Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
TED: Four chefs, three courses...
Feeling the pressure, guys.
...only one chance to win.
Let's go.
The challenge -- create an unforgettable meal
from the mystery items hidden in these baskets...
...before time runs out.
Our distinguished panel of chefs will critique their work...
That is one of the worst things I've ever put in my mouth.
Brilliant and inspired.
TED: ...and one by one,
they must face the dreaded chopping block.
Who will win the $10,000 prize,
and who will be chopped?
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
There are so many amateur cooks around the country
just dying to get their claws
on the "Chopped" mystery baskets,
but how many of them are actually brave enough,
quick enough, or good enough to handle it?
We found four passionate amateurs
who think they're ready.
Let's meet them.
First up, Chef Rique Uresti.
RIQUE: I'm an amateur chef,
and I'm a spin instructor in New York City.
All right, let's do it.
When I'm not spinning, I cook and eat.
All right, guys. I hope you're hungry.
My cooking is definitely adventurous,
and I'm ready to unleash my culinary powers.
[ Chuckles ]
Tickle your taste buds because there's still another dish.
I love to play with my sweets and my salties
and my sours and my bitters.
And $10,000 would definitely pay for culinary school.
Oh, my God.
Cheers, everybody.
ALL: Cheers!
Next we have Melissa Campbell.
MELISSA: I'm from Los Angeles, California.
I am the training administrator at Teledyne Controls
and I am an amateur chef.
My favorite kind of cooking is a medieval feast.
How's it going?
MELISSA: I love history and that connection
to the Renaissance and the Middle Ages,
so I re-create the dishes mentioned in Shakespeare.
I think I can win "Chopped"
because I am an incredibly competitive person.
[ Crunch! ]
I'm coming to "Chopped"
so that I can get medieval on the competition.
ALL: Huzzah!
ALL: Huzzah!
Then there's Nate Echelberger.
Hallelujah!
I'm from Austin, Texas. I'm a pastor at Gateway Church.
You are the son of a kind, strong father.
We created this cooking team,
Ha ha!
We come together and we cook slow-cooked barbecue.
Come on, now!
I want to win "Chopped" for culinary glory,
for the people who believe in me.
My kids know me as The Flying Salmon.
It's this creature of mission and action.
And I cannot wait to be fully alive
and being able to yell, "Hallelujah,"
on the "Chopped" set.
ALL: Hallelujah!
Finally, we have Marisa Biaggi.
I am a senior content producer and strategist
at a large agency in New York City.
Looks really good.
My style of food is rooted in my Italian roots.
I grew up in New York City at these massive family feasts.
We would make bread pie, pasta.
I spent so much time making ravioli
with my grandmother.
I would love some.
When I have a party, it's 18 courses, 20 people.
I print menus.
We're going to have homemade pumpkin ravioli.
In my heart, I have as much passion for food
as a professional chef.
If I win $10,000,
I would make an investment in culinary school.
I think I could win "Chopped."
[ All cheering ]
TED: Even though you're not professionals,
we can't wait to see what you can do.
There are three rounds -- appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
Each course has its own basket of mystery ingredients,
and you must use every ingredient
in the basket in some way.
Also available to you, our pantry and fridge.
Each round is timed.
When the clock runs out,
our judges will critique your dishes
on presentation, taste, and creativity.
If your dish doesn't cut it, you will be chopped.
Amateurs, please open your baskets.
And we have...
As an amateur, I'm surprised that they're giving
such professional-level ingredients.
All I can think of is, "No idea!"
The appetizer round is just 20 minutes.
Time starts now.
[ Grunts ]
Behind!
There are so few fans who ever get to be on "Chopped".
I want to show everybody
that I am one of the best amateur cooks in the nation.
Come on, baby.
But scallops in the shell take time --
cleaning out the abductor muscle and the membrane
and rinsing off all of that sand.
Oh, this is not what they look like at the butcher.
Ew!
I'm going to sear the scallop in the guanciale
and then do a salad of the sprouts
with dragon fruit dressing.
I see Alex Guarnaschelli,
and I have to stifle the little fan girl,
"Oh, my God! Oh, my God! There she is!"
[ Giggles ]
And I realize the bar is now here.
[ Grunts ]
Judges, what an amazing opportunity for these cooks.
GEOFFREY: It must be shocking,
and I'm sure probably most of them haven't seen
a real sea scallop in the shell.
