Iron Chef America

[BevReview Steve]

Anyone interested in watching Iron Chef America (April 23-25)? I'm not the biggest Iron Chef fan, but I have to admit, the hype is drawing me in

[leezachris]

If I remember to turn it on, I think I'll take a look - I loved the Japanese version when it came out years ago - it was so cheesy it was amazing!! Not sure what will happen with an American production company, but it could be interesting. I saw an advertisement for the show in the NY subway this week - Mario looks so mean!! heheh - he's holding a big slab of meat as he gazes into the camera with a scowl....loved it....hehe

[Basil Baker]

I'm so there. I love iron chef japanise and america looks intresting. i love how at the begining of japinise the guy takes a bite of the yellow pepper!

[Tee]

Yeah I keep laughing every time I watch it. I'm sure is way better than the last time(Bobby Flay VS Morimoto).

[chefjason]

Did anyone catch the non-food network Iron Chef America pilots about a year or so back. William Shatner was the "Chairman". I only watched a little before I had to turn it off. It was terrible. The new one that came out this past week on the food network was much better. I was a little disapointed with the other one so I was a little nervous about watching this one. I'm glad I did. I like the fact that Alton Brown does the comentary. He is so informative in the sciences and history of foods. Good Eats has to be one of my Favorite shows. I definately give the new Iron Chef America a thumbs up.

[Jock]

You couldn't pay me to watch that garbage. I cannot for the life of me understand what people find so fascinating about a show that is so dull and so obviously rigged.
I believe that the purpose of TV food shows should be to educate viewers. As a source for pure entertainment the topic lacks any substance and what you are left with is a dull, unfunny show like Iron Chef or Emeril.
I saw a few minutes of one of his shows (Emeril) the other day where he was doing one of his Bam! Bam! routines on a meyer lemon tart. I thought, how can anybody satnd to watch this stuff?
Each to his own I suppose but I think it does a great diservice to genuinely talented and hard working chefs.
Just my humble opinion

Jock

[chefboy2160]

What I see with iron chef and other food shows is an attempt to give the regular person who is not a chef entertainment and some good pointers towards food and cooking.If you are a pro in this biz just enjoy it as entertainment and dont take it personally. Yes we know the way things realy happen in working kitchens but TV wants drama and charisma .
Besides , there are ideas and things to be learned everywhere..........Doug

[leezachris]

Ya can't take these shows so seriously....They're funny and entertaining to some, informative to others, that's all. If anything, these shows bring food awareness to normal people, which helps us all in the food industry. Better that people learn there is better food to be eaten than TV dinners or frozen fish sticks.

(The Japanese version is just so corny, it's funny - I don't think that this show is fixed - just highly produced. )

[Mezzaluna]

I watched most of the Flay-Sakai battle and all of the final one. I like seeing how they handle the ingredients, but I have to admit I don't expect to have whole, fresh sea urchins in my Milwaukee market any time soon. And, I really, really do not like Bobby Flay. But that's been covered here earlier.

Watching Sakai and Batali chum it up was kind of fakey. I really do respect Sakai and Batali separately, but they overdid the brotherly stuff.

I liked Alton Brown the best. His persona matched the one he portrays on his own show. Seeing Wolfgang Puck scowling at the start of the show was completely counter to the breezy, easy-going character I see every other time he's on the tube.

Having said that, the show was good and I'd watch it again. I liked the "chairman's" homage to Kaga- turned to take a bite from the yellow pepper, then turned away and chomped an apple (or was that a red pepper?) as if to say, "This is the NEW Iron Chef."

[BurnedAFew]

Originally Posted by Jock

I saw a few minutes of one of his shows (Emeril) the other day where he was doing one of his Bam! Bam! routines on a meyer lemon tart. I thought, how can anybody satnd to watch this stuff?
Each to his own I suppose but I think it does a great diservice to genuinely talented and hard working chefs.
Jock

I enjoy watching emeril from time to time, but his act can and does get tiresome. However, I have learned quite a bit from the show, and thats the point of it really.. After all, its not a show for chefs to watch... If the show isnt entertaining, people wont watch. Take bobby flay's shows..... yawn.

There just aren't that many people on tv that can make people stay tuned for the duration while cooking what could be an otherwise boring pizza, salmon, baked lamb, or whatever, dish. And I bet he's got more dough in his wallet than we have in our kitchen So that means the formula, however boring to you, is working for him, and the millions that tune in.

Just my humble opinion.

[chefboy2160]

Also one thing people forget is that Emmeril paid his dues.I do remember reading someplace that he replaced Paul Prudehom(spelled wrong Im sure) as exec at Commanders Palace and did a great job! I look at most of these people on tv as just one of us foodies that made it big.
Bourdain used to realy scoff at these people but see how things can change.
3 cents worth, Doug...........

[friedparsley]

Does any one know what was up with bobby flay's split lip? Also, I watched his battle with Sakai. Bobby just looked miserable out there. I don't know if he is always that messy but it was bad. His side of the kitchen was a disaster area. I wonder what his restaurant looks like. I do feel bad for the guy. I got the impression that he didn't really have a choice about whether he was an Iron Chef or not. Watching his facial expressions it made me think of how I feel when I'm at the tail end of a 14 hour day, maybe hour 12 or so, and It's the last push and I'm not sure if I'm going to make it. It just sucks. That was how he looked to me. It seems like many people out there hate him with a passion. I used to be one of them. Now I sort of feel for him. He seems like a guy doing what he has to do who is just not real happy right now.

As far as the show, I am glad they've only done a couple of episodes, now they can tweak it and make it better. My unsolicited suggestions: Make it more subtle as far as the presentation, a little more dignified. They've come a long way from the Vegas episodes, Which they didn't even mention. Second, It will be really cool when they get american chefs to challenge the iron chefs. How cool would it be to see a hot young chef from anywhere, USA challenging an Iron Chef. Third, I like the japanese format where the guy comes in and picks the IC he want's to battle. I hope they go back to that. Tony Bourdain is a slam dunk pick for a judge. Brian Unger? what was that all about? Although I do think they should get Ron popiel back as a judge "set it and forget it" lol.