Chopped: All-American Showdown - Season 1

Renowned chefs from across America have been invited to compete in a five-part tournament extravaganza. In this preliminary battle, four culinary greats from the West face off, starting with an appetizer basket that includes a prized fish and a popular pepper. In the entree round, the chefs must get creative with a San Francisco specialty. Then, when a dough in the dessert basket inspires the chefs to take very similar approaches with their final dishes, will the judges be able to taste the differences between the two plates?

In this preliminary battle of an elite five-part tournament, Northern chefs, from Michigan to Minnesota, face off to see who will represent their region in the $50,000 finale. In the appetizer round, the chefs must combine a sweet baked good with a strange paste. A certain style of pizza and a signature spud sound right up this group's alley, but the entrée basket is not easy, even for these seasoned pros. Cherries and chips are cheery inclusions in the dessert basket, but the final two contenders are all business rushing to do their best with their final plates.

Elite chefs from four regions of America bring their best to a five-part tournament to try to put themselves on the map as Chopped champions and score $50,000 in the finale. In this battle, four Southern chefs open the appetizer basket and find some hearty comfort foods to inspire them to lean into their culinary roots. A famous soul-food duo is a fun, if challenging, surprise in the entree basket, and when the last two chefs find plenty of sweet Southern goodness in the final basket, the judges hope for flavorful, creative desserts.

Elite chefs from the East compete in this preliminary battle to see who can rep their region of the US to win $50,000 in the finale while becoming the Grand Champion of the All-American Showdown. In the appetizer basket, a signature dish from the Keystone State must be combined with a Big Apple cocktail. New England pride is on display in the entree basket, and when it's time to make dessert, the two remaining Eastern chefs scramble to make use of scrapple. The winner will face champions from the West, North and South in the finale.

Returning winners from all corners of the US -- North, South, East and West -- are back to see who can conquer all and win $50,000! The judges are clear about their expectations for excellence, and, in the appetizer round, not everyone is thrilled to see the cut of lamb that they must incorporate into their dishes. A Midwestern classic and a sweet New England surprise are two of the ingredients that the chefs have to work with in the entree round. Finally, in the dessert round, a dramatic turn of events leaves the judges wondering if one of the competitors can recover from some serious setbacks. Of course, all three courses count, as the judges decide on the All-American Grand Champ!