Chopped - Season 2 / Year 2010

In the Appetizer Round flower power rules as the contestants find ways to incorporate zucchini blossoms into their first dishes, and more than one of the chefs must explain major failures with the mystery ingredients. Then, watching from the sidelines in the Entrée Round, the judges are upset by how one chef disrespects the kitchen and an unusual ingredient, burdock root. And in the Dessert Round, the judges are intrigued to see fresh chickpeas in the mystery basket, while the chefs are inspired by family.

In this must-watch, unprecedented event four previous runners-up return to see who can save face and finally become the Chopped Champion. But in the Appetizer Round one chef makes a mistake with potatoes that is surprising for someone who has competed before, while another chef gets reprimanded for some questionable behavior. Then in the Entrée Round, problems with butchering bass lead one contestant to a creative cooking method. Will it work? And the two finalists are thrilled to make a triumphant return to the Dessert Round, where the mystery ingredients promote colorful presentations. No Chopped winner has ever been so happy to come out victorious!

The 20-minute clock is the chefs' worst enemy in the Appetizer Round, as they race to get chicken wings cooked in time. Then in the Entrée Round it looks like the chefs have caught a break with catfish in the basket, until hard-to-find pantry items and inadvisable spice combinations make things interesting. Then for the Dessert Round, cherries would be no problem. But try cherry tomatoes! The finalists laugh it off and courageously take on the toughest challenge of the competition.

When the chefs make some unusual choices in composing soft-shell crab appetizers, the judges give them a chance to defend their dishes or graciously accept criticism. And, digging into the entree plates, the judges are perplexed that two chefs had completely opposite problems with a challenging piece of meat. Then peppermint stick in the dessert basket has the chefs stuck.

The stoves are underutilized in the Appetizer Round as the chefs show their raw enthusiasm for oysters. Then the entrée dishes have the judges debating who successfully incorporated a funky-flavored fruit and whether good taste can trump drab presentation. And the two finalists know that so-so, miso desserts will not be good enough.

The chefs find themselves swimming against the tide when they have to combine fish with chocolate in the Appetizer Round. Then for the entrée course, the remaining contestants pull from their cultural backgrounds to work with a trendy root vegetable and an old favorite fruit. And in the Dessert Round, the judges ponder two big questions: What does violet mustard taste like? And which of these two passionate finalists deserves the win?

Hate it or love it, liver is the centerpiece of the appetizer dishes. And the first chef chopped expresses strong disappointment at the judges' decision. For the Entrée Round the contestants have some trouble with pasta sheets and an intensely flavored fish. How forgiving will the judges be? Then the finalists get a little "desert" in the Dessert Round, in the form of cactus pears, plus another mystery ingredient that is guaranteed to make their dishes pop.

Panic threatens to paralyze one of the competitors who is overwhelmed by first round jitters. As all the chefs fight to find imaginative ways to use ground turkey in their appetizers. Then in the Entrée Round, when one of the chefs uses a modern scientific technique to turn snap peas into a gel, will the high-tech food be highly rated by the judges? In the Dessert Round, tiny tomatoes and a giant egg make for one interesting and difficult final challenge.

Watch out, there is a big surprise in the appetizer basket! The chefs are shaking in their boots when they discover rattlesnake meat must be included in their first course. After finding another very unexpected ingredient in the Entrée Basket, and making a major mistake, one of the competitors makes an emotional plea at the Chopping Block. And when two finalists face off for the $10,000 prize, they attempt to make red-hot desserts out of red jalapeños.

Jump back! The chefs leap into the Appetizer Round to find frog legs in the first basket. Then, stumped by a fizzy Caribbean staple in the Entrée basket, the chefs struggle to make their dishes pop. In the end, with clementines and scotch in the dessert basket, the finalists have to douse flames to make it through a difficult final challenge.

Things get off to a rough start when three of the four chefs make a jumbo mistake with the jumbo shrimp in the appetizer basket. Then, in the entree round, an unusual cut of beef presents a challenge for the competitors, and the judges must consider whether a creative element on one chef's plate is executed well enough. When the last two chefs appear stumped by tofu skin in the dessert basket, will the judges be pleasantly surprised with the final product?

The chefs have to muscle through to come up with terrific mussels appetizers in just 20 minutes. Then in the Entrée Round, a humble breakfast food must be combined with a high-brow delicacy. And with a favorite childhood treat in the final mystery basket, the judges are expecting whimsical desserts, but will the chefs deliver?

