Since its debut in 2009, Chopped has become one of the most popular cooking competition shows on TV. After so much success, it only made sense that there be a spinoff. With that, Chopped Sweets was born. The spinoff series debuted in 2019, and follows a similar format to the original Chopped, however, this time the show is all about dessert items. As talented pastry chefs work to create the most delicious sweet treats, viewers and judges can’t keep their mouths from watering. Not only are the chefs competing for bragging rights, but the winner also gets a monetary prize. Keep reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Chopped Sweets.
1. The Winner Wins $10,000
The prize is one of the most important aspects of any competition show. Nobody wants to take time out of their life to go on a show and work hard to come home with little to nothing. The good news is that the winner of Chopped Sweets gets to go home with a $10,000 prize.
2. All Contestants Are Pastry Chefs
Lots of cooking shows cast chefs who specialize in different areas, but that isn’t the case with Chopped Sweets. The chefs chosen for Chopped Sweets are very diverse, but they have one thing in common: they’re all pastry chefs. The choice to only use chefs who specialize making baked goods evens the playing field and makes the competition more intense.
3. The Show Has A Solid Social Media Following
Unlike other TV shows, Chopped Sweets doesn’t appear to have any official social media accounts. However, the show still has a fairly large following on social media with people who use the hashtag #ChoppedSweets while watching the show. As the show continues to gain popularity, it wouldn’t be surprising if the network decided to create some social media accounts.
4. The Chefs Incorporate Some Strange Ingredients
What’s a cooking show without a good plot twist? Not only will the chefs on Chopped Sweets be under pressure to create delicious desserts in a competitive environment, they’ll also be asked to incorporate some very bizarre ingredients. Chefs will be given items like caviar. Food Network president, Courtney White, said, “Chopped Sweets takes viewers on a sweet and exhilarating culinary ride, pushing some of the most talented chefs to their limits to create beautifully crafted desserts from eccentric mystery ingredient.”
5. The Idea For The Show Began As A Tournament
Before Chopped Sweets debuted as a series, it existed in another form: Chopped: Sweets Showdown. The five part cooking tournament aired in 2019 and followed a similar to Chopped Sweets. However, instead of $10,000, the prize for the tournament was $50,000.
6. There Is Nothing Fake About The Show
Admit it, it’s nearly impossible to watch any kind of reality show without thinking that it’s at least partially staged. Prior to going on Chopped Sweets, some of the contestants even made that assumption about this show. However, after competing, their minds have been changed. Thomas McCurdy, who won an episode during season one, said, “I learned right away that ‘Chopped Sweets’ is very real,” McCurdy told Seven Days in a phone call the week after the show aired. “The secret ingredients are secret, the time constraints are real, and we have no recipes.”
7. Scott Conant Describes The Experience As Emotional
Scott Conant, the host of Chopped Sweets, has been part of the Chopped family for several years. He has been a judge on the original Chopped since the first season. But even after years of being in the game, he is still very impressed by the things he’s seen (and tasted) on Chopped Sweets. He told the Phoenix New Times, “I literally sat at the judging table and had some of the best desserts I’ve had in my life. Some of it was emotional. I couldn’t believe the talent of these chefs and the amount of work they did in a concentrated block of time with some obscure, wild ingredients.”
8. The Episodes Are Themed
One of the major difference between Chopped and Chopped Sweets are that the episodes on Sweets are themed. This forces the chefs to get even more creative to make tasty dishes that also stay within the theme of the episode. The themes can range from carnivals to adult beverages and anything in between.
9. The Show Had An Open Casting Call
If you’re a pastry chef and you think you have what it takes to compete with the best of the best, the good news is that there is an open casting call for Chopped Sweets. It looks like the show is currently casting and applicants can submit there information through the JS Casting website.
10. Creativity Is A Must
Having the talent to make delicious desserts is one thing, but Chopped Sweets will rely on creativity just as much as it does talent. The chefs will have to step outside of their comfort zones in order to win. The themes will put even the most experienced pastry chefs to the test. On the bright side, viewers might get some new dessert ideas.
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