Iron Chef Fans - A Look Back at a Classic Show

[Evo]

A few years ago I discovered the "Iron Chef" program on the Food Network. I have been addicted ever since.

The show is funny, informative, fast paced, and interesting. I love it. Why did they stop making new shows?

I have learned so much about Japanese food and culture, it's been a real eye opener. I wish I had seen this show before I went to Japan, I would have done so many things differently.

Does anyone else here watch it?

 

[hypatia]

I love the narraters, the female one just cracks me up. I must confess to stealing more than a few ideas from the show, mostly in how the food is presented. Its food art at its finest .

 

[JamesU]

I've seen it once or twice. it's okay...kinda...

 

[infinitetime]

Is that the one where the chinese guy bites a big chunk of a bell pepper in either the beginning or end of the show? I found that pretty hilarious!

 

[Evo]

Is that the one where the chinese guy bites a big chunk of a bell pepper in either the beginning or end of the show? I found that pretty hilarious!

Yes, that's the show, except he's Japanese. It's a very funny show.

 

[infinitetime]

Yes, that's the show, except he's Japanese. It's a very funny show.

Right, Japanese - that's what I meant... heehee


And it is pretty funny, now that I remember...I really like the dubbed-in voices of the taste testers...

 

[Moonbear]

When I had cable TV, years ago, I watched it. It was one of the few things on cable that made it worth having. I agree, it was a really addictive show. I'm not sure I really learned anything from it, but it was fun to watch.

 

[dduardo]

They have a new americanized version of iron chef hosted by Alton Brown. The season already ended but I'm sure they will have new episodes in the next couple of months.

 

[DocToxyn]

I love that show, I've even got a T-shirt. It's got all the battle ingredients listed on the back like a concert T-shirt. Part of the fun was glimpse into a different culture if afforded, plus the food looked great, although I could never eat turtle . The new American version is pretty good, but not the same. Alton Brown's commentary is spot-on and the food looks good, but it just doesn't have the same appeal. Also the other knock-off they tried to make with William Shatner was too horrible to even laugh at. Allez Cuisine!

 

[Echo 6 Sierra]

My favorite is IC Sakai. Anyone that has watched the show for any length of time has seen him peel an apple in like 5 seconds. He seems so happy to be there strutting his stuff. I particularly like it when they make a sorbet out of odd things like SEAFOOD!

I saw one episode where a camera assistant didn't move the right way and one of the chefs spilled some soup or something and the look on the poor guys face was like DAMN! Not only did I get hot liquid all over me but I'll probably get fired AND get a proper "beat-down" as well. Love the show...did I mention I absolutely despise Bobby Flay. Well I do.

On the Japanese version when the tasters don't like something they are so polite as expected. On the American version I've actually heard them say things like "I didn't like this" and the look on the chefs face was "BURN IN HELL I ONLY HAD AN HOUR YOU HEIFER, YOU TRY MAKING A SAVORY ENTREE OUT OF CHOCOLATE!"

Did I mention I despise Bobby Flay? Then again I can't really cook and I'm not rich and famous either.

I like BBQ-U and Cooking with the CIA as well.

 

[Evo]

Bobby Flay

I love Alton Brown, but Iron Chef American just is not as good. The main problem is exactly what you said Echo 6, the tasters have no class. The comments by the tasting panel is what made the original so great and this one is lacking that element. How can the producers not get that? Also, the five course requirement is ridiculous, quantity over quality?

Don't even mention that Shatner debaucle.

DT - I saw the show were they had turtles...I had to change the channel.

 

[Moonbear]

I can't imagine an Americanized version of Iron Chef. Most of its appeal is that it's infused with Japanese culture.

 

[Evo]

I can't imagine an Americanized version of Iron Chef. Most of its appeal is that it's infused with Japanese culture.

Just be glad that you missed the version with William Shatner (Captain Kirk) in it.

What the hell were they thinking?

 

[Danger]

Can I consider myself an 'iron chef' because you need an iron stomach to eat my cooking?