But they're not showing any sign of stress as of now.
I have no idea what I'm doing.
I've never cooked scallops, never eaten scallops,
never seen anyone cook or eat scallops.
But I look over at Marisa cracking them open.
So I think, "Okay, I'm gonna go ahead and crack these open."
Hallelujah!
Come on, baby.
Oh, shoot.
Already cut myself. Dang it!
He's going down.
I've got blood on the cutting board.
I just got to keep moving, keep moving.
This is where The Flying Salmon
has to continue to swim upstream.
All right, we're back. We're back. We're back.
I'm doing scallops en fuego -- scallops on fire.
Bring some heat for Aarón -- curry, turmeric, cumin.
I'm here to really inspire other amateur chefs.
Whoo!
RIQUE: I am definitely a nervous wreck.
The only thing that I'm really happy to see is the guanciale.
This I can do.
I almost want to kiss it.
All right.
My grandma said, "If you ever pick up a piece of meat
"and the white outdoes the red,
use it as a fat or cooking agent."
So, I'm making a guanciale seared scallop.
Ew.
I definitely have never seen one in a shell.
There's all this muck and crap.
Come on, papa.
I am an amateur chef,
but I definitely know how to put flavors together.
Nate, I don't hear a "hallelujah."
NATE: Whoo, hallelujah!
These things are messy!
Being in this "Chopped" kitchen is crazy pants.
Bonkers.
Because you represent
the majority of cooks in America.
Scallops are just meaty, and they're sweet,
and they're going to stand up to being treated as a crudo,
which is literally the Italian word for raw.
I start marinating the scallops
in apple cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil,
and let those sit.
I think I might possibly win.
Chefs, 10 minutes left on the clock.
Dragon fruit is something alien to me.
It looks like a Martian egg.
Mm! Tastes like nothing.
Okay, you know what? Salt, pepper, olive oil,
throw it in a pan, maybe get some crispiness.
All right.
There's absolutely nothing amateur about this basket.
[ Grunts ]
Being a chef doesn't necessarily make you a good competitor,
but I have a competitive streak
and I happen to be good at cooking.
But guanciale...
It comes from a pig.
I'm Jewish. I don't know what the heck it is.
Ugh!
I was raised Jewish,
so I never developed a taste for it,
but I have done pork for medieval feasts.
Reduce faster!
And seasoned pig jowl would have been a staple
in a medieval butcher.
So, I render out the fat and sauté the scallop in it.
Ugh!
All right, five minutes left on the clock, amateurs.
ALEX: I like the sunflower greens in this amateur basket --
extremely nutty, kind of creamy on the palate, rich.
NATE: I de-stem the sunflower sprouts
and then mix them with some arugula,
and I think I'm gonna make a dressing
of Sriracha, sesame oil, some soy sauce,
some balsamic vinegar.
Seeing the guanciale crisping up,
that's worthy of an hallelujah.
Nate, I think I need an "hallelujah."
Thank you.
I can use all the hallelujah I can get at this point
because I turn around and see the guanciale is burning...
That looks burnt.
[Bleep]
♪ Oh, holy Jesus ♪
...and it makes me really nervous.
I don't want to get chopped.
[ Clock ticking ]
MARISA: The guanciale I put in the pan is burned.
I'm so screwed.
My heart is pounding. I'm sweating.
This is, like, absolutely overwhelming. Okay.
However, I cut up some more guanciale,
render this fat out again,
and use the guanciale to cook the sunflower sprouts.
I'm really, really passionate about food.
I feel like I need to put out professional-looking dishes.
[Bleep] That is so disgusting.
It's nice to see these amateurs putting themselves out there
and really trying to take a crack at something
that's really for professionals, in all honesty.
Whoo! That's hot.
RIQUE: So, I'm blanching the sunflower sprouts
and I'm gonna put them in the pan with some butter.
MELISSA: They've given us all this luscious pork fat
Everything's good with butter.
You've got to be kidding me. There we go.
Sunflower sprouts are a nice, fresh element,
so I wanted to leave them kind of naked
and just put a little bit of a dressing on it
with the dragon fruit and bell peppers.
Behind.
And I want to blend this.
Blender, blender, blender, blender, blender.
GEOFFREY: Three minutes, guys.
Three minutes.
