pureeing it with canned chipotle. "I would have never gone there," says Amanda. The other chefs find the natto just as difficult.

Chefs (R-L): Eric Greenspan, Madison Cowan, Brian Malarkey and Art Smith stand before Chopped host Ted Allen and judges: Scott Conant, Maneet Chauhan and Amanda Freitag who will judge their appetizers that must have included: smoked pork tails, Culantro, Natto and clamsfor Chopped $75,000 charity All-Stars competition, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 24.

Photo: David Lang ©

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How Much Is Too Much?

"It's such an explosion of flavors," says Maneet upon tasting Madison's pho. The only chef familiar with natto, Madison was able to "tamp down the funkiness," as Amanda says. Conversely, the judges find it noticable in the dishes from Eric and Brian, whose chipotle puree was "overpowering," which led to his being chopped.

Chopped host Ted Allen checks in with chef Art Smith as he works on his entree that must include: shrimp skin, Hamachi, Pomelo and fresh green garlicfor Chopped $75,000 charity All-Stars competition, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 24.

Photo: David Lang ©

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An Entree with Attitude

Art butchers the basket ingredient hamachi, making sure to remove the bloodline, and crusts the fillets in shrimp skin and green garlic, two other required items. He segments a pomelo, the final basket ingredient, for a quinoa salad. "I'm from the South," he says. "We dress the salad ... we don't call it vinaigrette."

Chef Madison Cowan working on his entree that must include: shrimp skin, Hamachi, Pomelo and fresh green garlicfor Chopped $75,000 charity All-Stars competition, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 24.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Uncharacteristic Missteps

"I start plating, but I realize I didn't actually reduce the dashi shrimp skin sauce," says Madison, deciding to scrap the sauce at the last minute. Luckily, he's utilized the shrimp skin as a crust on his fish. "The bottom line is, I've had better days," says Madison, the former champion who now feels unlike himself.

Chef Eric Greenspan works on his entree that must include: shrimp skin, Hamachi, Pomelo and fresh green garlicfor Chopped $75,000 charity All-Stars competition, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 24.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Back in the Game

"I got my mojo working now," says Eric, who hopes this round will redeem him from that last dish, which nearly got him chopped. He oil-poaches the hamachi to keep it moist and turns the shrimp skin into a sauce with pomelo juice. Running around the kitchen, he says, "Inside I'm calm; outside I'm a maniac!"

Chefs: Eric Greenspan, Madison Cowan and Art Smith react to finding out which chefs will move on to the next round and which chef has been Choppedfor Chopped $75,000 charity All-Stars competition, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 24.

Photo: David Lang ©

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There's a First Time for Everything

"I don't think I've ever seen you stumble," Scott tells Madison after tasting his fish-and-chips dish. "This bloodline needed to be removed," he adds. Amanda points out that the dish is also overcooked. "I don't think I know how to take this walk, but I'm going to take it anyway," Madison says after he's chopped for the first time.

Chopped host Ted Allen checks in on chef Eric Greenspan as he works on his dessert that must include: Maple smoked Cheddar cheese, almond flour, mayonnaise and datesfor Chopped $75,000 charity All-Stars competition, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 24.

Photo: David Lang ©

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A Happy Coincidence

Seeing the basket ingredients of maple smoked cheddar cheese, almond flour, mayonnaise and dates has Eric riled up. "They were daring me to make a grilled cheese," says the well-known grilled cheese expert. "I'm stoked!" He's aware it's not a classic dessert, but thinks he can spin it as a cheese course.

Chef Art Smith working on his dessert that must include: Maple smoked Cheddar cheese, almond flour, mayonnaise and datesfor Chopped $75,000 charity All-Stars competition, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 24.

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Taking on Two of Chopped's Evils

"I am convinced I can bake a cake in 30 minutes," says Art, who's also decided to make ice cream. "God, make it work," he says, using the ice cream machine for the first time. "I'm trying to pretend I'm not sweating," he says, feeling the judges watching him as he hurriedly plates in the final five minutes.

Chefs Eric Greenspan and Art Smith stand before host Ted Allen and judges: Scott Conant, Maneet Chauhan and Amanda Freitag after finishing working on their desserts that must have included: Maple smoked Cheddar cheese, almond flour, mayonnaise and datesfor Chopped $75,000 charity All-Stars competition, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 24.

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Is It or Isn't It a Dessert?

"For me this was meant to be a cheese course," Eric responds to Amanda after she tells him she would have liked "a bunch of powdered sugar" on the grilled cheese sandwich. "I don't think there's enough cheese for a cheese course," Scott emphasizes. "You're already skirting the lines," he adds.

Chef Art Smith reacts to finding out he will move on to compete in the $75,000 charity competition finalfor Chopped $75,000 charity All-Stars competition, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 24.

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And the Chopped Champion Is ...

Art is declared the Chopped champion, earning the first spot in the finale for a chance at winning $75,000 for his charity, Reunion. "I'm in the finale," he says. "It's absolutely amazing!"