Aaron Barnett Goes Head-to-Head with Bizarre Ingredients Tonight on Chopped

Lately, the Food Network's Chopped has been a hit-parade of Portland chefs. Last week, Jun Robles of Oven and Shaker had to cook hampered by a bargain basket. On February 3, Ataula's Jose Chesa gets a turn.

But tonight at 10 p.m., it's chef Aaron Barnett of St. Jack who will be in the hot seat. The theme? Bizarre food. Even the Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern will be on hand as a guest judge.

The network says the competition will be filled "with bizarre surprises in all the baskets," including ice cream in an "offbeat flavor,"  an "unusual meat," a "shocking-looking protein" and a "pink veggie."

But we suspect these oddities will be no match for Barnett, who regularly embraces all sorts of odds and ends and offal on his French menu. But you'll have to tune in to find out.