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Digitized by the Internet Archive

in

2012

http://www.archive.org/details/ironchefofficialOOhoke

Iron

Chef

Iron

Chef

THE OFFICIAL BOOK

Compiled by

Fuji Television, Inc.

Edited by the Staff of Iron Chef

Translated by Kaoru Hoketsu

BERKLEY

BOOKS

NEW

YORK

i:
A Berkley Book
Published by The Berkley Publishing Group

A division

of Penguin

Putnam

Inc.

375 Hudson Street

New York, New York

Copyright

2000 by

Fuji Television

10014

Network,

Inc.

Book design by Richard Oriolo

Photographs on pages

xi

and 12-14 are copyright by Kazuma Ogaeri. Cover

photographs and photographs on pages 2-6, 67, and 215 are copyright by Fuji
Television Network, Inc. All other photographs are copyright Shoichi Noguchi.

All rights reserved.

This book, or parts thereof,

permission.

may not

BERKLEY and

be reproduced in any form without

the "B" design are trademarks belonging

to

Penguin Putnam

Inc.

PRINTING HISTORY
/

2000

May

2001

Fusosha lapanese hardcover edition

Berkley hardcover edition

The Penguin Putnam

Inc.

World Wide Web

site

address

is

www.penguinputnam.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ryori no tetsujin taizen. English.
Iron chef the official
:

p.

book / by

Fuji Television

translated

by Kaoru Hoketsu.

cm.

ISBN 0-425-18088-3
1.

Cookery, International.

Fuji Terebijon,

2.

Competitions.

Cookery

I.

Hoketsu, Kaoru.

II.

Kabushiki Kaisha.

TX725.A1 +

791.4572 dc21
00-065120

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

10

987654321

Contents

Foreword

xiii

Introduction to the American Edition

The

New York

xv

Battle

The Gourmet Academy

The Rules of the Game

10

Iron Chef Profiles

12

Iron Chef Timeline

15

The

Specialty of the

Gourmet Academy: The

Host's Choice

of the 10 Best Dishes

Foie Gras

Kanpon

Thinly Sliced Sea

Roti of

31

Bream with Smoked Organs

Homard with

Vanilla

Lindenbaum Flavoring

Cocotte of Bacon and Country-Style Cabbage

Ayu and Watermelon Mousse

Yellowtail with Daikon Radish

Chinese Cabbage with Mustard

VI

CONTENTS
Roasted Duck Stuffed with Foie Gras

46

Homard Steamed with Seaweed

48

Ronkonkai Chicken a

la

Dragee

50

The Iron Chef

53

Iron Chef Interview: Yutaka Ishinabe

Battles

54

to 50

60

Testimony of the Cast and

Staff:

Bruce Seidel

65

Testimony of the Cast and

Staff:

Osamu Kanemitsu

69

Yukio Hattori's Prestige Menu: French Course

73

Iron Chef Interview: Rokusaburo Michiba

81

Battles 51 to 101

88

Testimony of the Cast and

Staff:

Takashi Ishihara

93

Yukio Hattori's Prestige Menu: Japanese Course

Iron Chef Interview:

Chen Kenichi

96
101

Battles 102 to 150

107

Yukio Hattori's Prestige Menu: Chinese Course

113

Iron Chef Interview:

Battles 151 to

Koumei Nakamura

200

Testimony of the Cast and

19

125
Staff:

Yukio Hattori's Prestige Menu:

Kyouichi Tanaka

Italian

Course

Iron Chef Interview: Katsuhiko Kobe

Battles 201 to

250

131

135
1

149

Testimony of the Cast and

Staff:

Kenji Fukui

155

Testimony of the Cast and

Staff:

Hanako Asao

159

Yukio Hattori's Prestige Menu: Fusion Course

161

Iron Chef Interview: Masaharu

Battles 251 to

297

Morimoto

68

174

CONTENTS
VII

Testimony of the Cast and

Staff:

Shinichiro Ota

180

Iron Chef Interview: Hiroyuki Sakai

184

Testimony of the Cast and

Staff:

Yukio Hattori

191

Testimony of the Cast and

Staff:

Asako Kishi

195

Analysis of the Seven Iron Chefs

Gourmet Academy's Glossary of Culinary Terms

Restaurant Guide

199
21

227

Iron Chefs

228

American and Canadian Challengers

243

Victorious Challengers from Asia and Europe

259

Acknowledgments

295

All

chefs are equal

in

the eyes of an ingredient

Foreword

OCTOBER

PROVED TO

10, 1993,

be an unforgettable evening not

only for myself, the host of the Gourmet Academy, or for

all

the

members

of the Academy, but for the entire world.

It all

won

started

when

a chef of Chinese cuisine,

Go Maruyama,

having

the preliminary rounds, challenged our

Gourmet Academy's

First

French Iron Chef, Yutaka Ishinabe. Since then,

many glorious battles

have

been fought in our beloved Kitchen Stadium. Battles were fought and

gourmet dishes

created, the

memories of which

are

now forever etched

in

our minds.

Some 893

foie gras,

mushrooms, 4,593

54 sea breams, 827

eggs, 1,489 truffles, 4,651

pieces of shark's fin were eaten, to

icacies

were used

in

mention

Ise

grams of

just a

abundance, bringing the

shrimp, 964 matsutake

few

total

caviar,

statistics.

grocery

and 84

These

bill

to

del-

more

XIV

FOREWORD
than 843,354,407 yen (about $8,000,000). The damage does not stop

having consumed a

there. After

total

of 2,389,995 calories,

myself was

forced to undertake a strict regiment of physical exercises.

Now,
the Shiki,

Stadium.

just as the ancient

I

Chinese

Han

warrior Ssu

Ma

Chien wrote

have decided to record the history of 6 years in Kitchen

shall dedicate this

book, along with

my profound gratitude, to

my seven Iron Chefs, to all the chefs who stood up to challenge them, and
to every member of my staff.
I

hope

that every person

me my philosophy that "cuisine

a

human's

who
is

shall read this

the greatest

book

will share

with

to touch

upon

form of art

instinct."

Takeshi Kaga,
Chairman of Gourmet Academy

Introduction
to the American Edition

IF

YOU KNOW ENOUGH A B

know

this

is

book, you

going to be stranger, more exciting, and

just

plain better. This

of their fields

book

who

It is filled

is

It's

about accomplished professionals

turned the culinary world upside

at

the height

down with

their

with the exclusive stories and recipes behind mouth-

watering meals never before attempted, meals

truffles,

this

at a

popular television show.

talent.

U T Iron Chef to pick up

not going to be your ordinary behind-the-scenes look

and other

delicacies.

But

it

is

filled

with lobster, foie gras,

also the story of

grown men

in

ridiculous costumes wrestling live octopuses while announcers breathlessly

fill

us in

on the

action.

And

therein

lies

the genius. Iron Che)

only the most ambitious gourmet cooking show

sion,

it's

also the

in the history

is

nol

of televi-

most outrageous.

Inside these pages, you'll hear from the

man who

dressed the chefs

XVI

NTRODUCTION TO THE AMERICAN EDITION

in their
say,

trademark costumes.

"Hey, wouldn't

it

You'll get insight

be interesting

if,

let's say,

from the
a cabbage

first

person to

was placed on

an elevator-like platform and brought up on stage?" You'll learn the challenge of building the world's greatest cooking arena for each and every

show. You'll receive the exclusive recipes to Chairman Kaga's favorite

dishes, peruse Hattori's Prestige

Chefs

all

seven of them

And no

Menus, and hear

directly

from the Iron

for the first time.

matter what you think you know, you're going to learn

something new.

Can you name

have been
tled Iron
in anger

six)?

all

the

American and Canadian challengers

Did you know

that

(there

Announcer Yukio Hattori twice

bat-

Chefs in Kitchen Stadium? That Kaga once boycotted a match

because his Iron Chefs kept losing? That there have been numer-

ous "tag team" matches involving four Iron Chefs

wife of second Iron

at

one time? That the

Chef Japanese Koumei Nakamura was so embar-

rassed after he lost a battle that she wouldn't leave the house? If you've
just

watched the show on The Food Network, you probably don't even

know that second

Iron Chef Japanese

Koumei Nakamura

exists

yet.

INTRODUCTION TO THE AMERICAN EDITION

As Chairman Kaga

The book was created

the final

program

said, this

is

the complete history of Iron Chef.

Chef book soon

in Japan as the definitive Iron

September 1999.

aired there in

everything that happened in the 6 years the

It is

summation of

show was on

the air and a

chance for everyone involved in the show to say their piece. For
tion, we've

this edi-

added material about The Food Network version of the show

and the event that made Iron Chef

York

after

But we've also

Battle.

left in

you've probably never heard

of,

a.

huge success

in America:

The New

a lot of material about a few people

but

who

are nonetheless important fig-

ures in the Iron Chef world. In

other words, this

No

book.

is

the Iron Chef

how many

matter

episodes you watch on

Network, no matter
years

The Food

how many

you follow the show,

it

will

never go out of date.

People have asked,

tailor a

book just to

the

Why not

American

version? To us, that's like asking,

Why

not substitute American

actors

Chen

Hiroyuki Sakai and

for

Kenichi? Besides,

it

wouldn't be the whole story

juicy material, right? In this book, we've

Network has done. We've translated the

the stars speak for themselves. There

them, both

as professionals

and

as

done

if

we left out

exactly

original, then stood

is

no

human

better

way

all

this

what The Food

back and

to get to

beings. At times this

is

let

know
touch-

ing; at times informative, at times even bizarre. But as Takeshi Kaga has
said, "It's great to

Enjoy!

be known, but

it's

even better to be

known

as strange."

XVII

Iron Chef

'i;

A'i,

'''

'

';';

'..

'

.'

-..,'':-

'-'

NEW YORK BATTLE

THE

Can you smell

what Morimoto

is

cooking?

THE

NEW YORK

BATTLE:

OR

better of worse,

it

brought Iron Chef to the attention of America. Sure,

been watching the show for

band of

chefs

France, even

years,

was the event that

many

people had

and Chairman Kaga and

his

merry

the world before Hong Kong, Thailand,

was
time
an informal tour but

had traveled

New York

for

this

New York

it

differ-

City to do battle

ent.

This time the Iron Chefs were coming to

in a

makeshift Kitchen Stadium in front of hundreds of screaming fans.

And

this

time

America via

What
had most

it

was going

2-hour

to

be broadcast into millions of homes in

special.

did Americans

likely seen the

know about

Iron

Chef in June 2000? Well, they

commercials during Emeril Lagasse's popular

cooking spectaculars. Most, though, had never bothered

show, despite the

fact

many had

to

watch the

heard Iron Chef was becoming a

hit.

|B

tt'

ni

P ii
II

in

2&3

1,-1:

2&

1ll.

*1?
Jt
t'Ttet

lit

HFit

EfcJt

^IP^

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'

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fy

wk

m
Others had heard of the

fish

head

and the wanton butchering of

channels at some point and

ice

cream, the pig stomach casseroles,

Even more had been flipping

live fish.

come

across the image of a

wrestling a rather large live octopus that

every show.

And

many others

hadn't bothered.

while

shown

is

many had stopped

to

grown man

at the beginning of

watch and been hooked,

Until now.

The

challenger, anointed

by those

and

prestige of American cuisine,

star

of The Food Network's very

in the

was Bobby

own

know to defend

Flay,

top

the

honor

New York chef and

Grill.

Flay was

an acknowledged master of American Southwestern cuisine, a

style the

hit

show Hot Off the

Iron Chefs had never encountered before.

Would

this

be a problem for

NEW YORK BATTLE

THE

the culinary

men

Stadium, Ron

of iron? After

all,

the last American to enter Kitchen

had whipped Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai

Seigel,

in

The tension mounted through an hour of hype,

Battle Lobster.

Chairman Kaga was

feted

around

New York, Kobe and

as

Sakai thrilled the

chefs-to-be at the Culinary Institute of America, and Japanese Iron Chefs

Michiba and Morimoto were horrified into

suburban woman's

The
lier,

New York Battle

when on

known

a cold

fantastic

in Japan, all the

make

that

had

actually

been filmed 2 months ear-

March weekend New York

City's

Webster Hall, best

was turned into the

....

Who would
.

take

Whose

experts from Fuji Television

workings of a world-class kitchen

two world-class kitchens

from the sinks and

were

cuisine

reign

wou,d

supreme?

assem-

refrigerators to the multiple stoves to the

more

than 500 dishes, bowls, and cooking implements. The result was astounding, if

not quite up to the level of the one true Kitchen Stadium. The

background wasn't
a flourish and,

lavish, the Iron

Chefs didn't ascend from the floor in

even worse, midway through the battle challenger Bobby

Flay was electrocuted by a combination of faulty wiring

and

puddle of

water.

But nothing could dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd. As Kaga

entered the arena and took his familiar place at center stage (as befits a

medieval lord), they waved signs, whistled, chanted, and cheered.

Challenger Bobby

Flay, the great

hope of New York, challenged Iron Chef

Japanese Masahura Morimoto, the

other team. The crowd
the

theme

ingredient,

half of a disco ball.

A_
it?
.

cooking arena. With help from

The Food Network and

bled,

itself

as a rock concert venue,

most

city's

by the contents of

silence

freezer.

New York-based

yelled appreciatively.

which descended slowly from

The crowd went

mality of a baron and the style of a

wild.

chef fighting for the

Kaga theatrically

summoned

the ceiling in the top

The Chairman, with

showman, smiled

the for-

and boomed

forth

IRON CHEF

his

famous catch phrase,

"Allez cuisine!"

and

Battle

Rock Crab was

under way.

The Great Cutting Board Controversy

The day

after the

show

aired Stateside, the newspapers

and water coolers

of America were abuzz. While most of America was agog

witnessed the night before,

reporters) were a

haps, a bit high.

to Mars.
line

And

little

many

it's

what they had

die-hard fans (some of

whom

were

underwhelmed. The expectations had been, per-

No lives were saved, no

while

at

economies ruined, no rocket sent

true that without the interjections of

famed

commentator Shinichiro Ota "Fukui-san!" the edge was

side-

off the

THE

action, the knives

had been dicing and the ingredients

to the final seconds.

Bobby

NEW YORK BATTLE

And

American

Flay, in classic

moment

that's the

it

fashion, stood

flying

the

all

When

had happened.

up on

way

his counter to

exhort the crowd and celebrate his culinary accomplishment, the true
nature (and appeal) of the Iron Chef hit every American home.
Iron Chef Morimoto, with obvious agitation and without mincing

words, dismissed Flay as a pretender. "In

my

America, "the cutting board

man

sacred. This

is

country,"
is

Morimoto

A sacred cutting board? Was he serious? Was this what the Iron
over-the-top spectacle, was

The answer, of

course,

and careers on the

line.

The

is

is

yes

and no. The Iron Chef

few days.

to

him

When Morimoto won

this Battle

Flay's professionalism,

in the world's

his very livelihood,

you

will

victor will gain the people's acclaim forever,

ous to even the most casual viewer that

mocked Bobby

as

a deathly serious contest with reputations

but the loser will suffer the people's derision and mocking for
least a

Chef, this

about?

all

discover later in this book,

told

not a chef." Not a chef?

it

was

Rock Crab,

it

well, at

was obvi-

a great relief.

Having

he couldn't turn around and lose

most watched cooking competition. His reputation,

was on the

And

line.

that's

how

it

should be.

In Japan.

But

this battle

and

spectacle

took place in America, and in America we want to see

pomp and wild

watch vegetables ascend

man

again.

mals.

sequined robe

in a

cloud

chomp

We want to hear rousing music and

of dry ice. We want to see a grown

into a yellow pepper again

and again and

We want to see (if not eat) octopus and eel and other bizarre aniWe want to cheer for a chef who will jump up on his countertop

and wave
So

a towel

around

in the end,

we

self a world-class chef.

to

in a

action.

be around. America

his head.

all

And

that's

what Bobby Flay gave

us.

won. Morimoto won because he proved him-

Bobby

won

Flay

won

because he proved he's

because we got to watch

fun guy

wonderful hour of

-^gm*

television,

an hour that

is

repeated in

times a week. The Food Network

Chef has

we

tripled in the past year.

more

won

vw

or less the

same form

several

because the viewership of Iron

We won because due to your enthusiasm

got the opportunity to bring this wonderful

book

to

America. This

book, in turn, makes the world an even more interesting place for fans of
Iron Chef.

The Rest of the Story

While

all

that

Battle that

was going on, there was another aspect of the

was equally

interesting,

New York

but probably overlooked by most

THE

NEW YORK BATTLE

Americans. As any fan of Iron Chef knows, Iron Chef Chinese Chen
Kenichi, the lovable teddy bear of Szechwan cuisine, did not
trip to

America.

man

Filling in as Kaga's fourth iron

make

of culinary

skill

the

was

Rokusaburo Michiba. Michiba, dressed in his luminous blue robe, was

Chef when the show

the Japanese Iron

Although he

retired

midway through

beloved figure in Japan. The

New

first

began airing

the program, he

York

Battle,

is

in Japan.

a legendary

however, was his

and
first

appearance on American television.

The presence of Michiba hinted

Iron Chef, a history that only

at the

long and intricate history of

now is coming to

light in

America.

We have

seen hints of it, for instance, in the attempts by the ultra-conservative Ota
faction to take

down

the "Neo-Japanese" Iron Chef Morimoto. As the

show progresses on American

television,

more and more

characters like

Iron Chef Michiba will enter the lives of American fans, and the story of

Chairman Takeshi Kaga and

his Iron

Chefs will get deeper and more

rewarding.

While several

special battles are

still

planned, the majority of Iron

Chef'lore and legend has already been created. This book

back to the
the

battles

you have already

seen.

It

will introduce

will take

you

you again

to

men and women you have come to know and love. But it will do more

than

that.

It

will also tell

you the

rest

of the story.

;"

,:;.; v;'

"'

::-..:
;

lk:S

.'.':'

THE GOURMET ACADEMY

LIKE THE

ACADEMY THAT PLATO

founded

in Athens, the

Academy was founded on a personal philosophy. In this case,

losophy that "Cuisine
instinct."

ited

from
If

As such,

is

have invested

my ancestors

memory

the greatest form of art to touch

serves

upon

of the worldly fortune

my phihuman's

have inher-

into the construction of Kitchen Stadium.

me

right, the great

court of France's Louis XIV.

Louis's

all

Gourmet

it is

He

chef Bechamel served in the

created the

famous Bechamel sauce

at

banquet and was said to have greatly impressed the king. At

around the same time, there was

a chef in

China by the name of Enbai.

Enbai created the basis of Chinese cuisine within the grounds of Zuien,

where

it is

said that over

300 ingredients, with the exception of tofu and

pork, could be found. In Japan,

dream of meeting

we had

the great Rosanjin Kitaoji.

these legendary chefs one day. In order

to realize this

dream, even
tle

for

if just

little bit, I

my Gourmet Academy.
and

great chefs of today,

came up with

the following rules of bat-

Kitchen Stadium

a place for

them

is

a place to discover the

to better themselves

by

chal-

lenging one another.

The Rules of the

The

basic belief of the

a great dish;

it is

will challenge

Gourmet Academy is

the technique

one of the three

to a culinary battle.

Game

and

that "Love

artistry involved."

(later four)

is

not what makes

Every week, a chef

Gourmet Academy Iron Chefs

Should a chef beat the Iron Chef

in the preliminary

GOURMET ACADEMY

THE

!!

battle,

win

he or she

shall

this battle as well,

be permitted a second

he or she

will

battle,

and should he or she

be awarded the honorary title of Iron

Chef.

The theme ingredient

lenger or to the Iron

come up with
ingredient to
task.

Chef

menu

its full

of

will

not be

until the

made known

time of the

at least three

potential.

to either the chal-

battle.

The

it.

To be

fair, I,

must

courses that utilizes the theme

They have

hour only

to

accomplish

Three to four members of the Gourmet Academy will

and judge

chefs

as the host, shall

taste the

this

meal

not offer any opinions. Should

the marks turn out to be equal, there will be a 30-minute rematch, after

which the next meal

will

be tasted and judged.

\m\\

tJLiikJK*

y^*^ t

*\m

12

IRON CHEF

Iron Chef Profiles

Awaiting the arrival of challengers in the world's only culinary battlefield,
Kitchen Stadium, are the Gourmet Academy's Iron Chefs. These chefs are
legendary figures, creating unforgettable dishes with only their knives

and

their vast

knowledge

to guide them.

The

Chef of Japanese

First Iron

Cuisine:

Using

Rokusaburo Michiba

his belief that

"There are no nation-

borders for ingredients," Michiba uti-

al

lizes

numerous

ingredients

the world to create his

own

from

all

over

special dishes.

His belief has earned him the label of

"rebel within the culinary world."

losing his cool

shirks
challenger.

The

He commands

First Iron

on

the respect of chefs from

Chef of French Cuisine:

"God of sauces"

Ishinabe has been revered as the

in Japan

is

said to have

circles.

French cuisine

advanced a good 10 years

with his

arrival.

raw

he then decides on the menu. Believing

first,

Always tasting the ingredients

in only his tongue, his

on the

artistic.

He

is

cooking

is

said to border

referred to as being the

"Visconti of the culinary world."

Never

he never

from any ingredient or from any

Yutaka Ishinabe

within Japanese culinary

the battlefield,

all

walks of cuisine.

THE

GOURMET ACADEMY

Iron Chef of Chinese Cuisine:

Chen Kenichi
Kenichi's father, the late

was the

to

first

cooking to Japan and

for having

Shrimp

Chen Kenmin,

introduce Szechwan
is

also responsible

created the famous dish

in Chili Sauce. Since childhood,

Kenichi has

made

his

father's

sacred

kitchen his playground, and his every

move, from the tossing of his wok to the

adding of his

spices,

like his father.

makes everyone

is

said to be just

His dishes, reflecting his belief that "Cooking

is

love,"

feel joyous.

The Second Iron Chef of French Cuisine:

Hiroyuki Sakai
Sakai

is

the chef responsible for having synthesized

the Japanese kaiseki with French cuisine. His dishes

reflecting the Japanese seasons

France, are colorful; and he

is

and the

esprit of

often referred to as

the "Delacroix of the culinary world." His genius

is

obvious in the way he creates extraordinary dishes

at

the spur of the

Sakai's

good

moment. When not cooking,

hobbies include gymnastics (he

is

very

at the horizontal bar), deep-sea diving, and

driving different cars.

The Second Iron Chef of Japanese

Koumei Nakamura

Cuisine:

Having been recognized by the

first

Japanese Iron Chef, Rokusaburo Michiba,

he was crowned the second Japanese Iron

Chef.

He

guards the tradition of the pres-

Japanese restaurant Nadaman,

tigious

which was established

in

respecting tradition, he

bound

to

that liken
rior

Kung-Ming. True

no progress

to his

for a chef,"

and

it

him

1830. While
in

is

no way

creates imaginative dishes

to the ancient

Chinese war-

motto that "Without adventure, there

will

be

he mixes tradition with

the avant-garde, creating dishes that

match no

other in their depth.

Iron Chef of Italian Cuisine: Katsuhiko

The Enoteca Pinchiorri

epitome of
is

Italian cuisine.

man who, by the

tered

all

Our

is

the

fourth Iron Chef

tender age of 27, had mas-

the arts of Italian cuisine in the kitchen

of this restaurant.

name

Kobe

in Florence, Italy,

He has

rightly earned his nick-

"Prince of Pasta." His youth and ardor have opened the door to a

new

era of Italian cuisine in Japan.

The Third Iron Chef of Japanese Cuisine:

Masahura Morimoto

Morimoto

leads the

way

to a

new

age of

Japanese cuisine, as he has worked in

New

York, a true melting pot of cultures. His

THE

dishes,

which incorporate

all

Japanese cooking, represent a

GOURMET ACADEMY

the essence of Chinese, Western, and

new

age in "world cuisine." This revolu-

tionary chef stands by his motto that "Cooking

is

entertainment" and

does not forget to add spice and playfulness to his dishes. Morimoto
enjoys golf, good clothes, and exercise, which matches well with his reputation as the "hunky" Iron Chef.

Iron Chef Timeline

Since

its

inception in 1993,

show. Here

is

numerous dramas have been born on

the chronological history of the

show

that forever

this

changed

the culinary world.

15

16

IRON CHEF

Iron Chef History

1993

October
Iron

10

Chef begins with the unveiling of Kitchen Stadium and the

three Iron Chefs Michiba, Ishinabe, and Chen.

The program consists of two

battles: the preliminary

The time allocated for the

final battles.

final battle

is 1

and the
hour and

30 minutes.

October

17

The time allocated for the

and 30 minutes to

November

final battle

is

shortened from

hour

hour.

21

Preliminary battles are discontinued.

The Iron Chefs lose their

becomes the

December

first battle.

Chinese chef Kazuhiko

Tei

first victor.

The battle of the Shu family: The number one apprentice of Shu

and Shu's younger brother both lose against the

Iron Chefs. Big

brother Tomitoku Shu rises to avenge their losses and after two
tries, finally

December
The

wins against Iron Chef Michiba.

12

first battle

December

of desserts. The

theme

is

Christmas.

19

Start of the special programs:

The Christmas Special

Battle.

1994

February
The

blitz

of the

Kandagawa army:

chef of the Kansai region, sends his

After

two

of his apprentices lose,

Toshiro Kandagawa, master

first

challenger on February 16.

Kandagawa himself takes on

the Iron Chef and wins against Kenichi

in Battle

Turbot.

February 27
The debut of the new French Iron Chef,
Hiroyuki

Sakai.

Yutaka Ishinabe,
Iron Chef.

The
is

first

now

Iron

Chef,

an honorary

18

IRON CHEF

March 20
The

first

woman

challenger appears at Kitchen Stadium.

April 29

The challenge of Yukio Hattori, the commentator: Hattori,

covets the
loses.

title

who

of Iron Chef, challenges the chefs to a battle, but

Ambition undeterred, he awaits

his next opportunity.

July 22

A summer

holiday special, the Tag Match: The French cuisine

team, Joel Bruant and Furutaka versus the Japanese-Chinese

sine team, Michiba

October
The

and

Kenichi.

The French team

is

cui-

victorious.

14

first

challenger from overseas, the

Hong Kong appears

number one chef from

at the studio.

tiOURMH-

lLyiliJjjk

December
The Iron Chef

December

is

nominated for the American

Emmy Awards.

16

The second Christmas Dessert

December 23-January

2,

Battle.

1995

The 1994 Mr. Iron Chef Contest: A preliminary battle

among

is

the Japanese, Chinese, French, and Italian successful chal-

lengers of 1993 and 1994; the winner battles against the

one

fought

Iron Chef, Michiba. Japanese cuisine chef

winner of the preliminary

Michiba

is

battle.

crowned the 1994

number

Kandagawa

He battles Michiba, but

Mr. Iron Chef.

is

the

loses.

20

RON CHEF

1995

January 27
Valentine's

March

Day Dessert

Battle.

31

The battle of the Iron Chefs

in

Hong Kong: The

overseas, in the culinary capital of

The battle

is

first battle

fought

Hong Kong.

fought between Michiba, Chen, and China's best

chef.

Hong Kong movie

star Jackie

Chan

is

present as a judge.

May
The challenge from Club

young French chefs from

*.*6

Lfe

Mistral:

The Club

Mistral, a

France, challenge Sakai

group of

and Ishinabe.

June 23
Michiba, due to

August

ill

health, temporarily leaves the show.

II

Michiba's return. Fights Battle Umeboshi.

August

18

The second Tag Match:

Italy's

Salvatore brothers against the

Sakai-Michiba team. The theme ingredient

is

tomato. The Iron

Chef team wins.

September

Noda Minoru

of Los Angeles's

Hanabishi becomes the

American challenger to enter Kitchen Stadium. He proudly

an American flag into
Michiba.

his Battle

first

carries

Matsutake Mushroom against

22

IRON CHEF

October 6
Iron Chef World

Cup 1995

world's premier chefs

in

the Ariake Coliseum: Four of the

Chinese, French, Italian, and Japanese

in

cuisine battle each other for the

crown as the world's best

chef.

The Japanese representative, Michiba, wins the crown.

October

13

Change of

rules:

four judges preside

30-minute rematch

November
Number

is

now

and,

in

case of a

tie,

to be fought.

17

of challengers reaches 100.

Kandagawa

is

chosen as the most memorable challenger.

December
The Iron Chef

is

again nominated for the American

Emmy

Awards.

December 22-January

3,

I996

The 1995 Mr. Iron Chef contest: Audiences are invited to observe
this battle.

um

ticket.

Kenichi;

The price of tickets doubles, making

fierce battle

and Michiba

is

is

Rokusaburo Michiba announces

February 9
Valentine's

Day

Battle.

a true premi-

fought between Michiba, Sakai, and

the 1995 Mr. Iron Chef.

I996

January

it

IM*
his retirement

THE

March

GOURMET ACADEMY

The new Japanese Iron Chef, Koumei Nakamura, makes

his debut.

April 12

The Ultimate Iron Chef Battle

in France:

as the stage for this battle. Iron Chefs

Using a French chateau

Nakamura and Sakai

chal-

lenge the great chefs of France.

The Iron Chefs are beaten.

October

II

The Ultimate Iron Chef Battle

in Peking:

The Forbidden City

is

the

stage for this battle between the four Chinese cuisines from

23

24

IRON CHEF

Szechwan, Canton, Hong Kong, and Peking. Chen Kenichi, the

Szechwan

November
Wayne

chef, defeats the three other chefs.

15

Nish of March in

New

York City becomes the second

American challenger. He fights Battle Apple against Sakai.

December

13

Christmas Dessert Battle.

December

31

The Ultimate Iron Chef

Battle:

The

first

Japanese Iron Chef and

second Japanese Iron Chef, Michiba and Nakamura, battle

against each other on

New

Year's Eve, 100 guests acting as

judges.

The theme

is

osechi, the traditional Japanese

The entire episode

Nakamura wins

is

broadcast

New

Year's dish.

live.

this battle.

I997

March

Return Match 1-4.

A rematch

is

held between four defeated chal-

lengers of French, Japanese, Italian, and Chinese cuisine and the

Iron Chefs.

June

13

Italian Iron

Chef Katsuhiko Kobe

is

introduced.

August 8

Summer
first

Holiday Special Tag Match between the Iron Chefs: The

Tag Match fought between the Iron Chefs. The battle

is

fought between the European cuisine team, Sakai and Kobe, and
the Asian cuisine team of Nakamura and Chen. Watermelon

main ingredient. The winner

is

is

the

the European team.

August 22
Dessert Battle. The reigning champion of desserts, Sakai,
ly

is

final-

defeated.

August 29
match fought without being judged. Reiten Kojima

The

first

tles

Nakamura.

October
Iron

bat-

10

Chef World

Cup 1997

in

Arashiyama,

Kyoto:

Using

Arashiyama as the stage, four chefs, including Peter Clark from

the United States, engage

in

a furious battle. Japanese chef

Nakamura and the French representative, Alan Passard,

another

in

December

12

the final battle. The chefs

fight

one

tie.

The number of challengers reaches 200.

December

19

Christmas Dessert Battle.

1998

February 6
Aritayaki

Challenge:

A hundred

million

yen's worth

$905,000) of Aritayaki porcelain dishes were used

(about

in this battle.

THE

GOURMET ACADEMY

February 20
Nakamura's retirement

battle: Yukio Hattori battles the Iron

Chef

for the first time in 3 years.

February 27
The third Iron Chef Japanese, Masaharu

Morimoto,

is

introduced.

April 10

Wedgwood

Challenge:

different types of

More than

Wedgwood

fifty

plates

worth 80,000,000 yen (almost $750,000) are brought into the

stu-

dio.

