Do you ever watch your favourite Food Network Canada shows and wish that you could partake in the challenges as seen on TV? Well, why not take a crack at it by hosting your very own Chopped themed party inspired by the hit Food Network Canada show? Here is everything you need to step up to the chopping block and achieve Chopped champion status from the comfort of your own home.
Watch Chopped, Tuesdays at 9PM ET/PT on Food Network Canada. Also available on STACKTV with Amazon Prime Video Channels, fuboTV, Rogers Ignite TV and Ignite SmartStream.
Set the scene
When your guests enter your party, they should feel like they’re stepping into the Chopped kitchen. Add some flare by setting up stations for each contestant, add a table for your judges to sit, and make sure the Chopped logo is where everyone can see it in the kitchen. Go the extra mile and print out a giant photo of host Ted Allen.
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Determine who is cooking and who is judging
Before you can even get cooking, you need to figure out who is going to judge your Chopped creations. Although it would be amazing to have the real Chopped judges make an appearance at your party, have one or two friends step into the judging roles to help determine the winners of your cooking competition. If those friends also want a go in the kitchen, play multiple rounds and rotate the judges. Unlike the actual Chopped kitchen, everyone should get a fair chance.
Related: Quiz: Which Snack Should You Serve for Your Next Game Night?
Set up your mystery baskets
It wouldn’t be a Chopped party without the infamous mystery baskets, filled with a variety of ingredients that each chef must incorporate in their dish. If you like, you can add a special theme to your mystery boxes. For example, you could add a summer camp theme and have all ingredients in the mystery boxes be reminiscent of summer camp like marshmallows, hotdogs and the like!
You could also choose to have a larger number of ingredients and require each contestant to use at least four. This allows for more variety in the final dishes while still keeping the base of the dish fairly similar.
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Set the time and get cooking
In the Chopped kitchen, the chefs have 20 to 30 minutes depending on the round. Figure out how much time you think your chefs will need (we think 30 minutes is usually the perfect amount of time). There will be pressure, but that adds to the Chopped experience!
Related: Time-Saving Tips to Get Dinner on the Table in Under 30 Minutes
Winner winner, chicken dinner
When the timer runs out, let the judges taste each dish. You can either do one round and determine the winner at the end of the round, or in real Chopped fashion, host an appetizer, main and dessert round and eliminate one chef in each round.
Overall, have fun! This is your Chopped party and you can make it whatever you want it to be. Happy cooking!