Thanks for visiting!

GSNN Primes
Chopped
Food
10p ET Tuesdays

SS Monday SS Tuesday SS Wednesday SS Thursday SS Friday SS Weekend SS Archives Primes Lineup About Us
InSites On the Buzzer Numbers Game State of Play WLTI Block Party Video Wall Replay News Archive Contact
Previous Episodes
January 13
January 20
January 27
February 3

 

Four chefs will create a three course dinner... with one chef eliminated after each course.


Recaps by Chico Alexander, GSNN

FACT FILE:
Host:
Ted Allen
Creators/EP:
Linda Lea, Michael Krupat, Dave Noll

Packager: City Lights Television for Food Network
Origin: Food Network Studios, New York City
Website: foodnetwork.com/chopped 
 
Airs: Tuesdays at 10p ET on Food Network

In High-Definition Where AvailableStreaming Online
 

Copyright Statement
ALL ORIGINAL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1999-2009 GAMESHOWNEWSNET.COM. All rights reserved.

No infringement of copyright is intended by these fan pages; production companies of shows this site covers retain all rights to the sounds, images, and information contained herein. Copyrighted material appearing on this site constitutes fair use, and no challenge to copyright is implied. 

Web design by Jason Elliott. Logo by Chico Alexander. 

Powered by 1&1 Internet

Yucca/Watermelon/Tortilla
February 10

The clock is set, the Chopping Block is cleaned, and four chefs are ready...

ED WITT
New York City
executive chef & wine director,
Bloomingdale Road
JOSH EMMET
orig. Hamilton, New Zealand
chef de cuisine, Ramsey
JOHN KELLER
orig. Baltimore
personal chef
ANDREA BERGQUIST
New York City
dancer & executive chef

The rules are simple. You're given a mélange of random theme ingredients that must be used in that dish. You have 30 minutes of cooking time. After each course, the plate will be judged on creativity, presentation, and above all, taste. The chef whose plate scores the lowest after each course will be "chopped". The last chef standing wins $10,000.

Tonight's judges...

- chef/owner Marc Murphy
- executive chef Alex Guarnaschelli
- creator of dynamic American cuisine Geoffrey Zakarian.

Round 1: APPETIZER. Ted gives each player watermelon, canned sardines, pepper jack cheese, and zucchini.... and 20 minutes to prepare THIS course, instead of the standard 30.

Time starts ... NOW.

Ed: Watermelon Zucchini Salad
Josh: Mediterranean Salad with Watermelon Salsa
John: Watermelon Zucchini Pasta Salad
Andrea: Caramelized Watermelon Zucchini Confit

Seems like this round is no problem. Josh has a game face on like no one's business. eEd needs something to make his salad pop. HE goes with black olives. John has no idea where to take this dish. He doesn't have time for two different presentations.

And... TIME! These are the plates that will go to the judges.

Ed's dish is colorful and the flavors are distinct. Alex wanted a little acidic bite. Josh's presentation wins early marks, but the flavor is a little too delicate. The portion's also a little dainty. Geoffrey thinks that John went above and beyond the call of duty with a zucchini pasta, but is worries that the tender moment might've been a little ruined. The confit from Andrea is a little too thick for the plate, but otherwise is delicious.

So who's going to get chopped early, as we have four very competitive dishes?

The first person to be chopped... is... JOHN. The dish was creative, but it fell apart on the execution.

Round 2: ENTREE. New basket has... beef shoulder, yucca, raisins, ancho chiles, and dill pickles.

Thirty minutes... starts now!

Ed: Yucca Puree with Raisin-Braised Beef Shoulder
Josh: Roasted Beef and Vegetables with Raisin Yucca Puree
Andrea: Steak, Bacon & Eggs with Raisin Chili Gastrique and Yucca

Beef shoulder in Ed's kitchen drops the floor... and he picks it back up without rinsing. That could cost him. Andrea gives the judges some egg. That'll really win some points. Ed is trying to fry pickles, fry steak, and not fry his chances at $10,000. Josh, meanwhile, is impressed by his competitors. He doesn't waste a second...

... and he's out of seconds. Entrees to the Block.

Josh's dish is beautiful, but it's missing fireworks. It's a bit safe. Andrea really went out there, but the yucca was just plain and simple. Ed's fried pickle wins raves, but his dropping beef on the floor could prove to be a dealbreaker.

Did Ed just poison his shot at $10,000?

The next person to be chopped... is... ANDREA. It was a hard decision, but the second course never lived up to the hype of the first. Andrea calls it a letdown.

Round 3: DESSERT. In the final fun basket... Flour tortilla, prosecco, Canadian bacon, and roasted chestnuts.

This is for the money... Get going!

Ed: (Chestnut Quesadilla with Prosecco and Ginger) Sabayon with Whipped Cream (& Chestnut Caramel Syrup)
Josh: Pain Perdu with Chestnut Mousse

Josh thinks that he's got the edge having worked as a pastry chef. Ed, though, has a game plan and some maple syrup. He is in the zone here.

And TIME. It's sloppy presentation vs. straight-forward. Let's go to the Chopping Block.

Ed's idea is brilliant, but the technical errors outweigh. The sabayon's weak and the quesadilla is chewy. Josh is elegant and refined, but Josh's pain perdu needed to be a little more crusty.

All of the ingredients reminded Josh of Christmas. Will it be a Merry Christmas for him, or was Ed a little radical enough throughout the whole dinner to win the cash?

The final person... to be chopped... is... ED. The complete meal, while delicious and innovative, just had too many technical flaws.

Ed's got a bright future in front of him, but in the end, it's all about this moment right now, and right now, Josh Emmet can go back to his restaurant and call himself a $10,000 Chopped Champion.

Next week, four more chefs and another $10,000 to be won if you can avoid being... chopped.

To see this episode in its entirety, or to apply to be a contestant on "Chopped", visit the official website at www.foodnetwork.com/chopped