August 28
The 2000th plate Special

Battle:

A special

match,

the 2000 dishes that the host had tasted,

for this battle are the host's favorites:

banana.

A dream team

led

September
kai

is

started,

marking

the beginning of Morimoto's agony.

That group of chefs guard the traditional

form of Japanese cooking.

The team challenges Morimoto to four

battles, of

which Morimoto loses three,

but finally wins the

in

celebration of

fought. The themes

pork, terrapin, and

by Sakai and Chen cook up a glorious

feast.

Ota Tenchi no

is

last battle.

27

28

RON CHEF
October 9
Ron Siegel of Charles Nob
Sakai in Battle Lobster,

Hill

Restaurant

in

San Francisco defeats

becoming the only victorious American

chef.

December 25
Christmas Battle.

^|M

1999

February

12

Valentine's

Day

Battle.

The world's premier

patissier,

Hinnobu

Tsuguchi, arrives on the scene.

March

Michiba travels to

New York. Morimoto, working

in

New York,

has

faced a slump after a year as the Iron Chef. Kaga dispatches

Michiba to help him.

March

12

A match between
Morimoto

is

the second Japanese Iron Chef Nakamura and

fought

in

order to teach Morimoto the ways of the

Iron Chef.

May

21

Kaga, angered by the decline of victories of the Iron Chef, boycotts this match.

THE GOURMET

Hattori steps in as the host,

ACADEMY

and Iron Chef Chen Kenichi manages

to win. Successive victories for the Iron Chefs follow after this.

May 28
Iron Chef in Indonesia. At the request of Jakarta's King Jog,

Michiba and Morimoto travel to Indonesia and cook up a magnificent banquet.

July

The Food Network begins broadcasting Iron Chef

in

the United

States.

July 2

Michael Noble from Vancouver's Metropolitan Hotel becomes the

first

and only Canadian challenger. He challenges Morimoto

in

Battle Potato.

July 30

The number of challengers reach 300.

challenger from La Tour D'Argent battles Iron Chef Chen

Kenichi. After a rematch, the battle

ends

in a tie.

September 10-24
The Battle for the Strongest of
tle

all

Iron Chefs.

The Iron Chefs bat-

each other.

Chen and Sakai end up

eted

title.

at the final battle,

and Sakai wins the cov-

29

30

IRON CHEF

The Battle for the World's Best Chef: France's number one chef,
Alan Passard, and Sakai fight the battle for this
This

the

is

last regularly

Sakai wins.

title.

scheduled battle to occur

in

Kitchen

Stadium.

2000
January

The Millennium Match. The

first

Special Battle since the closing of

Kitchen Stadium.

March

The

12

New York

Battle airs in Japan.

American Southwestern cuisine

chef Bobby Flay challenges Morimoto. The battle takes place

New York

City's

Webster

Hall.

in

Morimoto wins.

June 25

The

New

York Battle airs

promotes
history.

it

in

the United States. The Food Network

as a 2-hour special. The rest, as they say,

is

television

THE

GOURMET ACADEMY

The Specialty of the Gourmet

Academy: The Host's Choice
of the 10 Best Dishes
If

my memory

serves

years of the Iron

me

right, the

number of

Chef is 2,500. Based on

tongue the dishes hailed

as art,"

dishes born over the 6

my wish

have invested

into the building of this culinary battlefield.

all

feel

able to taste the countless artistic dishes, prepared

to "taste with

of

my own

my worldly fortune

honored

to have

been

by the divine chefs of

today.

Undoubtedly,

many

of the dishes introduced in Kitchen Stadium

are the epitome of culinary excellence.

recipes

believe that the

numerous

have acquired are invaluable assets to the culinary world. Thus

have decided, with the closure of Kitchen Stadium, to catalog these

recipes for future reference.
will

introduce to you

now

have encountered.* These recipes

tune for the next generation.

the 10

most memorable dishes

will surely

become an

that

invaluable for-

hereby bequeath these recipes to

all

the

people of the world.

*See the

Gourmet Academy's Glossary of Culinary Terms on page

unfamiliar terms.

turn

2 1 7 for definitions of

3I

Kanpon

Foie Gras

Rokusaburo Michiba
The
debut

first

battle.

Japanese Iron Chef, Michiba, cooked up

Michiba likened the foie gras to ankimo that

own maxim

cooking. He realized his

that "Ingredients

this negative

sauce to give

it

Iron

Chef

used

is

during his

in

Japanese

national bor-

a delicacy, but in

an averse reaction to anything

fatty. In

order to

image, Michiba prepared the foie gras with ponzu

a fresh, light taste.

harmony between the

what the

is

is

know no

ders." Foie gras mainly consists of fat. Elsewhere, fat

Japan and America, there

combat

this dish

East

is all

With

this dish,

he has created a perfect

and West, and has demonstrated to the world

about.

200 g turbot
1

Chinese cabbage stem

Asatsuki (green spring

onions), to taste

100 g foie gras

Flour, for

dredging

VINAIGRETTE
SAUCE
200 cc ponzu sauce
30 cc mirin
20 cc balsamic vinegar
50 cc daikon

radish, grated

Moiji oroshi, to taste

Grated ginger, to taste

Slice

the turbot into

bage

into bite-size pieces,

Dredge the

fillets

for sashimi. Cut the stalk of the Chinese cab-

and chop the asatsuki

into

foie gras with flour, saute in a saute pan,

A-inch pieces.

and dice the

foie gras.

Mix the ingredients for the vinaigrette.

Arrange the sauteed foie gras, Chinese cabbage, and turbot on a dish.
Sprinkle asatsuki on top

and pour the vinaigrette over

it.

Thinly Sliced Sea

Bream with

Smoked Organs
Toshio Tanabe
This dish

was created during the 14th contest

Battle Sea Bream.

The

French cuisine chef Tanabe, a genius of fishes, created this dish. Though he
lost against Michiba,

secretly

named

was deeply impressed by the

this dish

taste of this dish.

stewed

life

in

have

"The Anatomical Chart of Sea Breams."

The objects placed around the sea breams are

brought

into these organs,

all

organs. Tanabe has

which are usually discarded. These organs,

milk and then smoked, have been completely rid of any unpleas-

ant odors. They are succulent, tasting

like rich

Tanabe, ever the genius, has taught

an ingredient.

meat.

me how

to appreciate every bit of

THE

sea bream

Milk, as
1

GOURMET ACADEMY

needed

handful of cherry blossom tree smoke chips

Salt, to taste

Asatsuki (green spring onions), to taste

VINAIGRETTE SAUCE
10 cc red wine vinegar

100 cc salad

oil

Shallots, to taste

Salt

and pepper,

Remove the
knife,

liver,

to taste

stomach, and intestine from the sea bream. Using a petty

squeeze out the insides of the stomach and intestines.

In

order to

rid

the organ of any odor, wash lightly with milk, and remove excess moisture

with a cloth.
Place the cherry blossom tree

place over
of

fire.

aluminum

When

foil

smoke

chips into a pot or saute pan, and

the chips start to smoke, place the organs on a piece

and spread over the

are cooked (5 to 10 minutes),

chips.

Cover the pot. Once the organs

remove from the pot and

set aside for cool-

ing.

Fillet

the sea bream, and

slice into thin slices. Place

the sea bream pieces on

a plate (7 to 8 pieces per person), season with salt,

over

it.

and sprinkle asatsuki

Cut the organs into bite-size pieces. Arrange them around the sea

bream.

Mix the ingredients for the vinaigrette sauce, and pour over the entire dish.

35

Roti of

Homard with

Vanilla

Lindenbaum Flavoring
Pierre Ganiere
This dish
in

was created during the

battle fought at the Chateau de Balzac

France by the genius French chef Pierre Ganiere.

With the

boom

of culinary experimentation,

are being used today. However,

used
Joel

in a dish.

Robuchon,

was

was not the only one

who was

many new

types of herbs

surprised that lindenbaum could be

to be surprised. The great French chef

present at the time as one of the judges,

was

also

surprised by the use of lindenbaum, and he soon incorporated this herb into
his dishes.

THE

GOURMET ACADEMY

2 homards
Salt

and pepper,

Oil,

for sprinkling

whole

vanilla

to taste

bean

Several leaves of lindenbaum

GARNISH
1

pear

apple

grapefruit

orange

mango

50 ml maple syrup

30 g butter

the homards between two planks

Boil

so that they

do not bend while cook-

Remove the

ing.

shell

from

and pepper the

the

and

homards,

salt

place

in a

casserole dish. Lightly sprin-

oil,

then place vanilla bean and

kle

on

tail,

lindenbaum leaves on top and roast

in

the oven.
For

garnish,

cut the

accompanying

fruits into bite-size pieces.

the fruits

in

maple syrup and

frying
butter.

Caramelize

pan with the

mm

37

Cocotte of Bacon and Country-Style

Cabbage
Phillipe

Batton

dish created by the expatriate French chef Phillipe Batton, during a

battle versus Sakai using bacon.

This

cooked

in

unassuming dish of cabbage, potatoes, mushrooms, and bacon

a pressure cooker surprised the judges of the

the bacon that positively melts

had soaked up the savor of bacon

essence of cooking, which
a pleasant

is

Gourmet Academy:

your mouth, the savory vegetables that

in
.

This dish has

made me

reevaluate the

the relationship between the ingredients.

change from the other dishes, many of which run too wild

attempts at

creativity.

It

was

in their

THE

GOURMET ACADEMY

cabbage

Salted water, as needed

12 petite onions
1

kg bacon

500 g

girolle

mushrooms

Butter, for sauteing

1

clove garlic

12 small potatoes

fond de veau

100 g chopped parsley

Thyme, to taste
Salt

and pepper,

to taste

Bay leaf

Tie

up the cabbage,

ent pot, also

in

boil in salted water. Boil

in a differ-

salted water.

Cut the bacon into cubes. Saute the

sure cooker, add
for

the petite onions

all

girolle

mushrooms

in butter. In a pres-

the ingredients with the exception of parsley and cook

about 30 minutes.

When

the ingredients are cooked, place the bacon and vegetables onto a

plate.

Add

salt

and pepper to the remaining sauce

in

the pressure cooker.

Pour the sauce over the bacon and sprinkle parsley on top.

39

<v^

Ayu and Watermelon Mousse

Chen Kenichi
was created during

This unique dish

of Chen's wit

which at

first

glance

is

aroma, which

this similarity

Ayu and

is

a fine

example

and knowledge. The combination of ayu and watermelon,

ter fish, feeds off the

distinct

Battle

unique,

is

in

moss found
is

actual fact quite logical. Ayu, a freshwa-

at the

bottom of the

river

and has

a very

often likened to that of watermelon. Chen utilized

by combining the two. He could have used oranges or egg-

plants instead of the watermelon, but

must say that the watermelon proved

to be a better choice. This dish, as had Phillipe Batton's dish, reiterated the

importance of harmony between ingredients.

THE

GOURMET ACADEMY

kg ayu

300 g watermelon
200

cc milk

50 cc fresh cream
Salt, to taste

Sugar, to taste

Rid the ayu of

its

bones and organs. Take out the seeds from the water-

melon. Mix the ayu and watermelon using a mixer.

Whisk the

milk, fresh cream, salt, sugar,

melon together
mixture.

in

a bowl. Using an ice

Once the mixture

is

solid,

and the mixture of ayu and watercream maker, cool and

solidify the

arrange on a plate and serve.

4I

Yellowtail with Daikon Radish

Fumiaki Sato
During the battle with 100 million yen's worth of Aritayaki dishware,
Sato created this dish. Yellowtail with daikon

is

a traditional Japanese dish,

but this dish was atypical. This young chef placed whipped cream on top of
the daikon.
prised.

was wary

of tasting this dish at

first

but was pleasantly sur-

The soy sauce that had seeped into the daikon, coupled with the

whipped cream, gave

it

a softer taste.

This dish, while being traditional,

Japanese cuisine.

It

was

was creamy and,

frankly, very

innovative, hinting of a

good.

new age

in

THE

1.5

kg yellowtail

Ice

water

GOURMET ACADEMY

2 big daikon radishes

Salad

oil

1440 cc katsuo dashi

180 cc sake

3 tablespoons sugar
180 cc light soy sauce

new bamboo

carrot

shoots

180 cc mirin

90 cc tamari soy sauce

500 cc fresh cream, whipped
1

big ginger

chopped

finely,

lengthwise

Kinome

Cut the yellowtail into small pieces, saute over

becomes white. Once

it is

white, place

Peel the daikon radishes, cut

up

in ice

fire

water to

until

and saute

into pieces,

the surface

cool.

in oil until

they

brown. Add the

fish and daikon to a pot, cook with katsuo dashi and sake.

When

is

is

the dashi

reduced to

again reduced to

again.

Then add the

Meanwhile,

Add

to the pot.

half,

add

Once

bamboo
all

sugar,

and reduce

further.

a bit of the light soy sauce.

rest of the light

the

boil

add

half,

When

Reduce to

it

half

soy sauce.

shoots. Cut the carrot into flower shapes.

the ingredients have been cooked, add mirin and

tamari soy sauce.

Arrange them on a

and

serve.

plate,

add whipped cream,

ginger,

and kinome on top

43

Chinese Cabbage with Mustard

Sai

Gyokubun

Revered as a god, and bearer of the license of "special chef"

Sai

Gyokubun unveiled

ber of the Gourmet

in

China,

during Battle Chinese Cabbage. Every

this dish

Academy was stunned by

its

taste. This dish

mem-

changed our

perception of Chinese cabbages as an ingredient solely for stews and pickles.

It

demonstrated the
I

was

infinite

ways that

afraid that Chinese

ent.

an

could be cooked.

cabbage might have been too simple an

ingredient for such a great chef but

a true genius to create such

it

am now happy to

artistic dish

have chosen

it. It

takes

out of such an ordinary ingredi-

THE GOURMET

ACADEMY

500 g Chinese cabbage

Water
150 g sugar

100 cc vinegar
Salt, to taste

50 g Japanese mustard

Wash the cabbage and

Briefly boil

cut into 5-cm pieces.

the cabbage

in

water. Immediately take out and rid

it

of any

moisture.

Combine
wrap

it

sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard,

tightly. Refrigerate for 2 to 3

and the boiled cabbage on a

days before serving.

tray;

45

Roasted Duck Stuffed with Foie Gras

Dominique Corby
was arranged by Corby

This specialty of the Tour D'Argent

Foie Gras. The unique part

of

vacuum cooker

that the best

in

about

this dish

order to bring out the

ways to cook

Colby, without using a

foie gras

vacuum

cooker,

is

is

how he

full

for Battle

used the duck as a sort

taste of the foie gras.

over direct heat and

managed

to do

in a

It is

said

vacuum.

so by stuffing the foie

gras into the duck.

The foie gras was cooked to perfection. This dish used the flavor of the
ingredients to

its fullest.

THE

GOURMET ACADEMY

foie gras

Salt

and pepper

to taste

2 salted grape leaves

1

baby duck

4 eggplants, thinly sliced

SAUCE
1

ruby port

200 cc jus de
1

truffe

fond de veau

20 g butter
4 white asparagus
4 green asparagus

Melted butter

Salt

and pepper the

foie gras well; cover with grape leaves.

Stuff the foie gras into the duck; roast in the

oven at 400 for about 30

minutes. While roasting, try to baste as often as possible.

from the oven while the inside

is still

pink.

Remove the duck

Keep warm for about

hour, so

that the remaining heat cooks the foie gras.

Salt

and pepper the eggplant;

Reduce the ruby port

truffe.

Reduce

further,

until

it

grill until

is

completely cooked.

candylike

in

texture, then

add the

and add the fond de veau and butter

jus

de

at the

end to

onto a

plate.

adjust the taste.

Boil

both kinds of asparagus. Place

Add the asparagus with melted

t.he

duck and

foie gras

butter and eggplant on the side.

47

**.*r*

Homard Steamed with Seaweed

Hiroyuki Sakai
Sakai created this dish in a battle to determine the strongest Iron Chef.

He fought against

his fellow

comrade Chen, with homards

as the

theme

ingredient of the battle.

"All

did

was steam the homards with the

wanted people to see that that was enough to give

aroma." As he

said, there

to bring the house

only correct

way to

is

nothing

salt

it its

difficult to this dish,

down. Actor Tatso Umemiya hailed

eat an homard."

from the seaweed.

And the

taste

and

and yet

it

delightful

managed

this dish to

be "the

usually cynical Chai Ran, excited

beyond reason, exclaimed that the "presentation was outstanding."

This dish,

brimming with the essence of the ocean and warmed with

heated stones has the power to give pleasure to the diner.

THE

GOURMET ACADEMY

2 (30-cm-long) toshishiri konbu

Water
Several stones heated over open

fire

200 g raw wakame seaweed

4 homards
1

kg dams

red

chili

pepper

20 white peppercorns
1

L bouillon

Salt

Place the

and pepper,

konbu

in

to taste

water. Heat the stones until burning hot.

konbu and 100 g of wakame seaweed. Wash the

homards well and place on top of this with the clams. Add the red chili

In

a copper pot, place

pepper and white pepper; cover with the

Pour the bouillon over

About

this,

5 minutes before serving,

konbu and seaweed.

rest of the

and warm over low

heat.

add the hot stones

into the pot

and

let

it

steam.

When

it is

pepper to

steamed, remove the homards; arrange on a plate. Add

taste.

salt

and

49

Ronkonkai Chicken a

la

Dragee
Alain Passart

The

star French chef Alain Passart created this dish.

against Sakai, this dish

is

worthy to be referred to as an

While observing Passart at work

ization that for a chef, flames

pletely alter the

outcome

in

Kitchen Stadium,

have a godlike power

gras. Fire breathes

ophy of each

chef.

when
life

lost

came

to the real-

that they can com-

of a dish. In order to finish this dish, he cooked the

chicken slowly over low heat for 40 minutes.

Arashiyama, Kyoto,

in

Though he

artistic creation.

the intensity of the

into

It

was the same

at the battle in

was the key

to cooking foie

fire

an ingredient. The use of

fire reflects

the philos-

THE

GOURMET ACADEMY

Ronkonkai chicken

Salt

and pepper,

to taste

Butter, to taste
Oil,

to taste

4 beets
Salted water

50 g black

olives

Dragee

Clean the chicken and add salt and pepper.

Add

butter and

oil

to the pot

and warm over low heat. Add the chicken and brown slowly while basting.
Cut the beets into bite-size pieces and

Remove the seeds from the

olives

boil in salted water.

and mince them. Combine with the

beets to be used on the side.

Caramelize the dragee over heat and cool. Grind into tiny pieces and sprinkle over the chicken.

These 10 dishes

will

undoubtedly transform the culinary world

this century. Unfortunately, there

included this time.

to

your

It is

my hope

in

were other dishes that could not be

that these 10 dishes will bring pleasure

table.

In conclusion,

would

like to give a big

round of applause

to the

Iron Chefs, as well as the challenger chefs for a job well done. Working in

an unfamiliar kitchen, with unfamiliar ingredients, and the time limit

must have made the

task unbearably difficult.

wonderful work that you have

all

done.

Thank you

so

much

for the

5!

THE IRON CHEF

Chef

Iron

Yutaka Ishinabe
(First Iron

Way

Chef French)

before the program actually began, Mr. Kyouichi Tanaka (the

Director), asked

me

if I

would be

interested in taking part in a

where chefs battled with one another.

tainly be

it

program

would

cer-

an interesting program for the producers and the viewers,

would be quite intense

for the chefs.

asked

ragging on the chefs so much. Anyhow,

later,

replied that while

though,

him why he wanted

turned

down

his offer.

it

to keep

A while

suggested that perhaps the program should take on a

dif-

THE IRON CHEF

ferent perspective; perhaps

it

should be a program where the chefs won't

merely be competing with one another, but a program where a new

nary discovery could be made.

become such

never dreamed that this program would

decided to participate in this program not only

sounded

it

culi-

a big hit.

In the end,

because

55

like

fun but because

felt

that

could make some

contribution to the culinary world. All the existing cooking programs

merely teach the viewer

how

new from them.

nothing

to prepare a dish,

and we,

as chefs, learn

figured that by creating an atmosphere where

chefs were forced into creating an innovative dish, there

would be more

progress in the culinary world.

Honestly speaking,
us wear.

had

didn't

want

was surprised by the costumes that they made

to

wear something that stood out so much.

my kids to think about.

fact that

also

Mr. Kaga was going to be the host.

actor of such high caliber

I

was surprised

was the Iron Chef

...

by the

He

is

an

didn't

want to

wear the

for a short period of time at

costumes. ...
the beginning of the program.

commented
I

may

seemed

had

me on what a composed warrior

wore was one of

to have

had

to decide

was

do

this

while

after every

was on

battle

the program.

about.

never had

commenced. So
later

the look

they started to
battle,

but they

You can imagine how drained

show.

anything onto the show. But the knife that

I

the

heard that

At the beginning, you couldn't bring

terrible;

fact,

theme ingredients before the

couldn't cut anything with

had

m y *$ to think

was.

Other chefs

distress.

on the menu once the

give out five hints about the

didn't

rehearsals before the actual taping, but

had was one of deep contemplation.

people have

have looked composed, but in actual

expression

one.

to

Many

it.

in
I

your

own

knives, plates, or

used for the

During the

first

first

show was

battle using

56

IRON CHEF

salmon,

couldn't even skin the salmon!

them

told

that

couldn't be

expected to cook anything decent with those knives, and after that, they
let

us bring in our

own

knives.

After a while, they lifted the

was thanks
useless.

They

who

Mr. Michiba,

to

said that

ban on bringing

our

declared that the plates

we could bring

a decent set for the show.

in

in

our

own

own

This

plates.

on the show were

plates until they

bought

But the more plates they bought, the more

dishes

we had

had so many

to prepare.

They

rules at the begin-

They even banned us

ning.

from using the oven.

Many
all

people think that

these bans were

This

had

my

isn't entirely true.

in

doing.

What

mind when I advised

production

staff

the

was that we

should use utensils and ingredients that could be

every household.
extravagant

maybe once out of every

be more interesting

whipped up
I

felt

if

three times.

found

We

thought that

could be
it

would

the chefs used staple items of every kitchen and

gourmet dish using them.

continued thinking about this even after retiring from the show.

that the Iron Cheflacked a particular scenario. For example, "a date for

two," "a banquet for an international summit," or "dinner for guests

came

to the

episode. This

opening of a new

dream was never

Christmas, Valentine's Day, or

but

in

would have
I

liked to see

started feeling this

airport."

who

wanted a theme for every

realized. Well,

they did have several,

Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing

like

party),

more of these.

way due

to

all

the questions that

faced from

THE IRON CHEF

the viewers.

received questions such

pare that fresh abalone like that?

"Why in

freshness

was

way we used

would understand the

such a theme, for

I

reasons. This dish

this particular situation,

really think that a

And, "How dare

bigger, the dishes

a hit,

became more

the viewers in

was prepared

and

it

for such

and

wasn't done mindlessly.

inter-

it

lav-

many ways. In

good ways and bad, the Iron Chef left

mark on

thought that the view-

and viewers.

Anyhow, the program was

ish. It affected

themed episode would have made things more

esting for the producers, chefs,

grew

lost."

the ingredients were never clear to the viewers. If

each episode had a theme, a particular situation,

ers

the world did you pre-

my precious abalone? It was meant to be eaten raw!" Our reasons

he spoil
for the

The

as,

its

the Japanese society.

For example,

when you go out

to the

countryside, you anticipate a delicious

dish of boiled fresh vegetables cooked by
the local ladies. Instead,

you

get a strange

combination of ingredients served

so-called Iron

Iron Chef"has

Chef style.

When

done malice

the dishes prepared

in the

faced with such situations,

to society.

We

on the program were

can't

deny the

a strange

feel that

the

some of

fact that

combination of ingre-

dients.

On

the other hand,

we succeeded

in

showing that

it

was

worth-

while program to appear on. At the beginning, this program was

ridiculed within the culinary world. But as the
hit, a lot

program became

a serious

of chefs clamored for the opportunity to become a challenger.

have heard that the president of a major hotel prodded his chef to go on
the

show

as a challenger.

culinary programs.

Such

phenomenon must

surely be a

first

for

57

58

IRON CHEF

However, one has to experience

show

draining the

ence

is

much

Many

win

easily

Many

agreed to be on the show without

chefs mistakenly think that

kitchen,

you

how

the school of belief that "Any experi-

it is

that battle. If you ever try cooking

own

an hour in your

will see that

it is

easy,

and

that they

under a time

limit of

quite a difficult task.

of the challengers seemed to have practiced several times

on the show. A chef with

before going
I

Coming from

worthwhile experience,"

thought.

would

is.

firsthand to understand

it

was surprised

at

how much

whom am acquainted did so, too.

I

practice he

had put

be said about the Iron Chef, but one thing that

is

in.

clear

Many
is

things could

that

the chefs

all

were serious about the whole enterprise.

It's

At the beginning,
..

,.

you couldn't even

fleeted

interesting

is

my favorite battle.

looked the same, they were

hay, the other

poached. All three were, in

it

fact,

tasted very French

as

and

cooked

different-

was roasted, and the third was

and posh.

It

was

It

was

classic, yet

rural, yet

arranged in

personality was truly reflected in these

was deeply moved.

have an idea for an ultimate program.

much money

ferent countries,
final battle.

all

very different dishes.

modern manner, a la Passart. His

dishes,

chicken.

Mr. Passart cooked three whole birds. Though the end

result

re-

last battle,

The theme of the battk was Ronkonkai

One was steamed with

urban, and

is

Alain Passart versus Hiroyuki

Sakai was interesting
'
in

own

knives.

ly.

a chef's personality

under these trying conditions. The

this way. It

bring your

how

The

as possible,

It

would involve amassing

holding a preliminary battle in as

and bringing the victors someplace, such

final battle

capacity of about 40. There

would be held

many dif-

as Tokyo, for a

in a restaurant with seating

would be 40 judges. And 20 of these judges

would be ordinary viewers who would have paid 20,000 yen (about $180)

for a ticket.

feasting

The

price

on gourmet

is

fair

dishes.

sponsors and such, and the

when you

take into account that they will be

Another 10 judges would be the program's

rest

would be professionals

in the culinary

field.

The chef who

is

deemed

to

be victorious by these 40 judges

awarded

With

this

amount, a novice chef will have enough

rant,

and

if

will

be

monetary prize of about 30,000,000 yen (about $270,000).

to

he were Russian or Polish, there would

a house. In this way, there

would be

chefs, regardless of their fame.

open

still

his

own

be enough to buy

good representation of truly

Wouldn't

this

restau-

skilled

be an interesting idea?

60

IRON CHEF

BATTLES

TO

50

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

10/10/93

Go Maruyama

Ishinabe

Salmon

Tamio Kageyama,
Mitsuko Ishii,
Masaaki Hirano

10/17/93

Yousei

Michiba

Foie Gras

Yasushi Akimoto,

Kobayagawa

10/31/93

Indragoli Paulo

11/7/93

Toshiyuki

11/14/93

Tomiteru Shu

Kudo

Mitsuko Ishii,
Asako Kishi

Chen

Blowfish

Tamio Kageyama,
Mitsuko Ishii,
Masaaki Hirano

Ishinabe

Tofu

Tamio Kageyama,
Emi Inoue, Masaaki

Michiba

Homard

Tamio Kageyama,
Emi Inoue, Asako

Hirano

Kishi

11/21/93

Kazuhiko

Tei

Chen

Octopus

Yasushi Akimoto,

Yoko

Asaji,

Masaaki

Hirano
7

11/28/93

Masato Muto

Ishinabe

Daikon

Yasushi Akimoto,

Radish

Yoko

Asaji,

Masaaki

Hirano
8

12/5/93

Tomitoku Shu

Michiba

Taraba

Kiyohiko,

Crab

Ishii,

Naeko

Masaaki

Hirano
9

12/12/93

Eizou

Ooyama

Ishinabe

Banana

Yasushi Akimoto,

Minako Imada,
Asako Kishi
10

12/19/93

Jacques Borie

Ishinabe

Chicken

Yasushi Tanaka, Mai

Kitajima, Masaaki

Hirano
11

1/9/94

Tomitoku Shu

Michiba

Pork

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Masaaki
Hirano, Mariko Fuji

THE IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

12

1/16/94

Wang Weiping

Chen

Judges

Squid

Yasushi Akimoto,
Asaji Yoko,

Masaaki

Hirano
13

1/23/94

Jyun Hoshino

Michiba

Egg

Kiyohiko, Mitsuko

Masaaki
Hirano
Ishii,

14

1/30/94

Toshio Tanabe

Michiba

Sea Bream

Yuuji Kamiashi,

Mistuko Ishii,
Asako Kishi
15

2/6/94

Kouichi

Chen

Shrimp

Tamio Kageyama,
Mai Kitajima,
Masaaki Hirano

Michiba

Conger

Shinichiro

Taniguchi

16

2/13/94

Kazuyoshi
Masaki

Kurimoto, Masaaki
Hirano, Mai
Kitajima

17

2/20/94

Toshirou

Chen

Turbot

Kandagawa

18

2/27/94

Guy Shokr

Katsuya Nomura,

Mai Kitajima,
Masaaki Hirano
Sakai

Oyster

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Masaaki
Hirano, Mai
Kitajima

19

3/6/94

Shinji

Kondo

Chen

Flour

Tamio Kageyama,
Masaaki Hirano,
Yuriko Ishida

20

3/13/94

Hiroyuki Kitami

Sakai

Tomato

Tamio Kageyama,
Mai Kitajima,
Massaki Hirano

21

3/20/94

Kyouo Kagata

Chen

Scallop

Yuuji Kamiashi,

Asako

Kishi,

Yuriko

Ishida

22

3/27/94

Hideaki

Odakura

Michiba

Cheese

Kiyohiko, Mai
Kitajima, Masaaki

Hirano

62

RON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

23

4/8/94

Koichiro

Goto

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

Michiba

Rice

Yasushi Akimoto,
Hikari Ishida,

Masaaki Hirano

24

4/1 5/94

Munetaka

Chen

Takahashi

Bamboo

Tamio Kageyama,

Shoot

Mayuko Takada,
Masaaki Hirano

25

4/22/94

Mario

Sakai

Mutton

Tamio Kageyama,

Mayuko Takada,

Nakagawa

Asako
26

4/29/94

Yukio Hattori

Michiba

Truffle

Joel

Kishi

Robuchon, Mai

Kitajima, Masaaki

Hirano

27

5/6/94

Hiromi

Yamada

Chen

Cabbage

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Masaaki
Hirano,

Mayuko

Takada

Hashimoto,
Mai Kitajima,
Masacaki Hirano

28

5/13/94

Hiromi Funatsu

Sakai

Skipjack

Daijiro

29

5/20/94

Masatoshi
Kimura

Sakai

Domestic

Yasushi Akimoto,

Duck

Mayuko Takada,

Kiyoshi

Chen

Carrot

Yasushi Akimoto,

Massaki Hirano

30

5/27/94

Mayuko Takada,

Takahashi

Masaaki Hirano
31

6/3/94

Kuniyuki

Michiba

Natto

Ishikawa

Tamio Kageyama,
Ritsuko Tanaka,

Masaaki Hirano
32

6/10/94

Katsumi
Hanato

Michiba

Ayu

Shigesato

Itoi,

Keiko Kono,

Masaaki Hirano
33

6/17/94

Yuuji

Wakiya

Sakai

Uni

Tamio Kageyama,

Mayuko Takada,
Masaaki Hirano

34

6/24/94

Masahiko

Miyamoto

Chen

Milk

Kazuyu Okuyama,

Mayuko Takada,
Masaaki Hirano

THE IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

35

7/1/94

Kouichi Tahata

Chen

Eggplant

Toshio Yamaguchi,

Mayuko

Takada,

Masaaki Hirano
36

7/8/94

Takashi

Mera

Michiba

Tuna

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Mayuko

Takada, Asako Kishi

37

7/1 5/94

Tadkaaki Shimizu Sakai

Homard

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Shyoko
Tamura, Masaaki
Hirano

38

7/22/94

Joel Bruant,

Michiba,

Masashi

Chen

Sea Bass

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Mayuko

Takada, Masaaki

Furutaka

Hirano, Kazuko

Kato

39

7/29/94

Mitsuru Saito

Sakai

Beef

Yasushi Akimoto,

Nene Otsuka,
Masaaki Hirano

40

8/5/94

Yasuhiko
Yoshida

Michiba

Eel

Tamio Kageyama,

Mayuko

Takada,

Masaaki Hirano
41

8/1

2/94

Hirohisa

Sakai

Hamo

Shigesato

Itoi,

Mayuko Takada,

Koyama

Masaaki Hirano

42

8/19/94

Keiji

Nakazawa

Michiba

Corn

Yasushi Akimoto,

Masaaki Hirano,
Julie

43

8/26/94

Katuyo
Kobayashi

Chen

Potato

Dreyfuss

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Mayuko

Takada, Masaaki

Hirano

44

9/2/94

Hideki

Oosako

Chen

Mushroom

Sakuji Yoshimura,

Mayuko

Takada,

Masaaki Hirano
45

9/9/94

Artur Rutter

Michiba

Green
Pepper

Shigesato

Itoi,

Kazuko Kato,
Masaaki Hirano

63

64

RON CHEF
Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

46

9/16/94

Tsutomu

Hiroi

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

Michiba

Saury

Tatsuo Umemiya,

Mayuko Takada,
Asako
47

9/23/94

Soutetsu

Fujii

Sakai

Yam

Kishi

Tamio Kageyama,

Mayuko Takada,
Asako
48

9/30/94

Takashi Saito

Chen

Shiba

Shrimp

Tamio Kageyama,

Mayuko Takada,
Asako

49

10/7/94

Masamitsu

Sakai

Takahashi

50

10/14/94

Hoi Roi

Wing

Michiba

Kishi

Kishi

Matsutake

Sakuji Yoshimura,

Mushroom

Renho, Asako Kishi

Shark's Fin

Shigesato

Itoi,

Ryuuichi Sakamoto,

Asako

Kishi

THE IRON CHEF

TESTIMONY OF THE CAST AND STAFF

Bruce Seidel
(Director,

Before

came

Program Planning, The Food Network)

to

work

at

The Food Network,

there

was a

definite

buzz

within the television marketplace about Iron Chef. People were talking

about
prise

this crazy

show, but no one had ever seen

me when one

of

few episodes of the

program
diately

for

my first

series

assignments

it.

at the

So,

really didn't sur-

network was

to

view a

and render an opinion on the

viability of the

popped

and was imme-

an American audience.

mesmerized by Kaga's dramatic

flare

unfolding within Kitchen Stadium. Although

in the tape

and the
I

r .

