Food Network is raising the bar for televised cooking competitions with “Chopped Castaways,” a new reality TV cooking competition that seems to infuse the infamous “Chopped” series with “Survivor.” This new series, which is a spin-off of the network’s long-running “Chopped” series, currently in its 64th season, will take 12 elite chefs and strand them on a remote island and force them to compete in a series of challenges that test both their culinary and survival skills. Check out more details and the cast below in our “Chopped Castaways” spoilers.
‘Chopped Castaways’ Season 1 Spoilers
For this new cooking competition, the show will be hosted by Ted Allen. It will include judges Gabr Bertaccini, Maneet Chauhan, and Marcus Samuelsson.
“Chopped Castaways” will consist of eight episodes. According to the official description from Food Network, “Battling the elements across two grueling cooking rounds each week, competitors must build a working kitchen from basic supplies, earn their signature ‘Chopped’ ingredient baskets through intense physical challenges, and cook entirely over open fire.”
They are definitely throwing them out into the wild, like on “Survivor.” It will get even more like “Survivor,” as these chefs face challenges.
Food Network states each episode of “Chopped Castaway” will begin with a “survival-driven” challenge. This will include tasks like spear fishing, diving, or digging. Completing these challenges will help secure the ingredients the chefs need to complete the first cooking round.
The season will start with the contestants separated into teams. They will eventually “merge,” like on “Survivor.” Then it will be every man or woman for themselves, as they raise the stakes and “the chefs fight to outlast their rivals and claim the $100,000 grand prize.”
‘Chopped Castaways’ Contestants
Ahead of the series premiere tonight on Food Network, let’s take a look at the 12 chefs competing below:
- Chef Aidan Owens – Australian-born, San Diego-based culinary director
- Chef Ara Zada – Alum of culinary series like “Good Day L.A.” and “24 in 24: Last Chef Standing”
- Chef Carrie Baird – “Top Chef” Season 15 finalist
- Chef Cate Meade – Three-time “MasterChef” competitor
- Chef Dwight Hudgins – Social media chef, more popularly known as “The Dreaded Fisherman”
- Chef Hannah Flora – “Hell’s Kitchen” Season 23 runner-up
- Chef James Peck – Winner of BBC2’s “The Chef’s Brigade”
- Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois – Executive chef and creator of “Duck Camp Dinners”
- Chef Logan Sandoval – Alum of Food Network’s “BBQ Brawl” and Netflix’s “BBQ Showdown”
- Chef Paulette Tejada – NYC-based private chef and food stylist
- Chef Stephen Kina – Hawaiian-born BBQ pitmaster & restaurant owner
- Chef Sunny Moody – “BBQ Pitmaster” alum and two-time Steak & Live Fire Cooking World Champion
While we do see a lot of “Survivor” in this new series, there is no link between “Chopped Castaways” and “Survivor.” For now, we get to enjoy this new series and see the chefs compete to be named the winner of “Chopped Castaways” season 1.
“Chopped Castaways” premieres on Tuesday, May 12, at 9:00 p.m. ET on Food Network. New episodes will be available to stream the next day on HBO Max.
