Ep 1. Holiday Cooking

The hit cooking competition series, Chopped, returns for its 27th season with an exciting and festive episode titled "Holiday Cooking". The episode features four talented chefs from across the country who are ready to showcase their culinary skills in a high-pressure kitchen.

The episode begins with the four chefs entering the Chopped kitchen, which has been decked out with holiday decorations and a giant Christmas tree. The chefs are greeted by host Ted Allen and judges Chris Santos, Amanda Freitag, and Geoffrey Zakarian, who inform them of the challenging basket ingredients they'll have to work with. From there, the clock starts ticking and the chefs have only 20 minutes to create an appetizer dish using the mystery ingredients.

As the chefs prepare their appetizers, the judges observe and critique their techniques and flavors. The chefs work with ingredients such as smoked ham hocks, chestnuts, and Christmas cookies, which they must incorporate into their dishes in creative and appetizing ways.

Once the 20 minutes are up, the judges taste each dish and evaluate them based on taste, presentation, and creativity. The chef with the least appealing dish is eliminated, and the remaining three chefs move on to the entree round.

In the entree round, the chefs are given 30 minutes to create a dish using a new set of mystery ingredients, which include a Christmas goose, butternut squash, and fruitcake. The chefs struggle with the goose, which is a notoriously difficult protein to cook, and have to get creative with their techniques to make it taste delicious.

Once again, the judges taste and critique each dish, looking for dishes that combine the mystery ingredients in unique and flavorful ways. One chef is eliminated, leaving just two to compete in the dessert round.

The two remaining chefs frantically work to create the best dessert dish using ingredients such as candy canes, eggnog, and marzipan. They have just 30 minutes to whip up something tasty and imaginative, and the judges eagerly await the final dishes.

Finally, the chefs present their desserts to the judges, and they are evaluated based on taste, creativity, and presentation. The winner of the episode is announced, and they take home a $10,000 cash prize and bragging rights as the Chopped champion.

Overall, "Holiday Cooking" is a thrilling and festive episode of Chopped that captures the excitement and pressure of the popular cooking competition. With creative and challenging mystery ingredients and talented chefs from across the country, viewers will be on the edge of their seats rooting for their favorite contestant to come out on top.