"f

allure of the action

did not completely under-

!*
*

'8fe

it

m
*

65

66

IRON CHEF

stand the Japanese commentary, the sports-style pageantry was certainly

larger than

life. I

Initially

had never seen anything

was not sure

thought

it

it

before.

mainstream audience would have an

There has never been anything

interest in Iron Chef.

sion.

if

like

was similar

to

like

it

in

food

televi-

an old syndicated show called Gladiators,

only with food. But there was something about the show's intensity;

was over the top and

pushed the envelope. There was

it

The Food Network who thought

us at

it

a small

it

group of

could work, and gradually

we

convinced the Powers That Be that we should take the risk and try Iron
Chef.

Once we decided

we

set

how Fuji would

issue of subtitling

reedit the episodes to

way

within our network clock

fit

dub the commentary

to

commonplace within

the U.S. Originally

we had intended
we

felt

substance of the series would be missing. Eventually

Fuji to subtitle Kaga.

The

Fuji organization

working within our needs and created a

American

into English.

The

took careful deliberation, as normally subtitles are not

Kaga's voice, but after seeing a completed show,

to

dub

that the unique

was decided with

it

was extremely helpful

fantastic

program

in

for the

television viewer.

Instantly

upon the Food Network launch of

1999, people began talking.

had

air,

We dealt with technical issues: the length of the pro-

parameters, and the best

very

and put Iron Chef on the

out to work with Fuji Television to prepare the episodes for an

American audience.
gram,

to take the brave step

a sense of unease

We

were

thrilled,

but

Iron Chef in July of

must say

that

we

all

about whether our audience was ready for such a

show. Not only were they ready, but they have

made

Iron Chef one of the

most popular shows on the network. Within a few weeks, we knew we

had

a hit

The
was

on our hands.
first

had heard about the

in January of 2000.

We

had

possibility of the

New York

Battle

meeting with our Fuji contacts

who

brought up the notion of a potential

battle. Little

going to take place in two months.

involved and

knew

that the fans

The next two months of

my life

did

We jumped

we know that

at the

blur.

was

chance to be

and viewers of Iron Chef would go

were a complete

it

wild.

There were a ton

of meetings, as well as hundreds of faxes and E-mails written to get the

production aspects in order to

Network. The

satisfy the

logistics involved in this

requirements of The Food

endeavor became a monumental

effort.
I

was involved

in getting various talent

on board and negotiating

deals with these individuals, as well as negotiating our deal with Fuji, in

order to give us the right to

Network
Hanover

talent included

(In

air the

our

program on our network. The Food

star chef

Bobby

Food Today) and Gordon

These individuals

all

jumped

at the

Flay (FoodNation),

Donna

Elliott (Door Knock Dinners).

chance to be involved, but

do not

68

RON CHEF

think anyone was aware of the roller coaster

upon

to

make everything happen

for the

March

time, but hectic to say the least. In addition,

our

to organize

the

word

publicity, press, on-air

we were about

it

taping.

It

embark

to

was an exciting

was a monumental

promotion, and

sales

effort

teams to get

Kaga and the Iron Chefs along with a thirty-plus person

out.

production crew were about to take over Manhattan.

Or were
Kaga

is

they?

one of the top

demanding. His time

celebrity status, his talent fee

came together
story,

we

know

make

nitely

The

press

went wild, from Sports

New

World News Tonight and

CNN

Vanity Fair and

us

was going

a hit

New York.

We
It

decided

was

Illustrated to

defi-

Entertainment

on

York Times, and even a segment

Showbiz. Oh, did

come

forget to

ABC

mention

together seconds before the battle was to be taped.

It

the secret ingredient was going to be or

be able to make

it

to

if

Kaga

New York or not. The taping finally got

was a long evening, with some minor incidents, but the

New York battle stadium, we knew we

New York Battle earned The Food Network its

minute that Kaga walked into the

had

But the press

GQ?

knew what

to

underway.

interest in the

to the U.S.

to

Battle

of the details of the battle sorted themselves out, but every-

thing seemed to

None of

very

it.

Weekly to Newsweek to the

Many

is

New York

Chef and Kaga was overwhelming.

and have Kaga come

the investment

worth

was not cheap. Since the

Kaga would be coming

if

interest in all things Iron

to

his schedule

and we were not sure of the press

so quickly,

didn't

and

celebrities in Japan,

very limited. In addition, because of his super

is

on our hands.

highest rating to date.

Allez Cuisine!

THE IRON CHEF

TESTIMONY

OF

69

THE CAST AND STAFF

Osamu Kanemitsu
BS

(Director,

Fuji

Programming and Production Department)

This program was a result of orders given to

Yamada, who

said, "I

nights at 10:30."

want you

only

It's

now that one

one

airing

program on Sunday

can find culinary programs aired

during the golden hours (7:00 to 11:00

dreamed of

me by my boss, Mr. Yoshiaki

to air a culinary

p.m.),

but back then, we never

in this time slot. Culinary

programs were aired

during the lunch hours or in the afternoons, primarily for the housewives.

It

was unheard of to create

a culinary

program

ing and one that could earn ratings as well. But

Yamada

guess Mr.

be the next

hit.

that culinary

felt

Without

that

Someone from the

programs would

his orders, this

show would

never have been born.

An

was entertain-

fire

department had

to be present during

ordinary culinary program decides on the

taping.
recipes beforehand,

and the program

showing the process of preparation.

do something
where the

totally different.

menu

program was

isn't

first

to get out of that

mold, and

said, "Let's create a culinary

to "create a culinary
like

program where the menu

program

hasn't

been

the Harrod's food emporium."

saw the unappetizing green Chinese dumplings during the

or second preliminary match,

been mistaken.

We

thought that

my

idea might have

should do away with preliminary matches. Plus the

ratings were awful

would

wanted

decided on in advance." The concept behind the

decided on in an atmosphere

When

consists of

No one had

guessed correctly that this show

last this long.

We

had our share of no-show challengers. Because they weren't

actors, they didn't

have managers or agents. Mr. Matsuo, the Producer,

70

IRON CHEF

must have gone through

a lot in this regard.

Hana-chan

[Assistant

Producer Hanako Aso] negotiated relentlessly with the chefs and oftentimes had to con

Many

them

into coming.

people voiced doubts about this program, saying that there

wouldn't be enough challengers

show.

It

was

who would

likely that the challengers

wants to be humiliated on national

Matsuo's

gift as a

be willing to appear on the

would be

television.

defeated,
It

was

all

and no one
due

to

Mr.

producer that he was able to keep bringing new chal-

lengers.

Another struggle we had on the

set

was the lack of thermal power.

Those portable gas ranges that we had were low on thermal

had requests

for a specific calorific power.

l^Pi
t^

^^

lj||L.fr

When we

calorie.

We

negotiated with the

;
ferj^

V"

>

SB*
#..:-^

>

^ M

personnel department of Fuji Television, they agreed to

let in

the studio.

We had to

install a gas

out-

extend the gas outlet into Studio 6 in the old

corporate building in Kawadacho, for a mere 30-minute program.

had the support of the whole network, and

Because of the
also present

fire

regulations,

am

someone from

We

truly thankful for that.

the

fire

during taping. That was the term of the

department was

deal.

We

also

had

to

apply for the use of the gas outlet every time. For these reasons, the show

had

to

be taped in

The
keep

it

up

this particular studio

Iron Chef'requires a lot of enthusiasm,

for so long

there for the last

and

that

we were

able to

was amazing. The energy and excitement was

still

episode. Programs, when they have been running for a

while, start to get old

becoming

every time.

repetitive.

throughout, and the

and enthusiasm

starts to

dwindle. Things shut

But not for the Iron Chef. The energy was there
last

episode was incredible; we

all felt

that the

show

72

IRON CHEF

had enough energy

to last for another 20 years.

be able to exude so

much

grew up watching American

admiration

had

for these shows,

were nominated for the American

the States

came

more could

to interview us,

man

It's

rare for a

program

to

excitement to the viewers.

wish for?

it

TV

shows

joined the

in Japan;

TV

Emmy Awards,

and due

industry. So

to the

when we

and the media from

was a dream come true

for

me. What

THE IRON CHEF

Yukio Hattori's Prestige

Menu

For the compilation of this book, the complete history of the Iron Chef,

was requested by the Host

to "choose the best dishes

Stadium, categorize them, and create the ultimate

cooked

menu

in Kitchen

according to

genre."
It

was hard work

to select the best

dishes cooked in the past six years. To

to the Host.
a

menu

suggested that

menus out of all

make

we choose

it

easier,

theme

the wonderful

made

a suggestion

for each genre

and

create

my

according to that certain theme. The Host readily agreed to

suggestion,

and thus the "Yukio

The courses
would be

that

Hattori's Prestige

Menu" was

created.

have created in the following pages are what

suitable for this century.

It is

my

wish that these menus

felt

will

help enhance the enjoyment of food for everyone.

French Course
Until recent years, French food in Japan was merely an imitation of the

true thing. But these days, traditional Japanese ingredients have been
integrated, creating a style

mind,

unique to Japan. With

dishes. In the eyes of classical

ers.

this

new movement

in

have chosen dishes that are different from the traditional French

feel,

French cuisine, these dishes are newcom-

however, that these dishes have the potential to become

Please enjoy the classic French course of the twenty-first century.

classic.

73

THE IRON CHEF

Hamo

with Truffle Sauce Royale (Battle

The

traditional royale dish arranged in a

The

ingredient repeats

know how big

itself in

a fan the

Host

is

41,

Hamo)

new manner by the use of hamo.

the fourth dish of

of this dish,

hamo

salad,

but since

have decided to include

it.

75

Homard

Stuffed in Beets a la Iron Chef (Battle 127:

Iron Chef Sakai used the best

homard from Britanny

used the beet as a bowl and stuffed the homard into

katsuo dashi and white miso was poured over

it.

The

sauce and flavors increases the homard's tastiness.

it.

Homard)

for this dish.

sauce

He

made of

traditional Japanese

Chocolate-Flavored Tuna Cooked

in

Red Wine Sauce

(Battle 249: Tuna)

I

think the red wine from Chateau Montis would go very well with this

dish.

that

It is

said that the

accompanying wine should be similar

was cooked with. In

its full

potential.

this way,

synergy

into a piece of heaven.

will

both the wine and the dish

to the

one

will reach

be created, transforming every mouthful

78

IRON CHEF

Salad of
It is

Hamo and Prawns

known that

(Battle 41:

a beautiful presentation

does just that. This dish

is

is

Hamo)

more

appetizing,

and

this dish

perfect after the heavy tuna, increasing one's

anticipation for the next dish.

A
Roasted Pear with White Chocolate Orange Flavor
(Battle
Fruits

cooked

that the peel

top.

118:

Chocolate Pear)

in liquor

is

fried

is

a true classic. However, this dish

and used

as a garnish,

and pepper

is

is

unique

sprinkled

in

on

80

IRON CHEEF

Harami of Lamb and Red Pepper Sorbet

The

(Battle 279:

Lamb)

rich saute of

harami

is

eaten together with the sorbet. Sorbet and

meats are usually not paired together in France. This dish was born in
order to combat the aversion of the Japanese to fatty meats.

Rokusaburo Michiba
(First Iron

Chef Japanese)

Mr. Matsuo and Mr. Tanaka came up to

new
of

project;

my

would you be

involvement.

they told
ing that 6

My

me

it

replied that the idea

would run

when

one day saying, "We've got

interested?" That,

for

months would be
impression

me

about

six

think,

sounded

months, and

was the beginning

interesting.
I

remember

think
think-

doable.
first

didn't like the outfit, though, but

saw Kitchen Stadium?

I

was

flattered into

It

was,

wearing

"Wow!"

it.

IRON CHEF

O-J

many

there were

Initially,

TV

Tanaka. Being a

show,

suppose a certain amount of performance

me

called for, but they

wanted

would provoke the

challengers. Also,

"Chef."

among

them

that,

"Look,

assistants or say things that

younger chef designated

me

them

that this

went against the

went up to the challengers and told

When someone tells you to be rude, it's okay

long.

life is

told

the chefs.

when

is

out "Michiba," without a "Mr." or

yell

refused such rudeness.

code of honor

my

to yell at

opponent, they were to

as the

with Mr. Matsuo and Mr.

conflicts

to refuse."
I

really don't think that serious

Iron Chef.

My

impression

You need

when

have a

to

Chen had
kid that

first

saw Kitchen

Stadium?

bit

of actor in you. Both Mr. Sakai and Mr.

that in abundance,

when

the p i ay?

be the

it

was

the battles. I've had

world ask me,

"Isn't

tough to

it

never a second to spare, and

am

am

tomatoes, carrots, or
head.

was the

sort of

Me!

serious business during

people from the culinary

finish everything in
I

yeUj

an hour?" There

working on something,

constantly thinking about the whole product. Even

when

am

is
I

walk-

am always making up themes, whether it be with

mackerel; and I practice making up menus in my

ing around the streets,

all

Who wants to be in

first t0

many

the while

all

and

the teacher asked,

wou d

Obviously,

Wow!

mindedness alone can make one an

was always good with time

allocation,

but

got even better since

it

became an Iron Chef.

There was a battle using

saw

it.

They were surprised

The dish

that

created,

make when I was

foie gras,

that

which surprised

was able

Kanpon, was

to use

it

all

came about
I

who

for a Japanese dish.

a rearrangement of a dish

used to

the chief chef of a Japanese restaurant in Akasaka. That

dish had been prepared using the liver of an angler. For me,
that

those

it

was

a dish

naturally.

had always been

a bit of a rebel in the

world of Japanese

cuisine.

THE IRON CHEF

My

cooking was referred to

my

snubbed

as "Japanese cuisine a la Michiba."

my

cooking, saying that

Japanese. In Japanese cooking, there

season. For example,

bamboo

it's

is

eels

and matsutake

in

People

cooking wasn't "authentic"

menu,

a set code, a set

for every

shoots and seaweed cooked in rice in

the spring, grilled salted sweetfish in the

steamed sea

83

summer,

autumn.

...

It

sea eels in late

summer,

was too boring

for

me,

doing the same thing year in and year out.

In Japan

meaning

we

say that in cooking, there are "five tastes, five senses,"

that there

is

an

infinite variety

of tastes and textures of ingredi-

ents;

however, once the ingredients are chosen, the

taste

and

feel is

chosen

before
to

its

basic taste or

its

basic texture. Even

acteristics

streets,

am

always

making up themes.

of ingredients, such as
a swallow's nest

ingredients. Therefore

types of ingredients

ingredients that

guess I'm different from other people.

ing this way.

You can never win

more of an exchange

in ideas

when

specializing in

different foods.

Other than good time

tion, there

alloca-

were other things that

watched out for

creativity.

in

Kitchen Stadium.

Doing things

welcomed the

think

it's

have
so

many

idea of

in

friends

much more

against a Chinese chef

the restoration of dried foods. There

you drink with chefs

on the show.

are chefs of different culinary venues.

First,

walking around the

was always anxious

stomach of a shark, or

from Japanese

new
I

is

am

used in Japanese cooking, ingredients that possess different char-

aren't

using

Even when

it's

the way, and there's

different types

shark's fin, the

sea bream,

all

it's

became an Iron Chef,

utilize

it's

tuna

sea bream; if it's tuna,

no changing

as well. If

when

it

who

interest-

comes

to

84

IRON CHEF

nontraditional way, so that the viewers can see that there are other ways

of doing things. Second, maintaining elegance. The food obviously has to

taste

good, but

felt

that a

just as important. Third,

prepare.

included

wanted the viewers

people would

Perhaps

good presentation

tire

person was

layman could

can prepare that too."

felt

that

of a program that always prepared intricate dishes.

TV producer

should have been a

All of the battles that

I

one dish that

at least

to think, "I

move

that can

fought in Kitchen Stadium were memorable.

gave every one of those battles

chefs of a different genre

as well.

my very best. Winning

or losing against

was never important to me, but

to lose against a fellow Japanese chef.

was

could not bear

a rebel as well as a heretic in

the Japanese culinary circle.

One must keep

mind

in

that things are different

means of transportation means

Better

faster

Winning or losing

'

that

Even from overseas

flown in every day.

against chefs of a
ferent genre

dif-

was

use

regar

Rikyu
were
;

me

use

lX

potato
I

when you

at

bad

chef.

It

was born during the war, so

prised by

way

to proceed. If

chefs,

think that

kee P

tellin B

them

t0 use a

because you don't use the knife doesn't

use the knife, and a lot of

thinking of how

good,

comes from, or the

takes three times as long to peel a

it

becomes wasted

fish, for

example.

am

yamato

as well.

don't like to waste things.

every usable bit of an ingredient. Take a

ly

it

is

am sure that he would have

young

the

t0 peel as P ara g us

peeler. Just

that you're a

ingredient

Japanese chefs use the knife too much. They even

fellow Japanese chef.

mean

get certain foods

8 ood ingredients are

the logical
I

days.

thing.

Looking

bear to lose against a

is

alive today,
'

done the same

>

If a certain

^ ess G f where

season. That to

never important to

you can

from the old

will use

constant-

can use the skin, the organs, everything. You'd be sur-

how tasty the

organs of a saury and sardine

are.

THE IRON CHEF

Thus

no

unnerve me.

theme can
ask myself,

ever

What

day,

best utilize

it?

is

How

the essence of this ingredient?

can

85

At the end of the

maximizing an ingredient's

potential

the most important

is

thing.
Battle

Green Pepper

rable in this regard.

is

memo-

Adhering

to the

Japanese tradition of beauty,

let

myself become obsessed with the

presentation of the dish. Because of
this,

dynamic
looks pretty doesn't

mean

can inspire someone with

turning point in

The

ies.

First

it

as

because a dish
is

when you

lost that battle,

enemy within Kitchen Stadium

it

was

is

not the opponent,

of all, in this world, the basic jobs are done by the rook-

fish or peeling a daikon.

it

Even though

Rutter's

an Iron Chef.

The younger ones do menial

these tasks,

dish. Just

moves you. Great cooking

its taste.

my career

biggest

but yourself.

that

against Mr.

lost

tasks such as filleting a

The biggest

Having been out of touch with

was tough

for

me when

such

skills

were

necessary for certain theme ingredients on the show.

enemy

within

Kitchen Stadium

is

Compared to when I was younger, my movements

are not as quick or nimble.

ened considerably. Before,

skull

ting
I

of a sea bream, but

board to do

so.

when you

was able

now

has also weak-

to crack

in

need the help of

between. You

start saying

not the opponent

open the

but yourself.

a cut-

used to be able to skin a turbot

have to take a breather

of old age

My strength

know what

in

one

go, but

they say;

it's

"heave-ho!" before every move.

now

a sign

86

IRON CHEF

retired

from

my role

as Iron

Chef for

precisely these reasons.

have no business being on screen once you

thought that

was cool and

collected,

but no,

start

You

heave-hoing. People

my movements

were

just

slow.

The

definition of an Iron Chef? In China, there

called mokkei.

is

an old word

A king, who was very fond of chicken fighting, went out to

seek the best fighter. But one chicken was too cowardly, the next too
flighty,

the next one too proud, having

won

too

many

battles.

He

could

never find the right chicken. At the end, the best chicken was the one
carved out of wood. Whether the opponent was a tiger or a lion, the

wooden chicken was never

made of wood, and

moral of the story

is

it

agitated. Obviously, the reason

for

mind and

soul focused

because

it's

has no heart and, therefore, no feelings. So the

that those

same goes

is

an Iron Chef.

who

can fight without a "heart" win. The

strong Iron Chef

on only the

task at hand.

is

one who can keep

his

THE IRON CHEF

As
position

for

was nearly 63 years old when they

on the show.

semiretired.
well.

me,

was getting bored with

have a tendency to

work

someone

tire

Takasugi of the Meiji

and

not expect to

suppose

is

laid,

and then

feel at this age.

Ito,

who took over and ran the

in

me

an enthusiasm that

retired,

I still

did

unnerve me.
Chef,

drinking sake everyday; perhaps

thank

can ever

Finding a battlefield restored in

been dead by now. This program gave

for the last time.

let

No theme

Chef rekindled

would have been

me a feeling of pleasant tension. If it weren't for the Iron

I

was

of projects once they start going

country afterward.
Iron

am like Ryuma Sakamoto or Shinsaku

Restoration. Like them, I am good at laying the
I

foundation. Not like Hirobumi

The

me

offered

my restaurant,

night and day until the foundation

else take over.

first

87

God

me

something

for giving

me

to

may

have

be excited about

this opportunity.

88

IRON CHEF

BATTLES

51

TO

101

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

51

10/21/94

Katsuyuki

Sakai

Bread

Kenji

Sawada,

Mayuko Takada,

Sekihata

Asako
52

10/28/94

Chen

Kouji

Pumpkin

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Eriko

Kobayashi

Kusuda, Asako
Kishi

53

11/4/94

Yasuo Kawada

Michiba

Angler

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Mayuko

Takada, Asako Kishi

54

11/11/94

Tadashi Sugita

Chen

Shanghai
Crab

Tamio Kageyama,

Mayuko
Asako

55

11/18/94

Tatsuo

Umemiya Michiba

Mackerel

Takada,

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Hisako

Manda, Asako
56

11/25/94

Seiya Kawasaki

Sakai

Quail

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Hisako

Manda, Asako
57

12/2/94

Toshikatsu

Chen

Noodle

Tamio Kageyama,

Mayuko

Nakagawa

Asako
58

2/9/94

Furushyou

Michiba

Turkey

Tamio Kageyama,

Asako
59

2/1

6/94

Masayo Waki

Sakai

Strawberry

Takada,

Kishi

Mayuko

Hiroshi

Kishi

Takada,

Kishi

Yasushi Akimoto,
Eri

Fukazawa,

Mayuko Takada,
Asako
60

1/2/95

Toshirou

Kandagawa

Michiba

Kishi

Yellowtail

Koji Ishizaka,

(1995 Mr.

Mayuka Takada,

Iron

Chef

Battle)

Ryutaro Hashimoto,

Asako

Kishi

THE IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

61

1/6/95

Toshiyuki

Chen

Mochi

Shinichiro

Nakagawa

Kurimoto, Akiho
Chiho, Asako Kishi

62

1/13/95

Kouji

Yamada

Sakai

Beet

Shinchiro

Kurimoto,

Mayuko

Takada, Asako Kishi

63

1/20/95

Hisao Odachi

Chen

Chinese

Cabbage

64

1/27/95

Fuyuko Kondo

Sakai

Chocolate
Apple

Tamio Kageyama,
Mikiko Minami,
Asako Kishi
Yasushi Akimoto,

Anna Umemiya,
Asako

65

2/3/95

Yoshie Tobe

Chen

Soy Bean

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Mayuko

Takada, Asako Kishi

66

2/10/95

Masuo Suzuki

Michiba

Matsuba
Crab

Tamio Kageyama,

Mayuko
Asako

67

2/17/95

Chen

Kunio

Taro Potato

Tamio Kageyama,

Mayuko

Hashimoto

Takada,

Kishi

Takada,

Masaaki Hirano
68

2/24/95

Toshihiro

Sakai

Asparagus

Tamio Kageyama,
Tsurutaro Kataoka,

Komine

Asako
69

3/3/95

Zeityen

Wan

Michiba

Egg

Kishi

Machi Tawara,

Mayuko Takada,
Shinichiro

Kurimoto
70

3/10/95

Tetsutoshi

Chen

Squid

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Asako

Shimazu

Kishi,

71

3/17/95

Shigeo Yuasa

Sakai

Codfish

Kazuko Kato

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Yasuko
Matsuyuki, Masaaki
Hirano

90

IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

72

3/31/95

Liang Weiji

Chen

Pork

Yuko Asa no, Asako

(Hong Kong

Kishi,

Battle)

Ran

73

74

3/31/95

4/7/95

Shyu Chyu

Chiyo Cho

Michiba

Chen

Ise

Shrimp

Wu

Jiali,

Chai

Yuko Asa no, Asako

(Hong Kong

Kishi, Jackie

Battle)

Chai Ran

Tofu

Tamio Kageyama,

Chen,

Sachiko Kobayashi,

Asako
75

4/14/95

Ishinabe

Noriyuki

Flatfish

Sawaguchi

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Mayuko

Takada, Asako Kishi

76

4/21/95

Kunio Santo

Sakai

Clam

Tamio Kageyama,
Hisako Manda,

Asako
77

4/28/95

Keisuke

Tamano

Michiba

Amadai

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Chizuru

Azuma, Asako
78

5/5/95

Myungsook Lee

Chen

Kishi

Tsurutaro Kataoka,

Liver

Mayuko Takada,
Asako
79

5/12/95

Isao Yanagidate

Sakai

Caviar

Kishi

Tamio Kageyama,

Mayuko
Asako
80

5/19/95

Elio

81

5/26/95

Etsuo Jou

Orsara

Chen

Kajiki

Michiba

Broccoli

Tuna

Takada,

Kishi

Tamio Kageyama,
Yoko Shimada,
Asako Kishi
Toshiki Kaifu,

Sachiyo Kaifu,

Mayuko Takada,
Yasushi Akimoto

82

6/2/95

Katsuo Oomiya

Sakai

Onion

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Chizuru

Azuma, Masaaki
Hirano

THE IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

83

6/9/95

Kazutaka Okabe

Sakai

Lamb

Tamio Kageyama,
Chizuru Azuma,

Masaaki Hirano

84

6/1 6/95

Meisei Sou

Michiba

Watari

Shinichiro

Crab

Kurimoto, Chizuru

Azuma, Asako
85

6/23/95

Yukihiro

Noda

Chen

Sardine

Kishi

Hashinosuke
Nakamura,
Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Hiroko
Mita,

86

6/30/95

Takayoshi

Ishinabe

Avocado

Kamatani

Asako

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Chizuru

Azuma, Asako
87

7/7/95

Takayoshi

Sakai

Tamio Kageyama,

Turbot

Eriko Kusuda,

Kawai

Asako
88

7/14/95

Haruyoshi

Kishi

Sakai

Sweet

Fish

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Mayuko

Omino

Takada, Asako Kishi

89

7/21/95

Li

Jinlun

Chen

Swallow's

Shinichiro

Nest

Kurimoto, Asako
Kishi

90

7/28/95

Shinichi

Sakai

Eggplant

Tamio Kageyama,

Mayuko

Nagamatsu

Asako
91

8/4/95

Toshimasa
Hirano

Chen

Sea Urchin

Osamu

8/11/95

Kenji Kaji

Nishikawa,

Eriko Kusuda,

Asako
92

Takada,

Kishi

Michiba

Umeboshi

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Mayuko

Takada, Asako Kishi

93

8/18/95

The Salvatore

Michiba,

Brothers

Sakai

Tomatoes

Yasushi Akimoto,
Hideki Saijo, Asako
Kishi

92

IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

94

8/25/95

Yoshiko Tamaki

Chen

Battle

Judges

Littleneck

Nagisa Ooshima,

Clam

Mayuko
Asako

95

9/1/95

Joel Bruant

Sakai

Salmon

Takada,

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Pinko
Izumi,

96

9/8/95

Minoru Noda

Michiba

Matsutake

Asako

Kishi

Junichi Ishida,

Mayuko Takada,
Asako
97

9/15/95

Phillip

Aubron

Sakai

Crawfish

Kishi

Yasushi Akimoto,
Taro Kimura, Asako
Kishi

98

9/22/95

Tsuguo Fujiwara

Chen

Namako

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Chizuru

Azuma, Asako
99

100

101

10/6/95

10/6/95

10/6/95

Hsu Cheng

Michiba

Squid

Kishi

Taro Kimura, Asako

Chai Ren,

(1995 Iron

Kishi,

Chef World

Julie Dreyfuss,

Cup)

Giorgio

Undo

Gianfranco

Pierre

Tuna

Taro Kimura,

Vissani

Gagnaire

(1995 Iron

Asako

Chef World

Ren, Julie Dreyfuss,

Cup)

Giorgio

Gianfranco
Vissani

Michiba

Kishi,

Chai

Undo

Duck

Koji Ishizaka,

(1995 Iron

Suzuki, Chai Ren,

Chef World

Toshiki Kaifu, Julie

Cup)

Anju

Dreyfuss, Giorgio

Undo

THE IRON CHEF

TESTIMONY

93

THE CAST AND STAFF

OF

Takashi Ishihara
(Programming and Production Department, Drama Section,

Fuji

Television)

saw the whole program happen

in front of

my eyes. My role

in the his-

tory of Iron Chef is one of a witness.

The only opinion

ing before the

be interesting

that

offered was one that

program formed
if,

let's say,

form and brought up on

its

a cabbage

shape.

but

said,

made during a meet-

opinion was, "Wouldn't

was placed on an

stage?" That's

all.

one more. There were many contenders

role of Host,

My

Oh, and

it

elevator-like plat-

Wouldn't

it

be

interest-

for the

"Don't you think Mr.

