Playing with fire is serious business in this "high-steaks" preliminary battle of Chopped's thrilling, flame-filled tournament. The four competitors are excited about the delicious possibilities of a steak-centric meal, but a weird watermelon adds to the challenge in round one. The entree round finds the chefs wondering what to do with a giant slab of meat in just 30 minutes, and the two chefs who make it to the dessert round compete with humility, passion and grilled pizza as they face off for a spot in the finale.
 

In this fiery tournament finale, four winners return with their sights set on taking the title of Chopped Grand Champion. The baskets contain ingredients reminiscent of the preliminary battle themes: wild game, steaks, surf and turf and pork. The appetizer round has the chefs working with a meat not found in the grocery store. A bucket of something frozen is part of the entree basket puzzle, and the two finalists who make it to the dessert round endeavor to give it their all with corn on the cob and an unconventional cheesecake. Only one chef can score the life-changing grand prize and walk away knowing they triumphed while 15 other skilled chefs went down in flames.