The Next Iron Chef

Hopefully you have been keeping up with Food Network’s The Next Iron Chef.  I have finally caught-up with it due to one of the best inventions of the modern world…the DVR.  My life would not be complete without it.

In case you are at a loss, the Food Network is looking for a new Iron Chef to become a part of Kitchen Stadium.  Does that mean one of our Iron Chef’s is being shown the door???  Hmmm….are we losing our dear Mario forever???

The competition began with 8 great chefs and is now down to three:  Chris Cosentino, John Besh, and Michael Symon.  All three are well-trained and accomplished chefs and restaurateurs.  If you have been watching I think that we all are figuring it is going to come down between Chef Besh and Chef Symon.  The key to the competition is consistency in the dishes.  As an Iron Chef you just can’t have too many off dishes.  Each competition they have to come up with 5 and it is very rare to see an Iron Chef completely bomb a dish let alone a whole competition.  It is not just skill, but performing under pressure, time contraints with a lot of variables.

This last episode was eerily reminiscent.  It might be that it is close to Halloween, but I had a deja vu moment.  Yes, the competition was airplane food.  I will say that our Iron Chef competitors did better than those at Top Chef.  Know one was feeling physically ill from the food.

During this last episode there was a lot of hostility towards the camera crew.  I for one would have been wanting to rip them apart as well, but to learn more in regards to this matter, read writer and Iron Chef judge, Michael Ruhlman’s blog.

If you missed any episodes go to the website to see the shows that are aired, learn more about the chefs and judges.