Cutthroat Kitchen
| Cutthroat Kitchen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Reality, Cooking |
| Starring | Alton Brown |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 7 |
| No. of episodes | 80 (through 2/22/2015) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Shauna Minoprio, Julia Cassidy, Michael Davies |
| Running time | 60 Minutes |
| Production company | Embassy Row |
| Original release | |
| Network | Food Network |
| Release | August 11, 2013 – present |
Cutthroat Kitchen is a reality cooking television show hosted by Alton Brown that premiered on August 11, 2013 on Food Network. It features four chefs competing in a three-round elimination cooking competition. However, the contestants face auctions in which they can purchase opportunities to sabotage each other or benefit themselves. Each chef is given $25,000 at the start of the show; the winner keeps whatever money he/she has not spent in the auctions. The show is in its sixth season as of November 2014.[1] The series shares some basic elements with other four-chef three-round elimination-style competitions on Food Network including Chopped and Guy's Grocery Games.
Format
Each episode features four chefs competing in a three-round elimination contest. Brown gives each chef $25,000 cash before the first round.
In each round, the chefs are assigned a specific dish to create. The assigned dishes are typically specific and commonplace, such as macaroni and cheese, French toast, or fish and chips; on occasion, Brown announces a more general challenge such as British pub food or a skillet breakfast. In later seasons, the first two rounds are commonly savory with a dessert for the third round. After the dish is announced, the chefs have 60 seconds to collect all of the ingredients they need for their dishes from an onstage pantry, using hand-carried shopping baskets. When the time runs out, Brown shuts the pantry doors; any chefs who remain inside must surrender an ingredient of his choosing before he will let them out.
In each of the first two rounds, Brown follows the ingredient collection time by auctioning off a series of items that the chefs can use to sabotage one another (or, in some cases, to benefit themselves). The highest bidder pays for the item out of his/her remaining funds, then decides which opponent(s) will face the sabotage, if applicable. The auctions are followed by a timed period (usually 30 minutes) in which the chefs must prepare and plate their dishes. Brown occasionally offers additional auctions during the cooking time. In the final round, the chefs begin cooking immediately after collecting their ingredients, and the auctions take place while they are working.
Once the cooking time has expired, any visible indication of the sabotages/benefits is removed from the set and a judge is brought out to evaluate the dishes. The judge is sequestered in an isolation room except during the judging, and has no knowledge of what has occurred during the round. Each dish is evaluated on three criteria: taste, presentation, and resemblance to the assigned dish. The chefs are given a chance to describe and explain their dish and choices. They may not complain in general or disclose any sabotages they faced. They can, however, attempt to explain away (truthfully or otherwise) the cooking choices they made or were forced to make.
The chef whose dish is judged the least satisfactory is eliminated from the game and forfeits all of his/her remaining money. After the third round, the surviving chef keeps whatever money s/he has not spent on auction items.
Auctions
Brown typically starts each auction by asking for an opening bid of either $500 or $1,000. However, where only one contestant has more than $500, the bidding may begin lower. All bids are in multiples of $100.
Auction items are generally introduced by being lowered in a dumbwaiter. The auction "items" are generally represented by a token object, even when the sabotage is not tangible. Some auction items have been reused in several episodes.
Auctions often feature equipment that has been custom-built by the show's creative team. Items are often thematically related to the assigned dish, or are a pun on or inspired by the name of the dish (for example, a string of velvet ropes to hinder a chef's movements while making red velvet cake). Brown often weaves a story around the item being auctioned, suggesting a personal connection. At Brown's discretion, an auction winner may be allowed to apply a sabotage to him/herself, such as accepting a poor-quality ingredient after s/he has neglected to obtain its better-quality counterpart from the pantry.
Some common types of sabotages include:
- A "swap": Forcing one chef to give up one or more ingredients or pieces of equipment and accept a less desirable replacement.
- One specific type of swap forces a chef to give up one or more ingredients and obtain them from a different source, such as a coin-operated vending machine or by digging through a vegetable garden.
