How To Win Chopped

 How To Win Chopped 

Chopped Cheat Sheet  

By Larry Johnson Sr.

 

Watch the show. This should be a no-brainer however it is clear that some competitors are clueless when it comes to the format and rules. A contestant once attempted to pull a clever which was actually part of the set out of the wall.  

Practice Each round is timed so time management is key to winning. In an episode, one of the chefs did not get a single item on the plate. You are given 20 minutes for appetizers and 30 for entrées and desserts

Avoid common mistakes. I cannot tell you how often people get sent home using a basket ingredient as garnish. The goal is to repurpose the ingredients you have been given. Use all four ingredients. Place them in a spot that is hard for you to miss. Pouring a sauce or gravy over something crispy is another no-no. 

Rules are not made to be broken. Chopped Taco Brawl is a classic example of how to lose. The theme was obviously tacos when the contestant decided to make something completely different. It was a good dish but it didn’t embrace the challenge. 

Don’t piss off the judges. It’s their job to find fault in your food. I cringe every time I hear one of the chefs say “I stand by my dish.” You just got reamed for serving a flawed plate of food. It’s a not-so-subtle way of saying that the judges are wrong. 

No magic ovens on Chopped. Why chefs try and bake in less time than it takes at home or work is baffling. The end result is two-fold, the dish is almost always underdone and two they get chopped. 

Know the judges. This goes back to watching the show. More than once I have seen Judge Scott Conant on the verge of going into an apoplectic rage because a chef broke his spaghetti in half or served raw onions.  Do not serve subpar Indian food to judge Maneet Chauhan. Judge Marcus Samuelsson will ding you on sloppy plates every time. 

Judges with Hearts  Judges loved heart-filled stories and comeback stories but that usually only gets you past the first round and only if you are tied for the worse dish. 

They can see you. In one episode, a chef dropped one of the stakes on the floor in plain view of the judges then severed it to one of the judges. 

Avoid using can products or processed foods.

Using shortcuts is risky when you are being watched by eagle-eyed judges. Can products, especially tomato sauce have a metallic taste? I know this because I have heard the judges say it enough times. 

Avoid using premade products

like pasta or taco shells

Double trouble

Making multiple applications of the same ingredients gives the judges multiple opportunities to chop you.

Some like it hot, 

and some don't so do the math. Since the Chop judges rotate, you have no way of knowing who will be eating your food. It is a safe bet that at least one judge does not like hot and spicy food this puts you in the hole. With two judges left, your odds of going home are now 50/50.

The kid defense 

“My kids love this dish, I make it for them all the time.“ You are not at home cooking for your kids. Chopped judges have sophisticated palates, serving them food you give to your kids doesn’t fly most of the time.  

Finishing early can be a good thing but not on Chopped. Your dish had better be damn near flawless or you will get called out on not using your time properly. 

Let’s try something new

No! Let’s not. With ten G’s on the line why would you pick this time to experiment. Wait until after you win and open a test kitchen. No time to experiment during a competition. 

Shiny objects

Foam canisters,  liquid nitrogen, and the anti-griddle are just three kitchen equipment pieces that can draw you away from your game plan and sink you. By my unofficial count foam canisters have failed about twenty-five percent of the time. 

Plan B

Once again, do the math. There are no less than two contestants in the chopped kitchen at one time and yet there is only one ice cream machine. Even if you make it to the dessert round the odds of getting to the ice cream machine first is 50%. Assuming that your competitor is a tad faster, you will need a plan B.

Embrace the basket

Hiding the basket ingredients is never a good idea. Chopped premiered in 2009; the judges know all the tricks, many of them have competed in that same kitchen. 

Seasoning 

One question that often comes up is, Did you taste this?” Rosewater, raw onions and overly spicy food can get you booted. 

Size Matters

Every chef should know the basics, like the size of an entree or an appetizer. Most of the regular judges like Scott, Marcus, Maneet and Geoffrey Zakarian are restaurateurs or manage restaurants; their profit margins are based in part on the food portions of each course. 

Plating 

One of three criteria for judging is presentation; the other two are taste and creativity, which means plating counts. Contestants are given a walkthrough before the show. They should know where the plates and bowls are and have an idea which ones they will use. 

Red Flag 1

Fish and Cheese 

Red Flag 2

Fishbones and scales 

Red Flag 3

Un-eatables NEVER put an item on the plate that you cannot eat.

Red Flag

Rosewater and other assertive flavors and spices - use sparingly. 

The variables in any cooking competition make it impossible to guarantee a win but applying these do’s and don’t will help. 

The Frugal Gardener