"Cutthroat Kitchen" isn't a typical cooking competition. A player, in addition to being a good chef, must be able to outwit and, at times, sabotage opponents to win. Each episode features four people vying in three rounds to win up to $25,000 cash. At the beginning, $100,000 is split evenly among the players to spend however they wish during the game. The chefs spend the money at auctions to get things that could help them -- like buying exclusive use of salt -- or hinder their opponents -- like prohibiting them from tasting a recipe in progress. Each round eliminates one chef, until there is a winner. Although the competitors want to make purchases at auction to improve the chances of winning, they don't want to spend too much; the amount remaining in the winner's bank determines the ultimate prize. Some special tournaments -- usually seasonally themed -- stretch across multiple episodes and offer higher amounts of money. Alton Brown hosts.