Iron Chef America (Part 1)

[chopjwu12]

i think thats not good at all. I mean how are you goign to put that person vs alex lee? it just doesn't make sence to me is all.

[stephenc]

What matters is what happens when the dish hits the tongue, as long as it makes me smile, its a winner.

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Off course. And I'm not the one clamoring for fois gras in my freakin' grits.

[NulloModo]

What matters is what happens when the dish hits the tongue, as long as it makes me smile, its a winner.

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Off course. And I'm not the one clamoring for fois gras in my freakin' grits.

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I don't think grits need fois gras, but I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at fois gras infused grits were they offered.

[Bux]

What matters is what happens when the dish hits the tongue, as long as it makes me smile, its a winner.

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Off course. And I'm not the one clamoring for fois gras in my freakin' grits.

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I don't think grits need fois gras, but I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at fois gras infused grits were they offered.

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At least not until you've tasted it. Actually, foie gras, confit and polenta (nothing but a form of grits) is an excellent combination and not all that creative at this point. Although the show, in it's attempt to be exciting and entertaining does award points for creativity, taste is still worth twice as much. Thus a chef would be at a disadvantage if he wasn't creative, but at a greater disadvantage if he was creative but his food didn't please the judges' palates.

The issue here is the greater one of online discussions and the twisting of what's been said by others. A comment by a professional, that a ten ingredient grits would have been better had it been simpler, that included the suggestion of foie gras and duck confit as a simpler combination, has been turned into "clamoring" for foie gras by another user and allowed to shift the focus by making a constructive suggestion appear to be one that was limiting in a negative way. Unless evidence exists of a clamoring for foie gras, a reaction to such clamoring is not germane to this thread.

[bleachboy]

For what it's worth, Flay didn't actually say whether the grits had foie or not. Maybe at some point in the episode they showed it, but in his summary before the tasters he said the "10 ingredients" were:

"lobster, scallops, crawfish, pork tenderloin, duck, scallions, some ginger, a little bit of cream, cilantro, and the grits"

EDIT: And by the way, BAYLESS WAS ROBBED!!!

Edited February 2, 2005 by bleachboy (log)

[chopjwu12]

no there were no foie gras in the grits. The foie and duck confit were just a suggestion or an example of something that would have been simpler and gone better with the duck. A dish made with grits, good chedder, and nice char roasted jalepenos would have been equally good.

[stephenc]

What matters is what happens when the dish hits the tongue, as long as it makes me smile, its a winner.

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Off course. And I'm not the one clamoring for fois gras in my freakin' grits.

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I don't think grits need fois gras, but I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at fois gras infused grits were they offered.

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At least not until you've tasted it. Actually, foie gras, confit and polenta (nothing but a form of grits) is an excellent combination and not all that creative at this point. Although the show, in it's attempt to be exciting and entertaining does award points for creativity, taste is still worth twice as much. Thus a chef would be at a disadvantage if he wasn't creative, but at a greater disadvantage if he was creative but his food didn't please the judges' palates.

The issue here is the greater one of online discussions and the twisting of what's been said by others. A comment by a professional, that a ten ingredient grits would have been better had it been simpler, that included the suggestion of foie gras and duck confit as a simpler combination, has been turned into "clamoring" for foie gras by another user and allowed to shift the focus by making a constructive suggestion appear to be one that was limiting in a negative way. Unless evidence exists of a clamoring for foie gras, a reaction to such clamoring is not germane to this thread.

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Coming from another professional, fois gras and duck confit grits would not be better however. In fact, when served with his other southwestern-style dishes, it would taste like rubbish.

I am reacting to the poster's knee-jerk reaction to my opinion that this grits looked great, and I am sticking to that. His grits are a great step up from the classic "add fois gras to anything and it will taste good" school of thinking.

And I think that his suggestion of adding fois gras to grits reeks of food condescension and French elitism.

Here's the original quote I responded to. Maybe it's not condescending, but the phrase "step into teh [sic] world of fine dining" followed immediately by a suggestion of adding a luxury ingredient certainly gave me that impression.

What are you joking? Lets see overcooked lobster probably over cooked scallops and pig and duck and crayfish. It looked gross and it went horribly with that dish he served it with. Please tell me your joking?

On top of that he made such a big deal about it having 10 ingredients. Was that supposed to impress? Step into teh world of fine dining and see how many ingredients are in something. Just because theres alot of things in it doesn't mean it tasted good. If he made those same grits and just finished it with some nice duck confit and foie butter it woudl have been perfect.

Edited February 2, 2005 by stephenc (log)

[Mabelline]

so, who's on this week?

[chefzadi]

so, who's on this week?

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Let's hope it's not anyone who will use grits.

[Mabelline]

Okay, I'm gonna try out my impression of a North Dakota person; "You Betcha!"

[Mnehrling]

so, who's on this week?

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Rerun:

Iron Chef America: 2 on 2

The Grand Finale offers an unexpected twist! Iron Chef Japanese Masaharu Morimoto and Bobby Flay will team up for the first time against Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai and Mario Batali in the ultimate battle of culinary champions

I think Flay uses poached eggs in this one too.

[Mabelline]

AW,crap.

[Afterburner]

Here's the original quote I responded to.  Maybe it's not condescending, but the phrase "step into teh [sic] world of fine dining" followed immediately by a suggestion of adding a luxury ingredient certainly gave me that impression.

