Ep 10. String Cheese, Jicima and Gingersnaps

In season 1 episode 10 of the cooking competition show Chopped, titled "String Cheese, Jicima and Gingersnaps," four chefs compete for a chance to win $10,000 by creating dishes using a basket of mystery ingredients.

The episode starts off with the chefs being presented with the first round basket, which includes string cheese, jicima, gingersnaps, and jalapeños. The contestants have just 20 minutes to create an appetizer using these ingredients, trying to impress the judges with their creativity and culinary skills. The chefs try to blend the spicy and sweet flavors of the ingredients, creating dishes that range from cheesy jalapeño bites to jicima and ginger snap slaw.

As the first round comes to a close, one contestant is eliminated, and the remaining three chefs face the challenge of making an entree using salmon fillets, rainbow chard, dried apricots, and matzo crackers. The chefs have 30 minutes to cook an impressive entree, trying to combine the unique flavors of each ingredient into a cohesive dish. The resulting dishes are diverse and often inventive, featuring everything from matzo-crusted salmon to rainbow chard and apricot compote.

After another elimination round, the two remaining chefs must create a dessert using balsamic vinegar, pita bread, grapefruit, and blue cheese. With just 30 minutes on the clock, these chefs are tasked with using the pita bread and blue cheese in a dessert, which leads to some creative dishes.

As the round ends, the judges must choose a winner, scoring each chef on their flavor, presentation, and creativity in each dish. The winner is awarded a $10,000 prize and crowned the champion of the "String Cheese, Jicima and Gingersnaps" episode of Chopped.