Plot Synopsis

Hosted by Ted Allen, CHOPPED GOLD MEDAL GAMES is a five-part tournament that features 16 world-class chefs who are challenged to create gold medal-worthy appetizers, entrees and desserts, utilizing the mystery basket of ingredients each round with a limited amount of time. Through four preliminary heats, four new chefs compete in each one-hour episode with one of the culinary themes they are experts in, including baking, grilling, frying, and racing the clock -- which tests the chefs' speed under pressure, as they have five minutes less each round -- to create their dishes and impress the judges for a shot at competing in the finale. The four winners of the preliminary heat advance to the finale, where they compete for the coveted gold medal and $50,000 grand prize. In the first heat, "Frying," the first basket comes packed with a fun fair treat and a gamey meat. The most challenging item that the chefs must manage in the second basket is, unfortunately, in a can. And the remaining competitors must roll with whatever is matched with matcha powder in the dessert basket. Then, the next four chefs compete in the "Grilling" heat, where an uncooked pastry and a bone-in steak challenge the chefs in the appetizer round. In the entree round, the competitors encounter a guilty-pleasure snack and a Korean side dish. And will the last two contenders know what a pig pickin' cake is or how to reimagine it in the dessert round? Next, in the speed rounds, four more culinary contenders race to make a phenomenal meal under pressure. The chefs are shocked to learn that every round will be five minutes shorter than usual! In the 15-minute appetizer round, the culinary athletes are burdened by some extremely tedious prep work and challenged by a sweet surprise. A wild watermelon and an expensive fish keep things interesting in the entree round. And there's no shortage of nopales in the dessert basket as the final two speedster chefs chase their dream of landing a spot in the finale. The final heat features four chefs famous for baking. In the first round, the chefs must focus their creativity on a grocery store breakfast dough and a lovely cut of lamb. The peculiarities of a second dough and nostalgic spaghetti product must be sorted out in round two. Baking opportunities abound in round three, but will the judges be happy with the desserts the remaining competitors make with hot chocolate and banana curd?
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On Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at 10pm ET/PT, Food Network premiered the finale of CHOPPED GOLD MEDAL GAMES, immediately following an encore presentation of all four heats from 6-10pm. In "Grand Finale," all eyes are on the four returning champions -- Sarah Wade ("Frying"); Ken Harvey ("Fast"); Lynnae Oxley-Loupe ("Grilling"); and Dr. Winnette McIntosh Ambrose ("Baking") -- to find out who will be the Gold Medal Games Grand Champion and go home with $50,000! In the first round, the elite culinary athletes open up their baskets to find something grilled and something intended to frighten them. In the entree round, the judges wonder which competitors will be far, far off in their treatment of far far, an Indian snack food. And champagne (in an unusual form) is in the final basket, but there won't be any celebrating until after the final chop!