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Five-part tournament premieres Tuesday, April 25, on Food Network
From the front lines to the “Chopped” kitchen, 16 military chefs are ready to put their culinary skills to the test in the new five-part tournament, “Chopped: Military Salute,” hosted by Ted Allen and premiering Tuesday, April 25 (8 p.m.), on Food Network.
With precision, speed and persistence, chefs from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines will cook their hearts out in preliminary heats as they vie for the chance to compete in the final showdown. The chefs must bring their culinary arsenal as they showcase their cooking knowledge and techniques over three rounds – appetizer, entrée and dessert – while using the mandatory basket of mystery ingredients to create delicious dishes to impress a rotating panel of judges, including Air Force veteran Sunny Anderson, Scott Conant, Cliff Crooks, Alex Guarnaschelli and Marc Murphy.
Then, it’s a twist in the grand finale, as the finalists, each representing their branch of the military, join forces as a team to cook against a different “Chopped” judge in every round, including Eric Adjepong, Tiffani Faison and Amanda Freitag, for a chance to win up to $75,000 for a charitable cause and the title of “Chopped” champion. Commemorating this spectacular final showdown, a special VIP guest visits the “Chopped” kitchen to surprise and celebrate the competitors.
“ ‘Chopped’ is a battle of precision and skill and, in ‘Chopped: Military Salute,’ we celebrate the men and women who put their precision and skill to the test every day, and who have devoted their lives to their country,” said Betsy Ayala, head of content, food, Warner Bros. Discovery. “With increased stakes and a finale twist, this tournament will have the audience on the edge of their seats as the best of the best bring their passion, pride and prowess to the ‘Chopped’ kitchen.”
Over the course of the tournament, the chefs bring their fighting spirit and elite cooking techniques they have learned from traveling the world.
During the Marines preliminary battle, the competitors must figure out how to make something that’s normally, “ready to eat,” ready for the judges. Other episodes feature the Air Force chefs attempting to make delicious meals with a tangy sauce and a snappy vegetable, Navy chefs getting creative to make French fries work with pineapple, and Army competitors incorporating festive shakes into hopefully winning desserts.
Get a sneak peek each week at some of the mystery basket ingredients, learn the judges' ultimate tips and tricks for mastering the “Chopped” kitchen, and meet the new competitors at FoodNetwork.com/Chopped. Follow along with the competition on social media using #Chopped.