[ Grunts ]
[ Exhales sharply ]
Marinate the dragon fruit
in vinegar, ginger, sesame oil.
Then I slice the scallops really thinly to layer them.
♪ Calm and collected is the way ♪
I'm gonna save these.
I'm just gonna use these shells as plating utensils.
I'm going to place the dragon fruit,
then go for my scallop,
and I finish this with acid
to cut through that bacony smokiness.
NATE: Come on, baby. Come on.
I'm looking at these scallops.
I have no idea how long they take to cook.
And so I cut one open...
[ Groans ]
Wow.
I'm giving the judges a mouthful of sand and grit.
I'm looking up, and I'm wondering,
"Is there enough time right now to actually go clean them off?"
One minute left on the clock.
[ Laughs ] No. It's gonna go on.
Dang it!
You got to start plating or you're not gonna finish.
No. Not gonna have time to use that. Damn it!
I hear Geoffrey Zakarian and have a heart attack.
There's no way I can blend this sauce.
So I am literally squishing the dragon fruit with my hands,
praying I can put together a decent dressing.
[ Grunts ]
TED: All right, amateurs.
You wanted to compete here.
Yes. That proves I'm crazy.
9...8...7...
6...5...4...
3...2...1.
Time's up, folks. That's that.
MARISA: Whoo!
[ Sighs ]
RIQUE: All I see is a salad next to a scallop
and some salad next to a scallop,
and I'm thinking my dish looks totally different,
so this is gonna set me apart.
MELISSA: I made an adequate appetizer
but nothing really remarkable.
Honestly, I'm hoping someone screwed up
so that I don't get chopped.
NATE: I should have cleaned these scallops.
I still have a mouthful of grit.
Oh, uh...please, help me.
TED: You have arrived at the chopping block.
The first basket in this special amateurs' competition
contained dragon fruit...
guanciale...
sunflower sprouts...
and scallops in the shell.
Rique.
Chefs, what I have prepared for you
is a guanciale seared sun-dragon scallop.
I have never dealt with the shell before in my life,
so that was an experience for me.
ALEX: I think your presentation is beautiful.
It's something worthy of a professional chef.
Thank you.
AARóN: I like the richness
that you were able to create using the guanciale and butter.
But I'm kind of bummed that you blanched the sunflower sprouts
'cause that was an opportunity for texture.
Add something crunchy and crispy
that makes you want to go back for another bite.
And there is the abductor muscle left on,
which is not attractive, nor is it good to eat.
And did you do any preparation?
Yes, I went to Italy, Spain, and France
and ate my way through the entire European continent.
Next we have Melissa.
Hi. I have prepared a guanciale seared scallop
with some sunflower sprouts in a dragon fruit dressing.
Well, I love the crunch and the nuttiness
that the sunflower sprouts afford you.
ALEX: And I love the acidity
of the dragon fruit and the pepper,
but I'm missing salt.
You've kept flavor away from this.
You need salt.
And this is the basics of 101 of cooking.
So, how do you cook at home?
My primary hobby is medieval re-creation.
I do at least probably one feast a year
from 30 to 100 people.
I'm just thinking, in medieval times,
what do I know they have?
A lot of herbs and spices.
And salt.
Yes, and salt.
TED: All right.
Next up, Nate.
How did you feel when you opened the basket?
Uh...there was some "hallelujah" in the pork.
I made scallops en fuego with some guanciale crispies
with an Asian-inspired dressing.
I get the texture of the dragon fruit,
which is still very juicy next to the guanciale
with your vinaigrette.
It is seasoned and unified as a dish
like you are a professional.
Yeah, sauces for the barbecue.
This is what I do.
My friend and I are a culinary cook team
called The Holy Smokers.
We love to cook with love and excitement
and bring awesome food, also.
AARóN: We have some heat and some spice.
And for me, obviously,
you know that's something that I love very much.
GEOFFREY: But, unfortunately, your inexperience
has led you to cook a scallop that is completely uncleaned.
And so we're eating dirt, intestines, abductor muscles.
It's really hard to get past that.
It's just your inexperience with an ingredient
is where that "amateur" flag flies.
And finally, Marisa.
"Chopped" is, like, the reason I have cable.
Just so you guys know.
I've made for you today a scallop and dragon fruit crudo
with kind of an Asian vinaigrette
and a warm sunflower sprout salad with guanciale.
