List of Chopped episodes
Season 36 (2017-18)

List of Chopped episodes

Section Title: Season 36 (2017-18)
Table Section Text: None

Series No.	Season No.	Title	Original airdate

445	1	"Better Duck Next Time"	December 12, 2017

Ingredients: Appetizer: tiered cheese tower, cavatelli, frozen lima beans, duck tongues Entrée: frankfurter crown roast, small graffiti eggplant, karela juice, goat leg Dessert: moose ears, Saturn peaches, hard cider, Jordan almonds	Judges: Scott Conant Amanda Freitag Jonathon Sawyer

Contestants: Jonathan Scinto, Private Chef from Long Island, NY (eliminated after the appetizer) Amanda Henson, Chef and Owner from Las Vegas, NV (eliminated after the entrée) Andrew Welenken, Executive Chef from Louisville, KY (eliminated after the dessert) Jamaal Taherzadeh, Executive Chef from Las Vegas, NV (winner)

Episode notes: The 'frankfurter crown roast' in the entrée round was a bunch of hotdogs bundled together in a standing ring to resemble a "crown roast" of meat.

446	2	"Gold Medal Games: Frying"	January 2, 2018

Ingredients: Appetizer: Alligator, lotus root, deep-fried cherry punch, pesto sauce Entrée: Skate wings, dill pickles, funnel cakes, haggis in a can Dessert: Deep-fried bacon-wrapped chocolate bars, strawberries, matcha powder, purple sweet potato ravioli	Judges: Geoffrey Zakarian Alex Guarnaschelli Scott Conant

Contestants: Abel Gonzales, Chef and Partner from Dallas, TX (eliminated after the appetizer) Anthony Serrano, Executive Chef and Owner from Chandler, AZ (eliminated after the entrée) Allen Nguyen, Chef and Partner from New Orleans, LA (eliminated after the dessert) Sarah Wade, Executive Chef from Boston, MA (winner)

Episode notes: Part 1 of a 5-part tournament. Each heat features chefs with a particular specialty, and their specialties would be the theme for their respective heat.

447	3	"Gold Medal Games: Grilling"	January 9, 2018

Ingredients: Appetizer: White BBQ sauce, pie crust, mangoes, bone-in strip steaks Entrée: Spatchcocked chickens, cucumber kimchi, red cabbage, cheese puffs Dessert: Mini marshmallows, grilled lemon lemonade, zucchini, pig pickin’ cake	Judges: Chris Santos Amanda Freitag Marc Murphy

Contestants: Maria Mazon, Executive Chef and Owner from Tucson, AZ (eliminated after the appetizer) Jay Ducote, Chef and Restaurateur from Baton Rouge, LA (eliminated after the entrée) Eric Thomas, Chef and Pitmaster from Atlanta, GA (eliminated after the dessert) Lynnae Oxley-Loupe, Chef and Pitmaster from Portland, OR (winner)

Episode notes: Part 2 of a 5-part tournament. The winner of this episode moves on to compete for $50,000 in the grand finale.

448	4	"Gold Medal Games: Fast!"	January 16, 2018

Ingredients: Appetizer: Torch lollipops, edamame, neonata, raw oysters Entrée: Dover sole, grilled corn on the cob, poblanos, sandia loca Dessert: Whole coconut, duck fat upside-down cake, cheddar cheese ice cream, nopales	Judges: Geoffrey Zakarian Alex Guarnaschelli Marc Murphy

Contestants: Manny Slomovitz, Executive Chef from Cincinnati, OH (eliminated after the appetizer) Joe Passanante, Chef de Cuisine from Queens, NY (eliminated after the entrée) Griffin Paulin, Chef and Owner from Louisville, KY (eliminated after the dessert) Ken Harvey, Executive Chef from Tucson, AZ (winner)

Episode notes: Part 3 of a 5-part tournament. The winner of this episode moves on to compete for $50,000 in the grand finale.

