Iron Chef America (Part 1)

[bsan]

Well, since I'm on the boards and I noticed this thread, I couldn't help thinking about my opinions about this new Iron Chef spinoff. I couldn't help noticing that I was wrong on my prediction picks, but that's not the only thing that was wrong.

The whole show was one big flop. Seriously, I could see Morimoto and Sakai being Iron Chefs since I was a big fan of the show since 2002, but I could NOT see anyone else being in their shoes. (Okay, maybe I wasn't sure about Puck and Batali, but that's another story...) Flay wasn't cut out to be an IC. Remember the last two times that he was involved in an Iron Chef battle? Three words: CUTTING BOARD FLASHBACKS. I'm just glad he didn't do it this time.

Seeing both the Japanese Iron Chefs lose was really saddening. They're the best of the best! Sure, I was ready to hear that Puck won his match against Morimoto and that Batali just squeaked by Morimoto as well, but I was not ready to hear that Flay won his match against Sakai. I couldn't believe that a person like him would be a better chef than the one called "the King of Iron Chefs".

At least the tag match was something to look at. Fruits de mer was the theme, and I was ready to see what I was getting ready for since I first heard about this show...Flay and Morimoto versus Batali and Sakai. Seeing this battle made my mouth water. Okay, so I'm not that big of a seafood fan, but I wanted to jump back in time so I could get one of those dishes! They looked so good, to tell the truth. (In other news, this was the only prediction I got right. Thank you Flay and Morimoto!)

Okay, time for a grade. I wasn't looking at the individual battles, but rather at the overall look of the show. Alton being by himself was kind of boring (even though he's another one of my favorite Food Network chefs), and the judges could have been a little bit more familiar (okay, so I know Paige Davis, but she's the only one I knew). Out of five stars, I rate this special ***1/2. I think that the whole concept of the show needs to be better. Enough said.

[Barb48]

I can't help but notice that there IS a common thread on this forum...are all of you so anti-American? I use the term loosely, for I know the ethnicity of the American Iron Chefs, and can't we look past the egos, after all the Japanese chefs have egos of their own.

To me the contest was a challenge to judge, for each showed flare, imagination and originality in the dishes they prepared...

...but I guess it's always the popular view to be against our own in any contest as this, or an unpopular war, ei Vietnam and Iraq etc.

I certainly don't mean to get off the subject, but where is our patriotism? The last time we really showed any was 9-11.....

[teaspoon]

Barb48,

I don't think there has been a pro-American or an anti-American trend in the Iron Chef America posts. If anything, writers have demonstrated a desire for fairness, a strong wish that contestants not win simply because they are Americans and the judges are American.

In the end, this is entertainment. And we all want a little suspense.

[ronnie_suburban]

Barb48,

I don't think there has been a pro-American or an anti-American trend in the Iron Chef America posts.  If anything, writers have demonstrated a desire for fairness, a strong wish that contestants not win simply because they are Americans and the judges are American.

In the end, this is entertainment.  And we all want a little suspense.

This topic is now spread over multiple threads and I'm not going to go back and dig up the specific posts, but there have been several mentions about the "lack of sophistication" of the palates of the American judges. I'm not saying it's a "trend" but clearly there is some validity in Barb48's observation.

In the end I agree about wanting suspense but as another user posted somewhere, the Iron Chefs won most all the battles in ICJ. I'll be happy to accept the same level of suspense in ICA.

=R=

[ExtraMSG]

I disagree, Teaspoon. I don't think it has anything to do with patriotism, but I do think there's a tendency among some to like what the ICJs created because it seems different whereas the stuff the ICAs create seems familiar. Of course, none of us were put in that judging seat and when it came down to it, any of the people who have voiced so strongly their disdain for Bobby Flay or Wolfgang Puck might have crinkled their noses and wanted to spit that trout ice cream in a hankerchief, too.

After listening to Steingarten twice on the show, I have a hard time believing that he was playing favorites. The ICJs got stomped. Maybe the true problem is that the ICJs were always a little too idealized in the minds of many audience members going into this new series.

btw, can't someone here interview someone like Steingarten or Allen or both and the Bon Appetit lady about their experiences and the judging. There are so many questions I know I'd like to ask, like what did they say that was cut, and how do the dishes compare to meals they've had at established restaurants, etc.

