Chopped: Desperately Seeking Sous Chef is a new edition of the classic Food Network show, which differs from the original version in several ways. The show follows the traditional Chopped format of four chefs competing over three rounds, appetizer, entrée, and dessert, using ingredients from the mystery baskets. Legendary chefs Maneet Chauhan, Scott Conant, and Chris Santos serve as the judges of the competition, with Ted Allen returning as host.
The Food Network staple debuted in 2009 and has since had a rotating panel of celebrity chef judges including Maneet, Scott, Chris, Alex Guarnaschelli, Geoffrey Zakarian, Marc Murphy, Amanda Freitag, Aarón Sanchez, Marcus Samuelsson, and Elizabeth Karmel, among others. There have also been special editions of the show including Chopped: Champions, Chopped: All-Stars, Chopped: Grill Masters, Chopped: Juniors, and Chopped: Beat the Judges, among others, and a spin-off called Chopped: Sweets.
Episodes of Chopped either air individually on Food Network or as parts of tournaments. The Chopped: Desperately Seeking Sous Chef season consists of a five-part tournament during which 16 sous chefs will compete for a never-before-seen grand prize. Here are some of the ways in which Chopped: Desperately Seeking Sous Chef differs from the original version.
The Grand Prize
Chopped: Desperately Seeking Sous Chef is different from the original Chopped because, instead of the usual prize of $10,000, this show is a contest to see which contestant will win the grand prize of becoming the next sous chef for Maneet, Scott, or Chris at one of their restaurants. This is the first time that Chopped has offered a prize of a job offer.
The Judges Assess More Than The Contestants’ Cooking
In the usual Food Network Chopped competition, the only thing that the judges assess is the contestants’ ability to use the mystery basket ingredients to make the most delicious food. In an interview with AMNY, Maneet explained that the on the original show, the judges’ decision “is always made on the plate, the food. It’s not the person, it’s not the story, and that’s something that we’ve done over the years.” However, this has all changed because of the prize of the job offer. Because the judges are looking to hire someone to join their “work family,” the Food Network star Maneet explained that the most important thing for her, Scott, and Chris was “to talk to these chefs to see how they conduct themselves in the kitchen, what their attitude was, and how they gel with us and our organization.” Therefore, not only did the contestants’ food have to be “amazing” in the time required with the basket ingredients, but they were judged on their attitudes, leadership, and ability to multitask while they work.
During the first episode of Chopped: Desperately Seeking Sous Chef, contestant Jayden Canady was eliminated in the first round because the judges felt that his frantic behavior in the kitchen was too dangerous for them to hire him. The Food Network star Maneet said that she is looking for someone with a “can-do attitude” and who feels more like a partner than an employee. She explained that Chopped reflects what happens in a restaurant kitchen on a daily basis. She said that for a real-life sous chef, “it’s a constant challenge of figuring out how to make the most out of whatever resources are available, especially in today’s day in age where staffing is a constant issue, supply chain is a constant issue.” Therefore, sous chefs need the “creativity” to solve problems quickly when they arise, and “that is why Chopped is the perfect competition for a trade test, so to speak.”
The Tables Are Turned At The End
Once the judges declare the Food Network Chopped: Desperately Seeking Sous Chef grand champion, the tables then turn on them, as the winner will have the choice of working for either Maneet, Scott, or Chris. The judges will then have to convince the winner of why joining their team would be the best choice. Maneet explained that this reflects a real-life interview process because not only do candidates have to sell themselves, but the interviewers also have to make a case about why they are “the best company and best people for them to join.”
The Chopped: Desperately Seeking Sous Chef grand prize of a job offer is a refreshing twist on the usual monetary award for the winner. The grand champion will receive a job as a sous chef with either Maneet, Scott, or Chris that will hopefully further his or her culinary career. This show could lead to a career that eventually creates the next big star of Food Network.
Chopped: Desperately Seeking Sous Chef airs at 9 p.m. EST on Food Network.
Source: AMNY
