Ep 1. Camp Cutthroat: Porks and Rec

Cutthroat Kitchen is an American cooking competition series that premiered on the Food Network in August 2013. The show is hosted by Alton Brown, who also serves as a judge and executive producer. The concept of the show is simple: four chefs compete in a culinary battle, but with a twist. Each chef is provided with a $25,000 bankroll, which they can use to sabatoge their competitors by bidding on various challenges. The winner of each round gets to keep their winnings, while the losers have to forfeit their bankroll. The chef with the most cash at the end of the competition wins.

Season 9 of Cutthroat Kitchen premiered on the Food Network on August 24, 2016, and featured a special five-episode "Camp Cutthroat" series. In this series, the chefs were taken out of the studio and into a rustic outdoor setting, where they had to navigate the challenges of cooking in the great outdoors. Episode one of season nine, entitled "Porks and Rec," featured four chefs who battled it out to see who could make the best pork dishes.

The first round of the competition was called "Pig Out." Each chef had to pick one of four pigs, each with a different flavor profile, and cook a dish using the pig they chose. However, before the cooking could begin, the chefs had to bid on sabotages that could potentially make their opponent's dishes worse. These sabotages included having to trade dishes with another chef, having to cook with an unlit campfire, and having to cook with a single utensil.

In the second round, the remaining chefs had to compete in a game called "Ham Poker." Each chef was given a deck of cards, and had to draw five cards from the deck. Each card represented a different ingredient that they had to use in their dish. However, the chefs had the opportunity to trade cards with each other, hoping to improve their hand and their chances of winning the round. Once again, before the cooking could begin, the chefs had to bid on sabotages, such as having to cook with a pan that was designed to flip food out of the pan, or having to cook with a single pot.

Finally, the remaining two chefs faced off in the "Pork-a-Palooza" round. This round featured four mini-challenges, each with its own unique ingredients and culinary twist. The first challenge required the chefs to make a pork and bean dish, while the second challenge required them to make a dish using a mystery ingredient. In the third challenge, the chefs had to make a sweet and savory dish, and in the fourth and final challenge, they had to make a dish using only the ingredients they won in the previous rounds.

Throughout each round, Alton Brown provided colorful commentary, offering up his own unique insights and commentary on the competition. As always, the competition was fierce and the chefs were pushed to their limits, but in the end, only one could be crowned the winner of "Porks and Rec."

Overall, Cutthroat Kitchen is a high-energy, intense culinary competition that appeals to foodies and non-foodies alike. Season 9's "Camp Cutthroat" series provided a fun and unique twist on the traditional cooking competition format, and added an extra level of challenge for the chefs. Whether you're a fan of cooking or just enjoy watching people compete, Cutthroat Kitchen is a show that's sure to entertain.