Chopped Season 4 Episode 4 Dr. Deckle & Mr. Fried

In Chopped season 4 episode 4, titled "Dr. Deckle & Mr. Fried," four chefs compete for a chance to win $10,000. The contestants include a food truck owner, a culinary student, a catering chef, and a restaurant sous chef.

The first round is a mystery basket challenge, where the chefs must use a variety of surprise ingredients, including tuna belly, ginger snaps, mango chutney, and quail eggs, to create an appetizer dish in just 20 minutes. The contestants face a range of obstacles, from struggling to properly cook the quail eggs to finding creative ways to incorporate the unusual flavors of the ginger snaps and mango chutney into their dishes.

For the second round, the chefs must use a selection of cuts of beef in their entree dishes. However, they are tasked with creating a dish that incorporates both a filet and a sirloin steak, as well as a unique flavor combination that will impress the judges. One contestant opts to create a dish with a coffee and cocoa rub on the steak, while another decides to take a risk by incorporating a spicy Chinese hoisin sauce and Korean kimchi into their dish.

Finally, the remaining two chefs must create a dessert dish that includes a surprising ingredient: bacon. The contestants have just 30 minutes to create a sweet treat that showcases bacon in a new way. Some contestants struggle to balance the sweetness of their desserts with the savory bacon flavor, while others opt to use bacon as a garnish or in a crumble topping.

Throughout the show, the judges closely evaluate each dish based on criteria such as taste, presentation, and creativity. One chef is ultimately eliminated during each round, leaving the final two contestants to compete head-to-head in the dessert round. In the end, the most innovative and delicious dishes win, and one lucky chef is crowned the winner of "Dr. Deckle & Mr. Fried" and takes home the $10,000 prize.