- A "swap and assign": The winner can confiscate one type of ingredient or equipment from every opponent, then assign a different replacement to each.
- Forcing one or more opponents to incorporate an unorthodox ingredient into the dish.
- Confiscating an ingredient type from one or more opponents, without a replacement being offered.
- Requiring one or or more opponents to prepare their dishes in a particular manner, or banning them from using certain cooking methods.
- A replacement prep station that is typically smaller, more awkward, and/or less stable than the standard ones in the kitchen. In some cases, the chef must first build the station from provided materials and/or be restricted to using a built-in heat source such as a hot plate or toaster oven.
- Being forced to hold, do, or wear something throughout the cooking period.
- Restriction to a chef's freedom of movement, or requiring two chefs to be physically attached in some way.
- A "time suck": Loss of cooking time either by simply sitting out for a certain set period of time, or by having to stop cooking and complete a task before being allowed to continue. In the latter case, the amount of time lost is partially in the control of the chef.
- In some cases, two or more chefs must take part in a contest, with the loser sitting out as above.
- In some cases, a time suck is combined with a swap. A chef loses one or more ingredients, but can win back either the lost ingredients or an equivalent through some activity (often a carnival game or similar) that acts as a time suck. The chef may usually elect to stop trying to recover ingredients when they want to in order resume cooking sooner.
- A "station swap": This auction is typically offered during partway through a round; the winner can force two of his/her opponents to trade prep stations. Each affected chef must use the other chef's ingredients and work-in-progress as his/her own and comply with any sabotages in effect against the other.
Failure to comply with the sabotage conditions can lead to mockery from Brown, a fine (usually $500), and/or being forced to restart the recipe.[2][3]
Judges
The show's regular judges are Jet Tila, Simon Majumdar, and Antonia Lofaso. Each typical episode features only one judge who evaluates the dishes in all three rounds. The contestants do not learn the judge's identity until he/she enters the kitchen at the end of the first round.
Guest judges have included Giada DeLaurentiis, ("The Yolk's on You"), Geoffrey Zakarian ("Well, Hot Clam!"), Jaime Martin Del Campo ("Judging Judges"), Ramiro Arvizu ("Judging Judges"), Daniel Holzman ("Judging Judges"), Sherry Yard ("Judging Judges"), Valerie Bertinelli ("Who Tarted?") and Anne Burrell ("Whatcho' Taco-ing About, Alton?").
Special sabotages and episodes
"A Crepe-y Situation" featured the first viewer-submitted sabotage. The auction for this sabotage was held before the chefs entered the pantry; the winner could force one opponent to collect ingredients without using a basket to hold them.
"Gluttons for Punishment" featured former contestants who lost in earlier episodes looking to redeem themselves, while "Breakfast in Bed" featured former champions. The latter is also known as "Wicked Winners" for the ways the contestants first won.
In the 2014 Halloween episode "SaBOOOtage," one of the first-round auctions offered a "Deal with the Devil." The winner gained immunity from elimination for the round; if his/her dish was judged the worst, the chef with the second-worst dish was eliminated instead. However, the winner was prohibited from bidding on auctions for all subsequent rounds.
"Judging Judges" featured the three main judges and Geoffrey Zakarian competing, with the winnings going to charity. The winner's charity received $25,000 while the three other charities received $5,000.
In October 2014, the show aired a special five-part celebrity tournament subtitled "Superstar Sabotage," with the winning celebrity chef earning up to $75,000 in cash for their favorite charity.[4] In early September, the 16 chefs involved were announced. Episodes aired on Wednesday instead of the usual Sunday.[5] Those eliminated in the heats were given $2,500 for their charities. In the finals, the contestants were given $50,000 to bid.
In "Crabs of Steel," Tila announced a tie between the two chefs in the final round. They both got to keep the money they had left.
In "The Cone Ranger," chef Kyle Schutte won the game without bidding on any auctions, allowing him to keep the full $25,000.
The episode "Tiki Torch-ure" contained a corporate-sponsored "sabotage" from Farmers Insurance. The winner of this auction could reject a sabotage assigned to him/her by an opponent.
