Iron Chef America (Part 2)

[eje]

I'm kind of puzzled and confused by the use of generic ingredients this season.

Why use plain hamburger, when you could use some specific kind of beef? Why use plain chicken, when it could be some funny looking heirloom bird? It seemed like the first season, they stuck to ingredients that were more or less native to America, or at least closely associated with the US. Bison, Corn, etc. This was at least kind of cool.

As far as the Iron Chefs go, Flay is the least interesting to me. He seems to have a pretty limited repetoire of dishes, his platings are not all that exciting, and he always features at least one dish his restaurants are famous for. At least during battle chicken he didn't make tamales or some sort of cowboy breakfast. Not sure why he called the chicken stuffed with ham and cheese something like, "a tribute to spain," since it was a version of Chicken Saltimbocca.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the Des Jardins battle and Dufresne battles. I hope they get some fun ingredients to play with.

-Erik

[coquus]

As far as Flay goes, I would let him cook for me any day over the other three. I like his food, it's not soutwest though. I thought he lost this battle, how can he plate four main dishes and call it a meal, plus heavy coconut soup? I thought that Lang's dishes were better looking like everyone else here, his chicken all looked well cooked as well, not so Flay. Why don't they just put Martin Yan up there every week, or Jeffery Steingarten, like the little Japanese lady, Ahiro Koshi, culinary food critic, or whatever her name was. Oprah's personal chef has got to go, Morrocca can stay at least he's intelligent.

[DeVeaux]

They need to get Gordo Ramsey on the show to actually cook, rather than throw hissy fits and swear at people.

Though I guess he could abuse the judges if they don't like his food - "WHAT DO MEAN YOU DON'T LIKE IT, YOU STUPID C--T? ARE YOUR TASTE BUDS UP YOUT ARSE? OH, F--K OFF!"

[Bux]

. . . .  Almost all of the food looked, not only good enough to eat, but actually tempting, but Adam Perry Lang's preparations appeared to be the most enticing, they also appeared to be the most interesting looking. Not being able to taste any of the food, I wasn't particularly disturbed to see Flay win, maybe it did taste better, but to see him win on presentation points was a joke. This episode might have been better without a jury or their vote. I enjoyed watching them cook. I was particularly struck with Lang's range and finesse.  . . . .

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To put this in perspective. If this was a commercial for two restaurants, I wouldn't refuse a dinner invitation at either. If I'm choosing and paying, there's no question that Lang is the front runner. It's merely how much more I'd be willing to pay for his food than Flays as portrayed in the show. As for the judges, none of them would rise very far up on my list of preferred dining companions.

[fiftydollars]

I like Martin Yan a lot, but he’s not the pickiest eater and I’m afraid probably not all that suited to the task of judging food. I mean, have you tried the food at his restaurant(s)?

I went to Yan Can in Pleasant Hill, CA…

and, uh, No! He can’t.

And based on what I ate there last week, he really shouldn’t. The food at his restaurant is abysmal. Not even the steamed rice was any good. It was all terrible… It starts with the menu and rolls steadily downhill from there.

Poor menu choices. Bland food. Poorly executed.

He’s a hack.

I never knew it to watch his show all those years, but he is terrible. There is not one good thing that comes out of his kitchen at the Yan Can. I was shocked.

[dvs]

who won the flay v. lang battle? we missed the last 5 minutes to some silly movie on another channel

[Bux]

who won the flay v. lang battle? we missed the last 5 minutes to some silly movie on another channel 

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Who won is too subjective. You want to know who had the best food from what I could tell or who got the most points? I though I mentioned it here.

[ronnie_suburban]

RE: Morimoto vs. Sanchez, a tie?!?! I don't think an ICA battle should ever end in a tie. What an embarrassing case of poor planning. There should be contingency plans in place for such occasions or the show ends up being a nearly complete waste of time.

At the very least in a tie situation, whoever scores higher for taste should be declared the winner.

=R=

[ken T]

A tie in last night's "battle"? No decimal point scoring? Odd.

[Louisa Chu]

What was the battle ingredient?

[viaChgo]

What was the battle ingredient?

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Black bass.

I have to say that I am not a big fan of the first judge on the panel, the food writer woman - I can't remember her name - Victoria? She seems to have very specific tastes & if something isn't what she expects it to taste like, the dish gets dinged. And the Food Arts Japan writer - everything is too oily!

I remember on ICJ, that some of the ICs would cater to the specific palates of the judges after getting to know their tastes. When the Food Arts writer is on the panel..easy on the oil, I guess!

Overall, I really like ICA. But, it's fun to nitpick. I agree, the tie was ridiculous! Even Morimoto & Sanchez seemed annoyed. How anticlimactic.

[dvs]

who won the flay v. lang battle? we missed the last 5 minutes to some silly movie on another channel 

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Who won is too subjective. You want to know who had the best food from what I could tell or who got the most points? I though I mentioned it here.

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thanks!

