Plot Synopsis

In this five-episode, Halloween-themed tournament of CUTTHROAT KITCHEN, host Alton Brown leads 16 crafty chefs who cook their way through spooky sabotages for the chance to win up to $50,000. From a spider web-themed spider roll challenge to a liver and fava beans battle, the competitors must scare up their best dishes while braving witches, mummies, ghosts and zombies. The heats lead up to a final showdown between the four winners to determine the TOURNAMENT OF TERROR champion. The episodes are:

Heat One (Sep 28): Heat one begins with a Hannibal Lechter-style liver and fava beans challenge, then the chefs must cook garlic chicken with scary movie blade fingers or knives. For the last round, a blood orange dessert has to be prepared with a seance board sabotage. Competitors: Trevor McGrath (Queens, New York), Janet Ross (Kansas City, Missouri), Rouha Sadighi (Santa Monica, California), Irvin Williams Jr. (Thomasville, North Carolina). Judge: Richard Blais.

Heat Two (Oct 5): In the second heat, the chefs must make deviled eggs while wearing monster costumes, followed by a spider web-themed spider roll challenge. Finally, one chef has to make a flambeed dessert in a twisted kitchen. Competitors: Natalie Beck (Palo Alto, California), Paul Friedman (Houston, Texas), Josephine Proul (Philmont, New York), Ian Russell (Kannapolis, North Carolina). Judge: Antonia Lofaso.

Heat Three (Oct 12): Round three kicks off with a frog's leg challenge in a graveyard, then the chefs must make a witch's stew while riding around on a witch's broom. Finally, one chef has to make devil's food cake with spooky tools. Competitors: Christian Brown (Henrico, North Carolina), Jenny Goycochea (San Diego, California), Michael Jenkins (Astoria, New York), Ulfet Ralph (Milan, Ohio). Judge: Jet Tila.

Heat Four (Oct 19): In the fourth heat, the chefs have to cut their steak tartare with deadly weapons and dig up their Fra Diavolo ingredients in a graveyard. Then one chef has to make a pumpkin dessert inside a chamber filled with autumn leaves. Competitors: Oz Blackaller (San Diego, California), Chase Meneely (Denver, Colorado), Johnny Messina (Hermosa Beach, California), Tiffany Nelson-Ermon (Chicago, Illinois). Judge: Simon Majumdar.

Finale (Oct 26): The four heat winners return for the tournament finale, which begins with the chefs shopping for Bloody Mary ingredients in a dark, haunted pantry. Then a bone-in dish must be prepared on a flaming organ, followed by a candy challenge on a possessed, spinning bed. The last chef standing is named winner of the Tournament of Terror. Judge: Anne Burrell.