Takeshi Kaga would be perfect for the role?"

Culinary programs have been in existence

ing

if,

let's say,

a cab-

bage was placed on an

elevator-like platform

since the advent of televisions. But their style has

changed

little

increase in

over the years. There has been an

programs introducing new restaurants,

>

^Sl

ft*

V\

'

Win. i

and brought up

on stage?

RON CHEF

94

but culinary programs were

here," "after

still

saying things

30 minutes in the oven,

will

it

like,

look like

"add a pinch of

salt

and so on. Then,

this,"

Mr. Yoshiaki Yamada, the Director of the Programming and Production

Department

at Fuji Television, said,

"Can't

we do something about

those

culinary programs? Let's try something new."

me

At about the same time, Mr. Kyouichi Tanaka came up to

an outline for a two-hour program with Kitchen Stadium.
clearly envision the

diagram today.

Written with pencil in small

Ovens."

We

thought

it

flew to the United

It

was an image

letters

was a great

idea,

Due

was the

and

to the

strange sight awaiting

us.

The Americans

"The Iron Chef of

to see

it

happen.

wonderful timing,

combine these two

States and found a

ideas,

still

illustration of the set.

title

wanted

can

with

decided to

and we discussed them

new type

over and over. Fuji Television wanted a

of culinary program. Mr. Tanaka dreamed of

Kitchen

Stadium.

two ideas

these

Luckily,

meshed.

watching the program

kept laughing.

We

didn't realize

it

but just

at the start,

looking at the cooking process

is

enough

enter-

tainment. Baseball and soccer,

for example,

same

thing.

do very much the

suppose

it

wasn't

such a far-fetched idea to

cooking program

air a

like a sports

program. But even with these

thoughts,
doubts.

we

still

had our

Would we be

able to

keep the viewers' attention

with 30 minutes of pure cook1

ing!

For the

first

2 months,

THE IRON CHEF

the ratings were in the single digits. Mr. Kanemitsu called for a meeting

and

said,

nary
Chef.

"We need

battles. It will

will

do away with prelimi-

End of discussion."

We

flew to the United States after

nomination and found

we were honored with an

a strange sight awaiting us.

Emmy

The Americans watch-

program kept laughing throughout our program. This

ing the

reminded

me

of something.

When the

Iron Chef'first began,

thing of a parody. For me, the elaborate

Mr. Kaga wore, were

all

nary establishment. The

Ironically,

Iron Chef had

big

We

change of direction.

be a pure battle between the challenger and the Iron

set,

was some-

the outrageous outfits that

kind of mockery of the Michelin type of

New Yorkers

Emmy

become too much of a culinary authority.

and important, an establishment

culi-

understood that concept.

by the time we had gotten the

declined to be on the

it

sight

in

its

own

right.

show before now clamored

nomination, the
It

The

had gotten too

chefs

who had

for the chance,

and

being on the show had become a status symbol.

As a

TV program,
many

There were
Passart.

Not

that

it

gras to perfection

battles,

know him
moved me

with his bare hands. ...

wasn't hot.

was truly

He handled

but

workmen

my

favorite

personally, but the

to tears.

He

did

kept wondering

it

if it

the foie gras like a pre-

cious infant, ever so carefully.

Japanese

successful.

We

say that

love their tools, but

pose there's a similarity here.

It

really

sup-

moved

me.

He turned
touching a

the foie gras as

fragile glass object that

any moment. He showed

table scene.

me

if

he were

could break

a truly unforget-

one was with Mr. Alain

way he cooked

that foie

95

96

RON CHEF

Yukio Hattori's Prestige

Menu

Japanese Course
The theme

chose for the Japanese course

is

"A

change of season from winter to spring." But there

menu
is

reflecting the

also another

theme

Japanese dishes these days do not always arouse

to this course.

feel that

one's appetite.

have therefore chosen dishes that "strongly stimulate the

appetite."

<

>\<

1>

Wakame Seaweed)
In a course menu, a certain equation is needed. Summed up in a single
word, it is the importance of maintaining a balance. A stream of strong,

Wakame Seaweed

with

Amber

(Battle 175:

aggressive dishes does not result in a satisfying course. While

dishes
that

it

on the Iron Chef come on

is

subtle.

One

after eating this dish.

strong, this dish

feels reenergized,

is

many of the

a pleasant change in

ready to tackle the next course,

98

IRON CHEF

Tuna and Leek Stew, Shabu Shabu-Style (Battle 220: Tuna)

The second dish

is

a soup, consisting of

Piping hot soup

is

poured over the tuna, and

shabu-style. Winter

is

tuna

the best season for tuna,

cold winter's day enhances

its flavor.

balls

and pieces of tuna.

is

eaten in the shabu

it

and eating

it

warm on

THE IRON CHEF

Fried Stuffed Lotus Roots (Battle 107: Lotus Root)

I

chose this dish thinking that something crunchy was in order

point. Fried stuffed lotus roots

stuffed

it

with prawns and

is

a classic dish,

truffles.

at this

but here, the Iron Chef

99

The Dynamic Cheese Hotpot (Battle 22: Cheese)

One dreams

of a steaming hotpot on a cold winter's night. This

that will surely

a

warm you

right up. Taraba crabs

and clams

are

is

a dish

cooked in

steaming pot of katsuo dashi, white miso, and cheese. This dynamic

dish will increase your appetite.

Miso and

cheese, at

first

glance a strange

combination, go well together since they are both fermented products.

Gourmet Bowl

of Foie Gras

and

Avocados (Battle 86: Avocado)

To end,

supreme dish created by Mr.

Ishinabe. Avocados are usually eaten with soy

sauce and wasabi, but here,

it is

paired with

the fatty foie gras, creating a dish that has a

very strong impact.

Chen Kenichi
(Iron

When

Chef Chinese)

first

heard about the concept of

There are people in

was another thing

I

this

world

entirely

this

who come up

when

they asked

show,

thought to myself,

with such strange ideas.

me

agonized over whether to take the offer or not. There are chefs

declare that they are "the best chef in the world," but
type.

If

it

wonder

if this will

turn out

were only myself that

would be able
what

was hardly

am just like the person you see on TV, going around

saying, "I

to

like. It's

father taught

me

was cooking

when you

who
that

in the kitchen

fine."
for,

cook something superb; but that

different

It

become an Iron Chef.

to

is

am

confident that

only because

know

are cooking for other people.

over and over again that customers have different

My

tastes.

102

IRON CHEF

we need

In a restaurant,

that matches their taste.

home

moment, won't

ingredients until that

know what

So you don't

and then you

the judges have,

cook something

to please the guests, to try to

want each and every one of my customers

to

go

But that program, the Iron Chef, doesn't reveal the

feeling happy.

either.

tell

you who the judges

what kind of

you're working with,

get judged at the end.

will

be

tastes

didn't have the con-

fidence to go through with that in the beginning.

Anyhow,

ended up taking

a constant challenge to
really a lazy

person

break out of their

at heart.

first

heard

would

about the concept of

this

show,

lot

who come up

give

different ingredients
I

first

and complimented

like,

me

for being

guess things like that happen

words didn't bother

a policy of

my own.

more people

to

me in the least. What

I

come.

and

of negative reaction regarding

thinking?" But there were those

such strange ideas.

by.

wanted
It's

felt

that

to

is

that

guy

who supported me
on
all

"good show."

There

had

is

no denying

that

many were

gram

out to judge

got bigger,

every job

Up

to

that

had

and wanted

not conform to society.

a strong influence,

me

both good and

projected, because

if I

until then,

wanted

to maintain

had made

knew

according to what they saw. As the pro-

many more jobs came my way. I knew that I had

my best

be on the show.

TV has

be very careful of the image that

bad.

to

my decision

the time. These

restaurant better,

different, to

decision.

did was justified because

make my

okay to be

my

"What

So even though there was a pervasive atmosphere of slander and abuse,

never regretted

it

dishes.

became an Iron Chef, there was

People would say things

with

me

me an opportunity to broaden my world,

When

There are people

order to progress. I'm

just let things pass

by handling

thought,

shells in

humans need

need to be given a motivation to get going.

Otherwise,

When

their offer, thinking that

it

to give

my reputation.

a point not to delegate tasks to

some-

THE IRON CHEF

one

but to do them myself.

else,

made my customers

me

do

to

readily went.

show

Ever since

would

come

kill

myself flinging the

again."

for

happiest was

So

put

the importance of every job

they wish, and so

makes

it

a job well

realized the

importance of

what

will say

done even more

giving every job

my

There was a time when

I

think

it

was about

me

to

Matsuo,

be away so often
if

3 years ago.

Sakai, called
If

quit,

it

rethink

at this

could quit. Then

me and

urged

all

me

My restaurant had been booked

it," I felt

a situation

that

the staff

at that.

right

like

Mr.

when

them

told

that

wanted

to

But when they said "No, you have to

was truly needed.

important for people to be in

It's

Mr. Sakai

going to quit,

aren't, let's give

it

also

said,

talk to

every way

"Look,

a heart

if

But

will too.

you're
if

you

our best together." He

that

me.

will

help you in

know." In the end, we

promised each other

best.

had

added, "Whenever you have

problem,

was

members, and people

where they are needed. At the end, Mr. Sakai and

^JUII

it

asked the Producer, Mr.

not to quit.

to heart.

^>r?

didn't think that

busy time. So

they had simply said "sure"

would have ended

best.

decided to quit being on

every single night ever since the show, and

of

my

my customers.

important.

the show.

of

all

and every encounter

new person. Viewers of the program

with a

again."

realized even

more

be what

regional hotel invited

me, "Please come

and cooking the best dishes

became an Iron Chef,

toil to

What made me

said to

love hearing these three words, "Please

sweat and

some

if

to please everybody.

the people at the dinner

effort into smiling

my

wanted

happy. For example,

a dinner show,

woks around, trying

when

103

to give

it

our very

104

IRON CHEF

After talking to Mr. Sakai,

the solution.
ization,

needed

stayed

Around

When

for the

higher,

show had been

show wasn't

in order to enjoy myself. After this real-

it

whole 6

years.

and the judges demanded more from

came

airing for so long, the challengers

They brought with them

want

said, "I

be on

realized that quitting the

the middle of the 6 years, the level of the challengers

became much
the

on

to

us.

Because

well prepared.

their special recipes.

We

needed to constantly come up with something new.

to quit being on the

If

knew who

the judges were beforehand,

could be more prepared. There were usually four

show/' everyone

judges on the Iron Chef.

begged me to

On the battlefield, you cook

according to your style and

rethink

moment

At that

it.

times

when you

the judges.

truly felt

We

belief.

to prepare
B.

It's

the judges' tastes,

I

idea,

a bit of a
I

got five hints before the show, and

gamble

my menus

played around with

my assistants

had

it

would

what they would make

for each

down

really.

When

during the

may have

who

decided

the judges were,

succeeded in guessing

sit

They would write

the recipes and every-

thing.

never had a recipe pre-

pared.

was Mr. Capricious, Mr.

Whimsical Chen.
But on the other hand,

battle.

would have

and kept adding new

a hard time keeping

ing the five hints, chefs

ingredient.

but, after seeing

usually won.

kept changing

but

But there were

adjusted your dishes according to

thought of possible menus then.

needed.
changed to

up with me.

down

ideas to

a basic

it. I

think

Usually, after receiv-

with their assistants and discuss

THE IRON CHEF

my

think

my

assistants

were constantly aware that we were a team. Some of

were truly amazing.

assistants

would ask them

if

with sea urchins, and they would say yes and work away.

be better than me.

105

they could deal

And

they would

used to tease them about them being the

real

Iron

Chefs.

As

said during the final taping of the show, nothing about

changed since
act the

I still

became an Iron Chef.

same way toward

I still

And

others.

do things the same way, and

will

remain

But one thing that must change with the passing of

the years

is

my skills

means

as a chef. This

that

new

many

different things.

Then

dishes from these experiences. If

what you've

into practice

This

better.

need to create

you don't put

seen, you'll never

especially true for cooking.

is

ent places for

new

This attitude

tude to business.

discoveries, but
is

due

to

this

My

way

forever.

assistants

a hard time.

Mr. Whimsical Chen.

constantly going to differ-

tend to mix pleasure with business.

my mother's upbringing and my father's atti-

My father was really serious about his work. He was very

driven and worked hard to provide us children with everything our

hearts

father's attitude led

that

my

Seeing

desired.

me

to feel

must work hard, and play

hard.

These 6 years have been

truly enjoyable
to

for

me.

got

meet many new people, got

visit

many new

was such fun.

stuck with

it

places. ...

am

so glad

for 6 years.

to
It
I

was

Mr. Capricious,

become

am

had

will

have to continue going to different places, seeing and

tasting

me has

106

IRON CHEF

couldn't have

restaurant.

done

without the support of

this

Toward the end of the show, whenever

my

staff at

my

got hints for the next

my restaurant would think about possible new

menus and bring me their new ideas. My staff has suffered through these

theme, the young chefs in

6 years with me.

young

chefs.

be delightful

From now

There are so
if

on,

many

want

to concentrate

on educating these

chefs with such great potential.

It

would

even one of them became a star of the culinary world.

THE IRON CHEF

BATTLES

102

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

102

10/13/95

Sadaharu
Nakajima

Sakai

TO

150
Judges

Rice

Shinichiro

Mayu
Mayuko

Kurimoto,
Tsuruta,

Takada, Asako Kishi

103

10/20/95

Kunbi Rin

Michiba

Potato

Nagisa Ooshima,

Yoshiko

Ishii,

Mayuko

Takada,

Asako
104

10/27/95

Kunbi Rin

Michiba

Kishi

Sweet

Nagisa Ooshima,

Potato

Yoshiko

Ishii,

Mayuko Takada,
Asako
105

1/3/95

Masahiko
Hagiwara

Chen

Tenaga
Shrimp

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Mayuko

Takada, Kazuko
Kato, Asako Kishi

106

11/10/95

Kiyotaka

Chen

Crab

Nagisa Ooshima,

Wakamatsu
Oyakata, Mayuko

Ikegawa

Takada, Chai Ran

107

11/17/95

Toshirou

Sakai

Lotus Root

Kandagawa

Tamio Kageyama,
Sanshi Katsura,
Julie Dreyfuss,

Asako
108

11/24/95

Bruno Menard

Sakai

Escargot

Kishi

Yusushi Akimoto,
Keiko Saito, Jun
Inoue, Asako Kishi

109

12/1/95

Shyozo

Chen

Carp

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Chizuru

Miyamoto

Azuma, Bessho,
Asako Kishi
110

12/8/95

Tadamichi

Ota

Sakai

Octopus

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Amon

Miyamoto, Kazuko
Kato, Asako Kishi

108

IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

111

2/1 5/95

Challenger

Phillip

Groud

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

Sakai

Oyster

Yasushi Akimoto,

Fumie Hosokawa,
Julie Dreyfuss,

Yoshiko

112

12/22/95

Chen

Sakai

Ishii

Chicken

Shinichiro

(1995 Mr.

Kurimoto, Tamio

Iron Chef)

Kageyama, Maki
Mizuno, Chai Ran,

Asako
113

1/3/96

Chen

Michiba

Beef
(1995 Mr.
Iron Chef)

114

1/12/96

Gao

Jinyi

Chen

Dried

Abalone

Kishi

Katsuya Nomura,
Yuko Asano, Nagisa
Ooshima, Chai Ran,
Asako Kishi
Nagisa Ooshima,
Judy Wong,
Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Yoshiko
Ishii

115

1/19/96

Hidetoshi

Sakai

Curry

Powder

Ushimaru

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Keiko
Saito, Sanshi

Katsura, Asako
Kishi

116

1/26/96

Hiroshi

Chen

Hogfish

Yamanobe

Nagisa Ooshima,
Chizuru Azuma,

Ukyo Katayama,
Asako Kishi
117

2/2/96

Yoji

Watanabe

Chen

Terrapin

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Mayuko

Takada, Hideki
Takahashi, Asako
Kishi

118

2/9/96

Tadashi Yanagi

Sakai

Chocolate

Tamio Kageyama,

Pear

Chizuru Azuma,

Masahiko Kondo,
Asako Kishi

THE IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

119

2/16/96

Jinichi

Sakai

Leek

Nagisa Ooshima,
Keiko Saito,

Tateyama

Kiyohiko, Asako
Kishi

120

2/23/96

Chen

Takaya

Shiitake

Mushroom

Nakazawa

Tamio Kageyama,
Judy Wong,
Tsurutaro Kataoka,

Asako
121

3/1/96

Kiyoshi Suzuki

Nakamura

Foie Gras

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Sachiyo

Nomura, Ken
Tanaka, Asako Kishi

122

3/8/96

Tatsujiro

Chen

Codfish

Nagisa Ooshima,
Chizuru Azuma,

Yoshida

Hirofumi Banba,

Asako
123

3/1 5/96

Senji

Osada

Sakai

Scallop

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Eriko

Kusuda, Masaki
Kanda, Asako Kishi

124

3/22/96

Kunbi Rin

Nakamura

Green
Pepper

Tamio Kageyama,
Reiko Kato,
Shigeaki Sayegusa,

Asako
125

3/29/96

Katsuaki Mori

Chen

Spinach

Kishi

Tamio Kageyama,
Hiroko Mita, Sakuji
Yoshimura, Asako
Kishi

126

127

4/1 2/96

4/1 2/96

Bernard
le Branse

Pierre

Gagnaire

Nakamura

Battle)

Yoko Shimada,
Asako Kishi, Joel
Robuchon

Homard

Pierre Troisgro

Salmon
(French

Sakai

(French
Battle)

128

4/19/96

Toyoaki

Suganuma

Nakamura

Egg

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Keiko
Masuda, Kunio
Murai, Asako Kishi

109

no

IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

129

4/26/96

He Yiewen

Chen

Lettuce

Tamio Kageyama,

Mayuko

Takada,

Kazuo Zaizu, Asako

Kishi

130

5/3/96

Katsuko Nanao

Nakamura

Codfish

Shinichiro

Egg

Kurimoto, Bessho,

Kazuko Kato, Asako

Kishi

Morikawa

131

5/10/96

Shuji

132

5/17/96

Tamotsu Takao

Chen

Pineapple

Tamio Kageyama,
lyo Matsumoto,
Dave Ookubo,
Asako Kishi

Sakai

Abalone

Tamio Kageyama,
Keiko Saito, Yoshio
Mori, Asako Kishi

133

5/24/96

Kenji

Motai

Nakamura

Udon
Noodle

Yasushi Akimoto,

Sachiko Kobayashi,
Tatsuo Umemiya,

Asako
134

5/31/96

Ichio

Goto

Chen

Aori Squid

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Mayuko
Takada, Takenori

Emoto, Asako
135

6/7/96

Yoshinobu

Sakai

Ikura

Sonobe

Kishi

Emoto, Hisako

Manda, Yukio
Hatoyama, Asako
Kishi

136

6/14/96

Kangi Son

Nakamura

Skipjack

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Yutaka
Enatsu, Hiroko
Mita,

137

6/21/96

Philippe Batton

Sakai

Bacon

Asako

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Chizuru

Azuma, Masumi
Okada, Asako Kishi

THE IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

138

6/28/96

Hideo Tozawa

Nakamura

Clam

Yasushi Akimoto,

Mayuko

Takada,

Teimei Kanou,

Asako
139

7/5/96

Takayuki

Chen

Sweetfish

Nomura

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Kaori

Momoi, Tsurutaro
Kataoka, Asako
Kishi

140

7/12/96

Hideki

Nakamura

Tamio Kageyama,

Sea Eel

Yamamoto

Hideki Takahashi,

Reiko Kato, Asako

Kishi

141

7/19/96

Yoshimasa Uki

Sakai

Emoto, Mayuko

Ootoro
Tuna

Takada, Shingo

Yamashiro, Asako
Kishi

142

7/26/96

Masaru Toriumi

Nakamura

Iwa Oyster

Tamio Kageyama,
Keiko Saito, Shingo
Yamashiro, Asako
Kishi

143

8/2/96

Takeshi

Chen

Black Pork

Yamamoto

Tenmei Kano, Saya

Takagi, Kunihiko

Mitamura, Asako
Kishi

144

8/9/96

Thierry

Nakamura

Takenori Emoto,

Caviar

Houngues

Keiko Saito,

Tsurutaro Kataoka,

Asako
145

8/1 6/96

Toshizo

Chen

Anago

Eel

Kishi

Tamio Kageyama,

Tomoko Nakajima,

Tsugawa

Kenichi Tanizawa,

Asako
146

8/23/96

Kenji

Sugawara

Sakai

Corn

Kishi

Tamio Kageyama,
Chizuru Azuma,
Ichiro Zaizu,
Kishi

Asako

112

RON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

147

8/30/96

Shinsuke

Chen

Taisho

Tamio Kageyama,

Shimada

Prawn

Keiko Saito, Ichiro

Zaizu,

148

9/6/96

Takamasa
Uetake

Nakamura

149

9/13/96

Chomei Son

Sakai

Asako

Kishi

Peach

Tamio Kageyama,
Akiko Yano, Tenmei
Kano, Asako Kishi

Softshell

Crab

Tamio Kageyama,
Saya Takagi, Tadao
Takashima, Asako

Saury

Tamio Kageyama,

Kishi

150

9/20/96

Tokuo Endo

Nakamura

Chizuru

Azuma

Tsurutaro Kataoka,

Asako

Kishi

THE IRON CHEF

Yukio Hattori's Prestige

Menu

Chinese Course
I

chose dishes from the hot Szechwan cuisine and the milder Cantonese

cuisine in order to create a

must keep

in

mind

dishes for a course

the texture
are

all

taste

the

menu.

when you

menu that played up

many

different characteristics

One

when choosing

Taste, smell, texture (the feel inside the

mouth,

down your

throat)

bite into

such characteristics.

of these dishes.

these two contrasts.

it,

and the way

created this

it

menu

goes

to focus

on mainly

the

113

Papaya and Coconuts with Crab Sauce (Battle

This

new

Papaya)

type of Chinese dish, created by the chef of Japanese nouvelle

Chinois, Mr. Yuiji Wakiya,

sauce

174:

is

papaya heaped on Chinese spoons with a

made of coconut milk and

crabs and baked. Your

mouth

is filled

with the sweetness of papayas and coconuts with every mouthful.

Shiba Shrimp with

Chili

Sauce Served on a Canape

(Battle 48: Shiba Shrimp)

In the twenty-first century, chili will

Keeping
chili in

this in

mind,

them. This dish

of eggs and ketchup.

become

especially chose
is

the rage

all

over the world.

two Szechwan dishes both with

not as piquant because the

chili

sauce

is

made

116

IRON CHEF

Stir-Fried Squid

and Shark's

Fin (Battle 70: Squid)

This dish will soothe the inside of your

dish

is

created with a stir-fry of

shark's fin soup.

texture

It

mouth

after a hot, spicy dish.

minced squid and meringue

will surely reaffirm the tastiness of squids.

and sweetness

will delight

your

palette.

This

inside a

The

fluffy

,:

Homard Gyoza Dumplings and

(Battle 296:

This

is

Spicy Hotpot Stew

Homard)

an extravagant dish, a stew made with the essence of homard

spiced with red chili bean pastes and

dumplings are put into the stew and

homard gyoza dumplings. The

it is

eaten together. Such an extrav-

agant dish could only have been created in Kitchen Stadium. For this reason,

have decided to include

this dish in the

made of minced pork meat and homard

menu. The dumplings

create a sweet taste that goes

very well with the spiciness of the stew. The spiciness and sweetness create a

depth to

this dish.

118

IRON CHEF

Spicy Papaya Soup (Battle 174: Papaya)

OThis

dish, declared to

be addictive by the judges,

ter to a delightful course.

The aigyoku

unique blend of different

spices.

jelly

is

fitting as the last

chap-

eaten with the soup creates a

Interview

Chef

Koumei Nakamura
(The Second Iron Chef Japanese)

used to see Mr. Michiba

ing

if

he should

would

ask,

retire

at the golf course.

from the show or

"Koumei-san, would you

not,

like to

At the time he was wonder-

and every time he saw me, he

become

the next Iron Chef?"

But I kept saying, "I could never do that" and kept turning him down.
I

was only

a hired chef

back then. The choice of whether to be on the pro-

gram or not was not mine.

In the chefs' associations, there

was a permeat-

120

IRON :hei
1

ing belief that "Iron

not Japanese

Chef is wrong, whatever they make on the program

So honestly,

."

want anything

didn't

to do with

is

it.

When they officially asked me to be on the show, I remember calling my older brother in Kyushu and seeking his advice. He's not really my
brother, but

met him when

He was

attending night high school.

me to be on the

"They want

He
is,

replied,

there

a big

me

is

said,

know if I want to do

These words were pretty

it."

think that

it."

fact
It's

much what made

was the Iron Chef most concerned about winning. Mr.

Chen always did

is

restaurants

was hired

Mr. Sakai

and were
at

free to

Nadaman,

much

all

owned

felt like.

their

titles, I

power

amazing.

always

pressured.

all

8 of the

department head of the

company

also the director of the culinary research

I

juggled four

titles,

and with so many

couldn't afford to be a loser.

Whenever we
would

be a meeting within the company. We would then

and seek the chairman's

The

New Year's

a battle
a

own

But because

received a hint about next week's theme, there

a recipe

freedom.

was the head chef of

restaurants, the

department.

Their mental

Michiba had

pressured, feeling that

cook whatever dish they

didn't have as

and was

composed manner.

was more

felt

culinary department, the director of the

their jobs in a very

myself for the

always

The other Iron Chefs

Nadaman
Chen always did

At the time,

and Mr.

composed manner.

their jobs in a very

amazing.

couldn't lose against them.

It

don't

decide.

Their mental power

felt

only one Iron Chef for Japanese cuisine in the whole world.

Sakai and Mr.

is

the son of the greengrocers.

Iron Chefbut

while

at a greengrocer's

"Look, no matter what anyone says about the matter, the

chance for you. Take

was working

battle fought

test

advice.

between Mr. Michiba and

osechi wasn't really Michiba versus

Nakamura.

between Mr. Michiba and Nadaman. I'm sure Mr.

tough time, but

had the whole organization

to think

THE IRON CHEF

about. In the beginning

pounded

Of

my beliefs

really

He

is

me

Halfway through,

battle,

want

to lose.

lost.

wanted

They
it

to

say that

did to me.

My son, who was in junior

how come Rokusaburo Michiba

never

lost.

on the show, I bought

since day one.

Nadaman

cooked

who

Not

really

will

not help

orthodox

He

after Iron Chef.

is

my

He

most trusted

needed

has been
ally

and

understands me.

came upon

a very

wasn't very Iron Chef.

a miniature Shiba dog.

named him "Chef"

the only one

usually cook at

to cook.

My wife too, would tell me that she was too embar-

when

after a year

unfailingly loyal to

clam

and that com-

don't want to go to school and face everyone tomor-

ally in the family.

friend.

wanted

didn't

home when

me, "Dad,

tell

was harsh.

rassed to go out

one

and

winning shouldn't matter, but

best,

dreaded going

but you do?

row." That

as a chef,

you do your

high school, would

So

to as the "tactician,"

the pressure even further.

as long as

lost

was referred

course, there were dishes that

accomplish

major

realization. Dishes that

me win on

dish.

that the food at

the show. During the

The judges proclaimed

Nadaman

is

that

it

bad or anything.

121

IRON CHEF

122

It

means

just

the show.

that traditional cuisine

A new

created in order to

bring out

not what they are looking for on

win acclaim.

Nadaman

decided after a while not to cook in the

tle

is

type of Japanese cuisine, a futuristic dish, needs to be

my personal

style.

style,

but to

was most conscious of this during the bat-

with Mr. Kandagawa's apprentice, Battle Saury.

No one

dreaded going

anything to

at the office said

me

after

about a year on the show. They seemed to have

home when

My

lost.

would

tell

me

winning every match. That made things a

interest in

me. At the

lot easier for

son and wife

Hattori, Battle Tuna,

they

who

Kishi,

as a challenger

Battle Egg.

That was harsh.

relaxed to

tasted

and fought against Mr. Morimoto

was

wish that

that show. Thinking back,

is

were things

was

hell for

beef tongue and duck

like

duck that we use

nent was Tour

it

in Japan. Rather,

d' Argent's

it

fought were

me.
yes,

often

was the type used

became stronger when

tude. After that,

Mr. Morimoto
though, that

won

as well.

made

silly

and

It's

in Europe.

not the

My oppoNo way

have never heard of a

tied against

me.

crying. There

Mr. Passart.

took on a "come what may"

against Mr. Michiba,

me agonize over a

felt like

Mr. Leprin, a veritable guru of ducks.

Japanese chef use these ingredients. At least then

guess

be

difficult ingredi-

duck was hard.

could win. In Arashiyama, the theme was foie gras.

to

think

a big regret for

suppose the viewers are entertained when they see

non-Japanese ingredient, but

in

constantly needed to please

had been myself more. This

All the ingredients for the battles that

I

One needs

really relaxed then.

win on

was too conscious of everyone around me.

ents.

to smile throughout.

rassed to go out.

Mr. Yukio

last battle against

was able

my dish, told me, "You seem to

be very relaxed today." A year later was on the show
Ms.

were too embar-

everyone.

lost

atti-

was victorious against

did pretty well in the key battles.

It

also

mistakes after taking on this attitude.

meant,

remember

of this match,
Battle
rable.

That was a

Battle Ostrich.

we were nominated

for the

Emmys.

memo-

Pepper against Kunbi Rin was

ating a tricolored dish.

made on

ever

On
I

was

It

Suganuma,

and dried mullet

when

that

Battle Potato

rematch two weeks

had

roe.

often felt

We were

like crying.

supposed

taste

was pretty bad.

knew

lost.

was memorable
later.

The

felt

too.

It

had

mistakenly used different types of eggs, includ-

sup-

pose the viewers were

French chef, was

ing salmon roe

it

entertained. ...
I

prepared a dish of steamed sankai fresh eggs.

tasted

difficult.

cre-

the show.

to use quail's eggs, but

the ingredients

were
it,

perfect, the best dish

the other hand, Battle Egg that

against Toyoaki
awful.

All

stuffed green pepper noodles inside a yellow

pepper and poured a red pepper sauce over

headache. But because

real

was

sorry for Mr. Kojima,

a tie,

and there was a

who was my opponent.

His performance that day was only a tenth of his usual performance due to

124

IRON CHEF

unfortunate happenings and mistakes

waiting room,

we consoled each

made by

other, saying that

next time. Oh, and Mr. Yonemura, with

Seaweed. That was a great battle as well.

Anyhow,

all

his assistants.

whom

He was an

the themes that were given to

mushrooms, bamboo

we would
had

in the

try harder

Battle

Wakame

incredible chef.

me were

were not used for Japanese cuisines. They were hard.

vegetables like matsutake

Back

If

ingredients that

they had given

shoots, or beets,

me

know I

would've won, hands down.

