Episode
Chopped: All-American Showdown: West
Overview
Renowned chefs from across America have been invited to compete in a five-part tournament extravaganza. In this preliminary battle, four culinary greats from the West face off, starting with an appetizer basket that includes a prized fish and a popular pepper. In the entree round, the chefs must get creative with a San Francisco specialty. Then, when a dough in the dessert basket inspires the chefs to take very similar approaches with their final dishes, will the judges be able to taste the differences between the two plates?
Details
- Series
- Chopped
- Season
- Season 56
- Episode
- Episode 1
- Air date
- 2023-07-11
- Runtime
- 42 min
Episode context
All-American Showdown: West is Episode 1 in Season 56 of Chopped. It aired on 2023-07-11. The runtime is 42 min.
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More episodes from this season
Episode 3: All-American Showdown: South
Elite chefs from four regions of America bring their best to a five-part tournament to try to put themselves on the map as Chopped champions and score $50,000. In this battle, four Southern chefs open the appetizer basket and find some hearty comfort foods to inspire them to lean into their culinary roots. A famous soul-food duo is a fun, if challenging, surprise in the entree basket, and when the last two chefs find plenty of sweet Southern goodness in the final basket, the judges hope for flavorful, creative desserts.
Episode 4: All-American Showdown: East
Elite chefs from the East compete in this preliminary battle to see who can rep their region of the US to win $50,000 while becoming the Grand Champion of the All-American Showdown. In the appetizer basket, a signature dish from the Keystone State must be combined with a Big Apple cocktail. New England pride is on display in the entree basket, and when it's time to make dessert, the two remaining Eastern chefs scramble to make use of scrapple. The winner will face champions from the West, North and South in the finale.
Episode 5: All-American Showdown: Finale
Returning winners from all corners of the US -- North, South, East and West -- are back to see who can conquer all and win $50,000! In the appetiser round, not everyone is thrilled to see the cut of lamb that they must incorporate into their dishes.
Episode 6: Oh My Squash!
In the appetiser round, the competitors ramp up the creativity with a peanut butter product to try to give the judges plates they won't forget. Then in the entrée round, all three chefs run for the grill pans after seeing the protein in the basket
Episode 7: Burger: Impossible
Four chefs who are obsessed with burger mastery compete to see who will reign supreme; the grinders get a workout with magnificent, premium beef appetizers, epic lamb burgers for the main course, and challenging sweet burgers for the dessert round
Episode 8: Gummy-Side Up
Four chefs hope for a sweet start as they open their appetizer baskets to find a green gummy shocker that is sure to keep them on edge as they try to show off their skills. The big question for the competitors in the entrée round is how to deal with the veal. Then, in the dessert round, a classic Chopped conundrum: when both chefs want to get into the ice cream machine, which one will get there first?!
Episode 9: Beef Knuckle Down
Do you want kimchi fries with that? When the chefs get fried potatoes topped with Korean chile powder in the appetizer basket, the judges could be in for some fusion confusion or satisfying first plates. The competitors find a versatile and lean cut of meat in the entrée basket: beef knuckle. Then, a strange pizza and a rich nut are two of the mandatory items for the last two chefs in the dessert round
Episode 10: Mouth of the South
Southern hospitality at its yummy best! Four chefs who hail from down South aim to up their games against talented peers, all dreaming of the title of Chopped champ. The judges love the appetizer basket, which includes a questionable take on fried chicken, but they worry that the Southern chefs need to pick up the pace to get their dishes plated in time. Then, the chefs must get creative with a casserole in the entrée basket. In the dessert round, when one of the chefs grabs the puffed pastry from the pantry, it's uncertain whether there will be enough time to cook it through
Episode 11: Halloween Spooktacular
It's Halloween in the Chopped kitchen, and the basket goblins have been hard at work finding ingredients that are positively spooky. In the first round, the competitors struggle to wrap their heads around a "pasta brain," and ambitious plans go awry in the second round when trying to make something glorious out of something gross. Then in the third round, some tasty syringes may be the shot the finalists need to ace their dessert plates
Episode 12: Friendsgiving
Celebrating the trendy tradition of hosting a Friendsgiving meal, four teams of best buddies compete to make a Thanksgiving feast. Cooperation will be key as good pals set out to show that their bonds can withstand the pressure that comes from one of the toughest cooking competitions around. Mayhem ensues with eight chefs in the kitchen in the first round, as everyone tries to make the most of an iffy canned product. A thematically appropriate and totally weird hot dog is part of the entrée round puzzle, and a pumpkin pie-flavored drink in the dessert basket is a sweet surprise for the two remaining teams of friends.