Three chefs known for their culinary chops and cost-saving skills take on a high-stakes budget battle. Guy Fieri challenges them to prepare four plates of their signature dinner with only $25. The winner earns an automatic $10,000 and can double their wager in a second budget battle against the all-star judge of their choice. Chef and Judge must search for a cart containing the free protein they want to use in their winning dish, but the better the protein, the smaller the budget that goes with it.