Ep 3. The Upper Crustacean

In season 13 episode 3 of the popular culinary competition show Cutthroat Kitchen, titled "The Upper Crustacean," four skilled chefs must impress host Alton Brown and three judges with their abilities to create delicious dishes using the challenging ingredients and obstacles they are presented with. In this episode, the contestants must create unique seafood dishes using crab as the main ingredient, all while navigating the various twists and turns the game throws their way.

The first challenge of the episode pits the chefs against one another in a bidding war for the advantage of choosing which type of crab they will be cooking with. However, the highest bidder is not necessarily guaranteed to come out on top, as the twist of the upper crustacean is revealed - the variety of crab chosen will come with its own set of disadvantages or advantages. This could range from having to cook with frozen crab to having access to specialized equipment and tools to make preparation easier. The chefs must strategize wisely in this round to ensure their success in the rest of the competition.

The next challenge focuses on presentation, as the contestants are tasked with creating the perfect crab cake dishes. However, as with all challenges in Cutthroat Kitchen, there is a catch. Each chef is given a different type of vessel to serve their crab cakes in, ranging from Chinese takeout boxes to martini glasses. This forces the chefs to not only create delicious crab cakes but also think creatively about how to present them in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Round three of the competition takes things up a notch as the chefs must tackle a deep-fry challenge. Each contestant is given a Mystery Box with a surprise ingredient they must incorporate into their crab dish, and then must deep-fry their creation using one of the provided fryers. However, in a classic Cutthroat Kitchen twist, the chefs are given a set of handcuffs and must work in tandem with a partner to complete their dish. This adds an additional layer of difficulty to the already challenging task, as the chefs must work together and communicate effectively in order to create a successful dish.

The final round of the competition wraps up all the challenges from the previous rounds in one large challenge. The chefs must create three dishes using crab - an appetizer, entree, and dessert - all while navigating the various twists and turns thrown their way. The challenges in this round include working with a team of kitchen assistants with limited communication, dealing with surprise ingredient swaps, and trying to sabotage each other through bidding on advantages and disadvantages. The chef who can overcome all of these obstacles and present the most impressive and delicious dishes at the end of the final round will walk away as the winner of "The Upper Crustacean" episode of Cutthroat Kitchen.

Overall, "The Upper Crustacean" episode of Cutthroat Kitchen is an exciting and fast-paced challenge that tests not only the chefs' cooking abilities but also their strategizing and problem-solving skills. With unexpected twists and turns around every corner, the contestants must stay on their toes and think creatively in order to come out on top. Viewers will be on the edge of their seats as they watch the chefs battle it out, and will no doubt be impressed by the incredible dishes created in the midst of all the chaos.