449	5	"Gold Medal Games: Baking"	January 23, 2018

Ingredients: Appetizer: Lamb noisette roast, ginger liqueur, forelle pears, cinnamon roll dough Entrée: Smoked turkey legs, roasted head of cauliflower, spaghetti rings, shredded phyllo dough Dessert: Banana curd, caneles, freeze-dried blueberries, hot chocolate	Judges: Scott Conant Marc Murphy Geoffrey Zakarian

Contestants: Jeremy Fogg, Pastry Chef from New Orleans, LA (eliminated after the appetizer) Keris Kuwana, Executive Pastry Chef from Las Vegas, NV (eliminated after the entrée) Michael Gillet, Executive Pastry Chef from Las Vegas, NV (eliminated after the dessert) Winnette McIntosh Ambrose, Pastry Chef and Owner from Washington, D.C (winner)

Episode notes: Part 4 of a 5-part tournament. The winner of this episode moves on to compete for $50,000 in the grand finale.

450	6	"Gold Medal Games: Grand Finale"	January 30, 2018

Ingredients: Appetizer: Rattlesnake, pomelo, golden snack cakes, grilled avocado Entrée: Lamb ribs, red currants, hard-boiled quail eggs, far far Dessert: Confetti frosting, soft shell almonds, deep-fried champagne, rambutan	Judges: Chris Santos Alex Guarnaschelli Scott Conant

Contestants: Ken Harvey, Executive Chef from Tucson, AZ (eliminated after the appetizer) Winnette McIntosh Ambrose, Pastry Chef and Owner from Washington, D.C (eliminated after the entrée) Lynnae Oxley-Loupe, Chef and Pitmaster from Portland, OR (eliminated after the dessert) Sarah Wade, Executive Chef from Boston, MA (winner)

Episode notes: Final part of the gold medal tournament. The winner gets $50,000.

451	7	"Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate!"	February 13, 2018

Ingredients: Appetizer: (candy round) dark chocolate superworms, chocolate pudding mix, animal crackers, candy cane beets Entrée: (cake round) cookie and caramel chocolate bars, chocolate hummus, habanero peppers, lamb tallow Dessert: (ice cream round) white chocolate chunks, love potion cocktail, taleggio cheese, Spanish chorizo	Judges: Scott Conant Alex Guarnaschelli Zac Young

Contestants: Josip Franc, Executive Pastry Chef from Bernardsville, NJ (eliminated after the appetizer) Philippe Fallait, Chef and Owner from Astoria, NY (eliminated after the entrée) Marissa Delgado, Executive Pastry Chef from Phoenix, AZ (eliminated after the dessert) Melanie Moss, Pastry Chef and Owner from Brooklyn, NY (winner)

Episode notes: The theme of the episode is making chocolate desserts in every round; specifically candy in the first round, cake in the second, and ice cream in the third.

452	8	"The Light Stuff"	February 20, 2018

Ingredients: Appetizer: wild salmon fillets, cottage cheese, zucchini noodles, vegan bacon Entrée: pork chops, cauliflower rice, protein-packed snack box, lemon cayenne drink Dessert: citrus salad, acai berry powder, 'dumbbell' cookies, rice cakes	Judges: Scott Conant Alex Guarnaschelli Jason Kieffer

Contestants: Joshua Wiggins, Sous Chef from Red Bank, NJ (eliminated after the appetizer) Isaac Rios, Chef and Cafe Manager from Chandler, AZ (eliminated after the entrée) Mattia Meneghetti, Chef from New York, NY (eliminated after the dessert) Celeste Rogers, Chef and Instructor from New York, NY (winner)

Episode notes: The theme of the episode is "healthy eats" with relatively healthy/light ingredients in every basket. The snack box in the entree round consisted of two eggs, cheese, apple slices, grapes, peanut butter, and bread.

