Harry Nordlinger

All eyes bore onto the silver lid atop a heavy wooden cutting board. Inside, an artfully arranged meal has been carefully concocted. One contestant breaks out into a nervous sweat - that could be his dish. He might not have used the rosewater to the judge’s satisfaction, or perhaps his risotto is slightly underdone. He might have proportioned his dish incorrectly, or plated too hastily. For whatever reason, he fears that it could be his dish on the chopping block.

“I’m sorry, but you have been chopped.” These seven words extinguish a chef’s dream to become the Chopped champion. Chopped, a Food Network television series, currently in its fourth season possesses intense drama, comic relief, and an overall delicious viewing experience.

Hosted by culinary genius Ted Allen, the show has an interesting set-up. A rotating panel of three judges decides who, out of four initial contestants, will be the Chopped Champion, and win $10,000. The four contestants begin the show by preparing an appetizer while incorporating three or four mystery ingredients into their dishes. They are then given a time limit, usually 20 minutes, for their appetizer, and judged on their final dishes. The contestant with the weakest dish is eliminated, or “chopped” from the show. The remaining contestants then compete in entrée and dessert rounds. After each round, another contestant is “chopped,” until the dessert round in which the final two competitors remain to battle for victory.

What differentiates Chopped from other Food Network shows, such as Iron Chef, is the “mystery basket”. This challenge urges contestants to use creativity and ingenuity. In one episode, the “mystery basket” for the appetizer round contained turkey breast, kirby cucumbers and graham crackers. To create something not only edible, but also completely delicious, a competitor must be flexible and possess an innovative thought process. Such a competitor commands great respect from the viewer, especially given the intense time limit.

Obviously, as a viewer cannot actually eat the chefs’ produce, he or she is dependent on the judge’s credibility. Fortunately, Chopped offers a number of top chefs, food authors, and restaurateurs for judges. Out of the pool of 11 judges, the three who give the most insightful feedback are Alex Guarnaschelli, Aarón Sánchez and Geoffrey Zakarian. These three judges usually evaluate the show with integrity, compassion and humorous banter.

The contestants are judged on their originality, taste and use of the mystery ingredients. Chopped contestants must be able to successfully integrate each of the mystery ingredients into a cohesive and delicious dish. Sometimes the judges allow a competitor who has not incorporated an ingredient into their meal to pass onto the next round, a move that makes the show seem almost criminal with injustice.

In each episode, the contestants determine how entertaining the show will be for its viewers. Usually they provide the viewer with an excellent glimpse into the lives of chefs from all over the country. From sous to executive chefs, Chopped makes a decent effort in providing diverse contestants. While culinary skill is certainly a necessity to compete, personality also plays a huge role in a contestant’s overall appeal. Who could forget Luisa, the Portuguese woman who came to America by herself with only a suitcase, who told anecdotes of how she parachuted out of planes to help nurse soldiers back to health with her cooking? Or Dominic, the youthful reformed drug addict who surprised everyone by finishing in second place, despite never having gone to culinary school?

Unfortunately, in addition to these gems, Chopped sometimes allows either inexperienced or unpleasant contestants to compete. However, such contenders are usually eliminated after the first round. Of course, there are exceptions in every season, most notably Pnina, winner of episode 3.10, who oozed haughtiness, explaining how her mother always told her “shy people lose.”

Nonetheless, Chopped is a wonderful program filled with constant suspense and excitement. At the end of each round, the viewer may watch the unveiling of a contestant’s dish on the chopping block, signaling the termination of his or her time on Chopped. This revelation heightens the anticipation of each episode, making the hour which Chopped airs fly by. Unfortunately, the show only airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on the Food Network. Despite its minor faults, the program is well worth the less-than-ideal show time, even for those who do not enjoy watching the art of cooking.