Chopped

- Season 36

(2018)

Luck is not on the competitors' side as they open the first basket to find not duck breast, but a more formidable foe: duck tongue. For the last two chefs battling in the dessert round, a peachy final basket is anything but easy.

The pastry expert competitors are making candy, cake and ice cream in this all-desserts challenge. They face three rounds of chocolate, but an unwelcome, squirmy invader in the first basket dampens their enthusiasm.

Four fit chefs take on the challenge to cook creative, healthy dishes that are big on flavor. They get a faux noodle and a fish fillet in round one, and the second round revolves around a diet drink and a protein-packed snack box.

The competitors are treated to high-end, top-dollar ingredients as they cook for new judge Martha Stewart.

The chefs find that every basket contains at least one indulgent ingredient. A savory cake is the showstopper in the entree round, and a puzzling dessert basket reveals something gummy and something over-the-top yummy.

The appetizer round prompts a couple of critical questions -- namely, what in the world is a narutomaki, and what are you supposed to do with it? The judges are astonished when one of the chefs takes an extremely unusual approach with the fish from the entrée basket that also includes caul fat. Finally, the last two chefs attempt to make scrumptious dishes in the dessert round with Swedish syrup and a classic cookie.

Four famous fry masters compete to move on to the $50,000 Gold Medal Games finale. The first basket is packed with a fair treat and a gamey meat, and the remaining competitors must roll with matcha powder in the dessert basket.

Four renowned chefs battle to prove that grilling is a "sport" worth cheering for, but only one can advance to the $50,000 Grand Finale. An uncooked pastry and a bone-in steak challenge the chefs in the appetizer round.

Four chefs who are speed demons in the kitchen are shocked to learn that every round is 5 minutes shorter than usual. They're burdened by some tedious prep work in round one as they battle for a spot in the $50,000 Grand Finale.

4 Chefs use their Baking Skills to win the Chopped Baking gold medal to advance to the finals. Chefs must focus their creativity on a grocery store breakfast dough and a lovely cut of lamb.

The Gold Medal Games champs return for a shot at the $50,000 prize. Their culinary skills are pushed to the limit with something grilled, something frightening, Indian snack food far far and champagne in an unusual form.

Everyone goes hog wild in the Chopped Kitchen as the chefs take on a pork-themed competition. A cut of heritage-breed pork is paired with a questionable canned product in the entree round, sending the chefs in creative directions.

The judges are excited by the prospect of beautiful octopus appetizers in the first round as the four chefs scramble to create dishes featuring mollusk morsels. The canned product in the second round threatens to throw the competitors off their game and leaves one chef in an unusual predicament. The two remaining chefs choose the same format for their Gorgonzola dolce desserts in the final round, leaving the judges to thoroughly compare the two dishes.