Chopped Grill Masters, Season 2: Round 4 in Review

Chopped host Ted Allen with chefs: Ash Fulk, Angie Mar, Mike Davis and Phil Johnson, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

Photo: David Lang ©

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A Final Spot Up for Grabs

There's only one spot left in the finale for a chance to win $50,000, so the pressure is on Ash Fulk, Angie Mar, Mike Davis and Phil Johnson to deliver a winning three courses in this last preliminary round. First comes the appetizer basket, which contains spare ribs, rhubarb, fava beans and black-eyed pea cakes.

Chef Angie Mar working on her appetizer that must include: spare ribs, rhubarb, fava beans and black eyed pea cake, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Rookie Mistake

"This is my first competition," Angie reveals, "but I think I have the chops to win." She immediately seasons her ribs with only salt and takes them to the smoker. She utilizes the rhubarb for a mostarda and turns the black-eyed pea cakes into a sauce. But Scott Conant finds her ribs amiss, saying, "I think this needs just a little bit more love."

Chef Ash Fulk working on his appetizer that must include: spare ribs, rhubarb, fava beans and black eyed pea cake, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

Photo: David Lang ©

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The Yankee Goes Southern

"It's a shame to serve a spare rib without the rib in it," says Ash, deciding to grill them whole, although second-guessing himself the whole time. He decides to turn the black-eyed pea cakes into a Southern-inspired hoppin' John sauce. Although he's never competed before, Ash says, he's ready to show that "us Yankees know how to cook barbecue."

Chef Mike Davis working on his appetizer that must include: spare ribs, rhubarb, fava beans and black eyed pea cake, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

Photo: David Lang ©

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A Dish Dictated by Time

"I'm not sure what all these other ingredients are," says Mike, but he does recognize one important thing, the ribs, which he salts and peppers instead of making a rub. "I don't have time for that," he says. He plates slices of the rib meat on his grilled tortillas smeared with his black-eyed pea mash.

Chef Phil Johnson working on his appetizer that must include: spare ribs, rhubarb, fava beans and black eyed pea cake, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Plating Problems

"These ribs are scaring me a lot, because I'm worried about giving the judges some raw meat," Phil says as he hears there are only a few minutes left in the round. He decides to debone the ribs and plate chunks of meat over his bean salad. "I'm not that happy with my presentation," he says as time is called.

Chopped host Ted Allen and judges: Scott Conant, Amy Mills and Chris Santos discuss the chefs dishes, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Where's the Rub?

"To me it's a little sloppy, presentationwise," Chris Santos tells Phil of his dishes, which also didn't have enough meat. "You don't have that back note of spices," Scott says, which he finds in Mike's dish. And Amy Mills comments she's missing his famous spices. She also finds Angie's pork lacking in seasoning. The only chef who had good seasoning on his ribs is Ash. The judges decide to chop Phil.

Chef Mike Davis works on his entree that must include: Monchong (fish) ramps, macadamia nuts and galia melon, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Second Chance for Rub Redemption

"I'm going to make the rub," Mike says, taking note of the judges' comments from the previous round. "This one's going to be good." As soon as the round starts, he's not wasting time, filleting the monchong from the basket, seasoning it with his rub and grilling it. But with the basket's Galia melon, all he does is chop it up to create what he says is a "bed for everything to rest on."

Chef Angie Mar works on her entree that must include: Monchong (fish) ramps, macadamia nuts and galia melon, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Seasoning with Smoky Vengeance

"Last round the judges thought I didn't have enough seasoning on my protein, so this time I'm going to go right to the edge," says Angie, making sure the fish is salted well before it goes in the smoker. She's turning the macadamia nuts from the basket into a puree, adding honey and olive oil, but Chris finds it unpalatable.

Chopped host Ted Allen checks in on chef Ash Fulk while he works on his entree that must include: Monchong (fish) ramps, macadamia nuts and galia melon, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Straddling the Line with a Punch of Flavor

"I'm the only chef here that straddles the restaurant and the barbecue side," says Ash, hoping it's to his advantage. He decides to transform the ramps and the macadamia nuts from the basket into a pesto, but he worries its strong flavor is "going to hit the judges like a ton of bricks." And he's right, because he's chopped for it.

Chefs Mike Davis and Angie Mar face each other before Chopped host Ted Allen begins the dessert round, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Ready for a Dessert Duel

Angie and Mike make it to the final round. They'll have to utilize plums, halloumi cheese, poor man's toffee and white BBQ sauce in their desserts. "Mike has surprised me this entire competition," says Angie of her rival. "She spends her life inside a restaurant seeing it all go on," Mike says, feeling outdone by Angie's experience.

Chef Angie Mar works on her dessert that must include: plums, halloumi cheese, poor mans toffee and white bbq sauce, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

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Savoring a Surprise

"If anything is just a dead giveaway, I'd be a little bit bored," says Angie of the basket's difficulty level. She again decides to utilize the smoker, this time for the plums; she brings even more savoriness to the basket by making a pancetta caramel, but it doesn't come together, so she combines the pancetta with the poor man's toffee for a crumble.

Chef Mike Davis works on his dessert that must include: plums, halloumi cheese, poor mans toffee and white bbq sauce, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

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Savory Sauce Gone Wrong

Although Mike's familiar with the white BBQ sauce, he says "it shouldn't be in this dessert basket." He ends up blending it with the halloumi, along with milk and sour cream, to create a sauce for his grilled plums. But he thinks his presentation is a train wreck once he compares his finished plates to Angie's.

Chefs Mike Davis and Angie Mar stand before Chopped host Ted Allen and judges: Scott Conant, Amy Mills and Chris Santos to defend their desserts that must include: plums, halloumi cheese, poor mans toffee and white bbq sauce, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

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Showdown: Savory vs. Sweet

"Do you think that this is a dessert?" Scott asks Angie. She defends herself by saying, "I actually like really savory desserts." Chris finds her crumble too big and too sweet. "Believe me, it's a surprise too," says Mike, poking fun at his dish's title, Plum Surprise. Amy says Mike's presentation "doesn't do justice to all the ingredients," and Chris doesn't like the sauce. The judges decide to chop Mike.

Watch the Highlight

Chef Angie Mar stands before Chopped host Ted Allen and judges: Scott Conant, Amy Mills and Chris Santos moments after finding out she has become a Chopped Champion as secured a spot in the $50,000 finale, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Grill Masters Special.

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Round 4 Champion

"You've grilled your way into the grand finale," Ted Allen tells Angie, who earns the fourth and final spot in the fifth installment for a chance to leave with a prize of $50,000. "I feel great," says Angie. "I definitely think I have the chops to win."