453	9	"Epic Eats"	February 27, 2018

Ingredients: Appetizer: mac & cheese mega burger, buffalo chicken soda, Brussels sprouts, everything bagel seasoning Entrée: gravy mashed potato cake, tomahawk steak, red noodle beans, cold brew ice pops Dessert: cookie bowl ice cream sundae, gummy worm, finger grapes, huitlacoche	Judges: Chris Santos Amanda Freitag Marcus Samuelsson

Contestants: C.J. Hamm, Executive Chef from Tucson, AZ (eliminated after the appetizer) Joseph Yoon, Private Chef from Brooklyn, NY (eliminated after the entrée) Jennifer Russo, Chef and Owner from Phoenix, AZ (eliminated after the dessert) Jillian Moskites, Food Truck Chef from Middletown, CT (winner)

Episode notes: The theme of the episode is at least one "epic", indulgent ingredient in every basket.

454	10	"Pork on the Brain"	March 20, 2018

Ingredients: Appetizer: pig face roulade, Berkshire pork chops, pork chop cocktail, fish peppers Entrée: canned pork brains, Iberico collar, salsify, huckleberries Dessert: sanguinaccio dolce, mangalitsa lardo, peppermint pig, tiger figs	Judges: Adam Sobel Amanda Freitag Chris Santos

Contestants: Donald Hawk, Sous Chef, The Gladly, Phoenix, AZ (eliminated after the appetizer) Laura Licona, Culinary Director, Emma's Torch, Brooklyn, NY (eliminated after the entrée) Ryan Andre, Executive Chef, City Pork Brassierie & Bar, Baton Rouge, LA (eliminated after the dessert) Christian Hayes, Chef and Owner, Dandelion Catering, Yarmouth, ME (winner)

Episode notes: The theme of this episode is pork in every basket. The pork chops in the first basket were given to the chefs as a whole rib roast.

455	11	"Fat Chance"	March 27, 2018

Ingredients: Appetizer: duck confit, baby turnips, basket of biscuits, narutomaki Entrée: watermelon curry, acorn squash, kalekale, caul fat Dessert: lingonberry syrup, papaya, Greek yogurt, vanilla sandwich cookies	Judges: Scott Conant Amanda Freitag Chris Santos

Contestants: Marco Barrila, Chef and Owner from Southampton, NY (eliminated after the appetizer) Tami Treadwell, Chef and Owner from Harlem, NY (eliminated after the entrée) Christopher Harris, Executive Chef and Owner from Portland, ME (eliminated after the dessert) Jennifer Caraway, Chef and Founder from Phoenix, AZ (winner)

456	12	"You've Been Canned"	April 10, 2018

Ingredients: Appetizer: baby octopus, calamondin limes, crumpets, cream cheese Entrée: tilefish, canned steamed beef, Asian long beans, fideo pasta Dessert: Persian love cake, lychee, strawberry milk powder, gorgonzola dolce	Judges: Chris Santos Maneet Chauhan Marc Murphy

Contestants: Sunshine Flagg, Chef & Owner from Louisville, KY (eliminated after the appetizer) Dave Sclarow, Chef & Co-Owner from Brooklyn, NY (eliminated after the entrée) Christopher Zabita, Executive Chef from New York, NY (eliminated after the dessert) Hannah Wong, Sous Chef from New York, NY (winner)

457	13	"Million-Dollar Meals"	June 5, 2018

Ingredients: Appetizer: toro tartare with caviar, high-roller bagel, Ibérico ham, petite snow peas Entrée: Wagyu double cheeseburger with gold chocolate bacon, 20 year old bourbon, arugula blossoms, white Alba truffle Dessert: geode cake, etrog citron, fruit pops in champagne, camel milk chocolate bars	Judges: Martha Stewart Geoffrey Zakarian Chris Santos

Contestants: Jonathan Scallion, Private Chef, Las Vegas, NV (eliminated after the appetizer) Madeleine Dee, Executive Chef & Owner from Louisville, KY (eliminated after the entrée) Chris Brugman, Executive Sous Chef from Scottsdale, AZ (eliminated after the dessert) Johnny Church, Executive Chef from Las Vegas, NV (winner)

Episode notes: Each basket had high-end, expensive ingredients. This was the first episode that touted Martha Stewart as a new Chopped judge (though she has guest judged on Chopped Junior in the past).

Sentence(s)

Narutomaki was a basket ingredient on an episode of “Chopped”.

final_sentence: Narutomaki was a basket ingredient on an episode of “Chopped”.