April 23, 2004
Iron Chef America
Iron Chef America has begun! I'm of course a HUGE Iron Chef fan -- but I think the appeal was that it was such a goofy Japanese thing (though when I was in Tokyo, everyone I asked about the show laughed at me). The really awful time they did one in New York was so utterly painful (including Bobby Flay standing on his cutting board -- after almost electricuting himself during the cooking) that I really didn't think they would bring it here. But I'm impressed that Alton Brown (BobbiLynn's favorite) is the commentator, and the celebrity judges include Ted Allen, the food guy from Queer Eye.
I'm watching the behind-the-scenes preview special now, and will reserve judgement until tonight's first battle between Bobby Flay and Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai (who has won more battles than any other Iron Chef) -- and Sunday night we'll get to see Wolfgang Puck go head to head with Iron Chef Japanese Masaharu Morimoto!