Last time on Chopped, four former Chopped Champions returned for another shot at $10,000. James Briscione outlasted them all to win that prize and is now a two-time champion. He can win another $10,000 tonight to bring his total to $30,000, but first, he'll have to face three more champions...
 

EINAT ADMONY orig. Israel chef & restaurateur, Taim Falafel & Smoothie Bar Israeli Won episode 1.4

GAVIN MILLS orig. UK sous chef British Won episode 1.12

PIPPA CALLAND central Pennsylvania chef & entrepreneur, Chef for Hire Farm Fresh Won episode 1.2

JAMES BRISCIONE New York City skateboarder & chef instructor at ICE in NYC American Cajun $20,000, two games

Tonight's judges...

- Latin cuisine authority Aaron Sanchez
- Esteemed executive chef Jody Williams
- Italian cookbook superscribe Scott Conant

Round 1: APPETIZER (20 minutes). First challenge has... cockles, kohlrabi, and pita bread

Twenty minutes... starting now.

Einat: Kohlrabi Broth with Steamed Cockles
Gavin: Steamed cockles with Crispy Pita Crumbs
Pippa: Cockle Zuppa with Cannellini Beans
James: Grilled Cockles with Kohlrabi Vinaigrette

The cockles smell like Long Island in the summertime. The pita needs to be toasted. Control these two elements and you could survive this round. Pippa still needs to figure out what she's going to do, while Einat needs to remember to wash the cockles before she decides to use them. And Gavin.. he needs to remember to put a pot underneath his colander. He just lost 90 percent of his liquid.

Pippa uses the pita bread to be the golden lustre of success.

Two minutes. Time to plate.

... and TIME. And all Pippa can say is damn, damn, damn. She forgot her bread crumbs. Not good. James thinks he has the best. Let's go to the Block.

Judges like what James did with the ingredient, but at the same time, it's a little dainty.

Pippa forgot her pita crumbs. Will the intense flavor of bacon and beans make up for it?

Gavin added apples to his slaw, keeping things simple and light. The many levels of flavor are amazing, but the slaw or cockle levels compound Jody.

Einat gets nailed by ...the spiciness of the mirin and pepper flakes. She dodges a bullet with the grit in the cockles that didn't get into the dishes.

So who delivered an appetizer of champions and who just delivered their ticket out of Chelsea Market? The first person... to be chopped... is... PIPPA. Her dish had a lot of soul, but there was plating inconsistencies that could not be overlooked.

Round 2: ENTREE (30 minutes). Three survivors, but the feeling of relief is overshadowed by the appearance of ground chicken, green tea leaves, mustard oil, and Braeburn apples.

Thirty on the clock... Get going!

Einat: Chicken Patties with Apple Chutney
Gavin: Spaghetti & Meatballs
James: Chicken Apple Sausage

The dish that Gavin is making is an ode to his wife. Aww, how nice. James grinds his tea leaves to season his chicken mixtures. Einat's tea is too bitter, so she adds honey. And her pan is not hot enough. Gavin feeds off of her panic.

James has added bourbon to the sausages, and it's all coming together. And Gavin makes another costly error with five minutes to go.

This is going to come down to the wire...

... and TIME. If it ain't on the plate, it ain't getting served.

Gavin's pasta... is actually linguini. But the English man did an Italian dish, but it was overcooked. The pasta was supposed to be a sponge.

Einat made a chicken kebab. She treats it as a kebab. No one finds green tea in their dish, but she brought out the sweetness of the apple.

James' sausages are very flavorful, and the salad adds a crispiness. Unfortunately, Aaron's dish is missing moisture. It's not missing one of James' hairs. Woops.

After a tough mystery basket will come a tough verdict. Will Einat's texture cost her, or will her spices outdo her opponents? James offered a little bit more in his dish, while Gavin was a little less creative...

The second person... to be chopped... is... GAVIN. They really appreciated his love note to his wife, but in the end, it was watery and almost devoid of flavor.

Round 3: ENTREE (30 minutes). It's the returning champion versus the underdog. And one more basket to glory. The ingredients... Chocolate wafers, Manchego cheese, passion fruit, and Goji berries.

Thirty on the clock... This is for money... MOVE!

Einat: Passion Fruit Cream on Chocolate Crumble
James: Napoleon of Cookies & Cream

The Manchego cheese is to Spain what Parmesan is to Italy. It's a hard cheese made of sheep's milk. Goji berries are Tibetan dried fruit that have a lot of healthy properties.

James is going crazy after having no idea as to what to do with the ingredients, while Einat is as calm as a cucumber, looking to add a little more spice to her dish.

But all in all, time is a big factor.

... and TIME. Someone's coming back next week.

Will the creme anglaise be the X factor in this dish? It's awesome.

Einat's color is sexy, and the ingredients work well.

The last time Einat was here, her competition handed her the title on a silver platter. If she wants to win today, it'll have to be at the foot of a two-time champion. James had a few technical missteps, but in the end, he embraced his challenge and the ingredients. Einat did the same thing, albeit in a different way. It was unconventional and at the same time, rather edgy.

This one could go either way.

The final person... to be chopped... is... JAMES! He's stopped at two and leaves with $20,000. He failed to extract all the necessary components of flavor, and his dishes lacked a lot of soul...

... Soul that Einat did have to win another $10,000, giving her total to $20,000. And she earned that money.

Einat will be back next week to defend her title against three more champions. And for the first time, three champions will be... CHOPPED. Stay tuned.

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.