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Two firsts, and a calendar all its own.
Season 62 skips the tournament bracket, but two genuine structural firsts and a calendar shared with no other season make it one of the cleanest, most distinctive entries this canon has ranked in years.
A rhythm worth tracking.
Thirteen standalone episodes run from July 2025 into May 2026, the only season in this batch that shares its calendar with no other season at all. Two structural firsts define the run: a No Kid Hungry charity episode swaps the usual appetizer-entrée-dessert rounds for breakfast, lunch, and dessert, and a Ted's Takeover episode puts Ted Allen himself at the judging table as a fourth judge — only the second time in the show's history a host has judged.
The #21 slot.
Slot #21 of 62 in the Chopped Editor's Canon. Season 62 closes out this batch with the cleanest release window of any season here — nine months with no other season sharing its calendar at all, edging past Season 27's own zero-overlap run. What separates it from Season 27 is format credit: a No Kid Hungry charity episode swaps the usual appetizer-entrée-dessert order for breakfast, lunch, and dessert, and a Ted's Takeover episode puts Ted Allen at the judging table as a fourth judge, only the second time a host has judged in the show's history. Neither swing touches the closed-door premise itself, but a calendar this clean plus two genuine firsts is enough to edge Season 62 just above Season 27.
4 moments, no spoilers.
- No Kid Hungry · swapped round order
A charity episode replaces the usual appetizer-entrée-dessert structure with breakfast, lunch, and dessert rounds. Watch it as a rare change to the format's own course order.
- Ted's Takeover · host at the table
Ted Allen joins the judging panel as a fourth judge for one hour, only the second time a host has judged in the show's history. Watch how the panel dynamic shifts with him on the other side of the table.
- Every episode · zero overlap
This season starts about three weeks after both Season 60 and Season 61 finish airing, and nothing else in this batch touches its calendar. Watch it as the cleanest release window in this entire batch.
- Season close · May 2026
Season 62 closes out in May 2026, having run its full nine-plus months without sharing the calendar with a single other season. Watch this run as a rare, fully solo stretch for the format.