[teaspoon]

I disagree, Teaspoon.  I don't think it has anything to do with patriotism, but I do think there's a tendency among some to like what the ICJs created because it seems different whereas the stuff the ICAs create seems familiar. 

The tendency you describe may be quite evident. I was just objecting to what I interpreted as a call for American viewers to pull for the American chefs.

If some among us like the ICJ food more because it seems different, fine. The originial post to which I was responding said, " it's always the popular view to be against our own in any contest as this, or an unpopular war, ei Vietnam and Iraq etc.." I'd like to think that we here cast our Iron Chef votes based on food--not politics.

[bsan]

I certainly don't mean to get off the subject, but where is our patriotism?

Okay, you got me on that one. But it's just that I've been used to seeing the Japanese chefs battling others. I wasn't used to the American chefs stepping into the kitchen cooking their hearts out.

But on another note, you see that the reruns are on. I'm just glad I have school during the week, because I don't think I could stand the action for another week.

[Barb48]

I certainly don't mean to get off the subject, but where is our patriotism?

Okay, you got me on that one. But it's just that I've been used to seeing the Japanese chefs battling others. I wasn't used to the American chefs stepping into the kitchen cooking their hearts out.

But on another note, you see that the reruns are on. I'm just glad I have school during the week, because I don't think I could stand the action for another week.

Oh man! You said it bsan...it was nearly as nerve-wrecking as "The Apprentice"!

[stephenc]

Instead of the actor KORN, they should get the rock band KORN to judge instead.

[bpearis]

Instead of the actor KORN, they should get the rock band KORN to judge instead.

The Japanese KORN was also a musician who recorded for Sony. He also provided the voice of Chef on the Japanese dubbed version of South Park.

Edited April 30, 2004 by bpearis (log)

[ehemann]

I hated this show. I gave me flash backs to the original Iron Chef when that idiot Flay beat Morimoto. I'm as red blooded about American chefs as the next guy but I gotta wonder when the best chefs we can come up with are these glory hounds sicked upon us by their publicists. Maybe the next battle will be the Frugal Gourmet vs. Chef Tell........

[Jason Perlow]

From our friend Ted Allen of "Queer Eye for the Stright Guy", who was a judge on the show:

It's always fun to argue about Iron Chef--just shows you how much people get into the sporting/competitive flavor of it. Personally, I had a great experience and I liked the show; incredible set, great staff, and the fun of hanging out with Batali, Flay, Puck, Brown--what's not to like? I shouldn't get too deep into it with die-hard fans of any one chef over another, but I do have some thoughts regarding fans of Mario Batali who were disappointed that our panel gave the prize to Morimoto and Bobby Flay. First, in fairness to the chefs and the panel, the viewers didn't taste/smell/see the food. Second, I love Mario's restaurants, shows, and books, I've interviewed him for Esquire, I think he's a brilliant missionary for fresh, fabulous food--if anything, I went into the show with a pro-Mario bias. And the dishes he and Sakai prepared were great. But honestly, this time, Flay and Morimoto won, fair and square--they cooked more dishes, I found the preparations more interesting and beautiful, and I enjoyed them more. The decision of all four panelists was clear and unanimous.

Do you know if there will be more ICAs?

Cheers, Ted

[jgarner53]

This is a small nitpick, but does anyone wonder why the Chairman doesn't eat? Kaga always got to eat, even if he didn't judge the food.

Maybe they're trying to make Kevin Brauch into some kind of Gilligan to Alton Brown's Skipper.

[TrishCT]

From our friend Ted Allen of "Queer Eye for the Stright Guy", who was a judge on the show:

It's always fun to argue about Iron Chef--just shows you how much people get into the sporting/competitive flavor of it. Personally, I had a great experience and I liked the show; incredible set, great staff, and the fun of hanging out with Batali, Flay, Puck, Brown--what's not to like? I shouldn't get too deep into it with die-hard fans of any one chef over another, but I do have some thoughts regarding fans of Mario Batali who were disappointed that our panel gave the prize to Morimoto and Bobby Flay. First, in fairness to the chefs and the panel, the viewers didn't taste/smell/see the food. Second, I love Mario's restaurants, shows, and books, I've interviewed him for Esquire, I think he's a brilliant missionary for fresh, fabulous food--if anything, I went into the show with a pro-Mario bias. And the dishes he and Sakai prepared were great. But honestly, this time, Flay and Morimoto won, fair and square--they cooked more dishes, I found the preparations more interesting and beautiful, and I enjoyed them more. The decision of all four panelists was clear and unanimous.