I've definitely prepared scallops before,
and I knew the first most important thing
was just, like, clean the hell out of them.
I like the raw scallop. That was really a risk.
And that presentation really served you.
I really do like the charred element
of the sunflower sprouts,
and the guanciale does impart a really nice flavor.
Thank you.
GEOFFREY: But crudo, that's usually just bathed
with caper or minced ginger,
so this dish could have used a brightness.
And I'm not sure if it all comes together.
The hardest thing to do -- amateur or professional --
is make it feel effortless.
Thank you, chefs.
This is so much harder to do than to watch.
Just, I mean, so much chaos.
I just did not have time to just --
that little pinch of salt.
It's, like, added pressure to think about
how we're representing the folks at home,
but kind of exciting.
I have to say I was pretty impressed with your raw stuff,
but never underestimate a gay man with an apron.
Yeah, what'd I say?
[ Chuckles ]
TED: These people are super fans.
They know "Chopped" inside and out.
How did those amateur cooks do with that first basket?
Rique did the most striking
and most memorable presentation, I thought,
with that shell of the scallop.
He bathed it in some guanciale fat,
and a very thoughtful cook does that.
Yeah, but there was a real deficiency of acidity.
It had nothing that popped.
I thought Melissa had an understanding of the scallop.
It was cooked perfectly.
ALEX: I really struggled with the fact that Melissa
didn't put any salt in her dish.
TED: If she were at home on the couch,
she would be screaming at herself.
"Chopped" is very different
when you're actually in the thick of it.
Nate really developed tremendous flavors,
unified the guanciale and the dragon fruit
and the sunflower greens.
I give him high praise for his seasoning.
Cumin and the vinegar was, like, powerfully flavorful.
But then really fell flat
because the scallop was just not cleaned properly.
It's sort of criminal.
How about Marisa's effort of making crudo?
Wonderfully fresh.
However, Marisa's use of the sunflower greens
with the guanciale
made it feel like two separate plates of food.
Well, you hate to dampen any of these amateurs' spirits,
but somebody has to be the first chopped.
We know who that is.
Okay.
NATE: I'm worried about my scallop.
It was very, very gritty.
But I'm just hoping they loved the soulful flavors,
and they want to see what else I can do.
MELISSA: I am kind of hoping not cleaning a scallop
is a greater sin than not salting my dressing
because to get chopped in the appetizer round
is pretty much the worst-case scenario.
So, whose dish is on the chopping block?
[ Clock ticking ]
TED: Four amateurs bravely took on the "Chopped" kitchen,
but only three of you can continue on.
So, whose dish is on the chopping block?
Nate, you've been chopped.
Judges?
Chef Nate, sadly, you had such a glaring issue
with the scallop itself
that we had to chop you today.
What an amazing experience. Thanks a lot.
TED: Thank you, Nate.
NATE: I think I spread the love today in the kitchen.
What an amazing adventure. I gave everything I had.
I still feel that moment of just, "Hallelujah!"
Rique, Melissa, Marisa,
it's the second basket.
Please open them up.
And the mystery ingredients for the entrée course are...
Whoa.
30 minutes on the clock this time...
...starting now.
[ Whistling ]
TED: A couple months ago,
these fans were sitting in their houses
watching this competition.
Could they have ever imagined
they would actually be here duking it out?
[ Grunts ]
"Chopped" is 20,000 times more difficult
than watching it at home.
It's just go, go, go.
MARISA: What can I do?
Even though I am an amateur, I have some solid cooking chops.
And so I think braciole.
A braciole is a flattened cutlet
that is rolled with a filling inside.
Sorry about the racket.
I don't know what I want to do.
Oh, no. Not pork again.
I have never cooked a pork chop in my life.
And I wish I could tell Marisa to stop bashing.
[ Groans ]
I've done them to single chops,
I can grill them and make up a country barbecue plate.
This is where we pray I don't slice my fingers off.
Next, I grab the bourbon.
I'm a member of a whiskey club,
so I know it's gonna have a nice, smoky flavor.
Ew.
I am not gonna be defeated by a pork chop.
Bup, bup, bup, bup, bup, bup, bup, bah.
[ Sighs ]
GEOFFREY: These are amateurs.
They don't go to work every day
and practice their craft like we do.
RIQUE: There is a possibility that my amateur culinary skill
could develop into something important.
