[lynne]

So Bobby Flay won this time...

Interesting to see how the perception of the "Ugly American" was portrayed. The reminder of Bobby's cries of sabatoge, the disrespect of the cutting board incident...

Tonight's display was compounded that stereotype -- "they're doing it to me again" in regards to a flame going out, "the shame of them loosing twice in one night...," the jumping on the counters again (instead of stepping on the cutting board this time, throwing it away)-

I'm not so sure that I'm very happy about having this man represent my profession or my country; a poor loser, player and winner.

What did you think?

[monpetitchoux]

Yep. At least he was not as sore a winner as I thought he might be. Flinging the cutting board on the floor, though, is an act that is even more disgraceful than stepping on it. Ron Siegel was a much more gracious winner when he battled Sakai.

Bobby Flay's dishes must have had to have been very delicious as they are not very imaginative when you boil it down. Morimoto was more successful at pushing the limits of the lobster, using all of it's components while Bobby Flay only used the lobster tails. This is precisely why I thought Morimoto should have been given more credit. In addition, Morimoto used a greater diversity of techniques (grilled drunken lobster, tempuraed lobster maki, a raw course featuring lobster sashimi rolled in white truffles, and the final course of mochi dipped in a trio of lobster sauces, each made from a different part of the lobster). What did Bobby do? Boiled lobster for the tamale, fried for the Butterfly, I forgot how he prepared it for the surf and turf, and I can't seem to recall his fourth dish.

Anyway, if you look closely at the scores, the judges' scoring (except for the Sumo wrestler) were relatively low, particularly from Kishi Asako (BTW, I'm glad it was her and not the lame fortune teller). So perhaps neither man could handle the pressure of the battle.

The part of Iron Chef that I've always had trouble with was how random the judges were. They always seemed to be whomever Chairman Kaga was socializing with at the time who would get invited to dinner. Dr. Hattori should have been one of the judges.

[nancya]

I always wondered whether the judges gave Morimoto the win on the first battle - and now - did they give Bobby Flay the win on this one? There seemed to be some politics involved...

[chefjohnpaul]

Why even have him on? Because of controversy and ratings. Hey, let's get a class act like Pepin to go on instead. Now THERE is an Iron Chef!

[logose]

ChefJohnPaul,
Now you are talking, that would be a true match. Pepin and any of the Iron Chef. I doubt if we will ever see such an even match though. You have to understand this is entertainment. I guess Flay gives the down home American personna with his surf and turf and fried lobsters.

[mofo1]

I am an unabashed fan of the Iron Chef, but I certainly do not take it seriously. I do believe the competitions are real, but do you really think Flay was going to lose twice. NO WAY would there as big a build up if Flay would have lost again. Morimoto smoked Flay's britches. Lobster with Blue corn meal? No thanks. Morimoto should have won on the soup alone. Man, I could almost smell that broth. Oh well, maybe Flay will get electrocuted again in the next battle.

[ June 05, 2001: Message edited by: mofo1 ]

[Papa]

Dear Friends:

I agree with Logosse. Pepin has way too much class for that environment!

It is a pity seeing all these good chefs in such a terrible show.

[Live_to_cook]

The fix was in. (I know, I know, I should be "shocked, shocked.")

So my complaint might be compared to a pro wrestling fan's lament ("Hey! Hitting him with that chair is against the rules!"). But it stuck in my craw, so I'm venting.

I've been a fan of the show for a long time, but this was ridiculous. Flay's stuff looked cartoonish. Lobster fried up in a coarse blue cornmeal batter? Bottled carrot and mango ooze for a sauce?

Looks like I'm not alone in thinking so, either:
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/06/living/06IRON.html

"...some viewers of this strange, dubbed Japanese import — a bake-off with the trappings of professional wrestling — must have come away wondering if Mr. Morimoto was robbed."

Mmmmm-hmmmmm.

IMHO The Iron Chef series with Bobby (shold be )Flayed is reminiscent of Big Time Wrasslin'. The fix was in.

[KyleW]

I read the NY Times article with great amusement. The cross promotion and word choice were hysterical! I love the WWF aspects of the show. I'm sure the rubber match has already been scheduled. All I know is that people who never thought about food are now talking about Iron Chef. ****, my 10 year old jock nephew is addicted! All this attention, drawn to food, can't be a bad thing.

[holydiver]

Well it is not a bad thing at all. I do not think Morimoto is that good at all I mean come on he does the same thing every show a broth some sushi and some disgusting looking **** with liver. I think we as American Chef's have a complex if some American Chef gets popular he gets torn apart ala Emeril,Flay,Trotter, etc. How about stand behind the guys I'm so tired of hearing about Pepin and Julia Child get over it already. Julia Child is not a Chef she has been making the same stuff for like a hundred years and is about as creative as the Backstreet Boys how about praising a real Chef who works on a real line in a real restaurant.

[Anneke]

Whoa! Easy on my Julia!!
Seriously though, Julia never tried to be a superstar. She filled a great void in America and never claimed to do anything but teach classical French technique to mainsteam America. Success should only be measured by the extent to which one achieves his goals and when it comes to Julia, she's done that 200%. Julia does NOT belong on this thread, ok?

As for Jacques Pepin, I think he's a fabulous chef and teacher but he has a big fat and somewhat annoying ego. You can't tell me that after all those years living in the US that he hasn't lost that ridicoulous Pepe-le-pieu accent (my French friends don't buy into it either!). I think if he was invited to Iron CHef, he'd decline, not because he's classy, but because it would really pss him off to lose!

As for juging Bobby Flay and Emeril, if you put yourself in the arena of ridicule, then expect to be ridiculed. And that goes for any celebrity.

Ok, I'm done now.

CHeers!

[Kimmie]

I'm sticking by Julia.

She never pretended to be a CHEF! and she opened the door to real food and real chefs in America!

Well said, Anneke.

[chefteldanielle]

Ditto Anneke..
Bobby Flay is the rudest guy.
A friend of mine worked at Cannes in France, cooking his food and he did nothing more than sit in a lounge chair.
He didn't help , he was obnoxious and had a bad attitude.
Iron chef was a fixed match.
Danielle