Do you know if there will be more ICAs?

Cheers, Ted

Jason, Please thank Ted for explaining his take on the dishes. I have been trying, to no avail, to reach Jeffrey Steingarten to get his opinions as well... It certainly helps to hear more from the judges.

[ExtraMSG]

Thanks, Jason. I've certainly been rolling my eyes over all the arm-chair tasting that's been going on. Such certainty from a coaxial cable.

[Barb48]

From our friend Ted Allen of "Queer Eye for the Stright Guy", who was a judge on the show:

It's always fun to argue about Iron Chef--just shows you how much people get into the sporting/competitive flavor of it. Personally, I had a great experience and I liked the show; incredible set, great staff, and the fun of hanging out with Batali, Flay, Puck, Brown--what's not to like? I shouldn't get too deep into it with die-hard fans of any one chef over another, but I do have some thoughts regarding fans of Mario Batali who were disappointed that our panel gave the prize to Morimoto and Bobby Flay. First, in fairness to the chefs and the panel, the viewers didn't taste/smell/see the food. Second, I love Mario's restaurants, shows, and books, I've interviewed him for Esquire, I think he's a brilliant missionary for fresh, fabulous food--if anything, I went into the show with a pro-Mario bias. And the dishes he and Sakai prepared were great. But honestly, this time, Flay and Morimoto won, fair and square--they cooked more dishes, I found the preparations more interesting and beautiful, and I enjoyed them more. The decision of all four panelists was clear and unanimous.

Do you know if there will be more ICAs?

Cheers, Ted

Thank you Jason....I LOVE Ted Allen myself, and feel he would only be an asset to Iron Chef America for future bouts...in fact he would be an asset to anything and everything connected with food.

[tryska]

you know, after sitting thru 3 hours worth of it, i have to say i enjoyerd it. and trust me i would have flipped the channel if i wasn't totally engrossed.

Alton definitely needs a sidekick. or perhaps she should be out on the floor being wacky and zany, with a straightman up in the box.

I'm not particularly pleased wiht the panel of judges for the most part. altho i did like Ted, And Paige from trading spaces. Steingarten was one tough critic. However the others who popped up, well i just don't trust that they actually have palates, save for the chef that was on. Pussy Bompansero? no business tasting avant garde iron chef dishes.

Might be why we have such an anti-original iron chef slant going with the final results. perhaps the japanese-made dishes were a bit too esoteric for yankee palates. or perhaps they just tasted like shite. i don't know.

[chefsteban]

...alrighty now...everyone has put in their 2 cents on the "new" Iron Chefs program, so here is my take on it: The show, as I had already suspected, turned out to be a joke. How the hell can anyone consider a hack fry cook like Bobby Flay aa a chef?? He shows no originality and his best ideas are stolen from true southwestern cooking pioneers like John Sedlar and Mark Miller and Mexican cooking authority Diana Kennedy. His only reason for being on the food channel is for his pretty boy looks.

Wolffie Pucks day has come and gone, he offers nothing substansial in the way of cutting edge cooking anymore and Mario is little more than just an upgraded Olive Garden line cook. I have lost a tremendous amount of respect for Food TV, for daring to air their highly contrived cook offs. Add to this mix the blatherings of the lame Alton Brown and the macho arrogance of that martial arts pendejo and you have a show long on triteness and short on substance. One can not help but think the deck was stacked in favor of the so called American iron chefs from the beginning.....the losses by Morimoto and Sakai will bear this out quite sufficiently. Maybe that is why there is no live audience....the crowd would undoubtly boo and hiss the hometeam. Hell, even I could cook circled around Flay, but he would be too chciken to face me.

[TrishCT]

...alrighty now...everyone has put in their 2 cents on the "new" Iron Chefs program, so here is my take on it: The show, as I had already suspected, turned out to be a joke. How the hell can anyone consider a hack fry cook like Bobby Flay aa a chef?? He shows no originality and his best ideas are stolen from true southwestern cooking pioneers like John Sedlar and Mark Miller and Mexican cooking authority Diana Kennedy. His only reason for being on the food channel is for his pretty boy looks.