I believe that the remark about "stepping into the world of fine dining" was equating "fine dining" with "fewer ingredients," as opposed to any specific ingredient combination. Especially since the dish under scrutiny already had luxury ingredients in it.

In fact, let's...hold on, here we go...

Step into teh world of fine dining and see how many ingredients are in something.

Yep, seems to be equating "fine dining" with "fewer ingredients." The foie gras and the duck confit seem merely to be an example of "fewer ingredients."

[NulloModo]

Coming from another professional,  fois gras and duck confit grits would not be better however.  In fact, when served with his other southwestern-style dishes, it would taste like rubbish.

I am reacting to the poster's knee-jerk reaction to my opinion that this grits looked great, and I am sticking to that.  His grits are a great step up from the classic "add fois gras to anything and it will taste good" school of thinking.

And I think that his suggestion of adding fois gras to grits reeks of food condescension and French elitism.

Well, a dish can look great, and not neccessarily be great. I've made some stuff that looked superb, and tasted like wet ass. I've also made lots of stuff that looked like soiled wet ass, but tasted great, so, the two don't always equate.

But is there anything inherently wrong with the school of 'throw a bunch of expensive and flavorful ingredients together in a non-traditional way' cooking? I like lobster, I like shrimp, I like grits, I've never had fois gras, but I bet I would like it. Hell, throw some caviar in there too, the more the merrier. The crazy convoluted ultra-garnished ultra-sauced way over the top stack of stuff plates are sure a wonderful battleground of flavor. It seems the 'less is more' thing is coming into vogue now, but really, I disagree, more is more, usually.

Also, why can't Fois Gras be paired with southwestern cuisine? The whole balancing tastes of an entire meal thing seems overrated. As a diner I like variety, punch, and tastes coming out of left field when I least expect them. I like my pallette to be wowed and kicked around a bit. If subtlety is your bag, then that's fine, a lot of people get off on that too, but it isn't for everyone. So, anyway, what I am saying is that you have every right to say the dish isn't to your taste, but that doesn't neccessarily make it poor cooking. There are lots of things out there that one person finds to taste divine while the gentleman standing right beside would find to taste like crap.

[bleachboy]

I've also made lots of stuff that looked like soiled wet ass, but tasted great...

Apt! You just described every pastry project I've ever taken on! (Except for that spice cake, which also tasted like ass.)

[Marylisa L.]

My only comment here is that I think Flay's a tool...yes, a tool...

I think he summed him self up on the original series when he jumped up ON his cutting board and chanted USA..

to which Morimoto replied " he is not a chef, he is a disgrace"

[Darcie B]

Okay, I'm gonna try out my impression of a North Dakota person; "You Betcha!"

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In Southern North Dakota, it's more like "You bet!" Betcha is just too long for those brevity-lovin' Germans. In the east/north, more loquacious Scandinavians might say "You Betcha!"

I watched the first episode this year and can't bring myself to watch any more. It is just too staged/scripted appearing for me. I wish they didn't know the ingredient in advance and were given a limited amount of additional ingredients.

Flay's egg thing in the first episode reminded me of a bug we get in our basement in the summer. Blech.

[Bux]

. . . .

I watched the first episode this year and can't bring myself to watch any more. It is just too staged/scripted appearing for me. I wish they didn't know the ingredient in advance and were given a limited amount of additional ingredients.

. . . .

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Actually, I enjoy watching the chefs not only make a good effort under the circumstances, but I like the idea that they've been able to practice and achieve their best. I just wish there was more honesty up front. I sense they pander to an audience that wants to be entertained far more than it wants to be informed. Which just says that I'm not their target audience, not that it's wrong for them to be doing what they're doing. Socially unethical perhaps, but good business nonetheless.

[sarah o]

the show is aired valentine's weekend and the video of him on food network he discusses pastry, so it's got to be a pastry battle!!! Yaaaaayyyyy!

It will be awesome! I can't wait!

[FoodMan]

It seems like the ingredient is chocolate. I thought they said so in one of the previews. Poor Mario will go down.

Elie

[Llantha]

Having watched IC for ages, and seeing them retool it for the US market what I'm confident of is that they pick competing chefs who can win. As for who chose Mario and the other southwest kinda guy, the producers did- who aren't in this to make food- they are in it to make money. Mario has a good following (which I can understand) and so does the other guy (which I cant, great honking boor that he is) so they have a ready market draw. Lots of FoodTV types may not have a clue about Morimoto if they haven't watched IC.

So that's how they chose the american chefs- as for the challengers- they need to be better cooks or else the formula of IC (as parodied with unfortunate accuracy by Alton Brown in "Cast IRon Chef") won't work- they have to be able to creak the Iron Chefs or the audience won't get into it.

My money is on the advertisers!

[Phatlouie07]

what's the secret ingredient gonna be? chocolate?? well..since it's the day b4 valentines day weekend..

[nightscotsman]

If you're watching the battle on Sunday, be sure to stay tuned for the Food Network Challenge: Chocolate Competition right after.

[R Washburn]

Bump.

I am setting my DVR for this one.

[Phatlouie07]

i saw it. it was very interesting. chocolate and coconut. i liked it when michael did a version of the "egg", using coconut in it. though i was bummed that you lost michael. why did batali have to win? its not fair. you should've won.