I could consider schooling myself
so that my skills match my passion.
I'm making a seared pork chop
topped with a Burgundy truffled yacón.
I'm definitely not feeling like an amateur today.
Aah! What am I doing now?
I am Italian, and everywhere you go,
Italian people, like, have broccoli rabe.
Oh, my God.
So, for the braciole filling,
I sauté the floret with a little garlic.
I grab currants...
Heaven help me.
...pine nuts, garlic,
Parmesan cheese,
and bread crumbs, which give it body.
And then I put in the broccoli rabe florets.
I roll the things up as tight as I can.
Please, God.
I have fear in my heart and a prayer in my soul.
God.
That's a mess.
Behind. Move.
I want to wilt the broccoli rabe like a warm salad.
Warm salads are really common in medieval times
and the standard when I've been doing my medieval feasts.
I take some of the pork fat and butter.
There's a lot to be nervous about in the "Chopped" kitchen.
It looks so easy at home.
There is no way to express how hard this is to do.
Aah!
RIQUE: I want to transform this broccoli rabe,
so into the pan with some apples.
These judges are judging us, really, like professional chefs,
and I know I can't put out amateur food.
So, I'm going to make a puree out of it.
The yacón is, like, this root vegetable,
has essence of apple.
Sort of an apple, a potato, and a turnip together.
You can eat this actually raw.
Oh, my God.
Incredible stress.
The yacón probably can be pureed.
This is insane.
I add some Granny Smith apple
to elevate the sweetness,
grab some heavy cream.
Home cooks, home chefs, we deserve some credit
because we are not getting paid.
We're doing it out of love or just for the pure joy.
Time!
And there are now 10 minutes left on the clock.
Oh, my God.
MELISSA: Hot -- Get hotter faster!
I'm making yacón hash with sweet potato
to try to add some depth.
A nice country hash might go well
with that country picnic plate that I really want to make.
Eek!
There'll be a little less hash.
And now it comes time for that last flip of the pork chops
to get the diamond pattern.
It's gonna be really impressive
when the judges can see grill marks.
Walking!
Melissa is running around all over the place
screaming at the top of her lungs.
Coming in!
Trust me, I know that you're behind me.
I'm gonna make some mash out of the yacón
with the skin on
because the skin has an earthy texture.
Uh-huh.
Only five minutes left on the clock.
Truffles are one of the most expensive foodstuffs
in the world.
GEOFFREY: We don't want to cook Burgundy truffles.
That's gonna render a $600- or $700-a-pound product useless.
Oh, my God.
So, the Burgundy truffle
looks like it came out of Queen Elizabeth's wardrobe
on this kind of, like, precious little terrine thing.
What is this?
I don't know if you should cook it,
if you should serve it raw.
Where does it go?
It's nutty. It's aromatic.
How the hell do you shave this?
But I think it would be a nice complement to the yacón puree.
♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪
I've never seen a Burgundy truffle before.
I don't know what to do with it.
The time is ticking down, and I'm thinking,
"Let's make barbecue sauce."
♪ We have bourbon ♪
Soy sauce, ketchup.
I'm throwing bits of truffle in the barbecue sauce
to round out the flavors
and bring a sense of earthiness and fullness.
Mmm.
Truffles are one of those ingredients
that separates an amateur from a professional chef,
so I don't want to embarrass myself.
Let's see what happens with this.
So, I'm putting the truffles into the yacón
and just hope for the best.
Mmm!
One minute left on the clock.
Okay. What else? What else? Oh!
Come on. Let's go, Marisa.
I shave the truffle over the braciole.
Oh, gosh. [Bleep]
[ Laughing ] She just dropped it.
Truffle down.
I've lost the truffle.
The whole experience is total insanity.
ALEX: Please plate the food!
MELISSA: Oh, you want to eat this?
TED: Snap to it, cooks.
Your meals must be ready
in 10...9...8...7...
6...5...4...
3...2...1.
Time's up. Please step back.
MELISSA: Out of chaos emerges beauty.
I totally forgot my shaved truffles.
At least they're in the barbecue sauce.
RIQUE: I look over to Melissa's plate
and I see her perfect, perfect grill marks on her pork chop,
and I'm thinking "[Bleep] she got this one."
[ Clock ticking ]
Sorry to say, amateurs don't get any breaks here.
