Flay opens cans with a knife?!?!?!?

[augiewren]

I don't know if it was a repeat or a new episode but did anyone else see Bobby Flay open a can with his knife on Iron Chef last week? I almost screamed. Kinfe usage is a basic thing that's taught to first day students. I've always thought he was an a** and this confirms it once again.

[castironchef]

And Morimoto would add that he doesn't respect cutting boards, either!

[Blade55440]

When you say he opened the can with a knife, you mean he completely opened it up with a chef's knife? Or just helped the lid pop up after cranking it open with something else?

If you say "Opened that up like he was using a can opener", then I'm apt to believe that Flay should be given a paring knife and have to work his way back up the ladder.

[AprilB]

Haven't you ever been a boy scout? Of course I've always used a paring knife in a pinch, but that's how can openers were invented in the first place. When I was growing up all we had were the triangle shaped can punchers and the variation with the little curved knife thingie to open cans completely up. All my grandma used were paring knives. Didn't believe in spending the extra money on gadgets.

However, I have no idea what type of knife you're referring to. I wouldn't use a $200 8" Euro import for it.

That would be flaunting...and.....oh, wait....he DOES! BAHAHAHA!

April

[RAS1187]

The question is does it really matter?

Flay can afford to ruin a $200 knife opening a can, doesn't change the fact that he can cook better than most of use here.

[augiewren]

When I say he opened a can, I mean he used a large chef's knife like a hatchet and layed into a number 6 can and drained out the liquid into a pot. The fact that he can afford it is irrelevant. Loads of people watch TV and I imagine a lot of younger people who enjoy cooking and maybe one day would like to become a chef. This kind of behavior just doesn't set a good example and like it or not, he is in a position where he influences people. I just think he should be more professional instead of acting like a stereotypical, egotistical, pompous, never-makes-a-mistake "chef". He and Gordon Ramsey should get together and see who has the biggest ego, the fattest wallet, and the loudest mouth. Both of them can cook (yes, better than me) but that doesn't make either of them a good chef.

[higjse]

Ramsey has 9 restaurants in London and one in New York.... I think thats what qualifies him as a good chef... and Bobby can do whatever he wants with HIS chefs knives...

[HotChef]

Originally Posted by higjse

Ramsey has 9 restaurants in London and one in New York.... I think thats what qualifies him as a good chef... and Bobby can do whatever he wants with HIS chefs knives...

..but having 10 restaurants does not make him a good chef as SUCH...
i always teach my apprentices the RIGHT wy to use utensils and equipment, the shortcuts they learn quickly by themselves how to do it.
and i have seen cooks cut their hands / fingers / palms just nicely by misusing knives to open cans or bottles.
or opening bottles with the one end of a lighter..In MY kitchen this is OUT.
if it is 'ccol' to do this on tv, the guy should think twice after all if you are that popularand your show is seen by many (young) people you also should show some responsibility and be a good role model.

[RAS1187]

Regarding flay... he only has 1 hour to prepare EVERYTHING... if I were in his position and I couldn't find a can opener, I would pop open a can with my knife too. With only 1 hour to prepare a complete 5 course menu, I would not waste my time scrambling around trying to find a can opener.

I am not denying that opening a can with a knife is the incorrect procedure, just put yourself in that extremely time-pressed situation. Flay and Ramsey are in my opinion, brillian chefs, and I will continue to watch/learn from them whenever I get the opportunity to.

[spoonbread]

Depends on how he used it. Did he use the heel of the knife to make a hole? I've done it many a time.

he only has 1 hour to prepare EVERYTHING... if I were in his position and I couldn't find a can opener, I would pop open a can with my knife too.

YUP!

[oldschool1982]

Originally Posted by spoonbread

Depends on how he used it. Did he use the heel of the knife to make a hole? I've done it many a time.


YUP!

You'd be surprised at how often the term "Necessity is the Mother of invention" is applied under extreme circumstances. As hard as we try to always "do the right thing"... From time to time there will be a need to improvise when it comes to things. Hey if it doesn't put life or limb in harms way or cause a horrendous or irreversable ripple affect that shakes humanity as a whole.....

Speaking from experience... If you're in the middle of a 5000 dollar hour in the kitchen (similiar circumstances to the contest in question) and the only can opener or "church key" couldn't be found or was in the prep kitchen 70 ft away, you too would use what ever was available to get the job done.

[BigDog]

ICA sometimes pushes the realm of utensils used in the battles, and I agree with those saying not only can Bobby (or whoever) do what they want with their utensils, as well as emphasizing the time allotment and lack of time to putz around to find the right tool. It's no different for mechanical work. There is a right tool for the job, but sometimes aggrivating circumstances don't allow the use of said appropriate tool.

I recall a battle where the challenger used an air compressor to "inflate" the skin from a duck to make a quick rendition of Peking Duck. I'm not sure exactly how that would fly in a standard commercial kitchen. Or any power tools that have found there way on ICA for that matter.

While I do believe people can learn from watching ICA, I do not think that the primary focus of the program is education (outside of Alton's encyclopedia like knowledge). Essentially it is a sporting program, like boxing. Two contenders, both highly qualified, come to challenge each other to see who is the best. No huge gold belts, but to have the ability to say "I challanged Iron Chef <whoever> and won" is a huge statement.

Bottom line, while there is the opportunity to learn from ICA, I don't believe that is the main purpose of the show. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do to get the job done. Sometimes "what you have to do" isn't the safest or smartest, but at the time is the most efficient. Extra caution is needed, and little to no help is best to minimize potential injury.

[spoonbread]

[QUOTEBottom line, while there is the opportunity to learn from ICA, I don't believe that is the main purpose of the show. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do to get the job done][/quote]


Precisely. Personality has little to do with results. Bobby may be an a**, but so are some chefs that run the bistro down the street that have won numorous local awards. Make it work and make it happen.

[starlord]

I agree wholeheartedly about not opening cans with a knife, I was taught the proper tool for the proper job, and have also seen may people severely injured from misuse of an edged tool.

The comment was made about Flay only having an hour to prepare a meal. Wrong!!! Flay, as well as Emeril, Rachel Ray, any of them have an unlimited time and a full staff of people to do a show. It takes as much as 3 days to tape one episode of a cooking show. of which only a few hours is taping, the rest being preparation.

My knives don't cost me much, but then I am not Alton Brown, with his Shun knives, or Rachel Ray with her FijiRR knives. I certainly won't be using mine to open cans or chop trees down or anything else like that.

I have seen ads with Alton Brown pushing his Shun knives, and would be the first to remind him that most of us are not independently wealthy, nor do we have our own TV shows. If I paid $107 for a paring knife, number 1. I would hope someone would care enough about me to have me committed for psychiatric observation, and 2. I would be very fearful of using it in a kitchen for fear of damaging it. I bet Alton gets his knives from Shun free, as Rachel gets hers from Fiji. As for me, I put my knife set together for about $30, and that includes an Ulu I got as a gift. I own three manual can openers for that task, even if Alton does dislike unitaskers.

[Brittany]

he opened a can with a knife, get over it!!! What did the man prepare? Or were you too busy watching him opening cans with knives.