The Chopping Block

Based on an Australian format of the same name, this short-lived series followed particpants in an attempt to open a restaurant.

Broadcast
NBC March 11, 2009-July 24, 2009

Host
Marco Pierre White

Gameplay
Each contestant pairs, consisting of a chef and a front-of-house member with an existing relationship, are divided into two teams of four pairs each. The teams are each assigned an empty restaurant space, across the street from each other in downtown Manhattan. Each week, the teams are given a task and open their retaurants for a service. The team judged to have lost that service has its weakeest pair eliminated from the show by chef White. Each week, the teams also have a challenge to compete in (sometimes relating to the kitchen and sometimes relating to front-of-house) the winner of which gains an advantage during the subsequent service.

Trivia
The format of the American version differs markedly to that of the original Australian version.

The show was once pre-empted on June 26 by television coverage surrounding the deaths of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett the day before.