Chopped Junior - Season 5

First aired: 1/30/2017 16 episodes
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Episodes

1. Pizza Party

Aired: 1/31/2017

Chef Amanda Freitag, YouTube star Harley Morenstein and actress Anika Noni Rose preside over an all-pizza competition! Three courses of pizza begin with appetizers comprised of exotic looking mushrooms and a creamy Italian sauce. The fun continues as the junior chefs battle against some challenging dough and more sauce in the entree round. Then, the finalists tackle pizza dessert using cheese with a funny name and a wild assortment of fruit!

2. Chicken and Do-Nots

Aired: 1/31/2017

Chefs Daniel Churchill and Marcus Samuelsson and actress Allison Williams serve as the judges for a new group of junior chefs, who are thrilled when the appetizer basket reveals an exciting twist on chicken and waffles. In the entree round, a sweet, tropical icing must be paired with pork, and in the dessert round, it's a race to the ice cream machine when both finalists are inspired by a coconut beverage

3. Chocoholics

Aired: 2/7/2017

A lucky batch of junior chefs gets to cook with chocolate in all three rounds to win over the judges: chef Scott Conant, model Ashley Graham and Food Network Star contestant Jernard Wells. It starts with a fancy boxed assortment in the appetizer round, then the kids must figure out how to pair chocolate with a stinky cheese for their entrees. And in the dessert round, the finalists are startled by what they think are chocolate-covered bugs.

4. Rise and Cook!

Aired: 2/14/2017

Four young cooks set out to make judges Cliff Crooks, Bethenny Frankel and Geoffrey Zakarian the most important meal of the day: breakfast! French toast and cereal are remixed in the first basket. Then, the kids struggle to make perfect eggs against the clock in the entree round. The two finalists in the dessert round get to work with an extravagant breakfast-themed cake and a grown-up breakfast beverage.

5. Heads Will Roll

Aired: 2/21/2017

Chefs Maneet Chauhan and George Mendes and actor Kevin McHale step in to judge the next round of talented junior chefs. First, the kids open the appetizer basket to find something staring right back at them! A cute candy creation and a twist on garlic bread spice things up in the entree round. Then, vegetables make their way into brownies in the dessert round, but the finalists have no problem repurposing them.

6. Turn Up the Beet

Aired: 3/1/2017

A new group of kid competitors bond over their love of music and food as they prepare dishes for the judges: Food Network's Valerie Bertinelli, ballerina Misty Copeland and chef Chris Santos. First, they find themselves working with beets and octopus in block form in the appetizer round. A salmon-like fish filet in the entree round presents challenges, then the finalists must figure out how to work edible piano keys into their desserts.

7. Make Me a Judge: Episode 1

Aired: 3/8/2017

For the first time in Chopped history, kid competitors have a chance at becoming a Chopped judge! In the first competition, judged by Amanda Freitag, Alex Guarnaschelli and Marc Murphy, a burger theme shapes what the kids must cook. For the appetizer round, they have to use an unusual popsicle and a small egg delicacy. The entree round delivers straightforward burger meat, but with a sweet oniony condiment. Then, the remaining kid cooks must figure out how to make burger-inspired desserts using a cured meat ingredient and fresh fruit.

8. Make Me a Judge: Episode 2

Aired: 3/15/2017

The excitement continues as four eager young chefs cook for the chance to become a judge in the finale event! Maneet Chauhan, Alex Guarnaschelli and Chris Santos sit on the judging panel for this competition, where the kids have to work with a different barbecue sauce in each round. In the appetizer basket, the kids must transform cookies and a slimy vegetable into delicious starters. A pork product must be paired with fresh greens in the entree course, then the finalists struggle to place cheese in their desserts.

9. Make Me a Judge: Episode 3

Aired: 3/22/2017

The third and final seat at the judges' table is up for grabs! Four precocious kids tackle the mystery baskets, with a baking theme in effect. The appetizer basket reveals a South American sausage and a cheesy baked treat. The young cooks are surprised to find their protein in whole-animal form in the entree round, then the finalists must transform a tart berry and colorful cookie dough into delicious desserts. Amanda Freitag, Alex Guarnaschelli and Scott Conant serve as judges.

10. Make Me a Judge: Finale

Aired: 3/29/2017

Three Chopped Junior Champions are taking a seat at the Chopping Block, as four regular Chopped judges -- Amanda Freitag, Alex Guarnaschelli, Marcus Samuelsson and Chris Santos -- compete for $25,000 for charity. The chefs are cooking with some of the same ingredients that the kids did, but with a few shocking twists, starting with cured fish roe in the appetizer basket. The entree basket contains some familiar barbecue ingredients, and the chefs must also incorporate an elaborate gelatin creation. The dessert basket turns into an ice cream showdown, and the remaining two chefs must cook with ears!

11. Why So Blue?

Aired: 4/4/2017

A fun twist on a classic comfort food is paired with pricey truffles in the appetizer round. In round two, the junior chefs must roll up their sleeves to deal with a large blue squash. Then, the two finalists find creative ways to make desserts with of out-of-this-world lollipops and green fruit. Food journalist Michelle Park, chef Chris Santos and singer Ruben Studdard take over the judging panel.

12. Three Ring Kitchen

Aired: 4/11/2017

In a circus-themed competition, a new bunch of 10- and 11-year olds dare to make appetizers using corn and playful cookies. The entree basket reveals a finger food and some beautiful produce, then in the dessert round, the chefs tackle a baked good and a something covered in caramel. Actor Ryan Guzman joins The Kitchen's Sunny Anderson and Geoffrey Zakarian on the judging panel.

13. Rescue Mission!

Aired: 4/18/2017

The young cooks tackle baskets of leftover and often-wasted food, starting with cheese rinds and takeout leftovers in the appetizer round. Then, they find some unwanted produce that must be worked into an entree. For dessert, the finalists find creative uses for forgotten fruit and baking leftovers to win over judges Amanda Freitag, Sam Kass and Marc Murphy.

14. Fry Fans

Aired: 4/25/2017

The young competitors celebrate fried food in each round and whip up some deep-fried delights for the judges, chefs Alex Guarnaschelli and Rebecca Lang and actor Zachary Quinto. The first round kicks off with a popular Southern beverage and seafood. The heat builds in the second round, when the kids get to pair the "caviar of the South" with a savory batter. Then, the dessert round reveals that almost everything can be fried, including ice cream!

15. Let's Taco 'Bout It

Aired: 5/2/2017

In this grilling competition judged by singer Jessie James Decker, food writer Jed Portman and chef Geoffrey Zakarian, a new batch of precocious junior chefs must use a classic cornmeal dish in the appetizer round. The grill pans continue to get a workout in round two, where the kids must combine a marshmallow treat with white barbecue sauce. Then, the dessert round delights the finalists when they find a magnificent cake in the basket!

16. Mac and Cheese, Please!

Aired: 5/16/2017

A new batch of kids celebrate mac and cheese in all three rounds, beginning with appetizers containing the ready-to-make version. A bright orange snack and fancy cheese must work their way into entrees, then in the final round, even the judges -- actress Betsy Brandt and chefs Marc Murphy and Nguyen Tran -- are surprised to see how mac and cheese can be interpreted in dessert form.