Get ready to dive into the science of cooking in Chopped: Alton’s Challenge. Alton Brown will take over the kitchen and challenge 16 chefs in a new competition.

“Alton Brown takes over the Chopped kitchen for this epic five-part tournament, Chopped: Alton’s Challenge, premiering Tuesday, October 10th at 10pm ET/PT on Food Network. Four competitors face off each episode to create unique and delicious dishes over three rounds – appetizer, entrée, dessert – utilizing the mystery ingredients with a theme, as they must impress a rotating panel of Chopped and special guest judges, including Alton himself! Ted Allen hosts the edge-of-your-seat competition as Alton influences the mystery baskets and demonstrates the science of some of the ingredients throughout the tournament. Over the course of the tournament the chefs are put to the test with challenges that tap into the science of cooking and the physics of food, with each winner from the four preliminary heats competing in the finale airing Tuesday, November 7th, with a chance to impress Alton and the judges, and go home with a $50,000 grand prize.

Get more insight on the Chopped: Alton’s Challenge tournament at FoodNetwork.com/Chopped, to find photo and video highlights, relive top moments, and hear from the winning contenders. Join in on the conversation using #Chopped.

Episodes Include:

Premiering Tuesday, October 10th at 10:00pm ET/PT – PREMIERE!

“Alton’s Challenge, Part 1”

Alton Brown is taking over the Chopped Kitchen for an epic, five-part tournament! To kick off the appetizer basket, Alton demonstrates the mad science of champagne and the competitors embrace a fermentation theme. A strange, stringy Japanese specialty is the talk of the entrée round, and an unusual cake inspires some unusual choices in the dessert round.

Host: Ted Allen

Judges: Alton Brown, Amanda Freitag, Alex Guarnaschelli

Competitors: Michael Nelson, Regan Reik, Jason Rodriguez, Kashi Smith

Premiering Tuesday, October 17th at 10:00pm ET/PT

“Alton’s Challenge, Part 2”

On a quest for $50,000, four new, bold chefs take on the Alton’s Challenge baskets. The first four chefs bravely take on his challenge, where Alton demonstrates the science behind smoking foods, and the chefs are encouraged to infuse every dish with smoky flavor. Tiny radishes and a strange savory cookie are in the mix for the appetizer basket. Alton then whips up a signature smoked item for the second basket, and an exotic drink is the smoky component in the dessert basket.

Host: Ted Allen

Judges: Hugh Acheson, Alton Brown, Maneet Chauhan

Competitors: Jamal Bland, Jessica Chaney, Leah Gourlie, Gavin Jobe

Premiering Tuesday, October 24th at 10:00pm ET/PT

“Alton’s Challenge, Part 3”

Dried and true! In this third Alton’s Challenge battle, there’s a dehydration theme for the baskets and Alton demonstrates a home hack that makes removing moisture from food a breeze. The first basket has the chefs making quick use of instant mashed potatoes. Then, an Alton specialty is one of the mandatory ingredients for the entrée round. In the dessert basket, diabolical ingredients have the chefs scrambling to make dehydrated eggs work in their final plates.

Host: Ted Allen

Judges: Alton Brown, Amanda Freitag, Marcus Samuelsson

Competitors: Ben Bebenroth, Vinnie Cimino, Lisa Pucci Delgado, Nick Wallace

Premiering Tuesday, October 31st at 10:00pm ET/PT

“Alton’s Challenge, Part 4”

Modern magic! Four new chefs explore the wonders of molecular gastronomy in Alton’s Challenge battle. Making a powder from a fat and clearing up the problem with transparent ravioli are some of the struggles in the appetizer basket. In the entrée round, the chefs get lamb cooked via a modernist method and some new age noodles. And a “cake” that looks like a drop of water — and tastes like one too — gives the last pair of chefs a perplexing puzzle to solve for dessert.

Host: Ted Allen

Judges: Alton Brown, Wylie Dufresne, Amanda Freitag

Competitors: Andrea Anom, Louis Goral, Chris Holland, Tiffany Schleigh

Premiering Tuesday, November 7th at 10:00pm ET/PT – FINALE!

“Alton’s Challenge, Grand Finale”

Expect the ultimate in brainy, zany baskets from Alton Brown, as four Challenge champions return to battle it out for $50,000! Ingredients harken back to the themes of preliminary battles: molecular gastronomy, smoke, dehydration, and fermentation. In the appetizer basket, a small fish and a strange condiment puzzle the champs. A stunningly-presented protein and a jar of something stinky are in the entrée basket, and Alton makes a grand entrance in the dessert round to demonstrate the science of one of the ingredients, before an unprecedented turn of events unfolds.

Host: Ted Allen

Judges: Alton Brown, Alex Guarnaschelli, George Mendes”

Will you check out this special season of Chopped? Tell us what you think.