NEW CHEFS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK AND "HIGH" EXPECTATIONS IN STORE ON DISCOVERY+ SERIES "CHOPPED 420" AND "CHOPPED NEXT GEN"

Hosted by Ron Funches, Chopped 420 Exclusively Available to Stream on discovery+ Starting Tuesday, April 20th

Chopped Next Gen with Host Liza Koshy Available to Stream Tuesday, May 25th Exclusively on discovery +

NEW YORK - March 17, 2021 - A new generation of culinary trailblazers have their sights and skills set on conquering a new twist of the fan-favorite culinary competition series that has defined competitive cooking, with both Chopped 420 and Chopped Next Gen set to stream exclusively on discovery+. Hosted by comedian Ron Funches, Chopped 420 breaks new ground with five standalone episodes featuring four budding cannabis chefs who are challenged to create tasty and mind warping dishes through three rounds - appetizer, entrée, and dessert - from a mystery basket of ingredients for a chance at winning the $10,000 grand prize. Besides scouring the Chopped pantry for ingredients, each competitor must also navigate the Chopped green house for cannabis or CBD-infused products to incorporate into their dishes. See which competitors can impress the judges with a severe case of the munchies and make their fellow competitors green with envy. In Chopped Next Gen, actress, producer, and creator Liza Koshy challenges a new guard of rising, Generation Z chefs over five episodes in the ultimate culinary arena. Watch as these young competitors bring the flair and flavor to the Chopped kitchen through three rounds to solve the algorithm of mandatory, mystery basket ingredients. Each basket requires the right mix of innovation and ambition, with the winner of each episode earning insta-fame and $10,000.

"In Chopped 420 and Chopped Next Gen, these brave and talented rising chefs think outside the box to reimagine the gauntlet of mystery ingredients, including for the first time in Chopped history, utilizing cannabis to enhance their dishes," said Courtney White, President, Food Network. "What these novices lack in experience they make up for in imagination and desire. Viewers are in for a wild ride with these fun and inventive spins on a classic."

Beginning Tuesday, April 20th on discovery+, all episodes of Chopped 420 are available to stream. In each hour-long episode, four talented and experienced chefs create ganja-infused dishes that must not only provide a buzz but also wow a panel of recurring judges, including chef Esther Choi, drag performer and cannabis activist Laganja Estranja, chef Luke Reyes, chef Sam Talbot and comedian Tacarra Williams, to avoid being chopped. During an episode, the chefs contend with spot prawns and borscht in the appetizer round. In the entrée round, the remaining chefs are greeted with chocolate dentures, an ingredient you'd have to be high to come up with, while the last two competitors standing blaze into the dessert round only to be faced with a bottle of ketchup. The chef that keeps a clear head despite all the haze in the air will be crowned the 420 champion. Other episodes feature host Ron Funches presenting the chefs with sake popsicles to use in their dishes that will have the judges flying high and seeing double; but which chef will bring the judges back down to earth with a good old chocolate milk for dessert? And see what happens when the chefs must use cannabis to compliment the duo of armadillo eggs and eel.

Twenty young, hip, and hungry chefs bring their cutting-edge culinary skills and fierce determination to Chopped Next Gen, available to stream on Tuesday, May 25th on discovery+. With youth comes unflappable confidence, as four chefs compete in each hour-long episode through three rounds to bring a youthful spin on dishes never seen or tasted before. A recurring panel of some of the culinary world's up-and-coming stars - Nyesha Arrington, Darnell Ferguson, Mei Lin, Esdras Ochoa and Kwame Onwuachi - judge each competitor's dish based on taste, presentation and how creative their vision is. Only one chef walks away each episode with the cash prize and bragging rights in adding Chopped Next Gen champion to their growing resume. The chefs have their work cut out for them in an episode with scorpion powder and scungilli in the appetizer basket. Host Liza Koshy keeps the entrée round meat free with a plant-based charcuterie board and red snapper. And see if the remaining two chefs are delighted to get uni in the dessert round. Other episodes include cured tuna hearts and mushrooms that inspire two chefs to put a novel spin on Italian cuisine; and the chefs prove their worth by integrating baby bananas and duck confit into a delicious and inventive dessert.

To get to know the new batch of hosts and judges of Chopped 420 and Chopped Next Gen, along with exclusive looks at the updated, outdoor sets and more about the competitions, follow along on social media using the hashtags #Chopped420 and #ChoppedNextGen.

discovery+ is the definitive non-fiction, real life subscription streaming service. discovery+ features a landmark partnership with Verizon that gives their customers with select plans up to 12 months of discovery+ on Verizon. discovery+ has the largest-ever content offering of any new streaming service at launch, featuring a wide range of exclusive, original series across popular, passion verticals in which Discovery brands have a strong leadership position, including lifestyle and relationships; home and food; true crime; paranormal; adventure and natural history; as well as science, tech and the environment, and a slate of high-quality documentaries. For more, visit discoveryplus.com or find it on a variety of platforms and devices, including ones from Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Roku and Samsung.

Chopped 420 and Chopped Next Gen are produced by Notional Entertainment for discovery+.

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About discovery+

discovery+ is the definitive non-fiction, real life subscription streaming service. discovery+ features a landmark partnership with Verizon that gives their customers with select plans up to 12 months of discovery+ on Verizon. discovery+ has the largest-ever content offering of any new streaming service at launch, featuring a wide range of exclusive, original series across popular, passion verticals in which Discovery brands have a strong leadership position, including lifestyle and relationships; home and food; true crime; paranormal; adventure and natural history; as well as science, tech and the environment, and a slate of high-quality documentaries. For more, visit discoveryplus.com or find it on a variety of platforms and devices, including ones from Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Roku and Samsung.