The US Food Network's much-publicized new series "Iron Chef America" finally premiered on Jan. 16. Before the broadcast of the Americanized version of the globally popular Japanese import - which still airs in reruns - a question hovered: Could the new show's cuisine reign supreme?
The odds of that happening were fairly low. Previous US IC knockoffs - UPN's hideous "Iron Chef USA" and the obviously pro-Western Food Network-Fuji TV "Iron Chef America: Battle of the Masters" specials - were less than satisfying. As was evident in IC chat rooms and message boards all over the Internet, an overwhelming number of IC fans declared that the two programs simply could not compete with the magic of the Japanese original. And with good reason.
If memory serves me correctly, Japan's Fuji TV debuted a show in late 1993 that blended the grandeur and fiery competitiveness of a samurai battle with haute cuisine, high camp, and humor: "Ryori no Tetsujin," or as we call it in America, "Iron Chef."
The program, which pitted four "invincible men of culinary skill" against challenger chefs from around the globe, ended up being a hit in its native country. That popularity expanded worldwide - thanks to the addition of subtitles and dubbing - after its export to the US, Canada, and other countries in 2000.
What made "Iron Chef" so tantalizing?
For this viewer, many things: the magnificent Kitchen Stadium filled with high-priced, luxurious ingredients; "Chairman" Takeshi Kaga, the show's flamboyant, debonair, and frighteningly charismatic host; the rapid-fire pace fueled by play-by-play and knowledgeable commentary from, respectively, announcer Kenji Fukui and culinary expert Dr. Yukio Hattori - plus the humorous antics of sidelines reporter Shinichiro Ota; the splendidly costumed and gifted Iron Chefs; and the spirited rivalries between our "men of iron" and cooking gangs such as the Kandagawa "hit men" and the traditionalist Ohta faction. And of course, there were the dishes prepared within a 60-minute time limit - the gustatory works of art created looked every bit as appetizing as I imagine they tasted.
It would be difficult for Food Network and Fuji TV's "Iron Chef America" to compete with a production so wonderful - and, of course, it didn't come close.
But, surprisingly, its first episode turned out to be better than expected. "Culinary commentator" Alton Brown, known for his Food Network hit "Good Eats," knows his foodstuffs, and his breezy wit keeps the show moving; the pace is much improved over the sluggish "ICA" specials. The judges, most more food-savvy than the Japanese original's usual celebrity tasters (all love to Asako Kishi, a real culinary critic from the old show), offer fascinating commentary about the dishes being prepared. And the cooking action in the premiere, which featured classless culinary egomaniac Bobby Flay against noted Mexican-cuisine specialist Rick Bayless, was compelling.
Article comments
1 - Doc
The english dubbing in the original made it extra special too. The comments, the laughter and giggles put in along with the english translation heightened the sense of the unreal (and as the Saturday Night Live parody took advantage of). Even the 'celebrity' judges were quirky in their dress and a cranky fortune teller! Brilliant.
I also loved when they'd have to haul some big live animal down and butcher it..call it cruel but having them fight with an octopus was gold. :)
2 - Eric Olsen
thanks Nat, very interesting and well-done. I didn't know anything about this at all, and now I do!
3 - Aaman
"If memory serves me correctly..." - nice use of the tag line from the original, and best, Iron Chef. My favorite was Sakai - when he lost, it would be a delight to see his face.
And the imcomprehensible civility of the commentatora and judges made the original show, very popular on torrent sites, a grand entertainment.
4 - Mark Saleski
who looks remarkably like Kaga's third Iron Chef Japanese
uh, i think that's because he was kaga's iron chef japanese.
could be wrong tho..
5 - Natalie Davis
Yes, Morimoto *was* Iron Chef Japanese III. That was supposed to be funny. I suppose not...
6 - Mark Saleski
sorry nat, i probably shouldn't ready anything in the morning before the first coffee.