The competitors get fired up when they discover this particular competition is all about grilling! Only to find some strange basket fellows in the Appetizer Round: striped bass and strawberries. In a smok'n Entrée Round the chefs try to glean ideas from one another on how to handle a tricky ingredient. And in the last course, a classic American food, perfect for the grill but peculiar in dessert, complicates the judges' final decision.

When time runs out on a frantic Appetizer Round, two of the chefs are unhappy with what did not make it on to their calf liver dishes in the final moments, while one chef is upset that a little something extra accidentally did. Then in the Entrée Round, it is up to the judges to determine who fell short with the long beans and whose cuttlefish was a cut above the rest. And the two finalists devise ambitious plans for using a salty condiment and a sweet fruit in their desserts.

When panic sets in at the end of the Appetizer Round, the judges cheer on a competitor who appears to be giving up on making a completed cookies and clam dish. Then in the rush to get a tantalizing venison entree finished, one chef makes a dangerous mistake. And even though they find peanuts in the dessert basket, the finalists know that they are competing for so much more. The two remaining chefs take the intensity level in the kitchen up a notch as they face off for $10,000.

A super bitter ingredient in the appetizer basket leaves the chefs in a quandary and the judges with a sour first impression. In the Entrée Round, filleting and cooking turbot correctly becomes key to the chefs' success. And when the two finalists come up with the same idea for their English muffin desserts, it's anybody's guess whose will taste better.

All eyes are on one very exuberant competitor in the appetizer round, as the judges are hoping that everyone's fresh pasta and half-sour pickle dishes are not half bad. And at the chopping block, one chef talks about overcoming some difficult personal obstacles in order to continue cooking as a career. Then in the entree round, a simple cut of meat causes more trouble than expected. Finally, in a dramatic dessert round, one of the finalists suffers an injury as he attempts to accomplish a "Chopped" first.

With mint liqueur and canned fish in the appetizer basket, the judges have concerns about how the first course will taste. Then in the Entrée Round, after raiding the pantry for a plethora of ingredients to complement lamb, one chef endeavors to prepare a very complicated sauce. And when the finalists find an unfamiliar grain in the dessert basket, they boldly present it as the main component in their desserts.

The ingredients in the appetizer basket get some of the chefs thinking about ballgame fare. Will they strike out, or hit one out of the park? In the Entrée Round, the competitors must marry shredded wheat crackers with an unusual fish. Then it is crunch time for the two remaining finalists, who attempt to make fantastic desserts with potato chips.

Rematch on! With pride at stake and determination in their eyes, four previously defeated competitors return to the Chopped kitchen to prove that they are not second-best, after all. As they set out to redeem themselves, the chefs are challenged by a tough cut of meat and a pungent English condiment in the appetizer basket. And the twenty-minute time limit coupled with some very eager chefs leads to a rowdy round. Then as they hustle to assemble the entrees, the chefs have to fight harder than ever to stay in the competition, but with cookies and fish in the basket, impressing the judges is no sure thing. And in the quest to finally become a Chopped Champion, blueberry jellybeans stand in the way of two very determined previous losers.

The judges are curious to see what is in store for them when one of the competitors breaks out the wok. And some of the chefs appear less than confident when they present the appetizers made using trout and white chocolate. Then, creativity abounds in the Entrée Round, when the chefs get a whole new set of mystery ingredients including whole coconuts. Alas, two Japanese ingredients appear in the dessert basket, and the judges hope the final course will be as impressive as the previous two.

There is chaos and confusion in the Appetizer Round as the chefs race to get their perch plated. Then in the Entrée Round, one chef is taken to task for undercooking meatballs, while another is left to explain how her plan for cheese crackers from the mystery basket went wrong. And the two remaining chefs go all out in the final round, after discovering hard candy and hard liquor in the Dessert Basket.

For the first time, four talented women set out to claim the title of Chopped Champion. But one chef's dream is squashed by her kabocha and sardines appetizer. In the entree round, when the chefs take too long getting the beef cooking, the judges worry that the food will not be ready to serve. In the end, when two super sweet childhood favorites appear in the dessert basket, will the final dishes leave the judges nostalgic or nauseous?