Starting April 19, 2015, Cutthroat Kitchen aired an "Evilicious" Tournament containing sixteen of the show's most memorable contestants.[6]
Notable contestants
 |
- Former Olympic long jumper Dawn Burrell was in the episode "Foul Play."
- Tiffany Derry was in "S'more Sabotage."
- Joe Arvin HouseGuest on Big Brother 14, was in "Thanks, But No Thanksgiving"
- Barret Beyer, Contestant on Hell's Kitchen (U.S. season 11), was in "With a Chariot on Top"
- Tommy Stevens, Contestant on Hell's Kitchen (U.S. season 9), was in "Hawai'i 5-Oh No!"
Production
On April 23, 2013 Food Network announced Cutthroat Kitchen as part of a package of new series to be presented on Food Network.[3][7][8]
Episodes
Season 1
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Episode Title | Original Air Date | Episode/Production #[9] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Vive Le Sabotage | August 11, 2013 | KT0104H |
| 2 | 2 | Pork Chops and Sabotage | August 18, 2013 | KT0103H |
| 3 | 3 | Tac'o the Town | August 25, 2013 | KT0102H |
| 4 | 4 | Let Them Eat Cupcakes | September 1, 2013 | KT0105H |
| 5 | 5 | Winner, Winner, Fried Chicken Dinner | September 8, 2013 | KT0106H |
| 6 | 6 | Wing It | September 15, 2013 | KT0101H |
| 7 | 7 | Tiny Tools, Big Problems | September 22, 2013 | KT0107H |
| 8 | 8 | Steak Out | September 29, 2013 | KT0108H |
| 9 | 9 | Kiss My Grits | October 6, 2013 | KT0109H |
| 10 | 10 | Humble Pie | October 13, 2013 | KT0110H |
| 11 | 11 | Un-Holy Trinity | October 20, 2013 | KT0111H |
| 12 | 12 | Chicken Cordon 'Blue' | October 27, 2013 | KT0112H |
| 13 | 13 | S'more Sabotage | November 3, 2013 | KT0113H |
Season 2
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Episode Title | Original Air Date | Episode/Production #[9] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 1 | Wham Clam Thank You Ma'am | December 15, 2013 | KT0201H |
| 15 | 2 | Duck, Duck, Gnocchi | December 22, 2013 | KT0203H |
| 16 | 3 | Shrimp or Get Off the Pot Sticker | December 29, 2013 | KT0204H |
| 17 | 4 | The Yolk's on You | January 5, 2014 | KT0205H |
| 18 | 5 | Cutthroat Kiddy Kitchen | January 12, 2014 | KT0202H |
| 19 | 6 | Soupsy Daisy | January 19, 2014 | KT0206H |
| 20 | 7 | A Penny for Your Chocolates | January 26, 2014 | KT0207H |
| 21 | 8 | A Crepe-Y Situation | February 2, 2014 | KT0208H |
| 22 | 9 | Melts in Your Pot, Not in Your Hand | February 9, 2014 | KT0209H |
| 23 | 10 | Foul Play | February 16, 2014 | KT0210H |
| 24 | 11 | Gluttons for Punishment | February 23, 2014 | KT0211H |
| 25 | 12 | It's Not Delivery, It's Old Delivery | March 2, 2014 | KT0212H |
| 26 | 13 | Pressed or Steamed | March 9, 2014 | KT0213H |
Season 3
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Episode Title | Original Air Date | Episode/ Production #[9] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 1 | A Few Good Ramen | March 16, 2014 | KT0307H |
| 28 | 2 | Breakfast in Bed Alternate title: Wicked Winners |
March 23, 2014 | KT0308H |
| 29 | 3 | Hawaiʻi 5-Oh No! | March 30, 2014 | KT0309H |
| 30 | 4 | Two Chefs in a Pod | April 6, 2014 | KT0301H |
| 31 | 5 | Chain of Tools Original title: Layer, I Hardly Know Her! |
April 13, 2014 | KT0302H |
| 32 | 6 | Tso Good | April 20, 2014 | KT0303H |
| 33 | 7 | The Rice Stuff | April 27, 2014 | KT0304H |
| 34 | 8 | Ladel-ayheehoo | May 4, 2014 | KT0305H |
| 35 | 9 | Life's a Mystery... Meat | May 11, 2014 | KT0306H |
| 36 | 10 | Beating friends, real good | May 18, 2014 | KT0312H |
| 37 | 11 | Well, Hot Clam! | May 25, 2014 | KT0311H |
| 38 | 12 | Judging Judges | June 1, 2014 | KT0310H |
| 39 | 13 | Panini, Meeny, Miny, Moe | June 15, 2014 | KT0313H |
