All eyes are on one very exuberant competitor in the appetizer round, as the judges are hoping that everyone's fresh pasta and half-sour pickle dishes are not half bad. And at the chopping block, one chef talks about overcoming some difficult personal obstacles in order to continue cooking as a career. Then in the entree round, a simple cut of meat causes more trouble than expected. Finally, in a dramatic dessert round, one of the finalists suffers an injury as he attempts to accomplish a "Chopped" first.

The ingredients in the appetizer basket get some of the chefs thinking about ballgame fare. Will they strike out, or hit one out of the park? In the Entrée Round, the competitors must marry shredded wheat crackers with an unusual fish. Then it is crunch time for the two remaining finalists, who attempt to make fantastic desserts with potato chips.