For the entrée round, you had to use pork chops...
yacón...
broccoli rabe...
and Burgundy truffles.
Chef Melissa.
We have a drunken pork chop with a barbecue sauce
with Burgundy truffle and a hash of yacón
with wilted broccoli rabe.
The broccoli rabe and the yacón work together.
I thought the addition of the sweet potato
was a nice touch, as well.
I love the grill marks that you achieved on the pork.
That, to me, is, you know,
something I think a professional would do.
Yes, I wanted to give that American picnic
kind of feel to it.
I think to go bourbon and go American
made real complete sense to me.
But it was almost like someone spilled their drink
on the plate.
GEOFFREY: The Burgundy truffle is great.
It's just meant to shave over
and should never, ever be cooked.
This is unspeakably harder than it looks on TV.
Next we have Marisa.
I made for you today a pork chop braciole
with yacón apple slightly truffled puree
and sautéed broccoli rabe.
ALEX: Your first dish felt a little disjointed.
This actually does feel cohesive.
Thank you so much. That's awesome.
AARóN: The pine nuts give a great texture,
and the currants also work really well
with the broccoli rabe.
Yacón and truffle puree,
I think that's a really smart idea.
Unfortunately, I didn't get the truffle.
And I got to tell you, that pork is mighty dry.
Last entrée from Rique.
Chefs, I prepared for you a plain seared pork chop
with a Burgundy truffled yacón
topped with a broccoli rabe, apple, and Sriracha puree.
It's my favorite pork chop in this round.
It is.
AARóN: The pork chop is cooked excellently.
It's moist.
Caramelization is insane.
But I think where you went wrong here
is by putting this very wet, moist puree on top of the chop.
GEOFFREY: Because you lose the magic
of doing the sear in the first place.
And the broccoli rabe pesto is the misstep for me.
It doesn't fit.
TED: Well, do you think you're moving on
and who do you think is going with you?
Well, definitely Marisa is moving on.
AARóN: Oh.
How do you feel about that?
I really hope you want to see what I can do
with something sweet.
You're by no way out of this at all.
Please give the judges a few minutes.
Thank you.
I am hoping that the perfect pork chop,
as it was called, is enough to move me on.
They called yours the perfect pork chop?
I thought it was mine.
Was it yours?
I can't feel why Melissa feels overconfident about her cooking,
but it's definitely something
that she's not afraid to share with you.
Here's to dessert.
So, considering that these are not professional chefs,
what did they accomplish in that entrée round
that surprised you the most?
As far as pork cookery, Rique won.
The way he put that sear in, it was textbook perfect.
But the real failure was that broccoli mixture.
It was so sour
and it was right on top of that pork.
That, to me, was like a big -- a big no-no.
I have to really commend Marisa.
She had a cultural point of view
by making her version of braciole,
which was hearkening back to her upbringing.
And then she brought currants and pine nuts
with the broccoli rabe -- very impressed.
And I like the way Marisa tips her hat to her roots.
I think that's something a professional chef does.
But I thought Marisa's puree was very unappealing.
I think that Melissa actually did a really good job
cooking her pork.
But it looked like someone spilled their drink on the dish.
But I also like that Melissa really used
a very sort of American sensibility,
which I appreciated.
Do you need more time to hash this out?
We have it.
Okay.
Melissa and I are probably on the hot seat,
but given that she got crucified for completely alcoholic pork,
maybe I'm a little bit better seated than she is.
MELISSA: I knew it was gonna be a little ***,
but I am hoping that they liked the grill marks.
Being here in the "Chopped" kitchen
is like a dream come true,
and I am not ready to wake up yet.
So, whose dish is on the chopping block?
[ Clock ticking ]
Only two competitors in this amateur special
are going to be allowed to cook dessert.
So, whose dish is on the chopping block?
Okay.
Chef Melissa, you've been chopped.
Judges?
ALEX: Melissa, you're very enthusiastic,
and that's what makes a professional
lurk inside your amateur shell.
That being said, unfortunately,
because of the rawness of all that bourbon,
we have to chop you.
I understand.
It has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Thank you.
[ Medieval chanting ]
I really would have cut off part of myself
to go on into the next round.
But being in the "Chopped" kitchen
is one of the most difficult things I have ever done.
Marisa, Rique...
who says you need a culinary degree
to rock it in the "Chopped" kitchen?
