In a special event series, 16 chefs will face-off over five episodes to win Alton Brown’s challenge in the series that premieres in October 2017. Ted Allen hosts the edge-of-your-seat competition as Alton influences the mystery baskets and demonstrates the science of some of the ingredients throughout the tournament.
Chopped – Alton’s Challenge Cast
Premiering Tuesday, October 10, four competitors face off in each episode to create unique and delicious dishes over three rounds – appetizer, entrée, dessert – utilizing the mystery ingredients with a theme.
Chopped – Alton’s Challenge
Host: Ted Allen
Judges: Alton Brown,
NetworK: Food Network
Release Date: October 10, 2017, 10 PM
Grand Prize: $50,000
Chopped Alton’s Challenge Format
Over the course of the tournament the chefs are put to the test with challenges that tap into the science of cooking and the physics of food, with each winner from the four preliminary heats competing in the finale.
Alton’s Challenge, Part 1
Alton Brown is taking over the Chopped Kitchen for an epic, five-part tournament! To kick off the appetizer basket, Alton demonstrates the mad science of champagne and the competitors embrace a fermentation theme. A strange, stringy Japanese specialty is the talk of the entrée round, and an unusual cake inspires some unusual choices in the dessert round.
Judges: Alton Brown, Amanda Freitag, Alex Guarnaschelli
Competitors: Michael Nelson, Regan Reik, Jason Rodriguez, Kashi Smith
Alton’s Challenge, Part 2 – 17th October 2017
On a quest for $50,000, four new, bold chefs take on the Alton’s Challenge baskets. The first four chefs bravely take on his challenge, where Alton demonstrates the science behind smoking foods, and the chefs are encouraged to infuse every dish with smoky flavor. Tiny radishes and a strange savory cookie are in the mix for the appetizer basket. Alton then whips up a signature smoked item for the second basket, and an exotic drink is the smoky component in the dessert basket.
Judges: Hugh Acheson, Alton Brown, Maneet Chauhan
Competitors: Jamal Bland, Jessica Chaney, Leah Gourlie, Gavin Jobe
Alton’s Challenge, Part 3
Dried and true! In this third Alton’s Challenge battle, there’s a dehydration theme for the baskets and Alton demonstrates a home hack that makes removing moisture from food a breeze. The first basket has the chefs making quick use of instant mashed potatoes. Then, an Alton specialty is one of the mandatory ingredients for the entrée round. In the dessert basket, diabolical ingredients have the chefs scrambling to make dehydrated eggs work in their final plates.
Judges: Alton Brown, Amanda Freitag, Marcus Samuelsson
Competitors: Ben Bebenroth, Vinnie Cimino, Lisa Pucci Delgado, Nick Wallace
Alton’s Challenge, Part 4
Modern magic! Four new chefs explore the wonders of molecular gastronomy in Alton’s Challenge battle. Making a powder from a fat and clearing up the problem with transparent ravioli are some of the struggles in the appetizer basket. In the entrée round, the chefs get lamb cooked via a modernist method and some new age noodles. And a “cake” that looks like a drop of water — and tastes like one too — gives the last pair of chefs a perplexing puzzle to solve for dessert.
Judges: Alton Brown, Wylie Dufresne, Amanda Freitag
Competitors: Andrea Anom, Louis Goral, Chris Holland, Tiffany Schleigh
Alton’s Challenge, Grand Finale – 7th November
Expect the ultimate in brainy, zany baskets from Alton Brown, as four Challenge champions return to battle it out for $50,000! Ingredients harken back to the themes of preliminary battles: molecular gastronomy, smoke, dehydration, and fermentation. In the appetizer basket, a small fish and a strange condiment puzzle the champs. A stunningly-presented protein and a jar of something stinky are in the entrée basket, and Alton makes a grand entrance in the dessert round to demonstrate the science of one of the ingredients, before an unprecedented turn of events unfolds.
Judges: Alton Brown, Alex Guarnaschelli, George Mendes
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