Chopped Teen Tournament, Season 2: Part 4 Highlights

13 year old Olivia Neumark works on her appetizer that must include: spicy Italian sausage, white asparagus, habanero peppers and soup dumplings for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Delicate Handling

"I am familiar with white asparagus," Olivia says, deciding to bake the basket ingredient, which she says is a delicacy in her mom's native Germany. Using the spicy Italian sausage in the basket, she makes a ragu. But feeling she's missing a component, she cooks rice noodles to add to her dishes; she almost forgets to plate the asparagus.

16 year old Justin Ballenger works on his appetizer that must include: spicy Italian sausage, white asparagus, habanero peppers and soup dumplings for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Hot, Hot, Hot, Cold

"I love habanero peppers," Justin says of the basket ingredient he's pureeing with olive oil to add to his sausage mixture, which will top his crostini along with an asparagus mayo. He burns the first batch of crostini in the oven, so he tries it again on the stovetop. "It gave me chills," Scott Conant tells Justin of his asparagus sauce.

15 year old Veronica Seguin works on her appetizer that must include: spicy Italian sausage, white asparagus, habanero peppers and soup dumplings for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Souped-Up Tacos

"I use only the outside of the dumpling because I don't want Asian flavors in my Mexican dish," Veronica says of the soup dumplings, a basket ingredient, which she's using in her tacos. But she runs out of time to toast the tortillas. "I can't call it a taco if there's no tortilla," she says, deciding to use them anyway.

15 year old Danny Ganzman works on his appetizer that must include: spicy Italian sausage, white asparagus, habanero peppers and soup dumplings for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Taking a Risk on Rice

"I didn't come to Chopped to make tacos or crostini," says Danny, hoping to show off his skills with a risotto, a risk he thinks is worth taking. Danny finds "there's something missing" in his rice, so he adds golden raisins for sweetness. "The presentations sucks," he says after he plates.

Teens: 15 year old Danny Ganzman, 15 year old Veronica Seguin, 16 year old Justin Ballenger and 13 year old Olivia Neumark stand before Chopped host Ted Allen and judges: Scott Conant, Alex Guarnaschelli and Chris Santos to defend their appetizers that must have included: spicy Italian sausage, white asparagus, habanero peppers and soup dumplings for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Going Big or Going Home

"You have done none of what I think should be done," Alex Guarnaschelli tells Olivia about her white asparagus, but Alex loves it. The noodles, however, she finds out of place. "I really wish you would have toasted that tortilla," Scott tells Veronica. "I think the golden raisins are great," Alex tells Danny. But Chris Santos points out a true risotto is creamy. The judges chop Danny.

Chopped host Ted Allen checks in on 15 year old Veronica Seguin as she works on her entree that must include: veal chops, heirloom tomatoes, glazed donuts and swiss chard for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Pounding Out a New Direction

"After Round 1 I'm feeling pretty good," Veronica says. She tells Ted that she's pounding the entree basket's veal chops for a veal Parmesan after having lost one chop to the floor. "My plan for the doughnuts is to grind them up as breadcrumbs," she explains of the glazed doughnuts in the basket.

13 year old Olivia Neumark as she works on her entree that must include: veal chops, heirloom tomatoes, glazed donuts and swiss chard for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Anxiety Running High

Greatly intimidated by being the youngest of the competitors, Olivia is made even more nervous when Ted comes by, hovering over her station. "I know how to cut," she says when Ted tries to coach her in knife skills. She crumbles the doughnuts into her Swiss chard, another basket ingredient.

Chopped judges: Scott Conant, Alex Guarnaschelli and Chris Santos and host Ted Allen react to watching the teens cook during the entree round for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Help from the Sidelines

"Justin, you're running out of time, brother," Scott shouts, jumping out of his seat as time is getting incredibly close to being called. "You might want to take those veals off the bone," he directs Justin. "There seems to be, like, this tornado happening in Justin's world," Chris adds.

16 year old Justin Ballenger as he works on his entree that must include: veal chops, heirloom tomatoes, glazed donuts and swiss chard for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Time Is of the Essence

"This meat is taking me so long that I'm just getting around to my heirloom tomatoes," Justin says, worried about his final basket ingredient, which he cuts up at the last minute to use as a topping for his dish. "Move quickly," Scott yells as he sees Justin motionlessly contemplating his plates.

Teens: 15 year old Veronica Seguin, 16 year old Justin Ballenger and 13 year old Olivia Neumark stand before Chopped host Ted Allen and judges: Scott Conant, Alex Guarnaschelli and Chris Santos moments before finding out which teens will move on to the next round and which teen has been Chopped for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

Photo: David Lang ©

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Done In by a Repeated Mistake

"They never would have been cooked," Scott tells Justin, referring to the veal chops on the bone. "Mine are raw," Chris butts in. "I think you figured out the basket," Scott tells Veronica, although the other judges find it too salty. Alex points out Olivia's same flaw from the previous round: She fails to plate the components together. She's chopped before the dessert round.

15 year old Veronica Seguin works on her dessert that must include: flame grapes, peanut and caramel candy bar, greek yogurt and mango nectar for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

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The Dessert Diva

"Cake it is," says Veronica, immediately inspired to start baking. She uses both the Greek yogurt and peanut-and-caramel candy bars from the basket in her batter. "She's not measuring," Alex notices, which concerns the judges, but Veronica hopes it impresses them more, and if that doesn't, she's also making ice cream.

Chopped host Ted Allen checks in on 16 year old Justin Ballenger as he works on his dessert that must include: flame grapes, peanut and caramel candy bar, greek yogurt and mango nectar for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

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Two Options for Success or Failure

Deciding to make cheesecake, Justin uses the mango nectar from the basket to flavor it. And using the basket's Flame grapes, he creates a fruit topping. "I'm looking around and seeing what can I do for a plan B," says Justin, realizing his cheesecakes aren't done. He grabs puff pastry to fill with his cooked fruit.

15 year old Veronica Seguin and 16 year old Justin Ballenger stand before Chopped host Ted Allen and judges: Scott Conant, Alex Guarnaschelli and Chris Santos moments before finding out which teen has been chopped and which teen has become a Chopped Champion and won the last spot in the $25000 tournament for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

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It Could Be Anyone Going Home

"Normally when we get one we're happy," Scott tells Veronica, impressed she both baked and made ice cream. Chris thinks she could have strained the grape skins from the sauce. "It's really great," Alex tells Justin. Besides saying "awesome," Chris is speechless. Scott points out the puff pastry is undercooked, but Alex loves the cheesecake.

15 year old Veronica Seguin is congratulated by Chopped host Ted Allen and judges: Scott Conant, Alex Guarnaschelli and Chris Santos after becoming a Chopped Champion and won the last spot in the $25000 tournament for Chopped Teen Week $25,000 tournament, as seen on Food Network's Chopped, Season 25.

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The Part 4 Champion

"I think Justin's food was more flavorful, but Veronica figured out the puzzles better," Chris tells his fellow judges, who decide to send Justin to the chopping block. Ted announces that Veronica is the winner, and she earns the final spot in the finale. "I am so thankful that I even made it to the last round," Veronica tells them.

More Teen Tournament

Visit the Teen Tournament page to find out more on the competition, browse photo galleries and watch video highlights. Plus, hear from the Teen Tournament winners.