Ready to knock her out.
I see it differently -- very differently.
Bring it, Brooklyn.
Please open these final baskets.
And the ingredients that must be included in your desserts...
30 minutes for this course.
Time starts now.
Oh, my God.
As an amateur chef,
I could probably count on one hand
the number of desserts I've ever made.
However, salted butter crackers spoke to me.
I need to mash these up.
My first thought is bread pudding.
This competition is harder than anything you can imagine.
I mean, maybe, like, having to give birth
might be a comparison.
RIQUE: When I first started this competition,
I felt like the underdog
because I just expected everybody else to know
Mm!
So, the fact that I'm here I'm so beyond excited about.
This is gonna be my new favorite thing of all time.
I'm making a fried honey nut ball
floated in a chocolate boat.
Stay, please.
Pizza dough --
just gonna be a perfect pocket for the honey nuts.
15 minutes left on the clock.
MARISA: I'm mixing cream, milk, eggs
and making the custard base.
Being that I don't really have much experience with desserts,
I don't know proportions.
I put the honey-soaked nuts in there
because in the best bread puddings I've had,
there's some, like, textural element.
♪ Okay ♪
ALEX: I think there are a lot of benefits
to being an amateur in this type of arena.
TED: Not being encumbered by specific techniques
whether it's French or whatever,
you have an openness.
RIQUE: My fitness career pushes people to their limits,
and I push myself past my own boundaries.
And I think that you can do that through food, as well.
Mm!
I put dark chocolate chips in a double burner
with some butter and some heavy cream.
Wow.
I love red wine, and I think, "Let's just reduce this
with some dried cherries and raisins."
And I'm going to incorporate mascarpone cheese,
which will give it a nice little cool, sort of creamy texture
to counterbalance the fried dough and the nuts.
That's good.
And 10 minutes left on the clock.
Okay.
I'm actually happy about the wine.
I can make a sauce out of this.
I throw in sugar.
Oh, my God. That's salt. I'm an idiot.
As the flames rise and start to lick the fan,
I'm like, "Oh, my God."
TED: That has happened once before...
Oh, my God.
...where somebody used salt, and he thought it was sugar.
I had the first taste, and it was like, "Whoa!"
MARISA: I'm thinking, "I'm screwed."
[ Laughs ]
Pour some different wine in and get the sugar in.
That's the sugar.
RIQUE: I absolutely love salted butter crackers,
and I automatically thought, "Crumble them with brown sugar."
It'll give it that salty-sweet flavor
that is always amazing to have.
I might really win this.
MARISA: What it's all about.
I've actually never tasted Calamansi lime before.
Ooh! That is tart.
So, I grab some strawberries
and take a little of the red wine sauce
Oh, my God.
There needs to be more of a -- like, a cold, creamy element,
so I grab some mascarpone
and start whipping it with some sugar,
add the Calamansi lime juice.
All right, two minutes on the clock.
Got to get that stuff plated.
RIQUE: I start pouring the chocolate into each bowl,
and I'm thinking, "This is gonna really, really work."
So good.
This is amazing.
I'm done.
And I'm thinking, "Wow, it looks really great."
Okay, I got to wash my hands.
TED: In an all-time first,
Rique, you are the first person to check your hair
before the countdown.
I love it.
Looks fine, dude.
I want to make sure
that I look just as good as my dessert dish,
and it looks pretty nice.
And then I spot...
the Calamansi limes.
And I realize, "Oh, my God. I never incorporated them."
[Bleep]
If I get chopped for missing an ingredient
after I've plated this amazing dish,
I will totally, totally never forgive myself.
TED: All right.
Precious few moments left, chefs.
10...9...8...7...
6...5...4...
3...2...1.
Time is up. Please step back.
Give me some love.
Oh, my God. That looks beautiful.
I'm thinking, "This is a professional plate."
MARISA: When I look at Rique's plate, it's like, "Dang.
He really went out of the box there."
And that's making me a little nervous.
[ Clock ticking ]
TED: Congratulations for being two amateur cooks
to make it all the way to the dessert round,
where you cooked with honey-soaked nuts...
organic red wine...
Calamansi limes...
and salted butter crackers.
Marisa, what have we here?
I made a salted butter cracker
and honey-soaked nut bread pudding
with a mulled organic wine caramel
and the Calamansi-infused mascarpone.
