Ep 1. The Tournament Begins

The Tournament of Champions is a brand new culinary competition show which pits the winners of some of America's top cooking shows against each other. The highly anticipated first episode of the show, titled "The Tournament Begins," introduces viewers to the lineup of seasoned champions who will be competing against each other for the ultimate prize: $250,000.

The episode begins with the arrival of the competitors, who will be living and cooking together in a luxurious Los Angeles mansion throughout the competition. Among the group are some of the most impressive culinary talents on TV, including the winners of Top Chef, MasterChef, Iron Chef America, Chopped, and The Great Food Truck Race.

Once they arrive, the contestants sit down for a banquet, where they get to know each other and share their past experiences. This is where the tension starts to build, as each contestant sizes up the competition and begins to plan their strategies.

The first challenge of the competition involves a classic cooking technique - making pasta from scratch. But with a twist: the contestants are paired up in teams of two, and each pair is assigned two colors of pasta dough. They must make two different types of pasta - one with each color - and then combine them in a single dish.

The challenge is made even harder by the fact that the contestants are working with unfamiliar ingredients and equipment. But with the prize money on the line, they are all determined to rise to the occasion.

The judges for the competition are also introduced: Mark Dacascos, a veteran of Iron Chef America, and Cat Cora, the first female chef to win on that show. Dacascos and Cora are tough but fair, and they push the contestants to bring their best to the table.

Even with the pressure on, some contestants excel in the challenge. One team makes a delicious tortellini dish that impresses the judges with its intricate flavors and textures. Another team creates a stunning ravioli dish with a creative goat cheese filling and a flavorful sage butter sauce.

But not everyone is successful. Some contestants struggle to work together with their partners, while others have trouble with the pasta itself - one pair's noodles end up too sticky to eat, and another's sauce is too salty.

In the end, the judges are forced to make a tough decision about which team to eliminate. The losing pair is sent home, but not before they are praised for their hard work and sportsmanship throughout the competition.

Overall, "The Tournament Begins" is an exciting and engaging start to this new culinary competition series. Viewers will be hooked by the drama and intensity of the challenges, and will want to tune in to see which champion rises to the top.