Another four chefs, another three baskets, and another $10,000 to the chef with the best menu.
 

Tina Aleandri Atlanta executive chef

Ben "Dr. Claw" Sargent Brooklyn, NY seafood chef

Elisabeth Weinberg New York City caterer

Jay Jones New York City caterer/event planner, Chateau Noir

You know the rules, and you know the lifelines. Let's meet the judges...

- American cuisine expert Geoffrey Zakarian
- Star executive chef Alex Guarnaschelli
- Latin chef & restaurateur Aaron Sanchez

Round 1: APPETIZER (20 minutes). On the menu today for round 1 are... lime pickle, red chard, baby octopus, and Tokyo scallion.

Who wants 20 minutes? I got'em. You got a dish?

Tina: Marinated Octopus with Sautéed Red Chard
Claw: Octocake with Tokyo Scallion
Elisabeth: Lime-Pickled Octopus Ragu
Jay: Octopus with Lime Pickle Relish

Already the girls are at a disadvantage: Tina is allergic to shellfish, and Elisabeth was brought up as an Orthodox Jew, meaning that she has never eaten it.

Tina's presentation is top notch, but her remoulade... not so much. Ben's dish is creative, and the flavors meld, but there's no octopus taste OR lime pickle essence. Elisabeth's octopus has the just-right acidity, BUT the flavor is monotonous. Jay's dish is pretty and flavorful, but there's no finish or crunch.

The first person... to be chopped... is... BEN. The dish was creative, BUT the execution was not there... as was the octopus.

Round 2: ENTREE (30 minutes). Who wants another box? Here we have.. ginger snaps, sweet potatoes, farina, and turbot.

... and time starts now.

Tina: Seared Turbot in Broth
Elisabeth: Gingersnap-Coated Turbot with Sweet Potato Latke
Jay: Gingerbread Turbot with Sweet Potato Crisps & Farina Cake

Elisabeth's latke needs to be halved (and cooked), and the fish needed to be doubled. Jay's dish is cooked well three times, but they needed a sauce... and white truffle oil wasn't it. Tina was the only competitor to use a stock, but where she fails... terminology.

The next person... to be chopped... is... JAY.

In the back room, we check on Yoanne's legs. Second degree burns. We'll follow up with that.

Round 3: DESSERT (30 minutes). This is for money. In the baskets for dessert... cactus pear, soft pretzels, farmhouse cheddar, and wheat beer.

We're 30 from a champion... Let's go!

Tina: Cactus Pear Sorbet with Beer Battered Pretzels
Elisabeth: Cactus Pear with Cheddar Shortcake

Tina's sorbet is a winner. The pretzel also wins. They didn't go well together, though. Elisabeth's dish was very smart with a creamy unctuousness. The plating left little to be desired.

Both chefs were stuck against the wall with ingredients that were out of their scope. Both worked with a limited amount of resources. So the question of who did more with less will be answered with a $10,000 check.

So who gets the money and who gets the chop?

The final chef... to be chopped... is...  TINA. She showed inspiration, but the dishes didn't work as a whole.

So Elisabeth's grandmother is smiling from above as her granddaughter is crowned Chopped champion with $10,000 to show for it.

NEXT time four more chefs are in the line at the Chopping Block, as one of them gets paid... and the other three get CHOPPED.

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