Contestant Jing Kong with host Ted Allen in “Chopped”

Oh "Chopped." You're the show that keeps on giving. Its format has been replicated, copied, ripped off and modified in countless other TV shows, but it's still such a pleasure to watch. Mystery (oftentimes bizarre) ingredients, a rapidly ticking clock and discerning judges -- it's enough to give any chef cold sweats.

It's also a recipe that's easy to modify, and April will see a number of novel tweaks in a series of special episodes, all airing on Tuesday nights on the Food Network.

First up on April 7 is the "Amateurs' Brawl." The "Chopped" kitchen is typically for professional chefs only, but as a special treat, four home cooks are being given a chance to prove their culinary mettle. With the baskets of mystery ingredients holding chicken truffle sausages and wild boar roast, they'll certainly have their work cut out for them if they want to stay in the big leagues.

April 14 will see four first responders trying to avoid the chopping block. Paramedics and police officers who know their way around the kitchen will be competing for the title of "Chopped Champion."

Finally, on April 21, all four contestants will have something in common -- they're all bakers! With the judges expecting savoury dishes for the first two courses, the contestants will have to step out of their comfort zones to serve up the perfect meal.

But that isn't the end. These three special "Chopped" episodes have just been the amuse-bouche for the real event. "Chopped All-Stars," a special five episode mini-series, premieres on April 28. As in "All-Stars" past, 16 celebrity chefs will be competing in the "Chopped" kitchen, not only for bragging rights but also for charity.

These chefs are the cream of the crop, and the mystery ingredients given to them will reflect that: these will be some of the trickiest and most challenging baskets ever seen on "Chopped."

With a month of special "Chopped" episodes lined up, and with "Chopped All-Stars" running through May, "Chopped" fans have some exciting times ahead. "Chopped" airs Tuesday nights on the Food Network.