Turn on the Food Network on any given weekday and theres a good chance an episode of Chopped will be on. The show has been in production for more than a decade, and there are nearly 50 seasons at this point according to the Food Network. That means hundreds of episodes, featuring thousands of hopeful chefs and as many mystery basket ingredients to overcome. What viewers see when watching Chopped is a whirlwind of action; Frantic chefs darting between their stations and the pantry, racing against the clock to whip up a mouthwatering dish without slicing off a finger or starting a kitchen fire. The time runs out, and then a panel of judges immediately taste and critique the finished plates, in a miraculously clean kitchen studio.
In reality, what we see is made possible after hours and hours of hard work by dozens of producers, camera and audio crews, editors, and more — and thats all for one episode. Its hard to imagine how it all comes together. Luckily, we got some inside info from a Chopped veteran. Recently, Mashed spoke with acclaimed celebrity chef, cookbook author, and Chopped judge Marcus Samuelsson. During the exclusive interview, Samuelsson (who has been a judge on the show for more than 20 seasons) revealed details about what really happens behind the scenes of Chopped – and lets just say it involves long hours and a lot of emotions.
Samuelsson is a regular guest judge on Food Network shows Chopped, Chopped Junior, Beat Bobby Flay, Cooks vs.
There are a lot more people in the room than we see on camera
On TV, it looks like there are about eight people in the studio during a Chopped competition — three judges, four competitors, and Ted Allen, of course; but in reality, its a packed house. According to chef Marcus Samuelsson, there are easily more than a hundred people on the set of Chopped when an episode is being filmed. But rather than being stressful and chaotic, Samuelsson says “its really a family environment.”
“People dont see that, but its what Linda and Vivian and the team… everybodys built,” Samuelsson added, referring to the shows executive producers, Linda Lea and Vivian Sorensen (via IMDb). Samuelsson estimates there are “140 people on set,” and “a lot of them have been there from day one,” so they feel connected to and very invested in the project. “And its diverse in every way you can imagine… a big restaurant family,” says Samuelsson.
Emotions run high behind the scenes of Chopped
If youve watched your fair share of Chopped episodes on the Food Network, you know that things can get intense. Theres the shock of opening up the mystery basket, the frustration and determination to plate a solid dish on time, and the joy or disappointment over the judges reactions. Not to mention, so many of the chefs competing on the show have a heartwarming backstory and high stakes on the line. Its enough to make you cry sometimes.
Chef Marcus Samuelsson says its all real — those emotions are definitely there, running high behind the scenes of Chopped. Between the judges, the contestants, the producers, and the crew who are spending hours on end together, “were laughing, fighting, crying, loving like a restaurant family.” And thats exactly how they prefer it. Samuelsson says “our favorite episode is always when the lunch ladies [come] or cooking with firemen or the kids,” and its all because of the stories. Samuelsson admits that even after “hundreds and hundreds of episodes Ive done, I still end up weeping afterwards.”
I Make Wings With Chef Marcus Samuelsson From Chopped
FAQ
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Who is Marcus Samuelsson?
Marcus Samuelsson (born Kassahun Tsegie; Amharic: ካሳሁን ፅጌ 25 January 1971) is an Ethiopian-born Swedish -American celebrity chef, restaurateur and television personality. He is the head chef of Red Rooster in Harlem, New York . Kassahun Joar Tsegie was born in Ethiopia. His father, Tsegie, is an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church priest.
When did Marcus Samuelsson appear on Top Chef Canada?
In May 2017, Marcus Samuelsson appeared in the final episode of Undercover Boss to find and mentor new culinary talent. Samuelsson appears as himself in the 2018 movie Scooby-Doo! and the Gourmet Ghost. On 22 April 2019, Samuelsson appeared on Top Chef Canada Season 7, Episode 4 as a guest judge for a Nordic ingredients challenge.
When is ‘Chopped’ Season 50 on Food Network?
(L-R) Judges Amanda Freitag, Marcus Samuelsson, Alex Guarnaschelli, Marc Murphy, Maneet Chauhan and Chris Santos of ‘Chopped’ speak onstage (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images for Discovery, Inc.) ‘Chopped’ Season 50 is all set to premiere on Tuesday, June 1 at 9/8c on Food Network.
Does Marcus Samuelsson have a baby?
“Chef Marcus Samuelsson Introduces Son Zion Mandela: He Is ‘Such a Blessing’ “. people.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. ^ Slater, Georgia (31 January 2022). “Marcus Samuelsson and Wife Maya Welcome Second Baby, Daughter Grace Ethiopia: ‘So Excited’ “. Peoplemag. Retrieved 14 January 2023. ^ Garner, Dwight (26 June 2012).