Chopped

About Chopped

The TV series Chopped, released in 2000, is an American reality-based cooking television game show created by Michael Krupat and Dave Noll. The series is hosted by Ted Allen. The show features four chefs who compete in a three-round contest by attempting to cook the most delicious dish from a combination of unusual and sometimes contradictory ingredients.

Making / Production

Chopped is produced by Notional and aired on Food Network. Each episode features four chefs who have to create a three-course meal using a mystery basket of ingredients in each round - appetizer, entree, and dessert. The chefs are eliminated one by one at the end of each round until the last standing chef is declared the winner.

Actors

• Ted Allen: He plays the role of the host, weaving the drama together and providing commentary. He creates a welcoming, but competitive atmosphere.
• Maneet Chauhan: She is one of the judges, a renowned chef who provides critical and knowledgeable input on the culinary creations.
• Amanda Freitag: Highly acclaimed chef and frequent judge on Chopped, Amanda offers both praise and constructive criticism to contestants.
• Geoffrey Zakarian: Celebrity chef and restaurateur, Zakarian lends his expertise as one of the discerning judges.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Chopped has more than 45 seasons running, making it one of the longest-running shows on Food Network.
• There have been some epic celebrity appearances on Chopped including Martha Stewart and Scott Conant.
• While the contestants get to see the ingredients in the basket prior to filming, they do not get the chance to touch or taste them.

Awards

In 2014, Chopped won the James Beard Foundation Award for best television program, in studio or fixed location.

Quotes

• "Chopped is a game of skill, speed, and creativity." - Ted Allen
• "The only thing that matters is what's on the plate." - Geoffrey Zakarian

Music, Soundtrack

• The Chopped theme music is famously dramatic, reflecting the intense competition of the show.
• The series also uses a range of intense and suspenseful background music to match the atmosphere of the fast-paced cooking competition.