[tetsujustin]

Overall, I really like ICA. But, it's fun to nitpick. I agree, the tie was ridiculous! Even Morimoto & Sanchez seemed annoyed. How anticlimactic.

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I actually think Morimoto looked so annoyed because he thought he'd have to do a 30 minute overtime battle. haha. After that he did the whole shaking hands thing of good sportsmanship and such. However, I do hate the fact it was tied, though I somewhat agree.

I hate to admit it, but this has been one of the worst battles this season, especially since Morimoto is one of my favorite (if not favorite) Iron Chefs. His food has started to look repetitive, though I suppose it's hard since he's been battling for so long. He just always seems to include sashimi or sushi (he did chirashi in his wolfgang puck battle) and then this was the second time in a row he did the noodles thing with the main ingredient. Chef Sanchez's food didn't look too much better, but I don't think the food looked that great from either chef. (Though it was cool watching the skin tighten up as morimoto torched the fish) I think next time these two battle or at least the next time Morimoto battles, give him something else besides fish. He's a sushi chef, of course he's going to do sushi or sashimi.

Anyways, I very much looking forward to Batali vs. Des Jardins.

Edited August 1, 2005 by tetsujustin (log)

[reuvens]

Anyways, I very much looking forward to Batali vs. Des Jardins

My former Boss @ Jardiniere ! Good Luck Traci !

[Genny]

[i have to say that I am not a big fan of the first judge on the panel, the food writer woman - I can't remember her name - Victoria? She seems to have very specific tastes & if something isn't what she expects it to taste like, the dish gets dinged. And the Food Arts Japan writer - everything is too oily!

Overall, I really like ICA. But, it's fun to nitpick. I agree, the tie was ridiculous! Even Morimoto & Sanchez seemed annoyed. How anticlimactic.

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I agree with you 100%! Different judges please!!!!!

Unfortunately this competition didn't hold my attention nearly as well as the past 3.

[dvs]

can i just add that it drives me NUTS that the woman from food arts smells every bite of her food!!!! GAH!!

[bpearis]

I'll take picky judges over gladhanding, image-conscious celebs anyday. They are JUDGES.

[coquus]

I like Martin Yan a lot, but he’s not the pickiest eater and I’m afraid probably not all that suited to the task of judging food. I mean, have you tried the food at his restaurant(s)?

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Alas, I know nothing of his food but what I see. The man can chop and he can debone a chicken in fifteen seconds with his cleaver.

Arron good job, you have to like a tie buddy, you had the chairman scared back home in Japan, so he sent Morimoto at you and you smacked him up a bit.

[raxelita]

A sneak peak at the db & Flay competition ended my guilty pleasure love affair with the show. Why do I want to hear ignorant (regarding food) celebrities' judgements on cuisine? Ah Food Network, whither?

[iheartoffal]

Anyone else notice the bit of food stuck on the face of one of the judges when Batali's uni parfait thingie was being discussed?

[Louisa Chu]

Was uni the battle ingredient this week?? I wish we got the show here in Paris!

[marlena spieler]

can i just add that it drives me NUTS that the woman from food arts smells every bite of her food!!!! GAH!!

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I don't know who you are speaking of, as don't watch as live in europe, but i must jump in at the smelling of every bite of food:

this is something that i do: the initial wave of scent gives additional pleasure and helps me take more pleasure from the dish. also if it is disgusting and i shouldn't put it in my mouth, that first whiff will tell me so too.

i LOVE to smell my food. i love to smell the ingredients too! its sensual, its delish! (and a huge part of our sense of flavour comes from our sense of smell).

marlena

[glossyp]

Was uni the battle ingredient this week?? I wish we got the show here in Paris!

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It was shrimp. The DH and I couldn't figure out what Mario was thinking with that last dish of shrimp, remoulade, uni, creme fraiche plus more - we think he threw the match. It was truly one of those dishes you just didn't even want to try. Regardless, the contender did a very good job and was deserving in our most humble opinion.

P.S. I agree with Marlena about smelling food - I always do - it's an important element of pure enjoyment and appreciation to me.

[smgarsh]

is anyone else unhappy with some of the judges? They don't seem to be open-minded, and they seem to have a perceived notition of what they like and dislike before even trying out the dishes.

I swore during the judging on the Batali/Des Jardin episode the woman on the right of Steingarten said something like "I was prepared not to like this dish etc.".......

[hazardnc]

is anyone else unhappy with some of the judges? They don't seem to be open-minded, and they seem to have a perceived notition of what they like and dislike before even trying out the dishes.

I swore during the judging on the Batali/Des Jardin episode the woman on the right of Steingarten said something like "I was prepared not to like this dish etc.".......

No, you are not alone and yes, the woman said just that! She also made a face after tasting Batali's "parfait."

I am particularly irritated by the celebrity judges. I like Soledad O'Brien, but leave her behind the anchor desk where she belongs. I really hated it when Mo Rocco was a judge - he did not take his job seriously in the least.

And who IS that woman to the right of Steingarten?