I

suppose, though, that these ingredients taught

Many chefs become clumsy on

members had

to learn

important thing

is,

new

!Bl

camera. So Mr. Matsuo and the other

things in order to

one needs

to constantly

me a valuable lesson.

make

the

show

better.

staff

The

be willing to learn new things.

r^f

THE IRON CHEF

BATTLES

151

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

151

10/4/96

Takeo
Kashiwabara

Chen

TO

200
Judges

Winter

Melon

Tamio
Kageyama, Kazuko
Kato, Hideki

Takahashi, Asako
Kishi

152

10/11/96

Son, Sen

Con

Lee, Chai Ran,

(Peking

Shiji

Tanimura,

Battle)

Yuki Saito, Asako

Syou, Chen Chicken

Kishi

153

154

10/11/96

10/18/96

Chen

Son

Fujita Shin

Nakamura

Shark's Fin

Con

Lee, Chai Ran,

(Peking

Shiji

Tanimura, Yuki

Battle)

Saito,

Soba

Tenmei Kano, Keiko

Asako

Kishi

Saito, Tabuchi

Kouichi,

Asako

Kishi

155

10/25/96

Ryuichi

Ogusu

Nakamura

Chestnut

Tamio Kageyama,

Mayumi Asaka,
Masumi Okada,
Asako
156

11/1/96

Daniella Ozik

Chen

Mushroom

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Megumi

Ooishi, Knihiko

Mitamura, Yoshiko
Ishii

157

11/8/96

Hiroshi

Yamaoka

Sakai

Chinese

Tamio Kageyama,

Cabbage

Keiko Saito,

Masumi Okada,
Asako
158

11/15/96

Wayne

Nishi

Sakai

Apples

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Mayuko
Takada, Takenori

Emoto, Yukio
Hattori

126

RON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

159

11/22/96

Kenjiro Kuroki

Nakamura

Angler

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Nagisa
Katahira, Tenmei

Kanou, Asako

160

11/29/96

Nakamura

Kiyoshi

Tongue

Miyashiro

Kishi

Tamio Kageyama,

Beef

Megumi

Ooishi,

Takao Horiuchi,

Asako
161

12/6/96

Yukio Ishizaki

Chen

Kishi

Takenori Emoto,

Garlic

Masaki, Kanda,

Kazuko Kato,
Asako Kishi
162

2/1

3/96

Yoshio Suzuki

Sakai

Orange

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Tenmei
Kano, Toyama
Kyoko, Yoshiko Ishii

163

12/20/96

Bernard

Nakamura

Duck

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Keiko

Leprince

Saito,

Masumi

Okada, Agathe
Morechand, Jean
Sylvestre

164

12/31/96

Koumei
Nakamura

Michiba

Osechi

Mr.

(100 People

Mr.

Battle)

Mr.

Mr.

& Mrs. Hata,

& Mrs. Ochiai,
& Mrs. Umemiya,
& Mrs.

Matsumoto, Tamio
Kageyama, Yuko
Asano, Asako Kishi
165

1/10/97

Chen

Hiroshi

Michifude

Dried Shell

Takenori Emoto,

Ligament

Megumi

Oishi,

Ichiro Zaitsu,

Asako

Kishi

166

1/17/97

Hiroshi

Sakai

Mochi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Nobuko

Kasahara

Ochiai,

167

1/24/97

Laurie

Kennedy

Sakai

Unagi

Eel

Asako

Kishi

Tamio Kageyama,
Yoko Saito, Masumi
Okada, Asako Kishi

THE IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

168

1/31/97

Laurie

169

2/7/97

Hiroyoshi Morie

Kennedy

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

Sakai

Pigeon

Tamio Kageyama,
Yoko Saito, Masumi
Okada, Asako Kishi

Nakamura

Takaashi

Shinichiro

Crab

Kurimoto, Ichiro

Kazuko

Zaitsu,

Kato, Asako Kishi

170

2/14/97

Houkou Koh

Chen

Rice

Tenmei Kanou,
Asako Kishi, Keiko
Saito, Akira Fuse

171

2/21/97

Tetsuo Shimada

Sakai

Truffle

Takenori Emoto,

Keiko Masuda,
Tsurutaro Kataoka,

Asako
172

2/28/97

Tatsuo Yamazaki

Nakamura

Natto

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Toshio
Shiba, Keiko Saito,

Asako
173

3/7/97

Etsuo Jou

174

3/14/97

Yuuji

Wakiya

Kishi

Sakai

Wine

Tamio Kageyama,
Kazuko Kato,
Kazuhiko Kato,
Asako Kishi

Chen

Papaya

Tamio Kageyama,
Chizuru Azuma,

Koutaro Satomi,

Asako
175

3/21/97

Takashi

Nakamura

Wakame
Seaweed

Yoneyoshi

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Megumi

Ooishi, Kinya
Kitaoji,

176

3/28/97

Hiroyuki Kitami

Sakai

Honey

Asako

Kishi

Takenori Emoto,

Yasuko Agawa,
Kazuhiko Kato,
Asako Kishi

128

IRON CHEF

gpW:

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

177

4/11/97

Koukan You

Nakamura

Battle

Judges

Hanami

Shinichiro

(Cherry

Kurimoto, Yuko
Asano, Eiji Bando,
Masumi Okada,

Blossom
Viewing)

Asako

,.

4/18/97

Shinzo

Sakai

Okumura

Bamboo
Shoot

Kishi

Takenori Emoto,
Hisako Manda,
Ichiro Zaitsu,
Kishi

179

4/25/97

Chihiro

Chen

Tomato

Tenmei Kanou,
Asako Kishi,
Minako Honda,
Tsurutaro Kataoka

Sakai

Sea Bass

Tenmei Kanou,
Asako Kishi, Sayuri

Ootsuki

180

5/2/97

Kiyoyasu

Asako

Sasaki

Ishikawa, Sanshi

Katsura
181

5/9/97

Nakamura

Norio

Pork

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Kayoko

Higashiya

Kishimoto, Hideki
Takahashi, Asako
Kishi

182

5/16/97

Gillian Hearst

Nakamura

Shinichiro

Ostrich

Kurimoto, Chizuru

Azuma, Masaki
Kanda, Asako Kishi
183

5/23/97

Masao

Takagi

Chen

Tenmei Kanou,

Pidan

Lisa

Junna, Chai Ran,

Joji

184

5/30/97

Germano

Sakai

Ham

Yamamoto

Tamio Kageyama,

Orsara

Keiko Saito, Tatsuo

Umemiya, Asako
Kishi

185

6/6/97

Hisato Sakane

Nakamura

Anago

Eel

Takenori Emoto,

Reiko Takashima,
Tsurutaro Kataoka,

Asako

Kishi

THE IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

186

6/13/97

Masahiko
Hagiwara

Kobe

Short

Shinichiro

Pasta

Kurimoto, Masumi
Okada, Kazuko
Kato, Asako Kishi

187

6/20/97

Kunio Sato

Sakai

Yellowtail

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Akiko
Yano, Kunihiko

Mitamura, Asako
Kishi

188

6/27/97

Kenchu Shu

Chen

Aka
Grouper

Tenmei Kanou,
Saya Takagi, Chai
Ran, Asako Kishi

189

7/4/97

Masami

Nakamura

Prawn

Tamio Kageyama,
Keiko Saito, Hideki

Shikajima

Takahashi, Asako
Kishi

190

7/1 1/97

Toshiyuki

Sakai

Sea Urchin

Takenori Emoto,

Megumi

Ishikawa

Oishi,

Yasosuke Bando,

Asako
191

7/18/97

Yoshikazu

Chen

Partridge

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Kayoko

Matsuno

Kishimoto, Ichiro
Zaitsu,

192

7/25/97

Stephano

Kobe

Cabbage

Asako

Kishi

Tamio Kageyama,
Hitomi Takahashi,

Tabacci

Sunplaza Nakano,

Asako
193

8/1/97

Seiji

Toyoshima

Sakai

Milk

Kishi

Takenori Emoto,

Naomi Kawashima,
Takao Horiuchi,

Asako
194

8/8/97

Sakai,

Kobe

Nakamura, Watermelon
Chen

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Keiko
Saito, Tatuo

Meidaka, Asako
Kishi

130

IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

195

8/1 5/97

Souseiko

Chen

Eggplant

Tenmei Kanou,
Harumi Inoue,
Koutaro Satomi,
Asako Kishi

Sakai

Melon

Kazuhiko Kato,
Yoshiko Ishii, Tamio

Kawaguchi

196

8/22/97

Androsoni
Pietro

Kageyama, Sae
Ishiki

197

8/29/97

Yoshinori

Nakamura

Potato

Kojima

Tenmei Kanou,
Senri Yamabuki,
Tetsuya Bessho,

Yoshiko

198

9/5/97

Yoshinori

Nakamura

Kojima

Jyoka
Flatfish

Ishii

Tenmei Kanou,
Hiroko Moriguchi,
Gitan Ootsuru,

Yoshiko

199

9/12/97

Toshiyuki

Sakai

Beef Cheek

Nakajima

Ishii

Kageyama Tamio,
Kishimoto Kayoko,
Okada Masumi,
Kishi Asako

200

9/26/97

Miyuki Igarashi

Chen

Cucumber

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Toyama Kyoko,
Tatsuo Meidaka,

Asak

Kishi

THE IRON CHEF

TESTIMONY

OF

THE CAST AND STAFF

Kyouichi Tanaka
(Director)

When

Fuji Television asked

me, "Could you create

a culinary battle pro-

gram, a program where contestants compete with their culinary

wondered how
Initially,

could

make such

It

would be

like

We would

five

have ordinary people challenge

having these ordinary people venture into a

strange world, a fictional world, which

* '^<^'"

program dramatic.

thought of a program where we would have about

professional chefs lined up.

them.

skills?"

would be

interesting to watch.

The

131

w*
\

*jp

y
7.

professional chefs

would be challenging them from above;

on an equal

a battle

That's the

first

idea that

presented to them.

many

in the culinary world, like

Mitsugu Yuuki, and they pointed out a big problem

said,

"A battle between two different types of cuisine,

French and Japanese, wouldn't work.

this idea,

then

wouldn't be

There would be a definite hierarchy involved.

basis.

asked the opinions of

it

suggest that

If

you have

you

to

Mr.

me. Mr. Yuuki

like a battle

between

are going to go through with

a judge

who

will

judge the better

dish according to his preference."

I

agreed with Mr. Yuuki at

We

first,

but decided to go through with

it

would be more

interesting if there

different types of cuisines.

The timing was

perfect, since at the

anyway.

figured that

was a movement

in the culinary

were

it

many

time there

world where chefs were using different

THE IRON CHEF

types of ingredients. Japanese chefs were incorporating ingredients like

caviar,

French chefs used shark's

have worked since

it

A
low

it.

culinary program, as a genre,

easy to watch. Even

That

is

2 or 3 years earlier,

would have been too

between differing cuisines" came

"battle

is

and so on.

would have been too avant-garde. Had

3 years later, this concept

and

fin,

program had been created

If this

if it is

why we had

is

old. This

it

it

wouldn't

been 2 or

concept of a

at the right time.

something that pleases everyone

dramatized, the viewers can readily

unique host

like

fol-

Mr. Takeshi Kaga and had

the chefs wear strange costumes. So long as they are bonafide chefs, the

program

will

work.

*-.

&Vi

11

133

134

RON CHEF

It

seems that everyone hated the costumes. Mr. Rokusaburo

Michiba especially did not look very good in them. Mr. Yutaka Ishinabe
kept saying "No, no!" The costume for Mr.
that

it

was kind of funny.

and Mr. Chen

ly

for a panel

worried that

and

it

When we

lined

photograph

was a bad

idea.

It

Chen Kenichi

fit

up Mr. Michiba, Mr.

in the very beginning,

was

him

so well

Ishinabe,

was

secret-

my idea to dress them up like that,

worried me.

it

For any program that

is

made,

it is

important that the program be

convincing to both laymen and professionals.

.

who

It's

important that laymen

have no knowledge of cooking be able to enjoy the

program. We also wanted professionals to gain something

from watching the show. Fortunately

very interested in cooking, but

easier for

must admit

much

that chefs look

good on

action.

It's

it

me,

wasn't

didn't dislike cooking either. Because

was

didn't feel strongly either way,

involves so

for

entertaining

and

me

to direct this show.

film.

cool.

No

other business

THE IRON CHEF

Yukio Hattori's Prestige

Course

Italian
The key terms

health

and

food in the future. For

centrated

Menu

nutrition will be the

most important aspects of

on these two notions when deciding on the

Ideal Nutritious

Energy Food,"

it

con-

dishes. Titled,

"The

includes proteins and sugar in abun-

dance. Eaten one hour before any sports activity,

necessary powers.

this Italian course, unlike the other courses,

it is

sure to give

you the

135

Carpaccio of Beef Tenderloin and Maitake

(Battle 256:

These days there

made with
cio.
I

Mushrooms

Wild Maitake Mushroom)

exists carpaccios

made

of

fish,

but traditionally they are

thin slices of beef in sauce. In these terms, this

Beef has a

recommend

lot

is

a true carpac-

of protein, which helps in the development of muscles.

this dish to individuals

who

play sports.

THE IRON CHEF

Banana Pepporoncino

(Battle 267: Chocolate Banana)

Instead of using bananas for desserts, this dish used

downplaying the sweetness. Rich

quickly changed into energy.

in sugar

They

them

as a

meal by

and potassium, bananas

also help in the contraction of

are

mus-

cles.

137

Pasta

Made

of

Soba Wheat

Cabbage and

Truffle Flavored

(Battle 27: Cabbage)

This dish of fettuccini

on

top,

is

made of soba wheat, with

truffles

and prosciutto

one of the best pasta dishes created on the Iron Chef.

tion content

is

excellent as well; there

means more energy before playing

is

I
Its

nutri-

a lot of sugar in this dish,

which

sports.

THE IRON CHEF

Fried Minced Calamari (Battle 48: Shiba Shrimp)

This dish draws

balls

and

fried

its

hint from the traditional Japanese cuisine of calamari

minced

fish.

By deep-frying the calamari, the sweet and

fragrant nature of the calamari

mari

is

also pleasing.

is

enhanced. The crunchiness of the cala-

139

Heart-Shaped Cocoa Ravioli (Battle 267: Chocolate Banana)

The dish chosen

for dolce

is

the

Cocoa

Ravioli.

Bananas and Gorgonzola

cheese are wrapped inside chocolate- flavored ravioli, and deep-fried.

overpowering sweetness of the banana

of the cocoa.

It is

a dessert for a

mature

is

The

kept in check by the bitterness

adult.

Katsuhiko Kobe
(Iron

was

Chef

in Italy

Italian)

from February 1994

until April 1997.

was

first

a hotel school for foreigners in Turin. After finishing there,

work

at the

finishing
called

Enoteca Pinocchioli

my

in Florence.

enrolled in

went on

to

About three months before

apprenticeship there, the headmaster of the hotel school

me and

said,

"There

is

a culinary contest in Japan.

Would you be

147

'RON CHEF

interested?"

know what

guess the headmaster didn't exactly

this contest

was. This contest turned out to be the Iron Chef.

At the time, the production

staff

was looking

become an Iron Chef. They were conducting

chefs studying here.

for a

young chef

to

a search in Italy of Japanese

My name was on the list along with about 20 others.

Mr. Matsuo, the producer, and Ms. Asao, the assistant producer, came to
Torino to interview me. That was
At
ing the

first

thought

show before

chef like

them

used to think,

about 10

in

it all

happened.

years."

had been watch-

Watching Mr. Michiba, Mr. Ishinabe,

for Italy.

left

and Mr. Chen in action,

how

was going to be a challenger.

"I

hope

that

could become a

never dreamed that

would become

one of them.
I

found out that

was an Iron Chef about

3 days before leaving for

members came

to Italy saying that they

Japan. Several production staff

The Iron Chef was an

wanted

to

make an introductory film on me

Talking to them,

show, and

influential

one couldn't do

just

Matsuo

work

said to

sensed something was wrong. Mr.

me,

"I

for a long while"

hope

this

and

thought,

he saying these things to me?

it.

Chef

actually an Iron

mind was
influential show,

You couldn't

arrangement
If

am

going
&
6 to be on the show once, as a challenger,

anything and get

away with

in Italy.

at the

and one couldn't do

edit things out like they

*
I

was

end of the taping.

My

The

just anything

do

only

why is

figured out that

in a state of panic.

will

Iron C/ie/was an

and

get

for other shows.

do anything that would compromise the world of Italian

away with

it.

want

to

was

at

was

to

didn't

cuisine.

a loss.

My worries were blown

wear.

my

went

away when

to Fuji Television straight

costume.

had come back from

saw the costume that

from Narita Airport, and there was

my

apprenticeship wearing a ratty

stadium jumper and sneakers, so the costume was a shock to me.

It

wasn't

reluctance
to

do

do what
it, I

felt; it

a feeling of resignation.

have to do. Basically

wanted

The

was more

do

to

it

don't like losing, and

me most was

produce something that

more of an

issue for

Basically,

ble to

may

do

say,

Italian food,

and

am

What made

finish in 50 minutes,

have

going to

it

it

is

difficult

nor could you

me.

made

into a pasta dish. But

hour, especially since

don't

always included one dish of pasta, so time became

anything can be

that in

Then

if

time. Being a cook,

tastes good.

was the time constraint. You couldn't

finish in 61 minutes.

figured that

well.

factor that worried

given that

do

pasta, but

wanted the viewers

my pasta
become

impossi-

was handmade. People

think that pasta

to

it is

is

important for

familiar with

many

dif-

144

IRON CHEF

ferent types of pasta. So

made them, knowing

that

it

would be

practi-

cally impossible.

For the
the time, so
it

becomes

first

battle with short pasta,

flopped

soft

and

If

pasta

eaten immediately after

isn't

is

tasted later

when

it's

cooked,

made.

it is first

bad position. When

in a

is

toward dishes such

started to veer

pasta

completely different from

tastes

The Iron Chef whose

ized this,

it.

hadn't yet gotten a handle of

real-

where timing

as gratin

isn't

as crucial.

Because

was dealing with

the tasting was a battle for me.

pasta, the time

had

between the match and

worry about time more than the

to

other chefs did. For stewed dishes,

Sometimes

wished

it's

to

your advan-

tage

if

your dish

is

tasted later, as the flavor has

were the "Prince of

time to

Stews" rather than

of Stews" rather than the "Prince of Pasta."

settle.

Sometimes

wished

were the "Prince

meaning-

Yes, the start dash, that looks pretty

the "Prince of

but

less,

Pasta."

During

it

is

in the track

ning

started the

when you
that

and

abilities.

team

field

in high school

So from the second

mad dash

battle,

The

dash

is all

battle that

chagrined

or what?"

ran around as

had been

my run-

in

fast as

said to

could.

earlier.

at

It's

those times you wish

People often question

about, but there

remember most

at that battle against

is

is

me

a legitimate reason to

my

debut

Mr. Hagiwara.

battle.

would

about
it.

was

now that

though

may

it's

have

over,

lost,

but

I still

think that there were

think

was

better.

some

The

really

love to have a

revenge match against him. Battle Chevreuil was also memorable.

say this

for these stupid reasons, but in truth, there are times

you had saved more time

start

man

and had confidence

are five seconds short to completion.

what that

Matsuo

the taping, Mr.

dash? Are you an old

start

saver.

my first battle, I took my sweet time choosing

my ingredients. After
me, "What was that

important time

in fact a very

more

can

battles which,

battle that

admit

my complete

defeat

was the

battle against

Mr. Fukatsu. His cooking was

unbelievable.

The

dishes that

am most proud

of are the dishes

created during

Battle

Mango. Up

really

proud of them. They were pure perfection. The roasted duck,

until then,

had only used mangos

which was duck roasted with mango, was the

Mango

has the ability to soften meats.

with bloody meats due to

its

grance.

The

duck

roasted with mangos,

is

best part of a

It

its

is its

skin,

was

The Roasted Duck

goes well

slight acidity

duck

best.

in desserts, so

and

but

if

fra-

the

skin will be ruined.

during Battle Mango,

that

was pure

perfection.

So what

added

it. I

did was,

roasted the duck

first,

more roasted mangos

stuffed

into the

enhance

its

as well.

think this dish was well balanced.

The

fragrance.

The accompanying

dishes created

on the

Iron

usually not used in restaurants. But

without the mango, and then

leek

duck

Chef are so

Several

neighborhood epicureans requested the

them.

had

to charge

order to

was stewed with mangos

costly that they are

did serve that

as well, in

them 15,000 yen (S135)

mango duck

dish, so

made

once.
it

just for that dish.

for

But

epicureans are always eager to try different dishes, and since they were
regular patrons,

served

it

to

them.

heard that the patron was a fan

THE IRON CHEF

of the

show and went around boasting

that he

had eaten the roasted

duck.
I

show.

was invited

to lecture at

many different

schools since being

on the

A lot of the students saw me as a sort of goal. Mr. Michiba and Mr.

Sakai, as well as Mr.

Chen, are way up

even close to their league.

dents look at

me and

there.

am more

think that

if

It

would

accessible,

he can make

take forever to

and

it,

suppose the stu-

so can

1. 1

Iron Chef just 5 years after graduating from college. In

proved that hard work

is

the easiest

way

to realize a

come

dream.

became an

some ways,

147

148

IRON CHEF

There are

many

But once they

sine.

chefs, or they hit a

people

like

them

students in culinary schools studying Italian cui-

start

working and are faced with problems with other

slump,

to ever

many of them

become

a Mr.

quit. It

would be impossible

Michiba or a Mr.

Sakai.

too have problems at work. But looking at me, they see their

future in a shorter time frame. I'm a

guess

Mr. Michiba

and Mr.

Sakai, as well as Mr.

more

attainable goal for them.

there.

It

way up

rant, so

would

my Italian

like to see

it

succeed.

The name of

come even

pronounce

it,

it

decided to use the

close to their league.
in Italy.
I

am more

accessible.

so

It

will

be

nickname, Massa.

My real nickname

would take

forever to

my being an Iron Chef had some meaning.

My own goals? am opening my own restau-

the restaurant has already been decided on.

Chen, are

for

It's

the

is

"Masa," but

when

Italians

always comes out as "Massa."

name I was

first

time

called during

have

my own

would welcome any support.

my days

restaurant,

THE IRON CHEF

BATTLES

201 T

O 250

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

201

10/3/97

Fujio Imai

Kobe

Matsutake

Tamio Kageyama,
Tsurutaro Kataoka,

Megumi
Asako
202

10/10/97

Liu

Xikun

Nakamura

Beef

Ooishi,

Kishi

Kinya Kitaoji, Sae

Chai Ran,

(1997 Iron

Isshiki,

Chef World

Asako

Cup)

Birman, Christian

Kishi, Daniel

Boucharac

203

10/10/97

Peter Clark

Passard

Homard

Kinya Kitaoji, Sae

Chai Ran,

(1997 Iron

Isshiki,

Chef World

Asako

Cup)

Birman, Christian

Kishi, Daniel

Boucharac

204

10/10/97

Alain Passart

Nakamura

Foie Gras

Kinya Kitaoji, Sae

(1997 Iron

Isshiki,

Chef World

Asako

Cup)

Birman, Christian

Chai Ran,
Kishi, Daniel

Boucharac

205

10/17/97

Matsuo
Nagasaka

Chen

Spare Rib

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,
Yoshizumi Ishihara,
Keiko Saito, Asako
Kishi

206

10/24/97

Masashi Goto

Sakai

Langoustine Tamio Kageyama,

Megumi

Ooishi,

Kazuhiko Kato,
Chieko Honma

207

10/31/97

Yuji Seki

Kobe

Chestnut

Tenmei Kanou,
Kazuko Kato, Koki
Mitani, Chieko

Nakamura

Lamb

Shinichiro

Honma
208

11/14/97

Keiji

Azuma

Kurimoto, Tokiko
Kato, Ishihara,

Asako

Kishi

150

IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

209

11/21/97

Toru

Chen

Shanghai
Crab

Shinichiro

Matsushima

Kurimoto, Yoko
Akino, Hideki
Takahashi, Asako
Kishi

210

11/28/97

Kazunari

Kobe

Milt

Tenmei Kanou,
Shiho Hashimoto,
Kazushige
Nagashima,
Yoshiko Ishii

Kobe

Botan

Tenmei Kanou,
Shiho Hashimoto,
Kazushige
Nagashima,
Yoshiko Ishii

Takada

211

2/5/97

Kazunari

Prawn

Takada

212

2/1 2/97

Maurice

Nakamura

Scallop

Guillouet

Tamio Kageyama,
Kaori

Momoi,

Ryouichi

Kawamura,
Christian

Boucharac
213

12/19/97

Yasumasa

Kobe

Strawberry

Takagi

Tenmei Kanou,
Naomi Hosokawa,
Kazushige
Nagashima, Asako
Kishi

214

12/26/97

Toshio

Nakamura

Ara Fish

Kandagawa

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Hiromi
Iwasaki, Korn,

Yoshiko

215

1/9/98

Akihiko Inoue

Chen

Aramaki
Salmon

Ishii

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Katsuya
Nomura, Sachiyo

Nomura, Asako
Kishi

216

1/16/98

Yasuhiro

Fukatsu

Kobe

Chevreuil

Yasushi Akimoto,

Keiko Saito,

Yoshizumi Ishihara,

Asako

Kishi

THE IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

217

1/23/98

Yoshimasa

Sakai

Matsumoto

Battle

Judges

Matsuba

Shinichiro

Crab

Kurimoto, Yoko
Akino, Yutaka
Enatsu, Yoshiko
Ishii

218

1/30/98

Choki Tou

Chen

Blacktiger

Prawns

Tamio Kageyama,

Megumi

Ooishi,

Yoshizumi Ishihara,
Chai Ran

219

2/6/98

Fumiaki Sato

Sakai

Daikon

Shiichiro Kurimoto,

Radish

Kotaro Satomi,
Keiko liboshi.

Kazuko
220

2/20/98

Yukio Hattori

Nakamura

Tuna

Saiki

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Masumi
Okada, Hisako

Manda, Asako
221

2/27/98

Yukio Hirayama

Morimoto

Sea Bream

Kishi

Yasushi Akimoto,

Masumi Okada,
Kaori Momoi,
Asako
222

3/6/98

Motohito Kondo Sakai

Kishi

Matsuri

Yumi Adachi,
Naomi Hosokawa,
Yoko Akino, Asako

Broccoli

Shinichiro

Hina

Kishi

223

3/13/98

Mario

Frittoli

Kobe

Kurimoto, Chizuru

Azuma, Yutaka
Enatsu, Asako Kishi
224

4/3/98

Masayoshi
Kimura

Morimoto

Rice

Tenmei Kanou,
Yoko Akino, Hideki
Saijyo, Asako Kishi

225

4/10/98

Tomoji

Sakai

Guinea
Fowl

Shinichiro

Ichikawa

Kurimoto, Kuniko
Asaki,

Masumi

Okada, Kazuko
Saiki

152

RON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

226

4/1 7/98

Mitsurou Harada Chen

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

Spanish

Kazuhiko Kato,

Mackerel

Chizuru Azuma,

Takao Horiuchi,

Asako
227

4/24/98

Takashi

Chen

Hiragai

Shimamura

Kishi

Tenmei Kanou,
Keiko Saito,

Yoshizumi Ishihara,

Asako
228

5/1/98

Tetsuo

Morimoto

Hagiwara

Bamboo
Shoot

Kishi

Tenmei Kanou,
Kayoko Kishimoto,
Ryugo Hashi, Asako
Kishi

229

5/8/98

Masanobu
Watanabe

Kobe

Mango

Tenmei Kanou,

Mayuko Takada,
Korn, Asako Kishi

230

5/1

5/98

Yasuhiko
Habuchi

Morimoto

Asparagus

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Miwako

Fujitani, Hideki

Takahashi, Kazuko
Saiki

231

5/22/98

Zyukyou Ryo

Chen

Pork Rib

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Keiko
Saito, Yoshizumi
Ishihara,

Kazuko

Saiki

232

5/29/98

Zyukyou Ryo

Chen

Konnyaku

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Keiko
Saito,

Yoshizumi

Ishihara,

Kazuko

Saiki

233

6/5/98

Kumiko

Sakai

Kobayashi

Mishima
Beef

Tenmei
Kanou, Megumi
Oosihi, Korn,

Kazuko
234

6/1

2/98

Keiichi

Miyanaga

Morimoto

Sweetfish

Saiki

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Sae
Isshiki, Teruhiko
Saigo,

Asako

Kishi

THE IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

235

6/19/98

Kentaro

Chen

Baby

Tenmei Kanou,

Potato

Sachiko Kobayashi,
Junichi Ishida,

Asako
236

6/26/98

Yasuhiro

Kobe

Sasajima

Kishi

Kamo

Shiichiro

Eggplant

Kurimoto,
Yoshizumi Ishihara,

Kazuko Kato, Asako

Kishi

237

7/3/98

Takaji

Yoshida

Morimoto

Tofu

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Kuniko
Asaki,

Masumi

Okada, Kazuko
Saiki

238

7/10/98

Shuzo

Sakai

Shimokawa

Manka

Shinichiro

Pork

Kurimoto, Keiko
Masuda, Tsurutaro
Kataoka, Asako
Kishi

239

7/17/98

Junichi Ito

Chen

Yogurt

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Yoko
Akino, Teruhiko
Aoi, Yoshiko

240

7/24/98

Takeshi

Morimoto

Abalone

Ishii

Tenmei Kanou,
Hitomi Takahashi,

Kajimoto

Tsurutaro Kataoka,

Asako

Kishi

241

7/31/98

Miyoko Sakai

Kobe

Watarigani

Kanou Tenmei,
Kayoko Kishimoto,
Shuko Takeda,
Kazuko Saiki

242

8/7/98

Hirokazu Handa

Morimoto

Big Eel

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Maiko
Kawakami, Masaki

Kanda, Asako Kishi

153

154

IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

243

8/14/98

Masanobu
Watanabe

Sakai

Peach

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Miwako
Fujitani, Kazushige

Nagashima, Kazuko
Saiki

244

8/21/98

Chen

Kaoru

Carp

Tenmei Kanou,
Maiko Kikuchi,
Kinya Kitaoji, Asako

Miyazawa

Kishi

245

8/28/98

Sakai,

Chen,

Pork,

Shinichiro

Ishinabe, Jou

Waki,

Terrapin,

Kurimoto, Mitsuko

Miyamoto

Banana
(Host's

2000

Ishii,

Kenji Fukui,

Asako

Kishi

Plate Special
Battle)

246

9/11/98

Kyonori Miura

Sakai

Surume
Squid

247

9/18/98

Chen

Hideki

Sardine

Maruyama

Tenmei Kanou,
Fumie Hosokawa,
Yoshizumi Ishihara,
Kazuko Saiki
Tenmei Kanou,
Keiko Saito,
Teruhiko Saigo,

Kazuko
248

9/25/98

Shuichi

Fujii

Morimoto

Keiji

Saiki

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Kuniko
Asaki,

Masumi

Okada, Asako

249

10/2/98

Shinya Tasaki

Kobe

Tuna

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Naomi

Kawashima,
Masumi Okada,
Sakao Kishi
250

0/9/98

Ron

Seigel

Sakai

Lobster

Tenmei Kanou,
Aiko Morikawa,
Kazuhiko Kato,
Kazuko Saiki

THE IRON CHEF

TESTIMONY

THE CAST AND STAFF

OF

Kenji Fukui
(Announcer,

This program
If

we must

The

is

Fuji Television)

too demanding so

air this

program,

hope

that

it

can maybe handle

physical, emotional fatigue afterward

is

stays in
it

an eternal

sleep.

once every 6 months.

comparable to broadcasting

a 3-hour marathon.

request was

made

to

the broadcasting department of Fuji

Television for a sports broadcaster,

who

can broadcast a culinary compe-

155

IRON CHEF

156

The

tition.

first

job that

had when

first

joined the

company was broad-

casting a boxing match. There are several competitors involved in

boxing

sports, but

done one on one.

is

style."

They told me, "Fine, then could you make

is
I

how I ended up
didn't

thing that

know

"What

is

"What

is

program

is

it

put

in

would be

in a

boxing

a real fighting event?"

don't.

still

About the only

vapeur?" "What

is

bombarded him with questions

is

kept
like,

mise en place?" and

a real sports event style of broadcast,

too

hope

should have

enrolled in the Hattori Nutrition College

for a
&

month
r

it

it

chao?"