Bring on the Champions for the $50,000 prize! Four previous winners return to compete in the first leg of an extraordinary, five-part Chopped event. A repeat win will mean a berth in the Grand Finale competition with $50,000 at stake! But when the champs discover Rocky Mountain oysters in the appetizer basket, it looks like things might get off to a bumpy start. Then in the Entrée Round, when one chef seems overly worried about cooking fish and one chef makes a careless mistake with herbs, the judges wonder if the big money on the line is taking no small toll on the competitors' nerves. And when the finalists open the dessert baskets to find sticky candy bars and potatoes, creative ideas do come to mind, but will their sugary spuds be sweet gems or duds?

Ready to repeat?! Four new returning champs compete for one of the prized spots in the $50,000 Grand Finale fight. Feeling the pressure of this potentially life-changing opportunity, the chefs set off with record speed and exceptional confidence. But the judges must debate whose catfish appetizer will get one champ chopped. Then a frightening entrée basket, which includes alligator meat, has one of the chefs running scared. Will he let the gator get the best of him? And opening up the dessert basket, one of the finalists is thrilled to see a mystery ingredient that is a personal favorite. When the other chef is unfamiliar with the ingredient does present a problem and impact who wins?

Four previously unbeatable chefs compete to see who will win the chance to return to fight for $50,000! But in the Appetizer Round, will the sweetbreads be the not-so-sweet surprise that unhinges a proven champ? Then when the competitors find chicken in the entrée baskets, it seems like a cinch. That is until they spy the spiny seafood ingredient hidden in the basket too! And with pickles in the dessert basket, the judges wonder if the chefs will find themselves in a pickle when both finalists decide to bake.

One spot left!! Four returning champs compete to see who can secure the very last place in the Grand Finale champions' contest. With their minds on the $50,000 grand prize, the chefs open the appetizer baskets to find something fishy and something fizzy. Approaching the Chopping Block, the competitors know that serious errors in execution could mean the difference between moving on and going home after just one course. Then in the Entrée Round, will a gamy meat be a game-changer for the three remaining competitors? And when the two finalists find a Tex-Mex staple and a Thai condiment in the mystery basket, the judges must ultimately decide if the sweet fusion creations are championship caliber.

Who is the unstoppable, un-"choppable" champion? Four tenacious repeat winners fight it out for the three-peat and the biggest cash prize in Chopped history! Ready for anything, the chefs open the appetizer baskets to find an over-sized sea creature and a scoop-shop treat. Then a wild combination in the entrée basket makes an extremely intense round even more outrageously difficult. And when the two remaining champions find champagne in the mystery basket, just whose victory the judges will be toasting is the $50,000 question.

It is raining beer! One competitor shakes things up in the Appetizer Round when a sudsy spout of brew splashes over his cooking area. Then when a grain praised by an ancient civilization appears in the entrée basket, will the judges revere the food the way the chefs have prepared it? And with a global grab bag of ingredients in the dessert basket, it is a mystery what the chefs might decide to create.

Octopus attack! Given just 20 minutes to cook everyone's favorite cephalopod, the chefs scramble to get a leg up on the competition by drawing from their personal backgrounds. Then the competitors take a meat and potatoes approach to the Entrée Round when challenged to combine flake steak and granola bars. And when Japan meets Greece in the Dessert Round, the finalists find it a rocky culinary courtship. But they know that a successful food fusion marriage could unite the winner with a $10,000 check.

It's Halloween, Chopped style! The mystery baskets are filled with treats, and the trick is on the four brave competitors. In the appetizer round, the chefs labor to unite a disturbing combination of ingredients, including a very daunting piece of meat. Then, when the remaining chefs dare to go on to the entree round, they find themselves up against more super scary ingredients, but it is fear of the clock that causes the most serious problems. And just when they thought it was safe to go back in the kitchen ... jeepers creepers! The finalists are in for a stunner.

The chefs are asked to create a meal with Thanksgiving in mind. But will they be counting their blessings when they open the first mystery basket and see a lowly cheese spread? Then in the entree round, when the remaining chefs find a sweet scrumptious fall favorite and a bitter vegetable in the basket, they have to work hard to achieve harmonious holiday flavors. And with mushrooms and a Chinese condiment in the final basket, tradition goes out the window, but the door is open for some totally original desserts.

In honor of the holidays, the chefs are asked to keep with a seasonal theme. But gauging from the first basket, the competitors quickly learn they will need to veer from tradition. Gingerbread oysters, anyone? Things get kind of loosey-goosey in the entree round when the chefs must butcher a big bird and figure out what to do with a cloyingly sweet jarred fruit. When both finalists want to use the only microwave to speed things along in the Dessert Round, some holiday bickering ensues.