Chopped Season 56, Episode 8: Gummy-Side Up

All-American Showdown: West

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?

42 min

All-American Showdown: North

In this preliminary battle of an elite five-part tournament, Northern chefs, from Detroit to Minnesota, face off to see who will rep their region in the $50,000 finale. In the appetizer round, the chefs must combine a sweet baked good with a strange paste. A certain style of pizza and a signature spud sound right up this group's alley, but the entrée basket is not easy, even for these seasoned pros. Cherries and chips are cheery inclusions in the dessert basket, but the final two contenders are all business rushing to do their best with their final plates.

42 min

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.

42 min

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.

42 min

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.

42 min

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

41 min

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

41 min

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

41 min

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

41 min

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

41 min

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.