I have contemplated going to culinary school,
and, you know, maybe winning "Chopped" would help me.
But one thing I don't really do is dessert.
[ Chuckles ]
It's tasty.
Let's just put it out there. It's tasty.
ALEX: There's skill here, particularly with the wine,
I have to say.
Brilliant and inspired. A brave choice.
AARóN: But my concern would be that the custard
didn't cook fully inside the bread pudding.
Marisa, thank you.
Finally, Rique.
Chefs, I have prepared for you a honey nut fried ball
topped with a red wine mascarpone
sprinkled with some salted butter cracker
and drizzled with some Calamansi lime.
AARóN: Well, I have to say, Rique,
where Marisa did something very familiar,
you have made something which we have never seen before.
Very risky, and it really works for you.
I love the crumble.
Tremendous texture.
And I do like the chocolate
and the Calamansi lime combination,
but I can't get past the fact that the dough is undercooked.
And this is a pizza dough.
It's not a beignet dough, which is lighter.
TED: Have you ever thought about
Yes.
I think you're definitely gonna be a chef.
Thank you. That means a lot.
Marisa?
I just really would love to win.
I would love the chance
to really prove this to myself, to my friends, to my family.
But there can be only one winner after the judges decide.
Thank you.
You brought the "A" game.
Listen to it.
Boom.
You did, too, Miss I-Don't-Know-Dessert.
I think we're pretty much neck-and-neck.
I think it's a very intimidating arena
to come in here as amateurs.
Rique showed some brilliance
when he made that salted butter cracker crumble,
a textural component
that you see at a professional kitchen.
GEOFFREY: But I wish his dessert was lighter,
something that could take all the density of nuts.
TED: That pizza dough, yeah,
it's not gonna come out like a doughnut.
Mine was raw inside.
I mean, it's not fun to eat raw pizza dough.
But Marisa also didn't get her dessert cooked.
But the mulled red wine
really gave acidity and sweetness
to that bread pudding.
In the first course,
Marisa took a risk with the crudo,
cut it very thinly,
and the dragon fruit seasoned a little bit of that scallop.
But the crudo really needed minced caper or ground ginger.
It just fell down with the seasoning.
Rique served his first course in a shell,
which I think is interesting
that an amateur can display a real personal style.
I just thought it lacked, you know, acidity.
It needed to be a little bit more rounded out.
Marisa's main course had the best tastes of the day.
That was a complete dish.
That's professional stuff.
TED: You really have to give it to Marisa for courage.
Pounding the chop down like that, that took confidence.
But the pork chop was really overcooked.
I thought the way Rique cooked his pork chop
was far superior to Marisa's,
the way it was caramelized, the crust, the saltiness.
And that yacón puree on Rique's plate
was the best use of the truffles in the whole round.
But the bitterness of that broccoli rabe was too much.
Sometimes where the creativity was,
the execution fell short and vice versa.
It's hard to say who won.
I want to win so badly, I can taste it.
MARISA: I think I'm gonna win.
I put out a better meal than Rique.
So, whose dish is on the chopping block?
MARISA: Oh, God!
No!
Oh, my God!
I don't believe it.
Oh!
Chef Rique, you've been chopped.
Judges?
GEOFFREY: Rique, you performed like many professional cooks
we've seen here.
You should be really proud. You don't do this every day.
GEOFFREY: Yes.
The first course, the seasoning was suspect.
The second course was marred by that broccoli rabe puree,
and the third course was just heavy, a bit undercooked.
And for those reasons, we had to chop you.
Thank you. It was a pleasure.
And I will definitely remember this
for the rest of my life, wherever it takes me.
And you...intense.
TED: Thank you very much.
RIQUE: Thank you.
The hardest part about being chopped
is the momentum that you build in your heart and in your head.
Damn.
But I've proven I'm a great cook,
and I'm really proud of the way I represented amateur chefs.
And that means, Marisa Biaggi,
that you are the "Chopped" champion.
You just earned $10,000.
So, technically, you're now a pro.
Congratulations.
AARóN: And every pro needs one thing
in order to fully feel that love.
We have this for you right here.
Whoo!
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
MARISA: Having the "Chopped" chef coat,
I mean, I guess I'm beyond just a skilled hobbyist.
I could probably do this professionally.
And I've given amateur chefs
a reason to continue with their passion.