Alex Vs. America

Seriously, each episode has someone on as a challenger who cooks something that in no universe imaginable would Alex have cooked, whether it's niche Mexican, authentic Asian, etc. So right away they no which one dish Alex DIDN'T make.

I'm an Alex Guarnaschelli fan to start with, and this is a fun showcase for her genius. Yes, it has some elements of other cooking competitions, but it's different enough to be interesting, e.g., contestants who are experts in certain cuisines competing against each other and Alex. Chef Adjepong makes a knowledgeable, well-spoken host, but it's hard to tear my eyes off him to look at the food. He's distractingly gorgeous. Alex maintains a nice balance between acknowledging her own talents and those of her guests. I'm hooked.

I was saddened but not unsurprised to hear of Iron Chef American's cancellation. I grew up watching competitive cooking, and Iron Chef was its pinacle. I watched beat out Amanda Freitag to her earn the right to use the title "Iron Chef. Since then, she has demonstrated her prowess time and time again. Guarnaschelli had always been a consistent, charismatic, and creative competitor on the show, and no matter how staged it was, I always found myself learning from her.

Alex Vs. America continues the journey of this culinary heavyweight, continuing Alex Guarnaschelli's legacy as an Iron Chef. Not only is Guarnaschelli's genius persistently on display, but her personality comes out in every episode. I smirk every time competitors make their choices in the first round because Guarnaschelli plays mind games with them every time! Sometimes, she employs reverse psychology; other times, she circles like a hungry shark. And, despite maintaining a degree of distance from the competitors to portray her as the "one to beat," she does not come off as inaccessible.

The other faces on this series are of the calibur you would expect. Competitors are experts in their field and include victors of Beat Bobby Flay and Chopped alums. Perennial Chopped judges also make appearences as judges here, such as Simon Majumdar; other judges are also well-respected field experts. Host Eric Adjepong's commentary is always natural and enlightening.

If you love competition cooking, this is for you!

The food on this show is much more elevated than Chopped due to getting more time. The variables are so facinating and the blind judging is pretty cool.

I was scared of Alex from Chopped so going into this show I was undecided, but after binging all 3 seasons in 2 weeks, I can say she won me over. Alex is a stress head but she is relatable. She shows humility and grace when she knows something is not in her wheelhouse.

I feel like being a female chef who isn't a supermodel is hard to win over a crowd, but put away all the shallow judgment and she is actually a fierce competitor and skilled chef. I really love this show and hope to see more.

I do not agree with the grumpy naysayers who commented before me. Seems like no one wants to be nice anymore anyway but come on! There are always going to be similarities in cooking competitions. It's inevitable but this one has some refreshing elements and I do not believe it is"fixed"! There are also some fun, exciting new elements to this one so give it a watch!