Ep 9. Chocolate Covered Clash

In season 23, episode 9 of Beat Bobby Flay, titled "Chocolate Covered Clash," two talented pastry chefs go head-to-head in hopes of dethroning the culinary king of savory dishes. Hosts Ted Allen and Anne Burrell welcome the contestants, who have both dedicated their careers to mastering the art of chocolate.

The first challenger, Chef Kendra, grew up in the small town of Louisiana and had a passion for baking from a young age. After attending culinary school, she worked her way up to becoming the executive pastry chef at a five-star restaurant. Chef Kendra's signature dish is a decadent chocolate mousse, which she plans to incorporate into her secret recipe for the competition.

The second challenger, Chef Ozzie, also has an impressive culinary background. Originally from the Dominican Republic, he immigrated to the US and started his own baking business, which quickly gained popularity in the local community. Chef Ozzie's specialty is a rich, chocolate ganache, which he'll use to wow the judges during the competition.

Before the competitors can take on Bobby Flay, they must first face off against each other in a preliminary round. The secret ingredient? Chocolate-covered pretzels. The chefs are given 30 minutes to create a unique, chocolate-covered pretzel dish that will impress the judges. Chef Kendra decides to use the pretzels as a crunchy topping for her chocolate mousse, while Chef Ozzie goes for a sweet and salty bacon-wrapped pretzel with a chocolate dipping sauce. The judges are blown away by both dishes but ultimately choose Chef Kendra's chocolate mousse as the winner.

Moving on to the final round, Chef Kendra and Chef Ozzie are given 60 minutes to create their ultimate chocolate dessert. The contestants get to work, with Chef Kendra making a triple chocolate layer cake with a raspberry filling, while Chef Ozzie creates a chocolate tart with a caramel drizzle and a chocolate-covered pretzel crust. As the clock ticks down, both chefs work furiously to put finishing touches on their creations.

Once the time is up, the chefs present their dishes to the judges, including special guest judge Zak Stern, aka "The Hamantaschen King." The judges are impressed by Chef Kendra's rich chocolate cake, with its perfectly balanced flavors, but are equally enthralled by Chef Ozzie's unique chocolate tart, which has a perfect, flaky crust. Despite the fierce competition, there can only be one winner. Will either contestant have what it takes to "Beat Bobby Flay" and claim culinary victory?

Overall, "Chocolate Covered Clash" is an exciting installment of the popular cooking competition show, Beat Bobby Flay. With two talented pastry chefs battling it out over their shared passion for chocolate, viewers are sure to be on the edge of their seats throughout the entire episode. From the creative use of chocolate-covered pretzels to the decadent final desserts, this episode is sure to be a must-see for foodies and fans of the show alike.