 

[Moonbear]

Just be glad that you missed the version with William Shatner (Captain Kirk) in it.

What the hell were they thinking?

Shatner? That sounds awful. How can you...have someone host...Iron Chef...who pauses so...often...while speaking? It needs to be fast paced!

 

[Gokul43201]

Iron Chef was almost addictive. Used to be a time when I'd watch it around once a week...not anymore. And if you like Alton Brown, watch Good Eats.

 

[Evo]

Iron Chef was almost addictive. Used to be a time when I'd watch it around once a week...not anymore. And if you like Alton Brown, watch Good Eats.

I love Good Eats!

I think I've seen every Iron Chef show at least twice, so I don't watch as religiously as I did when they were new (here).

Alton

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.06/images/FF_102_brown1_f.jpg

 

[Echo 6 Sierra]

Sorry, but I'm going on a slant for a min...Wasn't there an English cooking show one time called "2 Fat Broads" or something to that effect. I vaguely remember them riding a motorcycle with a sidecar and drinking more wine during their show than Julia Childs(RIP) and Justin Wilson(RIP also) put together. Whatever happened to the Galloping Gourmet? PBS here used to have a show where a Franciscan Monk baked just about every known kind of bread on the show and would have a portion of the show dedicated to a certain culture's "typical" bread and would sometimes have a guest demonstrate their technique. More often than not, that portion was taped like Ntnl Geographic.

One more glass of Port and it's beddie-bye for me. :zzz:

 

[Moonbear]

Sorry, but I'm going on a slant for a min...Wasn't there an English cooking show one time called "2 Fat Broads" or something to that effect. I vaguely remember them riding a motorcycle with a sidecar and drinking more wine during their show than Julia Childs(RIP) and Justin Wilson(RIP also) put together.

I think it was "Two Fat Ladies," but I'm not sure now. I know what show you're talking about though. Very funny, but I sure wouldn't try anything they cooked on that show! It seemed the theme was to just add more fat!

PBS here used to have a show where a Franciscan Monk baked just about every known kind of bread on the show and would have a portion of the show dedicated to a certain culture's "typical" bread and would sometimes have a guest demonstrate their technique. More often than not, that portion was taped like Ntnl Geographic.

I loved that show. I was just taking up bread-making around the time I first saw that show, so I was really appreciative of learning things like how to make cute shapes and stuff like that. He was pretty funny too - would say things I would not have expected from a monk...nothing bad, but just cracking jokes about the other brothers' eating habits and stuff like that.

 

[quantumdude]

When I moved out of the dorms (thereby leaving behind the college meal plan) and got my first apartment, The Food Network saved my life.

That's no exaggeration, I would have starved without them!

My favorite shows then: Grillin' and Chillin', Ruggerio to Go, From Martha's Kitchen (Laugh at me, and I'll ban your ass. She had a killer pierogie recipe! )

My favorite shows now: Boy Meets Grill, Everyday Italian, Paula's Kitchen (or whatever it's called), and Good Eats.

To tell you the truth, I've never watched Iron Chef because I was never interested in a cooking game show. But maybe I'll check it out now.

 

[Moonbear]

From Martha's Kitchen (Laugh at me, and I'll ban your ass. She had a killer pierogie recipe! )

I'll take my chances. It wasn't too funny until you made the threat.
(Oh, and I still have this "Get Out Of Banning Free" card I won in the thread-killer thread. I better use it before it expires now that the thread is dead. )

To tell you the truth, I've never watched Iron Chef because I was never interested in a cooking game show. But maybe I'll check it out now.

It's not so much a game show as a competition. No stupid quiz questions, no ditzy contestants, just real chefs frantically whipping up a 5 course meal with every course including one featured ingredient. It's hysterical watching them try to come up with a dessert from fish or broccoli. The taste testers are truly brave people.

 

[quantumdude]

Blasted Get Out of Banning Free card...

 

[Moonbear]

Blasted Get Out of Banning Free card...

Undoubtedly that's the reason franzbear had to die. He was just passing those out far too liberally for a while.

