Paradise Lost

All bets are off when there's a slimy surprise in the Round One mystery basket. In the entree round, one chef makes a risky creative choice; will it pay off? For the two chefs who survive the dreaded Chopping Block and make it all the way to the dessert round, challenges abound when the competitors present their masterpieces made with animal crackers and prunes. Will the judges prefer the more whimsical or traditional dessert?

The chefs pull out all the stops to impress the judges with tofu and prosciutto dishes in the first round. Thai chilies and oysters show up in the entree round, and dessert features Gorgonzola cheese and blueberries.

The chefs are baffled to find a breakfast staple in the appetizer round mystery basket. Who will "flake" out and who can make it work? Then as the competition heats up, there's theft, deceit, tantrums, confusion and the most sinful food folly of all ... double-dipping. For two chefs who survive to the final round, the dessert basket holds a whammy of ingredients, avocado, cantaloupe, pecans and brioche bread.

Wrapped in bacon, wrapped in basil, fried and bruleed, bananas take center stage in the appetizer round. But when one chef's creation falls apart, is there a sure fire banana backup plan? And y'all know things are bound to get interesting when the chefs are thrown some Southern curve balls: collard greens in the entree and grits for dessert.

Grace under pressure is the name of the game as the chefs attempt to wow the judges from the first course. Can watermelon and pepper Jack cheese make for a good pairing? And will the judges say, "yes" or "yuck," when yucca hits their plates in the second course? But it's not the mystery ingredients, it's the ticking clock, that trips up one competitor. When an ingredient falls to the floor, the offending chef must either rise to the challenge or plead for mercy.

Stymied by canned peaches in the appetizer round and fruit punch and rice cakes for the entree, the chefs struggle to find a fresh approach. Will ambitious plans to amaze the judges pay off? Or, will the contestants run out of time to do their best work? It all comes down to a heated dessert face-off. The last two chefs must combine beets, goat cheese and oatmeal to create a fantastic final course.

The chefs are determined to give their all from the start, using quail in their appetizers. Arctic char and creamed corn show up in the second round, and beer and caramel candy have to be used in their desserts.

The mandatory ingredients in the appetizer basket evoke nervous laughter and general panic. The contestants just might feel they are stranded on an island as they try to figure out what to do with turbot, nori sheets and ... a whole coconut! Then for the entree, will the judges prefer their calamari, seared, stuffed or crusted? And the finalists have to quickly navigate the dos and don'ts of combining donuts with smoked Gouda for dessert.

Kids love it ... professional chefs, not so much. When a box of macaroni and cheese appears in the appetizer basket, the competitors endeavor to find a place for fluorescent cheese powder in their gourmet dishes. Then in the entree round, will the chef who makes the most creative dish from ground pork, poblano peppers, avocado, eggplant and cola win the chance to advance? Then the final two chefs fearlessly devise plans to include bacon and chocolate in their desserts. But a ruckus ensues when one chef hogs the only loaf of bread in the pantry, crushing the other chef's confidence.

The judges are dismayed when some of the chefs fail to creatively transform the mystery ingredients in the appetizer course. But what can you do with string cheese? The contestants set out to aim higher in the next round. Unfortunately, they face a challenging basket: striped bass, jicama, mango, pimento peppers and Brie. Then the final round brings about some caffeinated, cookie fun, when the two remaining chefs must work with instant coffee and gingersnaps.

The chefs make old Granny Smith proud by combining apples with shrimp and peanut butter in their appetizers. Yet, can they overcome the pickled pepper pitfalls of the entree round? Then, when one competitor offers to help with the other chef's cereal-centric dessert, the judges debate whether the gesture is considerate or inappropriate.

The chefs open their appetizer baskets to find bitter-sweet chocolate, figs and mussels. The contestants know that three of them will face the bitter disappointment of being chopped, while only one can claim sweet victory.

The judges are eager to dig into appetizers made with strawberries and salmon, and the chefs face turkey and turnips in round two. In the dessert round, the two finalists show no mercy when the gummy bears hit the food processor.