Four fearless chefs take on a wild Chopped tournament event with a major curveball: There's an auction before each round to determine each chef's fourth ingredient! The chefs could end up with major advantages or extreme challenges, resulting in an unpredictable competition. In this preliminary battle, things get interesting in the appetizer round when the chef who scores the most enviable auction item ends up struggling with a basic basket ingredient. Then, the pie filling in the entrée basket isn't exactly a treat, and in the dessert round, the tables turn on the chef who seems to have the edge after the auction. The winner of each of four preliminary competitions moves on to the tournament's grand finale, where someone will score a sizable cash prize and the coveted title of Chopped Grand Champion.