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

Recaps by Chico Alexander, GSNN

Host Ted Allen
Creators Linda Lea
Michael Krupat
Dave Noll
EP Linda Lea
Dave Noll
Packager Notional Productions for Food Network
Origins Food Network Studios, New York City
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Yakety Yak, Yak, Yak
November 29

Another showdown against the clock, another showdown against the boxes, another showdown against each other, another showdown against the judges. It's a three-course free-for-all with $10,000 on the line to the winner.
 
Kate Lee Squibb
Portland, ME
sous chef, 158 Cafe
Vinson Petrillo
New York City
executive chef, Caviar Russe
Jill Nicolson
Torrington, CT
chef owner, Cuisine with Jill Nicolson
Nicholas Porcelli
New York City
executive chef, Shh New York

Tonight's judges...

- New Harlem Renaissance chef Marcus Samuelsson
- Dynamic American master Geoffrey Zakarian
- Modern Italian expert Scott Conant

Round 1: APPETIZER (20 minutes). The first box of the night has... wax beans, mandarin-quats, sardines, and rice cakes.

And time... starts .... *checks watch*... NOW!

Kate: Radicchio & Wax Bean Salad
Vinson: Mediterranean Rice Cake Bruschetta & Sardines
Jill: Cornmeal Crusted Sardines with Asian Sauce
Nicholas: Caesar Salad with Sardine Dressing

Mandarin-quats are, as the name suggests, a hybrid fruit of mandarin oranges and kumquats.

Kate's dish is a lot of fun, but there's no attention to detail. The rice cakes aren't crunchy, and the greens overwhelm the rest of the dish. Vinson's dish has four elements that do not add up to one total dish. He has to learn to calm down. Jill's starter has color and crunch, but the rice cake did not make it to the dish. Nicholas's salad was cooked well and dressed well, but the brown edges on the beans were not acceptable.

At least two chefs have named their starters the worst dish they've ever made in their life. At least one of them will make it to the next round. The first chef... to be chopped... is... JILL. Again, time is a factor and so was plating. EVERY ingredient has to be down at time.

Round 2: ENTREE (30 minutes). One down, two to go. Next on the menu... mangosteens, mustard greens, dried shrimp, and yak strip steaks.

Half an hour to make an entree happen.

Kate: Grilled Yak Stuffed with Mustard Greens and Shrimp
Vinson: Grilled Yak with Mustard Green Pesto
Nicholas: Seared Yak with Sauteed Mustard Greens

Yak is like a gift from the gods. It's tender, not tough, sweeter than beef, and chock full of protein. Also sweet: the dried shrimp and the mangosteens, which are incredibly hard to open, like a lychee.

Vinson incorporated an aioli. He uses the shrimp in three places, the greens in two, and the steak is cooked perfectly. Marcus calls it the biggest turnaround in the kitchen today. Nicholas used purple potatoes. The steak is seasoned perfectly, but he shied away from the mangosteen and the shrimp. He has good instincts and good flavors, but he could've taken it a lot further. Kate added rice noodles, incorporated with a lot of flavor. But she undercooks the potatoes that she adds. Again, a lot of fun in the dish, but we're left looking for the shrimp and the greens.

Vinson could've been saved by this course, but one chef will not be so lucky. The next chef... to be chopped... is... NICHOLAS. He just played it a little too safe.

Round 3: DESSERT (30 minutes). And this is where success pays. Kate and Vinson are now one basket away from $10,000. In said basket... black pepper crackers, plums, kefir, and chamomile flowers.

Good luck, chefs... and GO!

Kate: Chamomile and Kefir-Infused Pakora with Chamomile-Plum Reduction
Vinson: Chamomile and Kefir Custard with Vanilla French Toast

Kefir is liquid yogurt, basically. In Armenia, where Geoffrey comes from, it's a cooling drink. Plums are naturally balanced with sweetness and acidity.

Kate's dessert is easy to like, with its balance of sweetness, but there needed to be a little more. The flavor comes together, and it's a reflection of self. Another turnabout is in play as Vinson perfects his pudding, but he put in too much vinegar in his plum.

Vinson is a completely different person than he was when we started. The judges thought that nothing worked on his plate. On the other hand, Kate was consistently delicious, although a bit cumbersome at points. Two completely different styles of food, but someone's gotta be the winner, and someone's gotta be the loser.

The final chef... to be chopped... is... KATE! She brought joy and energy to the kitchen, but she was beaten by a better chef.

... and VINSON PETRILLO, who was near perfect in the last two rounds, rides that perfection to $10,000 and the title of Chopped Champion!

So who's next to bring it home? Find out next week when four more chefs compete in three more rounds. One of them will get paid. The others will 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