To make

demanding;

style

can broadcast

instant noodles, so during the whole taping,

mentori?" "What

is

said, "I

a thing about cooking.

can cook

broadcasting the show.

asking Mr. Hattori questions.

is

thought that that

suitable for the Iron Chef, so

This

_..
This

more

many

it

or so and learned a thing or two about cook-

ing That

an eternal

would have been the

didn't have to go that

certain dishes,

let's

far.

idealj

but

You know how

say Italian dishes, that

figured

there are

no matter

how many times you

don't understand

me, so

it. I

it,

you

still

was positive the viewers had the same questions

keep asking them.

character wouldn't

ask questions about

come

If

out,

pretended to

and

know what was

thought a

going on,

totally specialized

as

my

program

wouldn't be fun to watch.

The show was broadcast

in a

99 percent sports

style,

except that

there are climaxes in sports events. For the Iron Chef, the whole hour

climax. So
ball,

there

But for

is

the "bases loaded,

show,

this

for the

have to keep up the enthusiasm for the whole hour. In base-

bases loaded,

asm

is

it

starts

no outs"

no outs"

"two out, nobody on."

with "Allez cuisinel" and

until the end.

whole hour.

as well as

It's

it's

"extra innings,

tough talking with that enthusi-

can't take a breather anywhere.

At the beginning,
saying,

when

was

"Oh!

away. That's

when

A new

people that

is

couldn't very well keep

down!" But during the

thought that

may

live

through

this experience.

was
I

and

it

was

really

it

would be

being the pitcher and being the umpire as well.

That was the

first

and

last

still

don't

know

confusing being a

broadcaster as well as a judge. In baseball

like

It

program going.

talk that kept this

tasted a dish just once over the 6 years.

a judge then,

rehearsal,

ingredient" Mr. Hattori took over and talked

was Mr. Hattori's unending

I

telling

"The knife goes up! The knife

said,

time that

tasted

any of

single thing about

cooking. Whatever

didn't understand,

the dishes.

They
good, but

said that those dishes were especially

I

found

it

difficult to describe the taste.

asked Mr. Hattori

during the show.

You have

to

come up with an opinion

this experience

realized that judges

being in the broadcasting

seat.

after

had

one or two mouthfuls. After

a

tough

job, too.

preferred

THE IRON CHEF

TESTIMONY

159

THE CAST AND STAFF

OF

Hanako Asao
(Assistant Producer, Nihon Telework, K.K.)

when

Six years ago,

chefs

was

tum when

the chefs go

Once
tell

me

the

show

first started,

it

on the

that they will be

that they are unable to sleep

eyes, the result

week before the

on the show, the

and unable

taping.

to concentrate

show

started,

went

idea of the show. They've forgotten

show has been

The chefs

a hit.

all this

now

But back then,

would compete on the same

them

to

and even

an explanation,

after

was "What

The few

agreed to be on the

chefs

is

who

show were very

courageous people.
interesting to see the dif-

It's

ference

in

matches.

whole

speed of those early

In

the

beginning,

battle

had

much

the

slower

speed. Chefs took their time

making

all

told

it

that

for a

week before

was

battlefield.

their dishes, so there

in

were

me

they couldn't sleep

the taping.

went

to

many

chefs,

be on the show. Obviously, they'd never heard of the show

their only reaction

that anyway?"

their

to several chefs

unthinkable that Chinese, Japanese, and European

asking

on

all

Most of them show up with red

Not one of them supported the

to seek their advice.

then;

chefs

of an all-nighter.

Before the

cuisines

momen-

Iron Chef.

had been decided

jobs for at least a

the

the primary job of the guest

keep their restaurants running. The restaurants lose

to

only two or three dishes that were

chefs started to

tle,

become

with battle plans and

The

it

made

in each session.

serious about winning.

became

all

who won

main

by

lit-

dishes created in Kitchen Stadium changed, as did the dishes

Japanese, Chinese,

the

little

a standard to prepare four to five dishes.

offered in restaurants. Restaurants offering a

chef

But

They came armed

item.

in Battle
I

menu

based on a mix of

and Western foods appeared. At the restaurant of

Chinese Cabbage, Chinese cabbages appeared as

am glad for the opportunity to have been

in the

midst of

these changes.

The many laughter and

chefs are

all

a part of a

tears that

wonderful

shed in negotiating with the

memory now.

THE IRON CHEF

Menu

Yukio Hattori's Prestige

Fusion Course
In recent years, a

new

New York.

mixture of the different characteristics of food world-

It is

type of cuisine called fusion has been popular in

wide. In the twenty-first century,

not

bound

ing.

The theme

to a certain label, will

for the dishes

think this type of cooking, which

become

the

main

have chosen for

this

is

basis of ethnic cook-

course

these dishes incorporate the different types of cuisine.

is

"fusion,"

and

161

162

IRON CHEF

m&m

Papaya China Sandwich (Battle

Fried papaya
used,

wrapped with yuba

is

174:

Papaya)

used as the skin of Peking ducks are

and sandwiched between toasted bread spread with sweet miso and

leeks.

The

Asian

flavors.

result

is

an

eclectic

mixture of Japanese, Chinese, and South

THE IRON CHEF

163

Avocado-Flavored Baby Chicken with Truffles and Tomatoes

(Battle 86: Avocado)

A cold puree of avocados

Tomatoes marinated

is

spread on the breast meat of a baby chicken.

in vinaigrette are

The avocados enhance

used

as

bedding for the chicken.

the taste of the chicken and the acidic tomatoes

blend together to create a well-balanced

taste.

tH

Spicy Tuna Jaw and Backbone (Battle 220: Tuna)

The jaw and backbone of the tuna

cooked over charcoal. The spiciness
vors.

The kama and

are flavored with

is

mixed

reminiscent of Southeast Asian

ribs are the tastiest parts of a tuna,

malodorous. The smell of the

the tastiness remains.

fish

is

spice

and
fla-

but tend to be

deleted by the use of spice,

and only

THE IRON CHEF

Ravioli of Squid Ink

Soup and Palm-Sized Sushi

(Battle 291: Squid)

The squid ink soup,

to Thailand's

flavored with celery

Tom Yum

risottos, so this

soup

is

Kun. Squid ink

very unique.

is

and lemongrass,

is

very similar

usually only used in pastas and

165

Hotpot of Sea Bass (Battle 38: Sea Bass)

This joint effort by Mr. Michiba and Mr.

Match. The

Chen was created during the Tag

traditional Japanese dish of hotpot

sauce and tobanjan (hot red

is

eaten with

chili paste). It's a delightful

dish eaten with Chinese flavoring.

ponzu soy

mix of a Japanese

THE IRON CHEF

Sea Bream Cracker with Anzu Liquor Ice Cream

(Battle 221: Sea
After the

many

dessert

called for.

is

Bream)

different flavors of an ethnic course, a light, refreshing

thin slice of sea

kind of wafer to garnish the

ice

cream.

bream

is

deep

fried

and used

as a

167

Masaharu Morimoto
(The Third Iron Chef Japanese)

was already

in

New York when

the Iron Chef started, but

program. There are several companies in

programs and rent them out

show was

when

to Japanese

in several of these videotapes.

New York

knew of the

that tape Japanese

companies and restaurants. The

I

was amazed

at

what they did

watched these shows. These Iron Chefs seemed to be

creating dishes in a

mere hour, and

their assistants

seemed

to

at ease in

know exact-

THE IRON CHEF

ly

what the Iron Chefs wanted.

advantage. When

actually

It

looked

became one,

Iron Chefs were at an

like the

found out

|*Q

it

wasn't like that at

all.

When

they

came

honestly thought that

to

me

with an offer to become an Iron Chef,

wasn't up to the job. Perhaps once, as a challenger,

but regularly seemed an impossible

after

New York, I mixed

going to

My

multicultural market there.

task.

started out as a sushi chef,

all

the

good

style

was

parts of different cuisines.

any one type of cooking.

specialist of

mixture

wasn't a

had no

basics.

looks

So

became one,

found out

why did

to the fact that

I

accept the offer?

like

didn't

doing what

want

regret not having

After

was

it

crash.

like,

down, someone

my

was better
it

at

|jk e

The

it

Then

decision
I

when

But

something

after

doing

then

it,

New

wasn't exactly scared, but

was the height of my nervousness.

York,

would crash and

would have taken

saw another person

would be an

got back

home

In

prayed that the plane would

would end up with

article in a

safely,

and

broken

leg

newspaper with

was

New

York. Battle

crestfallen.

was

that nervous.
I

knew

fully

what was expected of

me when

accepted the

not

all.

accepted the position of Iron

to regret

first battle

there

else

"Iron Chef injured in a plane crash from

to be postponed."

that at

all.

coming back from

or something.

heading

it

actually did accept the position,

wished that

turned

to regret

done

really nervous.

the plane

would have been doing.

Chef, thinking that

down

boils

It all

'* is

being in the center of attention

am competitive. If

the job.

myself was cut out to become an Iron Chef in

Japanese cuisine.

and

When

advantage.

didn't think a person

actually
like

the Iron

like

Chefs are at an

had never

mastered traditional Japanese cooking, or French

cooking, so

and

different cuisines in order to please the

It

of

offer.

170

IRON CHEF

They chose me out of all the wonderful Japanese

having been in
ordinary.

New York,

strived to create a dish that

delicious" for every episode.

if I

do something out of the

was "unique, avant-garde, and yet

than done. Since ancient

been said to go with certain ingredients.

followed these rules, the dish would end up being ordinary.

ends up being ordinary because

good. So what
f

to

easier said

It's

times, certain ingredients have

But

me

they expected

chefs in Japan because,

it's

good combination and

It

tastes

it

did was deny the basic rules and com-

had to cook
bine things that would, in

edible dishes

together.
to

out of inedibie
.

to start

from "couldn't possibly

eat this"

something that would pass muster on the program.

There
ingredients

had

probability, not go well

all

aren't

many

dishes that are unique, avant-garde,

yet delicious in this world.

thinking of recipes
practically

me

gave

York.

had made

The

dishes

interesting

and

my trip from New

making in New York were

a resolution during
I

had been

different.

decided that

would use

ulcers.

those dishes one by one

ulation session at the

those dishes and asked

these dishes

used up

all

on potato

on the show. But during

Gourmet Academy,

them what they thought. The

had already been made on the show.

of my secret recipes in the

chips, oil

on sashimi, or

first battle.

in a panic.

all
I

all

of

had

Caviar and miso spread

as

and using

garnishes ...

them were used

battle.

made

reply was that

was

frying flattened sardines

them

a sim-

all

of

in the first

During the match,

all I

thought about was winning, so

I

used

of,

all

the ideas that

but afterward,

What was

Well,

to
I

knew

regretted

it.

do now?

made up new

THE IRON CHEF

recipes as

went along, but

in the last six

still

with something really original by myself.

new

me

recipes practically gave

ulcers.

Fukui, the broadcaster, said things

going to do with
versity,

this ingredient!"

It

and

Your biggest enemy

never happy about losing

are aiming to create

is

had

really hard.

to

when Mr.

didn't help matters

see

come up

Thinking of

what Mr. Morimoto

did what a graduate of an

new product

is

uni-

elite

huge food

for a

for every show.

it

in Kitchen

Stadium

Winning or

you, yourself.

It is

did

was

like, "Let's

supervising the development of a

corporation, does

time.

It

months,

171

...). It's

is

not the opponent or the

losing isn't the point (well,

whether what you

was

created to your satisfaction

and whether or not the judges can understand what

you had
happen

created.

that

During
said,

when

am most disappointed.
my introductory video

is

a dish that the

Japanese cuisine
djsh

clip,

Mr. Kaga

many

oppositions, because

just that."

doing and
good, but

It

has to be

It
.

world cuisine.

took a while for the judges to truly understand what

isn't

Japanese,"

part of this dish

was one of the

first

comments

But the judges slowly started to understand what

is

was

Japanese?

that

It's

received.

was doing. The best

example of that would be Masumi Okada.

Mr. Okada was present as a judge during
Bream).

had won the

hadn't given

me

panache. But this

would rather
thing

give

battle 3 to

1,

my first

isn't a

battle (Battle Sea

and Mr. Okada was the only one who

his vote. His reasoning was, "It

was good, and

it

had

Japanese dish that an Iron Chef would make.

my vote to a taste that am

I

who|e

believed that he could

why I was doing them. "What

it

ate.

chose him regardless

of

^^

is

wor,d can a PP reci "

whole world can appreciate.

has to be world cuisine.

do

these two things don't

"What we demand of an Iron Chef of Japanese

cuisine
It

It's

familiar with, then to

don't understand." So at the next battle that Mr.

some-

Okada judged,

172

IRON CHEF

which was

Battle Tofu

changed

"This difference

to,

thing like

and the one

He had

this."

ference," but

is

interesting.

rejected

after that

on Mr. Okada and cooked

focused entirely

Battle

good.

It's

my cooking

Baby Salmon

Then

for him.

his

never tasted any-

because of the

at first

comment

"dif-

now the "difference" was good. I was supremely happy to

see

this change.

What
now.

It's

had been doing

called creative cuisine.

the distance between

lessen.
I

It

as

an Iron Chef

being done everywhere

is

The judges accepted

my cooking and

norm

the

was the times that helped me.

It

was

my cooking because

of society had started to

all

good timing.

fought twenty-four battles as an Iron Chef, but

relaxed.

When

they

call out, "Allez cuisine!"

relaxed, but

up

ingredient

announced,

So until

is

held

moment,

until that

my knife,

may turn

it

had

never became

my knife, become
my fears. When the theme

and

grip

out to be the thing you

was always

tense.

least expect.

You hear about how people

doing kendo relax once they are holding anything, even chopsticks.

same with

the

us.

Once we

are holding our knives,

begin. But until then, I'm shaking

all

them and

declare a

What had been

We

tie.

to

over.

Overtimes always unnerved me. The match

taste

It's

we know where

is

finished, the judges

are herded out of the studio while they

are bringing the

new theme

ingredient

in.

Once we

are

doing as an Iron

Chef

is

being done

everywhere now,

back

then

it's

battles,

called

creative cuisine.

had

we have time

Most of the

to look over the ingredients

is

none of that

to

for over-

ingredients have been used up in

easier if

we were

what ingredients were

what

and

For regular

match so you're not sure what

would be much

to panic, figuring out

ingredient,

"Allez cuisine!" all over again.

the previous

see
I

announce the

before the battle. But there

times.

It's

inside, they

given the time to

left. It's like,

do about no

leeks.

is left. It

Leeks! None!

THE IRON CHEF

"Good

People comment,
stint as

an Iron Chef, but the notion

changed for me, and

accumulated a
Iron Chef.
I

don't

amid

all

Morimoto begins now.

restaurant in

thing, but
will

course

sunk

after

in.

this will affect

did

my

Nothing has

me

yet.

have

The

Iron Chef.

do. Failing in
fail

Do

Tokyo

in

Masaharu

my
I

have a
is

Then nothing has

real battle for

in the year 2001.

can as a chef.

New York.

my liver has been acting up. What if

plan on opening

cannot afford to

succeed in

hasn't

these congratulatory words?

New York

plan to go as far as

Of

know how

have gained weight, and

come out of my being an

chance?

became famous"

still

of stress over the past 5 years, even before becoming an

lot

die 5 years later,

own

thing you

173

The

real battle for

Masaharu Morimoto

one

New York.

begins now.

plan to go

as far as

can as a chef.

174

IRON CHEF

BATTLES

251 T

O 297

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

251

10/16/98

Kyouko Kagata

Chen

Veal

Tenmei Kano,
Kayoko Kishimoto,
Korn, Asako Kishi

252

10/23/98

Tatsutoshi

Morimoto

Natto

Tenmei Kano,
Hiromi Nagasaku,

Kumamoto

Tsurutaro Kataoka,

Chieko

253

10/30/98

Kensuke Sakai

Kobe

Pumpkin

Honma

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Kayoko
Kishimoto, Shigeo

Nagashima, Asako
Kishi

254

1/6/98

Kazumi

Sakai

Saury

Nagayama

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Kuniko
Asagi,

Joji

Yamamoto, Kazuko
Saiki

255

11/13/98

Hisao Yaginuma

Chen

Cilantro

Tenmei Kanou,
Yukio Hatoyama,
Sachi Hatoyama,
Kazuko Saiki

256

11/20/98

Takatugu
Sasaoka

Kobe

Wild
Maitake

Shinichiro

Mushroom

Akino, Panzetta

Kurimoto, Yoko
Girolamo, Asako
Kishi

257

11/27/98

Marco

Morimoto

Porcini

Mushroom

Morinari

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Chizuru

Azuma, Francesco
Espogito, Kazuko
Saiki

258

12/4/98

Mitsuo

Hazama

Sakai

Duck

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Keiko
Saito,

Masumi

Okada, Asako

Kishi

THE IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

259

12/11/98

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

Hiromichi

Kobe

Octopus

Tenmei Kanou,
Naomi Hosokawa,

Yoneda

Hideki Takahashi,

Asako
260

12/18/98

Mitsuo

Chen

Shark's Fin

Suganuma

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Yoko
Akino, Chai Ran,

Kazuko
261

12/25/98

Jiro

Ogue

Morimoto

Turkey

Saiki

Yasushi Akimoto,

Miwako

Fujitani,

Kinya Kitaoji, Asako

Kishi

262

1/8/99

Kaken Sya

Chen

Homard

Tenmei Kanou,
Hisako Manda,

Shukou
Kazuko
263

1/1 5/99

Kouei

Sakai

Codfish

Sasaki,
Saiki

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Yoko

Kamimura

Akino, Tsurutaro

Kataoka, Kazuko
Saiki

264

1/22/99

Constantino

Kobe

Genmoli

Green
Pepper

Youichi

Masuzoe, Megumi
Ooishi, Tenmei

Kanou, Asako

265

1/29/99

Hiroyuki

Morimoto

Yellowtail

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Keiko
Mitsuo

Hakogi

Saito,

Tatsukawa, Kazuko
Saiki

266

2/5/99

Tetsuji lio

Morimoto

Taraba

Crab

267

2/12/99

Hironobu
Tujiguchi

Kobe

Tenmei Kanou,
Hiromi Nagasaku,
Katuya Nomura,
Kazuko Saiki

Chocolate

Shinichiro

Banana

Kurimoto, Akiko
Hinagata, Tetsuya

Kumagawa, Asako
Kishi

I75

176

IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

268

2/19/99

Toshiya Senba

Sakai

Asyura
Oyster

Tenmei Kanou, Lisa

Jyunna, Masahiko
Kondo, Asako Kishi

269

2/26/99

Ryouzo Asao

Chen

Shark

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Michie

Nakamaru, Masumi
Okada, Asako Kishi
270

3/12/99

Morimoto

Koumei
Nakamura

Egg

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Yuko
Asa no, Kotaro
Satomi, Kazuko
Saiki

271

3/19/99

Kouji Hosokai

Sakai

Oxtail

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Keiko
Saito, Korn,

Kazuko

Saiki

272

3/26/99

Morimoto

Seiya

Angler

Masahara

Tenmei Kanou,
Keiko Masuda,
Hideki Takahashi,

Kazuko
273

4/2/99

Gyokubun

Sai

Chen

Saiki

Chinese

Shinichiro

Cabbage

Kurimoto, Kayoko
Kishimoto, Shinji
Tanimura, Asako

Udon

Tenmei Kanou,

Kishi

274

4/9/99

Tooru Komori

Sakai

Noodle

Miwako

Fujitani,

Toru Watanabe,

Asako
275

4/16/99

Franco
Canzoniere

Kobe

Tomato

Kishi

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Chizuru

Azuma, Panzetta
Girolamo, Kazuko
Saiki

276

4/23/99

Yusuke
Yamashita

Morimoto

Codfish

Shinichiro

Roe

Kurimoto, Sachiko
Kobayashi,
Kunihiko Mitamura,

Kazuko

Saiki

THE IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

277

4/30/99

Yusuke
Yamashita

Morimoto

Long Leek

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Sachiko
Kobayashi,
Kunihiko Mitamura,

Kazuko
278

5/7/99

Takeshi

Ookubo

Chen

Saiki

Bean

Shinichiro

Sprout

Kurimoto, Akiko
Hinagata, Takao
Horiuchi, Yoshiko
Ishii

279

5/14/99

Michel Usel

Sakai

Lamb

Tenmei Kanou,
Akiko Nishina,
Kazuyoshi
Nagashima, Asako
Kishi

280

5/21/99

Spano

Stelvio

Chen

Milk-Fed

Pork

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Chizuru

Azuma, Hideki
Takahashi, Asako
Kishi

281

6/11/99

Makoto Nagata

Kobe

Jumbo
Lobster

Tenmei Kanou,
Naomi Hosokawa,
Tsurutaro Kataoka,

Kazuko
282

6/18/99

Keiji

Nakazawa

Morimoto

Shad,

Saiki

Shinichiro

Conglers,

Kurimoto, Miyoko

Tuna, Egg,

Asada, Asei
Kobayashi, Asako

Kanpyo

Kishi

283

6/25/99

Tsutomu Makio

Sakai

Black Pork

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Yoko
Akino, Toshio
Shiba, Kazuko Saiki

284

7/2/99

Michael Noble

285

7/9/99

Yuji

Tateno

Morimoto

Potato

Tenmei Kanou,
Yoko Akino, Yukio
Hahsi, Asako Kishi

Chen

Sea Urchin

Keiko Saito,
Ishihara,

Tim Zagat,

Nina Zagat

178

IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

286

7/16/99

Yoshimi

Morimoto

Sea Eel

Tenmei Kanou,
Yukiyo Toake,
Tsurutaro Kataoka,
Yoshiko Ishii

Kobe

Jumbo
Mushroom

Tenmei Kanou, Sae

Isshiki, Kazuhiko
Kato, Asako Kishi

Tanigkawa

Yamaoka

287

7/23/99

Shouji

288

7/30/99

Dominic Corby

Chen

Foie Gras

Tenmei Kanou,
Yuko Asa no,
Isao Fukutome,
Kazuko Saiki

289

8/6/99

Dominic Corby

Chen

Asparagus

Tenmei Kanou,
Yuko Asano, Isao
Fukutome, Kazuko
Saiki

290

8/13/99

Hiromoto Sakai

Kobe

Conger

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Kayoko
Kishimoto, Kiyoshi
Nakajyo,

Kazuko
291

8/20/99

Akira

Watanabe

Morimoto

Squid

Saiki

Shinichiro

Kurimoto,

Megumi

Ryuko
Hagiwara, Kazuko

Oosihi,

Saiki

292

8/27/99

Yoshihide

Sakai

Tenmei Kanou,

Ray

Hisako Manda,

Furuga

Kinya Kitaoji,

Kazuko
293

9/3/99

Ryozo
Shigematsu

Morimoto

Sea Bass

Saiki

Shinichiro

Kurimoto, Yumi
Takigawa, Hideki
Takahashi, Asako
Kishi

294

9/10/99

Kobe

Chen

Tokyo X
(Strongest
Iron

Chef

Battle)

Tenmei Kanou,

Momoko

Kikuchi,

Akebono, Asako
Kishi, Hiroshi

Ishinabe

THE IRON CHEF

Show

Japanese

No.

Air Date

Challenger

Iron Chef

Battle

Judges

295

9/19/99

Morimoto

Sakai

Green
Pepper

Shinichiro

(Strongest

Shinno, Kinya

Iron Chef

Kitaoji,

Battle)

Saiki,

Kurimoto, Kyoko

Kazuko
Rokusaburo

Michiba

296

9/24/99

Kenichi

Chen

Sakai

Homard

Tatsuo Umemiya,

(Strongest

Yuko Asano, Kyoko

Mano, Kazuko
Saiki, Rokusaburo

Iron Chef
Battle)

Michiba

297

9/24/99

Alain Passart

Sakai

Chicken

Ryutaro Hashimoto
Yoshiko Mita,

(Strongest

Tatsuo Umemiya,

Iron Chef

Chai Ran, Asako

Battle)

Kishi

Ronkonkai

179

180

IRON CHEF

TESTIMONY

THE CAST AND STAFF

OF

Shinichiro Ota
(Narrator, Seiji Production)

When

first

heard of the job,

episode. Because
outfits for

came

me, and

jeans.

wonder when

don't

battled constantly

When
shows,

feeling of immediacy.

faster

feel to

wore whatever

no

screen, there were

I

wore when

remember

talking

Ito,

on

much

either, in

screen? Originally,

the scriptwriter, was supposed

to be doing the talking as well.

with trying to convey a

got a different time

on

started appearing

Mr. [Masahiro]
I

be doing only the pilot

to

morning.

was never on screen and

the beginning.

was meant

was dressed in

to the studio in the

I

wasn't scheduled to appear

slot,

watch the videos of the

find that

and

faster as

they wanted

first

am talking very slowly.

few

talked

time went on. After the show

more of an "auto

racing pit report"

the whole thing.

In

my business

as a narrator, mistakes are

program, they allowed a few mistakes because

not allowed. But for this

it

contributed to the

ing of immediacy.

than a few mistakes, so

fact, that

editing

it

is

is

many

in

got yelled at by the

staff.

Though
there

feel-

made more

it is

a variety show,

nothing fake about

important to speak

right time. If

it,

so

at the

don't say, "The

chef used the wrong ingredient

now"

at that

moment,

the

com-

THE IRON CHEF

ment

dies. That's timing.

would

Even

if

said

later, all

it

the editing in the world

not be able to convey the immediacy. Oftentimes Mr. Ito yelled at

me to use the comments "now." Sometimes

the time to use

ments

it

"now."

at the right time,

gling to use
I

it

when you

but

elsewhere, that

misread

many

when

fine

It's

is

"kome

nasu!'

was

It

shouldn't be, but

names. Mr.

Ito's

it

yelled

back that

when

it's

of the characters.

most

happened.

also

and you

it

as "bei

nasu

was able

After a while

to decipher

as

it

be misread. Well,

He throws

it

to

me. But

it

would

like

meet

to

the

got used to his handwriting. All writers have their

misread

misread several of the challengers'

is illegible.

down on paper and hands

own messy handwriting.

are strug-

stressful.

the words

com-

said "sparrow's nest" instead of

a given that those ingredients

handwriting

didn't have

you're able to use scripted

lose the timing,

"swallow's nest," or instead of reading

that

got so good,

man doing my

voiceover

in

America.

words that even he himI

hear he

is

fat

self couldn't.
It

Iron Chef scolded me. Mr. Tanaka, the director, told

and interview the Iron Chef during

He

figured,

yelled,

the battle.

"Not now!"

totally
I

understood that

was hurt

nonetheless. Mr. Tanaka understood,

and we never interviewed chefs

during a battle again.

I

heard that

in the States

two times
Mr.

Fukui

voiceover.

thought

it

was

me
bad

me.
to

go

idea,

Why not, and stuck a microphone out to Mr. Chen Kenichi.

duct an interview, but

too,

like

only happened once, but there was a time

when an

but

181

this

show

is

popular

now, and that they

week.

and

My voice,
Mr.

air

it

along with

Hattori,

is

have done voiceovers, but

it

was a bad time

to con-

:
".'.-.- ,

have never had one done to me.

tend to get stuck in
out as "kkui-san."

my

office,

hear he

but

is

who

throat. Instead of saying, "Fukui-san,"

parts.

fat like

think that

the only one

My voice is high-pitched, and my words

it

comes

heard that the person doing the voiceover will get his

words stuck at the same

once.

V?NM-

-'"K-,-..

High

level indeed.

would like to meet him

me. There are many top-level narrators in

am

the only one

who

has debuted internationally.

my

got his voice dubbed. I'm

THE IRON CHEF

was

they told
It's

a 22-year-old novice

me to go do this job. I

the longest

When

to

didn't

know

never thought that

have ever stayed

at

one

was able

to

do

it

right

from

would

it

was

sad, but

on the other

am

glad to have

until the very end.

this

show was such an

influential
I

am

glad that a

many people think that I am an announcer. Or

get jobs requesting that

use the Iron Chef style.

am not an announcer at Fuji Television.

all

when

be the "refrigerator reporter" until the very end.

Because
show,

left

last this long.

single job.

heard that the show was ending,

hand, relieved that

been able

who

183

Please direct

novice

like

me was

able to stay on as

inquiries to Aoji Productions.

the "refrigerator
reporter" until the

very end.

Hiroyuki Sakai
(The Second Iron Chef French)

Mr. Kihachi Kumagai, the owner of the Kihachi Restaurant, recom-

mended me when he
Chef of French
to

my restaurant to
At the end,

air for

show was looking

Every night, Mr. Matsuo and his

talk to

me

about

to be

for a

new

staff would

Iron

come

it.

met with the producers

They convinced me
be on the

learned that the

cuisine.

at

Mr. Kumagai's restaurant.

on the show, saying

that they only planned to

another 6 months, which meant battling maybe 2 or 3

THE IRON CHEF

times.
it's

The

staff at the restaurant

only 3 times,

But
At

why not?"

first

saying, "Monsieur,

decided to take them up on their

ended up being

it

me too,

convinced

a 6-year stint.

many people had much to

185

if

offer.

say to me. "That

program

is

a dis-

grace to the professionals"; "I can't believe he'd take over for Mr. Ishinabe;

they are friends, for God's sake"; and so on.

But

was determined, having accepted

do, regardless of

what people might

would be

It

Negative

like,

"He

is

to

do whatever

words didn't matter

bringing French chefs

such a low-level show"; "Cooking in a battle

is

all

to

to

me.

"How do they

on were hurled

at

the time.

kept telling

part of the show,

my
I

staff

and those

have said that

close to

me

would never do anything

might trouble the people on the show.

I

had

down by being on

ridiculous";

expect a decent French dish in a mere hour?" and so

me

think.

a lie to say that these

comments

it,

will do.

will

that

that

was

me

was

on, y

meant to

be on the show

understood me.

three times;
It

was encouraging

The Iron Chefs have

know

that

gles that

no one can

bond because we

comprehend

years.

the strug-

except for ourselves. Obviously, there were dif-

ferences in our genre

and

Michiba, Mr. Chen, and

was the father

ended

U P sta y ,n 9 for 6

in this situation.

a special

fully

we go through

me

Mr. Michiba and

to have

Mr. Chen be so supportive of

that

do what

think those around

now

age, but

our bond was very strong. Mr.

are 12 years apart

figure, while

Mr. Chen saw

from each

me as an

other.

Mr. Michiba

older brother.

We sup-

ported each other psychologically as well.

We

all

owned our own

faced in our restaurants.

We

restaurants, so

were truly very

we shared

the problems

we

close.

After about a year or so, the ratings started to go up.

The perspec-

The Iron Chefs have

a special bond;

we

tive

people had on the show started to change, bit by

bit.

People started taking on an attitude

know no one

else

wonder how you keep up with

no one believed

hend the struggles

through.

we could prepare such

first

a bit relieved

At the beginning,

taped everything in
right?"

we only had an

hour,

really.

They were amazed and impressed by the

we were only told

The

really

time

fact

of the theme ingredients then and by the fact that

a

meal in a mere hour.

lost,

now?" In

battle, a battle

it's

they'd say. But after a while, they started to believe

that, yes,

that

we

"Wow,

one hour. "You have more than an hour,

can fully compre-

we go

that

it."

of,

Mr. Matsuo said to me, "Mr. Sakai, aren't you

truth,

using homards.

was mortified.

think

lost in

my ninth

THE IRON CHEF

was worse that the opponent was

It

187

young French chef who had

my restaurant. My family's
faces, my daughter's face came to mind ... my daughter's friends had
started to know what did for a living, because they saw me on TV.
was apprehensive about what my staff would say to me. didn't

his

own

restaurant.

was scared

to

go back to

want

to

cheerful

go straight back to the restaurant. In the end,

and

went

in saying, "Hey,

was

ultra-

But everyone in the

lost today!"

restaurant looked totally miserable. That was tough.

