Iron Chef America: The Series

It lacks the ironic humor of the original. The Japanese were having fun with the idea of cooking as competition... and playing it straight.. the result was utterly delightful. The Americans are humorlessly playing for keeps- it's pathetic. There was a subtlety and a beauty to the photography, the commentary... and yes, the English translation in accented voice was delicious, too.

Alton is, sadly, a bit much, ...

Oh, but I miss the hushed excitement of the Japanese commentators, and the shy, sensuous confessions of the female panelist- "I really liked it!" and the worldly, companionable bantering of the more substantial male panelist.. and the delicate, precise wording of the author-panelist... and the delightful mythos built around the person of the chairman and his "kitchen stadium". Also, come to think of it, the dignity they gave the challenger by presenting his myth as well.

"If memory serves me correct..." Iron Chef is a name that strikes a chord in almost any true foodies' heart, whether it is the distinct memory of seeing most of the world's greatest chefs battle Japan's finest, or just the simple fun of seeing such intensity with cooking food on your TV screen. For me, I joined the millions of Iron Chef fans around 2000, about the same time everyone else here did; I was stunned. I couldn't believe that people could put so much intensity into their work. I grew to appreciate food just as they did, and began to realize how wrong we really have it here in the U.S. With obesity on the rise, we continue to see food only in its worth and buy only what we can get for the cheapest price. In Iron Chef, this couldn't be more opposite. Seeing a $200 dish isn't rare, and only the finest of materials goes into a meal prepared by an Iron Chef or challenger. Now with Iron Chef America, one can again watch as the best do battle, nearly just as they did several years ago in the original Kitchen Stadium. The flare is all there as Alton Brown and Kevin Brauch entertain us as we watch our own American Iron Chefs do battle. With the magic of a new Kitchen Stadium in place, we are likely to see as many memorable events as the original. One great memory in my mind is seeing Iron Chef Sakai and his trout ice cream. I can only hope to see Batali, Flay, Cora or Morimoto attempt a similar daring, and somewhat yucky, dish; all in the name of Iron Chef. So in short, we have real food in America, and we have the chefs to make it. Now we get the honor and privilege of seeing them in action in our own legendary Kitchen Stadium. Allez cuisine!

Like many imports into American television Iron Chef America is a pathetic shadow of the original. Mark Dacascos, as The Chairman, is the nephew of the Japan's Chairman Kaga but exhibits not a soupcon of the self-mocking humor of his uncle. Dacascos is a lauded martial arts expert but in this context his posturing is hokey in the extreme. Alton Brown, though interesting on Good Eats, as sole commentator for Iron Chef America is boring as is the roving reporter. The two commentators, Kenji Fukui and Yukio Hattori, along with the guest commentators/judges are key to the original show's appeal. The snappy rapport of Fukuisan, Doc, and many of the frequent guests entertains as they make astute observations, lame jokes, and bicker affably. The Japanese Iron Chefs are entertaining, have engaging personalities, and actually take a hand in the cooking of every dish themselves. Yes, they have assistants but that is just what they do, assist, not the preparation of entire dishes. As for the American impostors, Flay displays symptoms of smugness and arrogance and Batalli is sweet but unappealing. Morimoto is still a great Iron Chef but he should have followed Wolfgang Puck's lead and gotten out of this debacle while he still had his dignity. I understand that in a restaurant preparing the food is not their role but this is a cooking competition and every dish should be basically prepared by the chef, but these American Iron Chefs do not even take a hand in many of the dishes which are expertly prepared by their talented pastry chefs, sous-chefs and/or assistants. These talented underlings and some of the guest competitors are the only redeeming quality this show offers and they do some amazing things. The Japanese judges have relatively unbiased palates and are always polite even as they are voicing their criticisms. They also express themselves beautifully and savor the nuances of the dishes. Food Network should choose judges who have a more cosmopolitan palate. The job of a critic is to be discerning not to be mean-spirited and sarcastic. You can call a spade a spade without calling it a darned old shovel. Brutal honesty is not a virtue I care to see promoted. Much of the personality of the Japanese import must be credited to the actors who performed the voice overs. They must have had a ball in taping as the dialogue is frequently ridiculous, but ridiculously entertaining!

I know that there are some purists out there who poo poo anything that is not exactly like the original, however sometimes spin-offs can stand on their own merits. I like the new Iron Chef because it is similar enough to the Japanese version but at the same time caters to American spirit. I love Alton Brown as commentator, because he explains things with flair. The Iron Chefs themselves are very interesting. I know the originals were probably the best chefs on the planet at the time, but Bobby Flay is the only American Iron Chef to beat them. Mario Batali seems to have the most fun when cooking, making comments and being flashy while creating. I have watched the series and find all the players work together well. The judges are not always the best choices, however. There are a few exceptions, like the lawyer turned foodie, but most of the judges are questionable in being able to handle what is served. I enjoy watching the chefs hustle and the challengers are surprising. The food at the end always looks amazing and sometimes it inspires me in the kitchen. Perhaps that is all anyone can ask, to want to really eat what is served. The only thing I would really change about the series is to ask folks on the show to lighten up a little. Sometimes the mood becomes a bit too tense, and that isn't always fun to watch when you are expecting more amusement. I liked the version with William Shatner (Iron Chef USA) because it was so over-the-top like the original, but I can tell it was a pretty expensive proposition. I wish he had stayed with this version and been the host - between Bill Shatner and Alton Brown, that would have me grinning for an hour. As long as you don't expect the original Japanese version and can accept this series on its own merits, you may find it to be an enjoyable hour.

it's too bad that it has to be such a male dominated, ego driven and sexist show. have you noticed that a woman will rarely win against an iron chef?? have you also noticed that the panel has only one woman judge and two men?? no wonder the men iron chef always win. also, have you noticed how many women iron chef are out there??? I so wonder about this show and the food industry... just like another male dominating industry, men grabbed the power and will never give it to women. but in reality, women cook at home in almost every family, so you tell me how come men are always on top in iron chef and top chef shows...? the answer is simple, it's a sexist field.