 

[quantumdude]

I think it was "Two Fat Ladies," but I'm not sure now. I know what show you're talking about though. Very funny, but I sure wouldn't try anything they cooked on that show! It seemed the theme was to just add more fat!

Totally! I remember watching that show when I first discovered FoodTV. They were making a casserole outdoors (the episode was about "scout cooking"). One of them said, "Now we need some butter", and the other one said, "Yes, about a pound should do it"

*PLOP*

And in it went.

I liked watching the show, but I never did try any of their recipes. It didn't help that one of them died just a few seasons after the show started!

 

[hypatia]

My favorite Food TV show is 30 minute Meals with Rachael Ray, she has forced me to buy EVOO by the gallons.
She has another show too, but I don't recall the name. She goes to places and only has so much money to spend on meals for the day.lol I want her job!

 

[FredGarvin]

Bobby Flay

I love Alton Brown, but Iron Chef American just is not as good.

Amen to that! Alton is a personal favorite of mine, but IC America is just plain bad. Good Eats is the best show on food IMO (I have many on tape). Bobby Flay is just an arrogant ass. He got his ass kicked on the Japanese Iron Chef a few years back.

The American version of IC is just another shining example of how we take really good foreign shows/movies and think that we can make them better by putting our spin on it. That is a hot spot topic with me. I won't get started.

 

[Moonbear]

My favorite Food TV show is 30 minute Meals with Rachael Ray, she has forced me to buy EVOO by the gallons.

You're buying Evo?

She has another show too, but I don't recall the name. She goes to places and only has so much money to spend on meals for the day.lol I want her job!

That reminds me of those "chef on a shoestring" spots some of those morning shows do (and I've seen it as an occassional spot on the evening news too). The premise is they'll give a chef something like $20 to make a gourmet dinner for two (first, $20 for a meal is hardly a shoestring budget; silly TV types have no clue), but then they calculate the cost the way you would in a restaurant: high quality balsamic vinegar was only 30 cents because they only used a tablespoon, or the lemon was 25 cents because they bought them 2/ $1 and only used half of a lemon. The dishes are usually pretty tasty looking, but the normal person doesn't get to buy their ingredients a tablespoon at a time.

 

[hypatia]

lmao@ EVO by the gallon

EVOO= extra virgin olive oil

 

[Evo]

Did anyone watch "Door Knock Dinners" with Gordon Elliott? He would walk around a neighbohood knocking on people's doors asking if they could come inside and cook a dinner from whatever the owner had in their kitchen. (he had a professional chef with him) Gordon Elliott is a hoot.

I liked the Two Fat Ladies, they were a hoot.

Tonight on the Food Channel they are having a competition for a new food show host. I hadn't been watching it because I hate those kind of competitions, but I caught part of it last week and now I have to see who wins. Oh please don't let it be the guy with the weird hair, he get's on my nerves, he's much too perky, but he seems to be the favorite. You can vote online during the finalshow so I'm voting for someone else.

 

[DocToxyn]

Whatever happened to the Galloping Gourmet?

The guys name was Graham Kerr and he reappeared for a while on another cooking show that featured lighter versions of the food he used to do on his previous show. I can't think of the name of the show (it might have just been Graham Kerr), but I still have a great chili recipe from him with red wine and bulghur wheat.

Did anyone watch "Door Knock Dinners" with Gordon Elliott? He would walk around a neighbohood knocking on people's doors asking if they could come inside and cook a dinner from whatever the owner had in their kitchen. (he had a professional chef with him) Gordon Elliott is a hoot.

That was a fun show, Gordon was very entertaining with the people who's homes he invaded. Did you see the one when they featured the Iron Chef's Sakai and Morimoto?

Good Eats is the best show on food IMO (I have many on tape).

Here-Here! Every show is so original, plus he knows his stuff (or at least does the research). His brined turkey recipe is awesome; curried cauliflower pickles, mighty duck, pot o' greens, city ham-all great dishes. Although I have to disagree with his over-use of the electric knife, those things are horrible.