7 - Natalie Davis
Sakai is my favorite too, though I can't help but be intrigued by cuddly -- and tougher than he appears -- Chen too. And Michiba is the man.
8 - Dennis Grace
Write the Iron Chef America people and tell them where they're screwing this up. See my latest entry at http://verbshark.blogspot.com/ for directions.
9 - Temple Stark
Natalie,
I hoisted this onto Advance.net for TV
Link here
I was hungry before now .....
- temple
10 - Natalie Davis
Thanks for the suggestion, Mr. Grace, but I have written to TPTB at FTV a number of times. Deaf ears...
Thanks, Mr. Stark!
11 - Liam Pomfret
I realise I'm coming in months late here, but for the record....Mark_Dacascos *is* the nephew of Takeshi Kaga in real life. His birthmother Moriko McVey is Takeshi-san's sister.
12 - Natalie Davis
For the record? That's hilarious.
Based on what evidence? Sorry, Internet speculations or assertions don't count as fact. I require at least two credible and authoritative sources before I will believe that. And IMDB doesn't count.
At this point, I won't buy it until Kaga-san himself verifies it. And -- sigh -- I hope he does... in person...
13 - Stephen
I get ill listening to the food critics in particular the fat Bakoum Bafoon... she has got to go,
14 - Robert S. Young
I just wanted to make a comment about the Iron Chef Challenge where one of the iron chefs engages in a cook-off against a chef who is not part of the "realm" so to speak.
I believe everytime I've watched this competition, the Iron Chef comes out on top. That becomes somewhat boring. I think it would be more of a challenge if the "cook-off" were to be held somewhere other than the "home field" of the iron chefs and if, also, some sincere respect were given to the challengers experience. They always seem to be subtly portrayed as "wannabe underdogs." Because of this the judges are "unimpressed" before they even taste the challengers creations. I've noted that sometimes food-channel chefs are among the judges. That's incredibly unthinking and just unacceptable.
The only reason I have any respect for this concept, is because on another show Bobby Flay DOES go to meet his challengers on their turf - the result is somestimes he wins and sometimes he loses. The resolution of an unknown outcome is good.
The rron chef challenge in the iron chef kitchen is just plain unfair and uninteresting because of the built in advantages/biases afforded to those who are part of the "realm" by the location and by "underwhelming" introductions given the other chefs that paves the way for the so-called objective judges to immediately dismiss any notion that they are worthy adversaries with the skill and ability to win. The judges appear to just see them as forgettable "unaccomplished cooks" from the hinterland who should be glad they were invited by the vaunted iron chef gang.
Level the field. If not, just can the show. My view is it isn't accomplishing anything accept creating an unwarranted deep divide between the iron chefs and everybody else who cooks food for a living.
Robert
15 - Robert S. Young
I just wanted to make a comment about the Iron Chef Challenge where one of th iron chefs engages in a cook-off against a chef who is not part of the "rewalm" so to speak.
I believe everytime I've watched this competition, the Iron Chef comes out on top. That gets boring. I think it would be more of a challenge if the "cook-off" were to be held somewhere other than the "home field" of the iron chef and if, also, so sincere respect were given to the challengers experience. They always seem to be subtly portrayed as "wannabe underdogs." Because of this the judges are "unimpressed" before they even taste the challengers creations. I've note that sometimes food-channel chefs are among the judges. It's just unacceptable.
The only reason I have any respect for this concept, is because Bobby Flay DOES go to meet his challengers on their turf - somestimes he wins, sometimes he doesn't. The resolution of that unknown outcome is interesting.
The Iron Chef Challenge in the Iron Chef Kitchen is just unfair and uninteresting because of the built in advantages/biases afforded by the location and by "underwhelming" introductions given the other chefs that paves the way for the so-called objective judges to immediately dismiss any notion that they are worthy adversaries with the skeill and ability to win. No, the judges appear to just see them as "unaccomplished cooks" from the hinterland who should be glad they were invited by the vaunted iron chef gang.
Level the field.
Robert