Chopped Season 63, Episode 1: Hot and Hangry

Quail Tale

Four new chefs are thrown into the mix and find out fast what the Chopped kitchen is really like! When they feast their eyes on a hearty sandwich in the first basket, can they transform it into dainty, delicious appetizers? In the second round, the chefs must make creative, beautiful entrees with weird soda and quail. Finally, inside the last basket is duck bacon, which sounds like a dreamy ingredient, but putting it to great use in dessert may prove difficult

43 min

Superhero Chefs!

In this special competition, four superhero chefs with huge hearts and broad-reaching influence in their communities compete to see who can prevail in the Chopped kitchen. The judges are impressed with the speed and confidence shown in the appetizer round, as the chefs race to put together magnificent mussels dishes. The chefs' personalities and culinary points of view have a chance to shine in their skirt steak entrée plates. Then, in the dessert round, when one chef makes the mighty microwave a key part of the plan, will the shortcut prove pivotal to success?

43 min

Gnocchi Dokey

Say yes to the stress! Creativity and passion abound when a new group of chefs sign on for the chaotic cooking experience that is Chopped. The competitors aim to prove that they can roll with whatever they find in the appetizer basket, including gnocchi in a bread bowl. Bogus pork meets rabbit meat in the entrée basket, and a savory item and a sparkly treat are two of the ingredients the finalists must include in their desserts

43 min

Elk or Else!

Four new chefs battle to see if they have the chops to win Chopped. In the appetizer round, one competitor makes a risky choice to prepare a basket ingredient in two different ways. Will her dish be a hit or a flop? Then in the second round, the chefs are challenged to make excellent elk entrees in just 30 minutes, or else face elimination. Finally, ice cream nachos in the dessert basket seem whimsical, but the final half hour in the Chopped kitchen is not all fun and games for the final two chefs

43 min

No Kid Hungry

In this special competition, chefs with a deep understanding of food insecurity make meals with kids and families in mind, as they share their dishes and their stories about resilience and service.

42 min

Dough the Right Thing

Good first impressions are key! With no major tricks in the first basket, the chefs are left to create their own problems, as they attempt to piece together scrumptious meat and potato appetizers. Delicious duck dishes are a tall order in the entrée round in just 30 minutes. Then, in the dessert round, the chefs hesitate to make the obvious choice when they get a particular dough in the basket. Will their creativity pay off or trip them up?

42 min

Hawaiian Paradise

America's 50th state knows how to cook up a good time, as this culinary battle will prove! The fryer is a hot commodity in the appetizer round, creating dilemmas for the chefs who didn't get there first. Fish and seaweed in the entrée basket keep the island vibes going strong. In the dessert round, a canned meat product and a sweet purée are part of the culinary puzzle that the two finalists must solve.

43 min

In Cod We Trust?

The judges are eager to taste the chefs' cod filet appetizers, but the super-short first round proves to be a challenge for some of the competitors. Cottage cheese and an unusual Chinese snack food are two of the ingredients that the chefs must incorporate into their entrée plates. Then, a colorful cake and a fruity sauce must find their way into the finalists' desserts

Seoul Searching

Four chefs with a deep love and passion for Korean food compete to see who will make a champion-caliber meal. In the first round of this "Seoul searching" battle, the competitors get creative with a canned fish and a citrus compote. Two popular Korean proteins are part of the puzzle in the entrée round. When the two finalists move on to the dessert round, they must make smart use of a pink liquid and a savory Korean street food