I

had

my

wondered how

first

especially

my

was dead

wife,

was opposed to

around and became

she was glad that

my biggest

had done

My daughter was
by her friends

My

Iron Chef's son."

office started

for

which

He seems
in food, so

found out what

people from his

to

my

restaurant,

very grateful.

me whether my
follow in my footsteps.

have asked

son was going to

the

lost yesterday,

him, "So you're an

Many

coming

am

Many

a chef.

"Your dad

at his office

did, his boss said to

to have absolutely

no

interest

he probably can't take over as

Maybe,

company

in the future,

as a

he can join

manager. But only

if

he

so wishes.

Looking back,

was

when

mortified
lost for

first

time.

me

it.

14, 15 years old at the time.

at school,

She

end she came

supporter. She told

son was already working, and

when people
I

set against the idea.

for a long time. In the

it

When I
my family,

family would react.

decided to become an Iron Chef,

never lost a battle

She would get teased

huh?"

the

188

IRON CHEF

involving
fine

fish.

when

lose

When

ments regarding the opponent's

looked

been

how much

at

com-

dishes.

of the food had

behind by the judges.

left

would teach me

that that

had

still

listened to the judges'

a point to taste the

it

opponent's dishes.
doubts,

is

have confidence, but once

made

it,

love fish. Everything

believed

a lesson as

well.

think

the

important to observe

it's

work of other

opponent flavored
tants

and ask what

Just once,

It

it

wanted

would be the

is

pusi,

many

myself.

cook one perfect dish

a perfect dish

day,

was never

decided that

My assistants

wanted

in

to

When my

an hour. But

can

favorite

would only cook one

sit

and watch, and

show them

that the best

couldn't.

you

My dream for

When

learned that

it

was

a battle of octo-

don't like mollusks.

am grateful to the show for giving me the opportunity to deal with

types of ingredients, ingredients that

assis-

realized.

hated Battle Octopus.

lost all interest.

French cooking. Asked what changed about

Chef,

would grab one of his

to create the perfect dish.

perfect dish.

would do everything by
can do

the

was flavored with.

announced one

ingredient was
dish.

When

chefs.

a dish in a different way,

would have

for sure

is

that

Among

to say nothing, since

learned a

the

many

me

don't ordinarily use in

after

becoming an Iron

am still the same. But one thing

lot.

challengers, there are ones

under the pressure of a big

expectations.

hotel.

who

They carry with them

all

are

weighed

of the hotel's

tend to be more careful toward them, regardless of

THE IRON CHEF

whether they win or

it," is

how
I

der
to

greet them.

all

the fan letters that

have taken the time to write to

if

TV show, don't be too uptight about

only a

always pay attention to fan letters as well.

write back to

who

lose. "It's

receive.

me

after

my

appreciation. In

some of those

that person wrote because they heard that

For the

final battle

mind writing,

so

don't want these people,

watching the show, to won-

their letters ever got to the Iron Chefs. All

show

don't

it

takes

fan letters

is

it is

one postcard
written that

always write back.

between Mr. Chen and myself, there was a week

between the preliminary

battle

and the

final battle.

Usually

we

talk to

each other during the week, but for that particular week, neither of us
called the other.

When

leaving the studio after the preliminary battle,

we

parted with the words, "Let's each of us do our best."

When

the day finally came, and the

.4.

theme was homards,

thought

189

190

IRON CHEF

that

would

surely lose.

Mr. Chen and

battle,

we became

We

teary.

It

was pure luck that

embraced each

won

that day. After the

and we were both so moved,

other,

were both tense.

wondered

my

if

glasses

would

crack.

Chen and I were comrades, and we had

year of so after Mr. Michiba

We

ting.

since

end.

the show, Mr.

Chen was

had an unspoken pact even before then, that

leaves the show, the other

died,

left

a certain understanding.

him

and

that led

But

after talking to

we came

this far,

would

follow. Well,

either

one of us

to consider quitting.

Mr. Michiba and Mr. Matsuo,

we might

as well

go through with

We decided to concentrate on enjoying ourselves.

When the Iron Chef ended, was sad. From now

said to
it

him

that

until the very

on, Friday nights

never be the same.

I

years.
this

talking of quit-

Mr. Chen's mother had just

will

if

was glad

matured

was good

what chefs

are like.

brought

a lot as well.

for the culinary

dients every time,

screen.

my way of life for the past 6

think that a kind of "proof" of myself as a chef was

show, and
It

show

for the opportunity to

I felt,

am

filled

made through

with gratefulness.

world that the laymen got a glimpse of

however, that there was an abundance of ingre-

and much of

home

all

it

was wasted. The whole

of the leftover ingredients.

lot wasn't

on

THE IRON CHEF

TESTIMONY

OF

THE CAST AND STAFF

Yukio Hattori
(Principal of Hattori School of Nutrition)

became involved with the show following an

Matsuo, the producer. Not only was

and how

The show's

them on

influence was amazing.

gourmet shop that

demanding

to present

They wanted

also

helped decide the theme

the show.
I

heard from an employee of a

after a particular episode,

foie gras.

from Mr.

involved as a commentator,

attended the weekly meetings for the show.

ingredients,

invitation

customers flocked there

fresh foie gras in particular.

The

asso-

191

192

IRON CHEF

ciation of French ingredients

was

They had never seen anything

also surprised

by

this

phenomenon.

Aside from theme ingredients,

like this.

They

other items grew in popularity. Balsamic vinegar in particular.

weren't widely

known, even

in the Japanese culinary world, before this

time. But after the chefs used

them on

the show, consumption grew 350

percent annually.

Of
aired,

none of

course,

many chefs

this

happened overnight.

When

attacked me, saying, "Cancel the show!

the

It'll

show

bring

first

down

the whole culinary world!" After a while, such oppo-

Even a few of the

judges asked, "Are
.

these people doing

out

sition petered

am

sure that everyone was surprised. There

never had been anything

like Iron

Chef'before. Even

it

a few of the judges asked, "Are these people doing

for real?
If

everyone hadn't been so serious about

wouldn't have lasted for 6 years.

because they could
challengers.
It

feel

A pinch

of

was the same

air

it

twice a

were amazed with

salt

this

in the

this

one grew

similar pro-

we had such

a sophis-

was coincidence. Details were important to

if it

it

was Japanese food, the correct

and point out

where

heard that the Americans

Fujiyama and geishas.

Japanese cuisine was used. The same

to see

a dish.

in popularity to a point

States.

show. They couldn't believe

example, for table settings,

want anyone

make or break

members. While many

United

ticated culture in Japan, the land of

None of

it, it

caught the attention of the viewers

alone can

for the staff

week
this

It

the seriousness between the Iron Chefs and the

grams have been canceled,

they

it

for real?"

is

that

true for Western food.

it

was

us.

For

setting for

We

didn't

culturally incorrect or any-

thing like that. Correct wineglasses were paired with certain wines; and
for Japanese cuisine, the seasonality
is

only the basics, but

it is

true that

was

strictly

many

adhered

to.

Perhaps

this

of these rules have been done

THE IRON CHEF

away with

in recent years.

details resulted in Iron

As
world

far as

as this

We

always did our research. Such attention to

Chef"being an authentic show.

know, no other show has ever influenced the culinary

show

has.

The culinary world

Chefs dare not break out of the mold.

of this show, but

The

first

it

is

Many do

a very traditional world.

not welcome the influence

has changed the culinary world in at least two ways.

influence

that the Iron Chef'has proven that

is

new

dishes,

transcending a particular genre, can be created. The other influence

realization that using as

This

is

many ingredients

a novel experience for chefs. Cost

Michiba's "Dashi of

Life,"

is

one wishes can create

as

major

flakes,

the

dishes.

Mr.

heard Americans

which are about 660

yen (about $6.00) per ounce. Even

erated.

is

issue for them. For

he used a potful of the

I

most expensive bonito

sive restaurants,

193

at the

were amazed with

most expen-

such extravagance would not be

tol-

this

show. They

used to request that the challengers create

couldn't believe

we

"not everyday dishes, but dishes worthy of the Paris

my wish

collection!"

It is

this at least

once in

had such a

that every chef experience

his or her career.

surreal experience as TV, there

Even through

was some

sophisti-

cated culture

positive

Japan.
effect

on the challengers who did experience

*
>*>

"^R

o^^l \

AT

'..

it.

':^B--'."

fr%*&
^J

t
r

in

194

RON CHEF

The

biggest products of this

then, chefs

show

are the superstar chefs. Until

had been backstage; now they

are stars in their

own

right.

Even the sweat on their brows looks smart, and I'm sure that everyone

was shocked

were not

to realize that chefs too can afford Mercedes. Chefs

hip until now.

This

new view

school children.

reflected in the questionnaires of elementary

is

When

the Iron Chef first started, the profession of chef

ranked 18th in their dream professions. After a while,

3rd best profession, and

Th

Ch

last year,

fession.

f h

ranked

it

While

as the

its

more

mark on the
I"

arv

gifted

wm

know how many

don't

to the

of these chil-

do believe many

attempt to become one. Though only the

few can become

with a larger selection

chefs,

^ tnese gifted few, the

Id

went up

number one dream pro-

dren will end up becoming chefs,

undoubtedly made

it

of chefs

skill

sure to

is

increase.

As

have mentioned before,

done away with

recently.

On

many of the basic

traditions have been

the other hand, as contradictory as

sound, there was a wall of tradition that blocked any

won't happen overnight, but

hope

that the

new

it

may

progress.

It

new generation of chefs who

have grown up watching this show will breathe

new air

into the culinary

world.

Sustained by this wish,

had been halfhearted

was able

to

go on for 6 years.

in their involvement, these influences

have been made. Because of our determinations,

many

opposed

who had

this

show came

to accept

mention of the Iron Chef seemed

ending.
all

was

filled

it.

to

Individuals

No words

everyone

would not

chefs

who had

rejected

any

be sorry to hear that the show was

with such emotion during the

last taping, as

of the staff was. Memories of the 6 years ran through

movie.

If

could begin to describe

my feelings

am sure

my mind

then.

like a

THE IRON CHEF

TESTIMONY

OF

THE CAST AND STAFF

Asako Kishi
(Culinary Journalist)

There was a good representation of every age group

show. Mr. Masaaki Hirano and

Kurimoto, the
their 40s
their 20s.

and

late

50s.

Some

in the judges

were in our 60s and

70s.

on the

Mr. Shinichiro

Mr. Tamio Kageyama, and Mr. Tenmei Kanou were in

And

there were

young

actors

of them were as young as

18.

and

actresses

who were

in

So there was a wide variety

of age and gender.

All the judges

had sure tongues, and they were knowledgeable

WHS--

195

RON CHEF

196

about foods. However, in order to avoid having the loser be totally put

down by the

judges, there

was nobody extreme. The guests were a

differ-

ent story, but the regular judges were chosen with such criteria in mind.

Whenever

me on

somewhere, many question

give a lecture

whether the food was actually good or whether the chefs cooked
hour.
tial

Some

of a particular ingredient had been ruined. Plus the time constraint

the dish

were several cases where

would have been

tastier if

had been cooked

it

Another example that

sliced pieces of truffle

tell

always give

is

felt

that

longer.

little

Battle Truffle.

Professor Hattori was preparing a dish where thinly

never had the heart

to

an

dishes were very good, but there were cases where the poten-

didn't help matters. For example, there

in

were placed on top of a sea

a chef that his

bass pie.

dish wasn't good.

b een

fl a

The

t>

crust of the pie

ut

due

was supposed

to lack of time,

it

to have

turned out

all

mushy.
But

never had the heart to

especially after seeing

tried to avoid the

them sweat and

toil for

the past hour. So,

word good whenever commenting on

would say things

a chef that his dish wasn't good,

tell

like,

"The aroma

well," "I love the crunchiness,"

is

wonderful,"

and "You have

"It

always

the dish. Instead

goes

down

really

outdone yourself

really

today."

When
1

955, the

is

first

first

joined the Shufu no Tomosya as a journalist back in

thing that

was taught was, "Try to convey how good

without using the word good!' This lesson has served

and shape can be conveyed through

and smell cannot be conveyed.

It

television

a dish

me well. The color

and magazines, but

was tough, but

it

was

taste

worthwhile

experience.

When

Mr. Sakai and Mr. Pierre Ganiere battled

Angers, France,

at the

chateau in

likened Mr. Ganiere's cooking to "a dagger, posed and

THE IRON CHEF

ready to

inching closer and closer." The interpreter wouldn't inter-

strike,

pret these words, saying that such

guage.

really felt

Cooking
graciousness,
ple,

So

dishes

then that describing dishes

seem

is

come out

those characteristics
is

his dishes

all

words do not

exist in the

a very gallant

man. He

is

French lan-

difficult.

a reflection of the chef's personality.

is

all

Mr. Michiba

well.

197

The warmth,

in the dishes. For

the

exam-

chivalrous in his cooking as

end up having graciousness

to be singing French chansons.

to
It's

them. Mr. Ishinabe's

as if they

were hum-

ming along while being made.

Mr. Chen,

I've

known him

forever.

edited his

Kenichi
very

first

book, Chen Kenichi

fessor of the

Chinese Menu.

Women's College of Nutrition

A proshow

said to

me, "Kenichi needed the show Iron Chef in order to

outdo

his father."

Chen himself seems

to agree, as

needed the

Iron Chef in

order to outdo his

he
father.

has been heard saying pretty

much

the

same thing

elsewhere.

Maybe

because Mr. Sakai started out his career as a Japanese

it's

chef, his dishes are beautiful in their presentation.

sitive

wonderful-tasting dishes, his

boiled vegetables are exceptional ...

suppose

what Nadaman

is

eye.

is all

this

And

good

at

is

about.

Morimoto

Mr.

He

is

much more

sen-

than he appears.

Mr. Koumei Nakamura. His knife

good

He

has

he hates to

lose.

adapting to the

circumstances.

Mr.

Kobe

is

someone

skills

are sublime, he creates

eOfftftfTAC

m-j*3t

who can
30,

get his job done, while revolutionizing the industry.

he has a great

To

all

many years

in his career

He

is

only

left.

the chefs, "Everything tasted wonderful"

and "Thank you

for

everything."

My

motto

is

believe that eating

food

is

the key to

body but

to "Eat well, eat healthy, live well,

good food

is

the key to happiness

making others happy. Food

also for the soul.

would

is

and

die happy."

and preparing good

nutrition not only for the

like to eat well

and lead

happy

life.

ANALYSIS OF THE SEVEN IRON CHEFS

The Iron Chef

The data of all 297

battles battled

by the seven Iron Chefs have been com-

piled,

and used

in the analysis of the seven Iron Chefs.

score,

winning

rate,

ent fields are

The

all

theme

used to

calculation

ingredients,

illustrate the

method

is

Data of

and opposing chefs from

complete picture of all their

point each

if it is a tie.

differbattles.

as follows:

For every match, 3 points are given to the winner,

1

their total

to the loser,

and

In special matches (big battles), the winning

points are doubled. Returning challengers, or "Revengers," are fierce

opponents, and the winning points are doubled. Because Iron Chefs are
the toughest opponents, matches against

them

give the

winner quadru-

pled points. Should a match against a Revenger end in a

would be given

as follows:

point for a

tie

tie,

the points

times the winning point dou-

bled equals 2 points. Should there be a victory against a fellow Iron Chef
in a special

match, the points would be as follows: 3 winning points times

the winning point doubled for a special

match times quadruple points

given for winning against another Iron Chef equals 24 points.

of the winning points, divided by the

(BG) deviation value. This number

Iron Chef

is.

The mean value of BG

stronger you are.

number of battles
is

used to measure

is 3;

the higher

you

is

The sum

the Big

how

Game

strong an

are above 3, the

201

202

RON CHEF

The

First

French Iron Chef: Yutaka Ishinabe

Overall Results

Type of Battle

Win/Lose/Tie

Winning
Rate (percent)
Winn

Overall (8 battles)

7/1/0

88

Tag Match

1/0/0

100

Versus a Revenger

1/0/0

100

Versus an Iron Chef

1/0/0

100

Special Battle

1/0/0

100

(1

battle)

Longest winning streak: 4 battles

Total points: 42

BG deviation

value: 5.25

Results for Different

Theme Ingredients

Ingredient

Win/Lose/Tie

Points

BG

Seafood

2/0/0

3.00

Vegetable

3/0/0

3.00

Meat

0/1/0

Other

2/0/0

27

13.50

Deviation Value

Results against the Challengers

Cuisine

Win/Lose/Tie

Points

BG

French

3/1/0

2.25

Japanese

1/0/0

3.00

Italian

1/0/0

3.00

Chinese

2/0/0

27

13.50

Deviation Value

The Iron Chef

Ishinabe

took part in

marked

his

debut in the very

five battles that year,

Battle in 1998.

The only

battle

he

two

lost

first

battle

battles in 1995,

on

Iron Chef.

He

and one Special

was against Jacques Borie

in Battle

Chicken.

No
of

deep analysis can be made of Ishinabe, due to the few number

He

battles.

cuisines,

has not battled against chefs of multicultural and ethnic

nor has he taken part in any overseas

Chen. But he has managed to

Battle:

The

illustrate his true

Host's 2000 Plate Battle.

He took

battles like Sakai

and

value in the 1998 Special

part in a Tag Match, team-

ing with Sakai and the notorious challenger Etsuo Jou against the fear-

some

trio

of Chinese cuisine: Chen, Wakiya, and Miyamoto.

Special Battle

won

and

against an

a Tag

Match and

Iron Chef, grand

slamming the point

total.

He

is

now

a legendary figure in the culinary

world.

He won

the

203

204

IRON CHEF

The

First

Japanese Iron Chef: Rokusaburo Michiba

Overall Results

Type of Battle

Win/Lose/Tie

Winning
Win

Overall (38 battles)

32/5/1

84

Tag Match

1/1/0

50

Versus a Revenger

2/1/0

67

Versus an Iron Chef

1/1/0

50

Special Battle (6 battles)

5/1/0

83

Rate (percent)

Longest winning streak: 11 battles

Total points: 139

BG deviation

value: 3.66

Results for Different

Theme Ingredients
Points

BG

63

3.50

7/1/1

25

2.78

Meat

4/1/0

36

7.20

Other

5/1/0

15

2.50

Ingredient

Win/Lose/Tie

Seafood

Vegetable

6/2/0

Deviation Value

Results against the Challengers

Cuisine

Win/Lose/Tie

Points

BG

French

2.25

Deviation Value

6/2/0

18

Japanese

10/1/0

39

3.55

Italian

3/0/0

12

4.00

Chinese

8/2/0

55

5.00

Multicultural

5/0/0

15

3.00

The Iron Ch e f

winning

Michiba's
are spectacular.

He

rates

won

has

84

and with

percent of his battles;

the exception of Ishinabe, he has

the highest score.
battles

The number of

compared

Iron Chefs

isn't

to

the other

high, but he has

used a wide variety of ingredients

and won against chefs

in a

variety of cuisines.

BG

His

deviation value

higher than the average

ation value of

3,

that he

was strong

as well.

He was

in

which means
in big battles

especially strong

meats, scoring a

7.20.

Winning

is

BG devi-

the

whopping
1995 Iron

Chef World Cup and winning

the Mr.

Iron Chef Battle are

reflected in this score.

won

He

has

83 percent of his Special

Battles.

The only disappointing

French chefs.

from those
after that.

He

losses

lost his first

factor

is

his

two French

weak deviation value

battles,

against

but he recovered well

and won three consecutive times against French chefs

Michiba was an indomitable Iron Chef.

205

206

IRON CHEF

The Chinese Iron Chef: Chen Kenichi

Overall Results

Type of Battle

Win/Lose/Tie

Win
Winning
Rate (percent)

Overall (92 battles)

67/22/3

73

Tag Match

0/3/0

Versus a Revenger

1/3/1

27

Versus an Iron Chef

2/4/0

33

Special Battles (8 battles)

4/4/0

50

Longest winning streak: 14 battles

Total points:

256

BG deviation

value: 2.78

Results for Different

Theme Ingredients

Ingredient

Win/Lose/Tie

Points

BG

Deviation Value

Seafood

32/10/0

100

2.38

Vegetable

19/7/0

57

2.19

Meat

6/2/3

48

4.36

Other

10/3/0

51

3.92

Results against the Challengers

Cuisine

Win/Lose/Tie

Points

BG

French

5/5/2

42

3.50

Japanese

17/3/0

51

2.55

Italian

4.00

Deviation Value

13/2/0

60

Chinese

25/10/1

82

2.28

Multicultural

7/2/0

21

2.33

207
Though Chen

stayed

with the Iron Chef for the

whole 6

blessed with

He

ries.

he was not

years,

many

never

big victo-

won

a single

Tag Match, and he often

against Revengers

lost

and other

Iron Chefs. At 22 losses, he

had the most defeats of any

Iron Chef.

But his battles were

rich in content.

Many

view-

ers

were touched when see-

ing

him

battle.

He

is

the only

chef to have taken part in

eight Special Battles.
contests,

With

six

he has the highest

number of

battles

other Iron Chefs.

against

He

is

the

only Iron Chef to have batagainst Ishinabe.

tled

important

is

his

9-month-long winning streak of 14

Michiba nor Sakai was able to accomplish such

ber of victories

is

a big part

show

physical

longest

and taking part

and mental strength

memorable of all

Most

Neither

a feat. This record

num-

of the history of the Iron Chef.

Chen's biggest accomplishment, however,

the

battles.

is

the Iron Chefs.

is

in the highest

to be revered.

his record of being

number of

He

is

battles.

on
His

probably the most

208

IRON CHEF

The Second French Iron Chef: Hiroyuki Sakai

Overall Results

Type of Battle

Win/Lose/Tie

Winn
Winning

Overall (86 battles)

70/1 5/1

81

Tag Match

3/0/0

100

Versus a Revenger

5/2/0

71

Versus an Iron Chef

4/1/0

80

Special Battles (6 battles)

4/2/0

67

Rate (percent)

Longest winning streak: 9 battles (twice)

Total points: 301

BG deviation

value: 3.50

Results for Different

Theme Ingredients

Ingredient

Win/Lose/Tie

Points

BG

106

3.21

Deviation Value

Seafood

28/4/1

Vegetable

14/3/0

66

3.88

Meat

12/6/0

48

2.67

Other

6/2/0

81

4.50

Results against the Challengers

Cuisine

Win/Lose/Tie

Points

BG Deviation Value

French

31/8/1

106

2.65

Japanese

81

3.52

Italian

7/0/0

24

3.43

Chinese

8/2/0

66

6.60

Multicultural

5/1/0

24

4.00

9/4/0

The Iron Chef

It is

obvious by looking

stellar statistics.

at the data that Sakai

At 81 percent, his winning rate

His winning point of 301 total points

Chefs.

He accumulated

Special Battle series.

battles each.

an

It

was

is

the

was an Iron Chef with

rivals that

of Michibas.

number one of

all

the Iron

60 of these points by winning the Last Holy

He

War

has had two consecutive winning streaks of 9

characteristic of

him

to win, without a ruffle, against

Italian challenger.

Careless mistakes are not a part of Sakai's dictionary,

indomitable in the big games as well. Undefeated

won most
Chefs.

The one time he

lost against

Mr. Iron Chef Battle against Chen.

Unfortunately,

in

matches

against fellow French chefs, he lost

and whenever the

eight

times;

theme

is

When

he battled against a French

meat, he does not do well.

chef with meat as the theme ingre-

he

Tag Matches, he

of the Six Special Battles against Revengers and other Iron

an Iron Chef was during the 1995

dient,

at the

and he was

lost

four times.

209

210

RON CHEF

The Second Japanese Iron Chef: Koumei Nakamura

Overall Results

Type of Battle

Win/Lose/Tie

Win
Winning Rate

Overall (37 battles)

24/11/1

67

Tag Match

0/1/0

Versus a Revenger

3/1/1

60

Versus an Iron Chef

2/1/0

67

Special Battles (3 battles)

2/1/0

50

(percent)

Longest winning streak: 7 battles

Total points: 118

BG Deviation

Value: 3.28

Results for Different

Theme Ingredients

Ingredient

Win/Lose/Tie

Points

BG

Seafood

12/5/0

45

2.65

Vegetable

1/0/0

3.00

Meat

5/2/1

22

2.75

Other

6/4/0

48

4.80

Points

BG

Deviation Value

Results against the Challengers

Cuisine

Win/Lose/Tie

French

4/6/1

16

1.45

Japanese

12/3/0

72

4.80

Italian

0/1/0

Chinese

4/0/0

15

3.75

Multicultural

4/1/0

15

3.00

Deviation Value

0.00

The Iron Ch e f

The data
rate

is

for

Nakamura

not particularly high, his

trates that

He

he was strong when

Though

are very distinctive.

BG

it

deviation value

came

never did win in the Tag Matches, but he

The

battles against the other Iron

a staggering

BG

won

ingredients are not bad,

(tie).

is

it

Duck
Seeing

theme

could be said

a well-rounded chef.

for the battles against Chinese cui-

sine,

he

won

all

four of them.

It's

a pity

he wasn't blessed with more opportunities

to

theme.

won

against the

Though he

that the deviation value for the

As

a majority of the

deviation value for Japanese cuisine of 4.80.

this includes Battle

Nakamura

illus-

resulted in

Foie Gras against Passart

that

This

and the four Special

Chefs were

majority of battles against French chefs,

account that

3.

Morimoto and Michiba. This

Iron Chefs of Japanese cuisine,

lost the

over

winning

to the big battles.

battles against the Revengers, other Iron Chefs,

Battles.

is

his

use vegetables, his strongest

it

should be taken into

against Leprince

and the

Battle

211

212

RON CHEF

The

Italian Iron Chef:

Katsuhiko Kobe

Overall Results

Type of Battle

Win/Lose/Tie

Winn
Winning
Rate (percent)

Overall (23 battles)

15/7/1

65

Tag Match

1/0/0

100

Versus a Revenger

0/2/0

Versus an Iron Chef

1/1/0

Special Battles

0/1/0

(1

battle)

50

Longest winning streak: 5 battles (includes

1 tie)

Total points: 55

BG deviation

value: 2.39

Results for Different

Theme Ingredients

Ingredient

Win/Lose/Tie

Points

BG

Deviation Value

Seafood

4/2/1

13

1.86

Vegetable

7/1/0

21

2.63

Meat

0/1/0

Other

4/3/0

0.00
21

3.00

Points

BG

Results against the Challengers

Cuisine

Win/Lose/Tie

French

1/1/0

1.50

Japanese

1/2/1

1.00

Italian

Deviation Value

7/1/0

21

2.63

Chinese

2/1/0

2.00

Multicultural

4/2/0

21

3.50

The Iron Ch e f

Kobe
However,

it

is

the only Iron

Chef without

must be remembered

Revenger, Masahiko Hagiwara. This

since

it

was

means

winning debut

first

that he

battle

was

battle.

was against

at a disadvantage,

time in the Kitchen Stadium, while Hagiwara had

his first

already experienced a battle there.

had

that his

to include a pasta dish in his

He was

also the only Iron

Chef

that

menus: he was a "prince" with many

handicaps and obstacles.

In his

own

field,

however, he was an unbeatable prince. After his

disaster with Hagiwara, he was victorious over

also

won most
The

all

fact that

he never

lost

two

battles in a

mended. The only other Iron Chef who never

Ishinabe and Michiba.

been able

to

keep

this

Special Battles, his

value

would

Had he

up

for the

deviation

certainly

have

improved. Unfortunately, the

only Special Battle he took part
in

was the Strongest Iron Chef

Battle.

Italian challengers.

He

of the battles against Chinese and multicultural chefs.

row must be com-

lost consecutively are

213

214

IRON CHEF

The Third Japanese Iron Chef: Masaharu Morimoto

Overall Results

Type of Battle

Win/Lose/Tie

Winning
Winn

Overall (24 battles)

16/7/1

67

Tag Match

0/0/0

Versus a Revenger

1/0/0

Versus an Iron Chef

0/2/0

Special Battles

0/1/0

(1

battle)

Rate (percent)

100

Longest winning streak: 4 battles

Total points: 52

BG deviation

value: 2.17

Results for Different

Theme Ingredients

Ingredient

Win/Lose/Tie

Points

BG

Seafood

8/3/1

25

2.08

Vegetable

3/3/0

12

Meat

1/0/0

Other

4/1/0

Deviation Value

2.00

3.00

12

2.40

Results against the Challengers

Cuisine

Win/Lose/Tie

Points

BG

French

3/1/0

2.25

Japanese

9/5/1

31

2.07

Italian

0/1/0

Deviation Value

0.00

Chinese

1/0/0

3.00

Multicultural

3/0/0

3.00

The Iron Ch e f

When
marked

the

new Iron Chef of Japanese

his debut,

it

was

Cuisine, fresh

a very impressive sight.

Morimoto's low deviation value of 2. 1 7

is

from

Because of his image,

a bit of a letdown. This

ably due to the fact that, like Kobe, he did not appear
Battles too often. This score

competed

He
Chef

who

in only

24

battles,

is

on the

understandable, given that

through no

New York,

fault

is

prob-

Special

Morimoto

of his own.

lost his first Special Battle against Sakai in the Strongest

The victory over

Battle.

Iron

Revenger was against Hiro Yamashita,

he had tied before. Overall, Morimoto's score

is

not bad.

He

has

topped Chen and Nakamura in certain genres of challengers and theme

ingredients.

He won

only blemish

won

is

this battle,

and genres.
been seven

It

all

three battles against the multicultural chefs.

his loss against the Italian chef

he would have

would have

battles. If

also

won

Marco Molinari. Had he

a majority of his battles in

meant

that his

The

all

themes

winning streak would have

only the theme ingredient had not been porcini

J
*T-&:1 '**&&&

215

The Iron Che f

Gourmet Academy's
Glossary of Culinary Terms
An

Aigyoku

jelly:

Amadai:

Tilefish.

egg custard.

Amiabura: Diaphragm of pork and mutton; a

net-like

membrane used to

cover ingredients.

Angler: Monkfish.

Ankimo: Monkfish.
Anzu: Apricot.
Arai:

type of sashimi. Cold running

water cools thin

the

slices

meat becomes

of raw

fish,

so that

constricted.

Asatsuki: Green onion.

Ayu: Sweetfish.
Balsamic vinegar: Vinegar from the
ingredient

is

stewed grapes.

Its

Modena

color

is

region in

black;

it

Italy;

the

main

smells like wine.

Bechamel sauce: White sauce

of flour sauteed with butter

and thinned with milk.

Bei nasu: Deep-fried.

Black pork:

A breed

of pig that

has very flavorful and tender

meat.
Blanch: To boil vegetables and

organ meat quickly.

Bouillabaisse:

dish

from

Provence, France; a fish soup

flavored with

Bouillon:

oil,

tomatoes, and saffron.

Meat or vegetable

stock; available dried.

217

218

IRON CHEF

Caramel: Reduced liquid sugar. The sugar

is

reduced over a heat of 150

to 170.

Carpaccio: Originally, sauce over thin raw

fish are

used these days as

slices

of meat. Thin

slices

of

One

of

well.

Carre d'agneau: The underside of a lamb's

Caviar: Salted fish roe (eggs). Sturgeon roe

rib.
is

considered the best.

the three delicacies of the world.

Cercle:

'*?'

A round shape

(French).

Champignon: Mushrooms

(French).

Chao: To saute.