Season 4
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Episode Title | Original Air Date | Episode/Production #[9] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 1 | I Can't Believe It's Not Udder | June 22, 2014 | KT0401H |
| 41 | 2 | You Wanna Pizza This? | June 29, 2014 | KT0402H |
| 42 | 3 | Anything But a Cake Walk | July 6, 2014 | KT0404H |
| 43 | 4 | Big Trouble in Little Chinese Chicken Salad | July 13, 2014 | KT0403H |
| 44 | 5 | Welcome to the Jungle | July 20, 2014 | KT0405H |
| 45 | 6 | I Like My Peppers Pulverized | July 27, 2014 | KT0406H |
| 46 | 7 | Two Chefs, One Toga | August 3, 2014 | KT0409H |
| 47 | 8 | Ho-Ley Pot | August 10, 2014 | KT0407H |
| 48 | 9 | Superhero Sabotage | August 17, 2014 | KT0411H |
| 49 | 10 | The Eggs-Orcist | August 24, 2014 | KT0408H |
| 50 | 11 | When in Rome, Cook on a Scooter | August 31, 2014 | KT0410H |
| 51 | 12 | Chili'd to the Bone | September 7, 2014 | KT0412H |
| 52 | 13 | Tongue Thai-ed | September 14, 2014 | KT0413H |
Season 5
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Episode Title | Original Air Date | Episode/Production #[9] | U.S. viewers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | 1 | Crabs of Steel | September 21, 2014 | KT0501H | 1,330,000[10] |
| 54 | 2 | Tos-ta-da! | September 28, 2014 | KT0502H | 1,194,000[11] |
| 55 | 3 | SaBOOOtage (Halloween Special) |
October 5, 2014 | KT0504H | 1,697,000[12] |
| 56 | 4 | Superstar Sabotage: Heat One | October 8, 2014 | KT0507H | 1,418,000[13] |
| 57 | 5 | Here's Looking at You, Squid | October 12, 2014 | KT0503H | 1,312,000[14] |
| 58 | 6 | Superstar Sabotage: Heat Two | October 15, 2014 | KT0509H | 1,069,000[15] |
| 59 | 7 | Chip Off the Ol' Baklava | October 19, 2014 | KT0508H | 954,000[16] |
| 60 | 8 | Superstar Sabotage: Heat Three | October 22, 2014 | KT0510H | 1,223,000[17] |
| 61 | 9 | The Undertater | October 26, 2014 | KT0512H | 1,266,000[18] |
| 62 | 10 | Superstar Sabotage: Heat Four | October 29, 2014 | KT0511H | 1,081,000[15] |
| 63 | 11 | With a Chariot on Top | November 2, 2014 | KT0601H | 1,019,000[19] |
| 64 | 12 | Superstar Sabotage: Finale | November 5, 2014 | KT0513H | 981,000[20] |
| 65 | 13 | Empanada Chance | November 9, 2014 | KT0602H | 1,210,000[19] |
Season 6
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Episode Title | Original Air Date | Episode/Production #[9] | U.S. viewers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | 1 | Thanks, But No Thanksgiving | November 16, 2014 | KT0505H | 1.33[21] |
| 67 | 2 | In It to Twin It | November 23, 2014 | KT0603H | 1.16[22] |
| 68 | 3 | S'Mortal Combat | November 30, 2014 | KT0604H | 1.21[23] |
| 69 | 4 | Sabotage is Comin' to Town (Christmas Special) |
December 7, 2014 | KT0506H | 1.30[24] |
| 70 | 5 | When Pigs Fry | December 14, 2014 | KT0605H | 1.28[25] |
| 71 | 6 | I Would Do Anything for Loaf | December 21, 2014 | KT0607H | 1.03[26] |
| 72 | 7 | The Cone Ranger | December 28, 2014 | KT0610H | 1.34[27] |
| 73 | 8 | The Long Tools and Shortcake Of It | January 4, 2015 | KT0609H | 1.48[28] |
| 74 | 9 | Tiki Torch-ure | January 11, 2015 | KT0611H | 1.17[29] |
| 75 | 10 | Baby Got Backpack | January 18, 2015 | KT0612H | 1.38[30] |
| 76 | 11 | The Supper Bowl | January 25, 2015 | KT0608H | 1.18[31] |
| 77 | 12 | Who Tarted? | February 1, 2015 | KT0702H | |
| 78 | 13 | Alton and the Chocolate Factory Valentine's Day Special; a/k/a "Choco-tage" |
February 8, 2015 | KT0606H | 1.09[32] |
Season 7
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Episode Title | Original Air Date | Episode/Production #[9] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | 1 | Whatcoo Taco'ing About, Alton? | February 15, 2015 | KT0701H |