Wolffie Pucks day has come and gone, he offers nothing substansial in the way of cutting edge cooking anymore and Mario is little more than just an upgraded Olive Garden line cook. I have lost a tremendous amount of respect for Food TV, for daring to air their highly contrived cook offs. Add to this mix the blatherings of the lame Alton Brown and the macho arrogance of that martial arts pendejo and you have a show long on triteness and short on substance. One can not help but think the deck was stacked in favor of the so called American iron chefs from the beginning.....the losses by Morimoto and Sakai will bear this out quite sufficiently. Maybe that is why there is no live audience....the crowd would undoubtly boo and hiss the hometeam. Hell, even I could cook circled around Flay, but he would be too chciken to face me.

Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. But somehow, I smell a troll...

[StInGeR]

...alrighty now...everyone has put in their 2 cents on the "new" Iron Chefs program, so here is my take on it: The show, as I had already suspected, turned out to be a joke. How the hell can anyone consider a hack fry cook like Bobby Flay aa a chef?? He shows no originality and his best ideas are stolen from true southwestern cooking pioneers like John Sedlar and Mark Miller and Mexican cooking authority Diana Kennedy. His only reason for being on the food channel is for his pretty boy looks.

Wolffie Pucks day has come and gone, he offers nothing substansial in the way of cutting edge cooking anymore and Mario is little more than just an upgraded Olive Garden line cook. I have lost a tremendous amount of respect for Food TV, for daring to air their highly contrived cook offs. Add to this mix the blatherings of the lame Alton Brown and the macho arrogance of that martial arts pendejo and you have a show long on triteness and short on substance. One can not help but think the deck was stacked in favor of the so called American iron chefs from the beginning.....the losses by Morimoto and Sakai will bear this out quite sufficiently. Maybe that is why there is no live audience....the crowd would undoubtly boo and hiss the hometeam. Hell, even I could cook circled around Flay, but he would be too chciken to face me.

Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. But somehow, I smell a troll...

I was actually thinking super troll

Cheers

Tom

[tryska]

a troll i sorta agree with tho.

[bsan]

...alrighty now...everyone has put in their 2 cents on the "new" Iron Chefs program, so here is my take on it: The show, as I had already suspected, turned out to be a joke. How the hell can anyone consider a hack fry cook like Bobby Flay aa a chef?? He shows no originality and his best ideas are stolen from true southwestern cooking pioneers like John Sedlar and Mark Miller and Mexican cooking authority Diana Kennedy. His only reason for being on the food channel is for his pretty boy looks.

Wolffie Pucks day has come and gone, he offers nothing substansial in the way of cutting edge cooking anymore and Mario is little more than just an upgraded Olive Garden line cook. I have lost a tremendous amount of respect for Food TV, for daring to air their highly contrived cook offs. Add to this mix the blatherings of the lame Alton Brown and the macho arrogance of that martial arts pendejo and you have a show long on triteness and short on substance. One can not help but think the deck was stacked in favor of the so called American iron chefs from the beginning.....the losses by Morimoto and Sakai will bear this out quite sufficiently. Maybe that is why there is no live audience....the crowd would undoubtly boo and hiss the hometeam. Hell, even I could cook circled around Flay, but he would be too chciken to face me.

Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. But somehow, I smell a troll...

Ooh...where did he come from? I'm guessing from under a wooden bridge, right?

[ExtraMSG]

I just went through and read all chefsteban's stuff. I get the sense he has a thing against celebrity chefs, but other than that, most of the posts have been typical and not at all trying to pick a fight. So this may be an actual honest opinion from a guy who may be a titch arrogant and offput by celebrities. I think there are more than a few people on these boards like that, so no reason to gang up on chefsteban. Or at least don't just call him a troll. Actually consider the opinion honest. (Even though I personally disagree with it strongly.)

[chefsteban]

No trolling going on gang....just really pissed that undeserving "chefs" get unwarranted kudos.

My home cooking leans toward southwestern styles, and I do believe that I could do a better job than Flay. I am sorry if some of you think that I was trolling...that was not my intent, but as I already stated I was pretty pissed off. I wrote those comments after watching Flay "outcook" the Iron Chef......and I am still mad....Grrrrrrrrrr

[bsan]

My home cooking leans toward southwestern styles, and I do believe that I could do a better job than Flay.

Ooh...we could have our own little Iron Chef challenge here.