PROFESSIONAL GRILL MASTERS FACE OFF FOR $50,000 GRAND PRIZE IN RETURN OF "CHOPPED GRILL MASTERS"

Five-Part Stunt Premieres Tuesday, August 1st on Food Network

NEW YORK - June 20, 2017 - Sixteen of the most talented grilling professionals are heading outdoors to get ready for a showdown in the return of Chopped Grill Masters, premiering Tuesday, August 1st at 10pm ET/PT on Food Network. Hosted by Ted Allen, and featuring a rotating panel of Chopped judges and special guests, each episode features four Grill Masters competing over three rounds - appetizer, entrée and dessert - as they showcase their exceptional skills, with only charcoal and propane grills, and a smoker at their disposal. The goal, to create unique dishes utilizing the mystery basket of ingredients to impress the judges, while also battling the outdoor elements. The winner from each heat of the five-part tournament earns a spot in the grand finale, where they will compete for the grand prize of $50,000 and a Napa Valley dream vacation.

"Professional chefs competing to create unique and decadent dishes in a finite amount of time, using mystery ingredients is difficult enough," said Courtney White, SVP Programming, Scripps Networks Interactive. "Chopped Grill Masters takes this challenge to a whole new level, placing the competitors outdoors with only the use of grills and a smoker, and world-class judges watching their every move, setting up a competition like no other."

Find out more about the Chopped Grill Masters tournament at FoodNetwork.com/Chopped, where you will uncover photo and video highlights. Join in on all the fun at #Chopped.

Episodes include:

Premiering Tuesday, August 1st at 10:00pm ET/PT - TOURNAMENT PREMIERE! "Grill Masters: Battle 1" Live-fire cooking, life-changing stakes! In this $50,000 five-part tournament, grilling's greatest go big in a spectacular outdoor kitchen. First basket out of the gate challenges four determined competitors with a weird pie and a beautiful cut of pork. A vegan product counters the giant beef ribs in the entrée basket, and the judges are impressed when they see a chef making a creative choice for their dessert basket, but will the innovative idea result in a tasty plate? Competitors: Megan Day (Kansas City, Mo.), Laura Frazee (Dunnellon, Fla.), Andy Husbands (Boston, Mass.), Craig Verhage (Cleveland, Miss.) Host: Ted Allen Judges:Alex Guarnaschelli, Myron Mixon, Marc Murphy

Premiering Tuesday, August 8th at 10:00pm ET/PT "Grill Masters: Battle 2" A second group of Grill Masters is in hot pursuit of the $50,000 grand prize. The chefs discover something stuffed and something smoked in the appetizer basket. Double proteins make the entrée a carnivore's dream, and the two competitors who make it to the dessert basket find ways to make beans the center of their sweet dishes. Competitors: Jeff Bannister (Greenville, S.C.), Ro Daniel (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Richard Fergola (Gardner, Kan.), Joe Johnson (Los Angeles, Calif.) Host: Ted Allen Judges: Scott Conant, Tiffani Faison, Marc Murphy

Premiering Tuesday, August 15th at 10:00pm ET/PT "Grill Masters: Battle 3" Four new Grill Masters are confident they can be the best and advance to the Grand Finale! In the appetizer basket, the party gets started with a frozen daiquiri and plating timing doesn't work out well for one of the chefs. A fatty protein and an odd-colored ice cream are part of the challenge in the second round. In the dessert basket birthday cake is a festive find for the remaining competitors. Competitors:Moe Cason (Des Moines, Iowa), Stephen Coe (Plymouth, Mass.), Lee Ann Whippen (Chicago, Ill.), Flip Wise (Aspen, Colo.) Host: Ted Allen Judges: Alex Guarnaschelli, Marc Murphy, Marcus Samuelsson

Premiering Tuesday, August 22nd at 10:00pm ET/PT "Grill Masters: Battle 4" Just one spot left for the Grand Finale! A feisty group of chefs is trash talking from the start, but will the vibe change after somebody's lamb appetizer lands on the chopping block? A "steak" made out of a vegetable is one of the surprises the chefs face in the entrée basket. The last two competitors are supremely confident, but their knowledge of dragon fruit and mesquite powder could play a role in who grills the best dessert. Competitors: Joanna Dunn (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Nikki Martin (West Hollywood, Calif.), Marco Niccoli (Salt Lake City, Utah), Jim Stancil (Oxford, Ga.) Host: Ted Allen Judges: Maneet Chauhan, Aaron Franklin, Chris Santos

Premiering Tuesday, August 29th at 10:00pm ET/PT - TOURNAMENT FINALE! "Grill Masters: Finale Battle" Which of the four incredible Grill Masters champions will top all and score $50,000 and a Napa Valley vacation? Tiny, celebratory beers help kick off the first round of live-fire cooking, as well as a beautiful rack of boar. As the intensity heats up, s'mores and a delicate vegetable accompany a lean meat on the competitors' entrée plates. A giant sweet surprise in the dessert basket ensures that the final plates will be colorful and unusual. But whose will taste like 50,000 bucks? Host: Ted Allen Judges: Amanda Freitag, Marc Murphy, Chris Santos

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