Chopped

- Season 15

(2013)

The chefs are alarmed to see an ingredient in the appetizer basket staring back at them. Later, a dangerous situation arises while entrées are being prepared; and desserts are made using yellow rice and persimmons.

Part 1 of 5. An "All-Stars" tournament begins with personalities from the Food Network and the Cooking Channel going head-to-head for their charities, when they encounter something fishy during the entrée round. Later, desserts are made using marshmallows.

Chopped fans choose the ingredients for this Viewers' Choice competition.

Part 2 of 5. An "All-Stars" tournament continues with chefs Elizabeth Falkner, Chuck Hughes, Gavin Kaysen and Richard Blais taking on mystery baskets that include sea bass and cream soda in the appetizer round, followed by oxtail and labneh for entrées.

The chefs open the first basket to find ingredients inspired by Australia.

Part 3 of 5. An "All-Stars" tournament continues with four Chopped (2007) judges (Scott Conant, Amanda Freitag, Alex Guarnaschelli and Marc Murphy) putting their cooking skills to the test, during an appetizing round that features diver scallops. Also: canned pizza sauce must be used in entrees.

Part 4 of 5. An "All-Stars" tournament continues with celebrities Judy Gold, Joey Fatone, Laila Ali and Johnny Weir competing. First, they are given vanilla cupcakes to transform into appetizers; and later, make entrees with ingredients that are crispy and jiggly. The final desserts round involves curry powder and peanut shaped candy.

A pre-grilled protein and a dried fruit must be used in appetizers; a chef deals with jitters during the entrée round; and curry desserts are presented to the judges before a winner is declared.

Conclusion. An "All-Stars" tournament ends with a chef winning $50,000 for their charity. But first, the appetizer round features a salty vegetable and fresh seafood. Also: entrees are prepared using cheddar-filled pretzels; and desserts are made with freeze-dried grapes and Marcona almonds. Judges: Aarón Sánchez, Geoffrey Zakarian and Marcus Samuelsson.

Talented moms, who aren't professional chefs, take on the Chopped Kitchen.

Four amateur chefs are tasked with using a sea creature in appetizers and are thrown for a loop by an unfamiliar tuber in the entrée round. Also: desserts must include crackers and red wine.

Black Forest bacon and prune juice are the first ingredients given to the chefs, tasked with the challenge of preparing dishes that represent breakfast, lunch and dinner in the Chopped Kitchen.

Hup, two, three - four chefs who have served in the Army or Navy compete. Included: the appetizer-course basket contains a freeze-dried surprise; and entrée ingredients consist of a large loaf, a chop of meat and a tough candy.

Four chefs with incredible weight-loss stories compete. They try to prepare healthy dishes for the judges, which proves challenging in the appetizer round, when they are faced with a fatty protein. Also: they must break down a fish.

The chefs are given pots of bubbling oil to create crispy, delish dishes. A deep-fried food must appear on each plate throughout the competition, beginning in the appetizer round when catfish is the main ingredient.

A new season of Chopped All-Stars begins April 7 at 9/8c on Food Network.

In the first round, the chefs discover various creative ways to combine peppers and pork. The judges wonder why one chef makes a strange, last-minute decision. Then in the entree round, they wrestle with a heart-stopping protein.