| 80 | 2 | Gno-cchi to Victory | February 22, 2015 | KT0613H |
| 81 | 3 | You're Bacon Me Crazy | March 1, 2015 | KT0703H |
| 82 | 4 | Whisk-ey Business | March 8, 2015 | KT0704H |
| 83 | 5 | Scone Home | March 15, 2015 | KT0705H |
| 84 | 6 | Great Egg-scape | March 22, 2015 | KT0706H |
| 85 | 7 | You're All Up Banh Mi | March 29, 2015 | KT0707H |
| 86 | 8 | Lamb-a Dama Ding Dong | April 5, 2015 | KT0713H |
| 87 | 9 | Live And Let Diner | April 12, 2015 | KT0801H |
| 88 | 10 | Evilicious: Canoe Jack City | April 19, 2015 | KT0709H |
| 89 | 11 | Evilicious: Frying Up First Class | April 26, 2015 | KT0710H |
| 90 | 12 | Evilicous: 20,000 Leagues Under the Prep Table | May 3, 2015 | KT0711H |
| 91 | 13 | Evilicouus: Moo-in' on Up | May 3, 2015 | KT0712H |
References
- ^ "Cutthroat Kitchen Episodes". Food Network. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
- ^ "Food Network: Cutthroat Kitchen". Food Network. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- ^ a b "No-Mercy Culinary Antics to Take Over Alton Brown's Cutthroat Kitchen". Food Network Via FN Dish Blog. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
- ^ http://www.deadline.com/2014/04/food-network-adds-valerie-bertinelli-project-to-daytime-lineup/
- ^ Top-Notch Chefs to Turn Evilicious in Cutthroat Kitchen’s First Superstar Sabotage Tournament
- ^ Meet the Chefs of the Cutthroat Kitchen: Evilicious Tournament
- ^ "Food Network Announces New Series for 2013". Food Network Gossip. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- ^ "Cutthroat Kitchen To Premiere August 11th". Food Network Gossip. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Food Network: Cutthroat Kitchen Episode Guide". Retrieved 12 October 2014 Cite error: The named reference "Cutthroat Kitchen Episode Guide" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 9.21.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 9.28.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
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- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 10.8.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 10.12.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ a b "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 10.15.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 10.19.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 10.22.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 10.26.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ a b "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 11.2.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 11.5.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 11.16.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 11.23.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 11.30.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 12.7.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 12.14.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 12.21.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 12.28.2014". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 1.4.2015". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 1.11.2015". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 1.18.2015". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Sunday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 1.25.2015". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (February 10, 2015). "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'The Walking Dead' Tops Night + 'Better Call Saul', 'Talking Dead', 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