Cheng: To cook ingredients with indirect

steam; the ingredients are placed in a

steaming basket.
Chevreuil: Venison.
Chili

sauce: Tomato-based sauce with

salt,

Chyon

vinegar,
tsai:

and

chili

very high heat with

Cocotte:
Collaie:

Round

The

Compote:

oil.

or oblong pot with a cover; also refers to a dish.

entrails of sea scallops or the

Fruits

powder.

Sauteing ingredients over

miso of prawns and

crabs.

cooked in syrup.

Concasser: To mince roughly with knives.

Consomme: The soup

resulting after cooking vegetables

and meat

in a

bouillon.

Creme

brulee: Pudding with a caramelized surface.

Crepin: See amiabura.

Daikon: Giant white radish.

Dashi: All-purpose soup stock.

Demi-glace: Sauce

made with

a base of brown sauce (sauteed

vegetables cooked with roux

bacon and

and tomato puree) and reduced

stock.

The Iron Chef

Dim sum: Chinese

snack.

Dragee: Almonds with a hard sugar coating.

Escalope: Thin

of meat or

slices

fish.

Eva miik: Pasteurized unsweetened condensed milk; packed

in cans.

Fettuccini: Flat pasta.

Flambe:
then

technique in which liquor (brandy)

on

set

is

poured into

the flavor and smell of the liquor are

fire;

Foie gras: French for fat (gras) liver (foie).

ducks and geese. Foie in French means

The

liver,

liver

left in

pan and

the dish.

of well-fattened

and gras means

fat.

One

of the three world delicacies.

Fond de veau: Veal

Fruit

stock.

de mer: Ingredients from the

(French); shellfish

sea

and crustaceans.

Garniture: Accompaniment; garnish.

Gateau: Baked desserts and cakes with

floured crust.
Girolle: Chanterelle

Glace: To

brown or

sugar, butter,

Glace au truffes: Truffle

Gusokuni: To cook

Gyoza dumpling:

ice

shellfish

mushroom.

and

saute vegetables in
water.

cream (French).
with their

Potsticker;

wonton

shells intact.

sheets filled with

ground meat or

vegetables.

Hamo: An

eel-like fish

found almost exclusively

in

Western Japan.

Harabiraki: Filleting a fish into one piece by cutting

Hina matsuri:
lies

with

Girls' Festival celebrated

girl

on March

it

3rd.

from the

On

belly.

this day, fami-

children invite friends and relatives over, serve special

food and drink, and wish for the

girls to

grow healthy and

beautiful.

Hiragai: Also called penshell clam, fan shell clam, razor shell clam,
sea clam; they are

common

in Japan.

and

219

220

RON CHEF

Hirami: Flounder.

Homard:

Lobster.

Huopao: Technique used

on

fire to

Ikomi:

in

Chinese cooking;

and

get rid of excess water

contents of the pot

oil.

technique in which the insides of a vegetable are spooned out,

or cut open, so that ingredients can

Ikura:

set the

Salmon

fill

the interior.

roe.

Jus de truffe: Truffle juice.

Kaiseki: Japanese sampling

menu

of delica-

cies.

Kakushibocho: To cut the underside of an

ingredient to allow the heat and flavors
to

go through

Kame:

better.

Turtle.

Kanpyo:

A dried gourd.

Karasumi: Dried mullet roe; one of the three delicacies of Japan.

Katsuo dashi: Bonito stock.

Keiji:

Baby salmon.

Keshyojio:

A technique

used to

grill fish;

of a fish before grilling to prevent

Kinome: Young
Kobujime: To

placing

fillet

on the

tail

is

fins

used as a garnish.

of fish, lay it on kelp, and cover

kelp so that the seaweed flavor

and

them from burning.

leaves of the prickly ash; often

lightly salt a

salt

it

with more

transferred to the fish; used mainly

for white fish without a strong smell, like sea

Kome

bream and

sea bass.

nasu: rice with eggplant.

Konbu: Kelp or sea

tangle;

brown seaweed. Also

Konnyaku:

Devil's

called

tongue

starchy, gelatinous cake

tuber.

dark

kombu.
jelly;

made

of a

The Iron Chef

Kouglof:

dessert

anything shaped

from the Alsace region that

like a

is

shaped into a crown;

crown.

Kuchiko: Dried sea cucumber roe; one of Japan's three delicacies.

Marine: Marinate (French).

Mascarpone: Unheated type of cream cheese from the Lombardi region

of

Italy;

used in desserts

like tiramisu.

Matsutake: Pine mushroom.

Mentori: Blunting the edges of cut vegetables to help the vegetables
retain their shape while being cooked.

Meringue: Sweetened whipped egg whites.

Meruniere: Fish coated with flour and
sauteed in butter.
Miliefeuiile:
in

A type of cake, with custard

between

layers of pie crust.

Milt: Soft roe; see shinjo.

Minegiri: To

pound on an

ingredient

using the back of the knife.

Mirin: Sweet cooking

wine made from

rice.

Mise en place: Prepeparation;

also

whole preparation of a meal.

Miso: Fermented bean paste.

Mochi: Glutinous

rice cake.

Moiji oroshi: ground/grated.

Mousse: Foam (French);

dish

made of whipped egg

whipped cream; may be sweet or

Mozzarella: Cheese

made

whites and

savory.

of water buffalo's or cow's milk.

Namako: Button-like mushroom.

Namplar: Fish sauce from Thailand.

Nanbanzuke: Fried

fish

Nappe: To spread

creamy ingredient on something.

and meat with

a chili vinaigrette sauce.

221

222

IRON CHEF

Natto: Steamed, fermented

mashed soybeans.

Nikogori: Cold and solidified cooking stock.

Nyokunam:

from Vietnam.

Fish sauce

Osechi: Traditional Japanese

varieties of osechi,

box

it is

New Year's

traditionally

dish.

Although there are a

lot

of

packed in a four-tiered lacquer

called a "jubako."

A term meaning to cover.

Parmesan: A hard cheese; the king
Pao:

Pate:

Minced meat,

fish,

of Italian cheeses.

or vegetables baked in skin or in a bowl.

Pidan egg: Also called a 1000-year-old egg.

Poire:

To cook using butter or oil in a frying

pan.

Ponzu soy sauce: Dressing

for vinegared

foods; a dipping sauce.

Puree: Ingredients liquefied in a blender.

Roast: To cook in an oven.

Ronkonkai chicken:

special

chicken

raised in Jiangsu, China.

Roux: Flour sauteed with an equal amount

of butter; used as a base for
Sabaillon:

many sauces.

Cream sauce made of egg

yolks, sugar,

and wine.

Saignante: To cook a meat rare.

Sake: Rice wine.

Sasagaki:

A technique used mainly for long vegetables such as carrot and

burdock. To scrape the vegetable while rotating

it,

like

sharpening a pencil.
Sashimi: Sliced raw

Sauce perigord:

fish.

A sauce made of

Madeira wine and

truffles.

The Iron Ch ef

A type

Saury:

Sebiraki:

of pike.

To cut open

Shabu-shabu:

a fish

from

its

back.

dish similar to beef fondue; meats and vegetables cook

in boiling broth.

Shallots: Small oblong type of onion;

and

its

flavor

is

between onion

a cross

garlic.

The dried back,

Shark's

fin:

Shinjo:

Steamed or

breast,

grilled ball of

dashi are added to the

and

of a shark.

tail fins

minced

fish.

Egg white, yam,

salt,

and

fish.

Shirako: Soft roe; the testicles of a

fish.

Smoke:

steaming

IB^&^hP^HShEe

A method

of drying and

and meat.

fish

Soba: Buckwheat.
Softshell crab:
after
its

shedding

new

shell

Sorbeture:

An

crab caught just

its

old

is still

ice

used to make

shell,

cream

ice

when

forming.
freezer

cream and

sherbets.

Sujime:

salt lightly

on

stand for a while, then washing the

salt

fish;

both sides of a
out. After the

fillet,

letting

dries,

fillet

it

it is

A technique for preparing

sprinkling

seeped in vinegar until the surface turns

white.

Sushi:

Raw

Takiawase:
dient

is

fish

with vinegared

A dish

cooked

Tamari soy sauce:

Tan

tsai:

soup

rice.

with more than two types of boiled items. Each ingrein a different type

of stock to best enhance

dark, thick soy sauce.

dish.

its

flavor.

223

224

IRON CHEF

made

Tartar sauce: Sauce

eggs, onions,

Tartar steak:
Terrine:

and

of mayonnaise, shallots, herbs, hard-boiled

pickles.

Minced raw beef with

A dish

cooked

in a terrine-shaped dish.

Touchih: Chinese condiment

sautees

and steamed

herbs.

made with fermented

soy beans; used in

dishes.

Toupanchiang: Miso made of

fermented horse beans, and

chili,

Tournage:

spices.

technique of cutting

vegetables.

Truffle:

very fragrant mush-

room; one of the three

delicacies

of the world.
Tsai:

Dish (Chinese).

Udort: Wide/thick

Wheat

noodles.

Ume: Plum.
Umeboshi: Pickled plum.
Uni: Sea urchin;

one of the three

delicacies of Japan.

Vapeur: To steam.

Wakame: Lobe-leafed seaweed.

Warishita:

flavoring

made of

dashi, sake, mirin, sugar,

and soy

sauce;

used for soup in hotpot dishes.

Wasabi: Horseradish.

Wine vinegar: Vinegar made from

grapes; available in red

and white

forms.

XO

chiang:

A Chinese sauce made of dried shell ligaments, dried shrimp,

Chinese ham, and

chili

mixed with

Yamato patato: Japanese mountain

Yuba: Dried soy milk skin.

oil.

potato.

The Iron Chef

Yugama: Yuzu used

and the

as a platter; the top

insides are

two thirds of

yuzu are cut off

scooped out.

Yusen: Double boiler.

Yuzu: Citron; a sour citrus fruit used primarily for

its

rind.

225

RESTAURANT GUIDE

there

is

ONLY one

watch the show, and that

and

women

of culinary

B
is

ette R way

to experience Iron

to actually eat the food prepared

skill.

Chef than
by these

For that reason, we've included

to

men

this brief

restaurant guide.

We

begin with the Iron Chefs, then follow with the challengers

from the United

States

and Canada. Also,

the people's acclaim forever,

challengers as
task,

we

we could not

we have included

We

as

many

might gain

of the victorious

could. Unfortunately, thanks to the difficulty of this

include

all

of the winners.

the nature of the restaurant business,

changed since

in order that they

this list

done our

obviously, because of

some of the information

was compiled.

have, however,

And

best.

will

have

228

IRON CHEF

Iron Chefs
Yutaka Ishinabe

Born
world

at the

at 18 years

afterward,

left

and spread

for France

his

name

all

over Japan. Returned to Tokyo

Queen Alice,

The Queen

is

ibility is pleasing.

now ventured
Name

later, at

the age of 27.

Opened

his

own

in 1984, at the age of 34.

taste.

the dishware.

ambience. There

intelligent, able chef. Shortly

there, furthering his abilities as a

Alice Guesthouse, near the

according to Ishinabe's
all

an

as

and studied

Returned to Japan 5 years

and chose

Kanagawa-ken. Entered the culinary

old and joined "Frere Jacques" as a chef. Increased business at

restaurant,

has

City,

age of 16 and apprenticed

this restaurant,

chef.

Yokohama

in 1948, in

He
The

Queen

Alice,

is

designed

personally helped in the interior design

result

is

a restaurant

wide variety of dishes

to

with a charming

choose from, and the

flex-

Not confining himself to cooking just French, Ishinabe

into Chinese

of restaurant:

and ethnic

Queen

cuisines.

Alice Guesthouse

Phone: 03-5411-0900
Address: 3-2-33 Nishi Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 12:00 P.M.-1:30 P.M.; 6:00 P.M.-8:30 P.M.

Open: throughout the year

Credit Card: accepted

Reservations: needed
Prices:

3,500 yen (lunch)/7,500 yen (dinner).

The Visconti of the

French culinary

world

RESTAURANT GUIDE

229

230

RON CHEF

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Rokusaburo Michiba
Born

in 1931, in Ishikawa prefecture, to a family that dealt in tea cere-

mony
lar

cooking since childhood; especially particu-

objects. Interested in

about the type of dishware used to serve his dishes. Apprenticed in

famous restaurants

Kobe, Kanazawa, and Tokyo. After working

in

at

Akasaka's Akasaka Jobanya, opened, at age 40, the Ginza Rokusan-Tei in

Ginza, where culinary connoisseurs flock.

The ambience of the Ginza Rokusan-Tei

eral tables, as well as

a building in Ginza.

counter

There

the eighth floor. Here

known

as "the

Name

a clear

will

calming. There are sev-

on the eighth and ninth

view of the kitchen from the

He

also

owns

floors of
seats

on

have the opportunity to view Michiba,

god of Japanese cuisine" and "the

world," in action.
relaxed, with

is

you

seats. It is

is

rebel of the culinary

the Poisson Rokusaburo, which

is

more

an open kitchen.

of restaurant: Ginza Rokusan-Tei

Phone:03-3571-1763
Address: Dai San Sowaredo Building, 8th

& 9th floors, 8-8-7 Ginza,

Chyuo-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 5:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M.

Open: Monday-Saturday; closed holidays

Credit Card: accepted
Prices:

12,000 yen (Rokusan course, dinner)/ 15,000 yen (dinner).

free-thinking

philosopher of cuisine,
not bound to the

regiments of genre

231

232

IRON CHEF

Chen Kenichi
Born

in 1956, in Tokyo. His father,

Chen Kenmin, introduced Szechwan

cooking to Japan and created the much-loved "shrimp in

Popular Chinese dishes today,

like the

chili sauce."

hoho chicken and mabo

torn, are

based on Szechwan cooking. Inherited his father's Japanese-style

Szechwan cooking.
After graduating

from Tamagawa

University, apprenticed in Shisen

Hanten (Szechwan Fandian).

At the Akasaka Shinsen Hanten, Szechwan cooking, called the
world's

most progressed cooking, and Chen's philosophy of "Cooking

love" can be experienced. Real

most other

palates, has

Shisen Hanten group,

been

Szechwan cooking, being too spicy

refined.

now found

Chen

is

is

for

responsible for running the

in Akasaka, Ikebukuro, Kisarazu,

Hiroshima, and Ogura.

Name

of restaurant: Akasaka Shisen

Hanten

Phone: 03-3263-9371

Address:

Zenkoku Ryokan Kaikan, 5th

&

6th floors, 2-5-5

Hiragacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:00 P.M.; 5:00 RM.-9:00 P.M.

Open: throughout the year; closed

at

year end and

New Year's

Credit card: accepted

Other: private
Prices:

rooms

available

7,000 yen (lunch, dinner)/5,000 yen (buffet, party of 30 +)/a

la carte available.

'Cooking

is

love."

He

offers happiness

through food.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

233

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Hiroyuki Sakai

Born

in 1942 in

Kagoshima

Prefecture. Interested in cooking since child-

hood. Always determined to be a financially successful chef. Joined the

Shin Osaka Hotel in Osaka as an apprentice

at the

age of 17. At 19, flew

to Australia to apprentice at the Hotel Oriental for a year

and

a half.

Upon

returning to Japan, apprenticed for 3 years at the restaurant Shiki

in the

Ginza

at

district,

under the

late Fujio Shiwata. After

working

as a chef

Aoyama's Coco Palms and Roppongi's John Kanaya, opened

restaurant La Rochelle in

Aoyama

at the

his

age of 38. The shop later

own

moved

to Shibuya.

The view from the

restaurant, situated

on the 32nd

tacular.

While guarding the tradition of French

enough

to try

ing, unlike

in

new

types of dishes.

anything anywhere

New York
Name

The

else.

result

is

floor,

cuisine, Sakai

is

is

spec-

flexible

a hearty, romantic cook-

Sakai has plans to open a restaurant

City in the near future.

of restaurant: La Rochelle

Phone: 03-3400-8220
Address: Toho Seimei Building, 32nd floor, 2-15-1

Shibuya,

Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 12:00 RM.-2:30 P.M.; 6:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M.

Open: Tuesday-Sunday
Credit card: accepted
Prices:

2,800 yen (weekday lunch)/3,300 yen (weekend

lunch)/8,500 yen (dinner)

The Delacroix of the

French culinary

world

&

holiday

235

236

IRON CHEF

Koumei Nakamura
Born

in 1947 in

nary world

Shimabara

at the

City,

Nagasaki Prefecture. Entered the

culi-

age of 18; apprenticed in restaurants such as the

Oriental Hotel in Osaka. At 33 years of age, joined the restaurant

New

Nadaman

in the Hotel

Nadaman

Singapore in the Shangri La Hotel, returned to Japan

Otani. After working as the head chef of

of 45. Became the manager of

Nakamura's original
Singapore,

is

an

eclectic

ceeded in creating his

opened
its

his

own

tional

is

and avant-garde

Name

style

in the Hotel

own world
Koumei,

a place

at the age

New Otani.

of cooking, reflecting his time in

mix of Chinese and French

restaurant,

tranquil interior,

Nadaman

qualities.

of Japanese cooking.

new

in Ariake. This

He has

He

has

suc-

now

restaurant, with

where one can experience both the

tradi-

flavors of Japanese food.

of restaurant:

Koumei Ariake

Phone: 03-3599-3636
Address: Ariake Park Building,

2nd

floor,

3-1-28 Ariake, Koto-ku,

Tokyo
Hours: 11:00 a.m.-3:00 P.M.; 5:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M.

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: accepted
Prices: 1,200

yen (lunch)/3,500 yen (dinner

The second Iron Chef

Japanese: a chef

whose

skill

has been

recognized by

Michiba

RESTAURANT GUIDE

237

238

IRON CHEF

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RESTAURANT GUIDE

Katsuhiko Kobe
Entered the world of Italian cuisine upon his graduation from university.

In 1994, joined the Italian restaurant

known

as the

epitome of

Italian

cooking, the Enoteca Pinccioli in Florence.

At his

new

restaurant customers will be able to taste Kobe's classic,

yet creative cooking.

Name

of restaurant: Ristorante "Massa"

Phone: 03-5452-0502
Address: 1-23-11 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-1:30 P.M.; 6:00 P.M.-9:30 P.M.

Open: Thursday-Tuesday
Credit card: accepted
Prices:

2,000-4,000 yen (lunch)/6,000-10,000 yen (dinner)

Having honed
skills in

an

restaurant

he

is

his

elite

in Italy,

the Prince of

the Italian culinary

world.

239

240

RON CHEF

Masaharu Morimoto
Entered the world of sushi as an apprentice

moved

to

New York where

he

first

Went on

to

become

of Japanese food.

famous

restaurant,

The Father of Neo-Japanese

and

Street, Philadelphia) will

is

age of 18. In 1984,

joined the Sony Club as the head chef

the head chef at Robert

De

Niro's

Nobu.

rants in Philadelphia

restaurant

at the

New

cuisine will be opening his

York

City.

own restau-

Morimoto (723 Chestnut

be opening in Spring 2001 and the

scheduled to open

New York

later in the year.

The Basquiat of the

culinary world, he

creates a progressive

world of Japanese
cooking relying on
his flexible concepts.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

American and Canadian Challengers

Patrick Clark

New American

pioneer of

technique with traditional

New

a distinctive

cooking,

who combined

down-home Southern

York City

up

in Brooklyn,

and often
began

flair.

he spent

much

visited the hotel kitchens

working

at

young boy grow-

time in the kitchen with his mother,

where

his professional education at

then traveled abroad to train

College. After

French

cooking, and added

Patrick Clark discovered his love of cooking early. As a

ing

classic

his father

New

worked

as a chef.

He

York City Technical College,

Great Britain's Bournemouth Technical

at several restaurants in

Europe, Clark returned to

the States to develop his unique style of contemporary American cuisine.

He

served as executive chef at several restaurants including

City's

Odeon; Bice

D.C.;

and

his

own

in Beverly Hills; the

Metro.

He was

helm

until

at

New

November

York's

on.

New

York

Washington,
at

that position. Instead, Clark took

famous Tavern on the Green, where he stayed

1997. In February 1998, Patrick Clark died of cardiac

arrest at the age of 42. His culinary career

lives

in

even asked to become executive chef

The White House, but he turned down

the

Hay- Adams Hotel

was cut short, but

his legacy

243

244

IRON CHEF

Bobby
Top

Flay

New York chef and

star of

The Food Network, Bobby Flay was cho-

sen to defend the honor and prestige of American cuisine

the

in

New

York Battle. Iron Chef Morimoto emerged victorious, but Chef Flay

has earned the American people's ovation and fame forever.

Bobby

Flay

fell

into cooking at the age of 17,

Allen's restaurant in

New York

when he took

a job at Joe

City where his father was a partner. Mr.

Allen was so impressed with Flay's natural ability that he paid his tuition
to

The French Culinary

Flay

Institute.

"Outstanding Graduate Award" in 1993, and

and Master Chef

York

received

later

now

the

first

spokesperson

acts as

for the school. His first job as executive chef, at

City's Miracle Grill,

New

caught the attention of restaurateur Jerome

Kretchmer who offered Flay the opportunity to open the

ed Mesa

critically laud-

Grill in 1991. Flay

then teamed

with partner Laurence Kretchmer in

November 1993
awarded two
in 1994

to

stars

open Bolo. Bolo was

by the

and continues

to

New

be voted the top

Spanish restaurant in

New

the Zagat Survey. But

Chef

extends far beyond

New

York Times

York City by
Flay's

York.

acclaim

He

the

is

author of three bestselling cookbooks and

is

a favorite

on The Food Network, where

he launched and starred in three national

cooking shows: Hot Off the

Bobby

most

Flay, Grillin

recent,

and

Food Nation.

Grill

Chillin\

with

and

his

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Name

of restaurant:

Mesa

Grill

Phone: (212) 807-7400

Address: 102 Fifth Avenue,

New York, NY

1001

Hours: Lunch: Monday-Friday; 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Dinner: Sunday-Thursday; 5:30 p.m -10:30

P.M.;

Friday

Saturday; 5:30 P.M.-11:00 p.m.

Brunch: Saturday

& Sunday;

11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Credit cards: All major credit cards accepted

Lunch: $35
Dinner: $55

Restaurant: Bolo

Phone: (212) 228-2200

Address: 23 East 22nd Street,
Hours: Lunch:

New York, NY

10010

Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m.-2:30

p.m.

Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 5:30 P.M.-10:30

Saturday 5:30 p.m.-11:00

Closed for lunch on Saturday

Credit cards: All

Lunch: $35
Dinner: $55

major

p.m.

& Sunday

credit cards accepted

p.m.;

Friday

&

&

245

246
Noda Minoru
The Japanese American walked proudly into Kitchen Stadium carrying
the American flag, ready to fight for his country.

Minoru, head chef of a Los Angeles restaurant called Hanabishi, faced

Iron Chef Michiba in Battle Matsutake
victorious, but

Minoru made

attempts, the editors of this

it is

effort.

book were unable

about Chef Minuro or Hanabishi.

but

Mushroom. The Iron Chef was

a valiant

We

Despite numerous

to gather

any information

think the restaurant

is still

very difficult to get in touch with them.

Name

of restaurant: Hanabishi

Phone: (213)687-3193
Address:

14

S.

Central Avenue, Los Angeles,

CA 90012

open,

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Wayne Nish
A chef whose

extensive training and

combined with

culinary talent have

his innately creative vision to

make

him one of America's most innovative

chefs.

He began

culinary career at the

his

Quilted Giraffe and La

in

New

York

town house
with coowner/host/wine director Joseph
pleted a $2 million renovation

in a turn of the century

midtown Manhattan

in

Scalice.

and expansion

August 1990, he

City. In

opened March,

at

Colombe d'Or

They

recently

com-

March, transforming

it

into a tri-level luxury establishment with a rooftop terrace for outdoor

drinking and dining. Nish's prix fixe tasting

without paired wines from

Scalice's

menus

He

is

currently at

Restaurant:

work on

available with or

award-winning wine

unique and innovative New-American culinary

ences.

style

list

reflect his

with global influ-

March cookbook.

March

Phone: (212) 754-6272

Address: 405 East 58th Street (between 1st Avenue

& Sutton Place),

New York, NY
Hours: Dinner only 6:00 RM.-l 1:00 p.m. seven days a

week

Credit card: All major credit cards

Prix Fixe Tasting

Menus (from 4 course w/o wine

wine): $72-$ 196

to 7 course with

247

248

IRON CHEF

Michael Noble

A Canadian

culinary

Japan and at

ambassador

in

home

The only Canadian

to challenge the

Iron Chefs, Michael Noble

the

is

executive chef at the Metropolitan

Hotel and

its

award-winning restauMet. Within

rant,

Diva

year,

Chef Noble propelled Diva into

at the

its first

Vancouver's culinary spotlight, earning

recognition

with

of

slate

awards, and the Canadian Federation

of Chefs

& Cooks named Chef Noble

1999/2000 Chef of the Year.

He

organic local ingredients as

much

is

impassioned by the use of fresh and

as

he

is

inspired by global finds.

practices a philosophy that ingredients should be balanced

and uncom-

plicated to keep flavors honest.

Restaurant: Diva at the

Met and

the Metropolitan Hotel

Phone: (604)687-1122
Address: 645

Howe

Hours: Breakfast:

Street,

Vancouver,

BC V6C 2Y9

Monday-Friday 6:30 a.m.- 1

Brunch: Saturday

&

1:00 a.m.

Sunday 7:00 A.M.-l

Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m.-2:30

Dinner: Every evening 5:30 p.m.- 10:00

p.m.

Credit card: All major credit cards are accepted

Lunch: (average cost for an entree)

Dinner: (average cost for an entree)

1:00 a.m.
p.m.

CA $19.00
CA $33.00

He

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Michael Noble's Iron Chef Tuna

Tougarashi seared tuna with potato and gobo root soup

SERVES

FOR THE SOUP

1

/2

onion, sliced

V2

cup gobo root, peeled and sliced

stalk of celery, sliced

4 white mushrooms, sliced

1

/2

leek, sliced

clove garlic,

minced

3 tbsp. butter
1 tsp.

flour

potato, cubed

liter

salt

hot chicken stock

and pepper

to taste

50ml cream
juice of

/2

lime

METHOD
In a

soup pot over moderate heat, melt the butter then saute onions

translucent.

Add the gobo

continue sauteing
to combine.

root, celery,

until soft. Sprinkle

Add the

mushroom,

leek,

and

until

garlic

the flour over the vegetables and

and
stir

chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cook the soup

for approximately 15 minutes

and then add the potato. Bring back to a

simmer and continue cooking another 10 minutes. Place the hot soup

in a

blender and carefully blend until pureed. Past the blended soup through a
fine strainer. Bring the

pepper.

soup back to a simmer; season to taste with

Add cream and lemon

juice

and remove from

heat.

salt

and

249

250

IRON CHEF

FOR TUNA
200

gr.

sashimi grade tuna, cut into V/2" x 5" pieces

20 ml grape seed
salt

and pepper

oil

to taste

dash of Tougarashi spice*

*Tougarashi spice

is

found

in

Asian markets

METHOD
Coat the tuna with grape seed
Tougarashi. Sear the tuna

tuna

oil.

Season with

very hot pan until

in a

all

salt,

pepper,

sides are charred

and
and

"rare" inside. Set aside.

is still

FOR THE SALAD

3 red skin potatoes, cooked
15 ml grape seed

salted water or steamed, then chilled

in

oil

6 baby corn (raw), sliced on a bias

8 cherry tomatoes sliced

frisee

in half

then dried

in a

slow oven

greens

mizuna salad or other mustard greens

4

slices

of thinly sliced cucumber, formed into a collar

sherry vinegar, to taste

salt

and white pepper,

to taste

METHOD
Cut the potatoes into small wedges.
the potatoes

in

the grape seed

to cool to

room temperature.

tomatoes,

frisee,

In a skillet

oil until

In a

over moderate heat, saute

they are lightly browned. Set aside

mixing bowl, place the potatoes, corn,

and mizuna. Dress with sherry vinegar to

taste.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

TO ASSEMBLE THE DISH

Take four soup bowls and place three slices of tuna on the bottom of each.
Place

cucumber

collar

on top of tuna and

fill

with salad. Carefully ladle the

hot soup into the bowl, around the tuna, until

tuna

slices

without covering.

Serve immediately and enjoy.

it

comes

to the top of the

251

252

IRON CHEF

Ron
The

Ron

and only American chef to beat the

first

become

Siegel

a celebrated icon in Japan.

Siegel entered the

a job in

Iron Chef, Siegel has

food business

the butcher department of

age of 20, his

skillful

tion as prep

cook

butchering

in a

tender age of 16

at the

when he took

a small San Francisco grocery. At the

abilities

helped him land his

first

posi-

neighborhood restaurant. He slowly began to

develop an affinity for food, eventually working his way up to the rank of

cook

several restaurants in the area.

in

kitchens

made

Siegel realize

to formalize his education

how much

by attending

Academy. After spending time

City, Siegel

in

at restaurants in California

creations

made

from such luxury foods

as oys-

imaginative

caviar, lobster,

foie gras,

duck, crab, squab, and

abalone, mixed with the freshest seasonal ingredients. Siegel's

talent for putting a creative spin

on time-honored French

clas-

made him one of

the

country's greatest chefs and

tri-

sics

has

umphant

and

accepted the position of Executive Chef at Charles

San Francisco. There he has created a

quail,

He

classes at the California

cuisine with local California influences

ters,

Spending time in different

he enjoyed cooking.

in Kitchen Stadium.

menu

decided

Culinary

New York
Nob

Hill

of contemporary French

and indulges

his diners

with

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Restaurant: Charles

Nob

Hill

Phone: (425) 771-5400

Address: 1250 Jones Street, San Francisco,

CA 94109

Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 5:30 p.m.- 10:00 p.m.

Friday

& Saturday 5:30

Sunday 5:30 p.m.-9:30

p.m.-10:30 p.m.

p.m.

Closed Mondays
Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club,
Price range:

American Express

$9-$23 for appetizers, $26-$34 for

desserts. Six-course tasting

menu

entrees,

$8-$ 12 for

$70; 9-course tasting

menu

$100; the sommelier's wine pairing $45 per person

"If

ever a challenger wins over the Iron Chef, he or she will win the peo-

ple's

ovation and fame forever."

Ron

Siegel

took on Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai for Battle Lobster in 1998.

His five-course meal was a culinary masterpiece and he

Stadium triumphant and with the honorary

The meal

title

left

Kitchen

of Iron Chef.

that claimed victory in Battle Lobster:

Lobster Custard with Beluga Caviar

Lobster Soup with Black Truffles and Sauteed Scallops
Grilled Lobster Salad

with Avocado, Tomato Conasse, and

Basil Oil

Lobster Ravioli with Corn Juice, Sweetbread Medallions, and

Sauteed Abalone

Oven Roasted Lobster with Seared

Wild Mushrooms, Port, and Fig Jus

Foie Gras, Braised Artichokes,

253

254

IRON CHEF

Lobster Custard with Beluga Caviar

1

cup milk

cup cream

3 whole eggs
1

/2

cup lobster stock

Beluga caviar

oz.

2 pounds rock salt

1

pound mixed spices

(fresh

bay leaves and peppercorns)

METHOD
Bring milk and cream to a boil with lobster stock.

by cutting off the tops. Once removed from the

with the eggs. Season with

salt

and pepper.

Strain

Remove eggs from

shell,

temper the

membrane with your

Place

empty

water

until

should be

in

bath. Cover

shells
it

is

back

in

the water).

finger. Rinse in

egg carton on a large casserole pan.

just touching the

Fill

shells

liquid

through chinois. Cut the

tops off 7 more eggs, and empty out the egg from the
eggshell, removing the

shell

shell.

Clean

warm

water.

Fill

pan with

bottom of the eggs (about A of egg

1

with custard. You are baking

in a

water

and bake at 275 for 40 minutes.

TO PLATE
Place custards
serve.

on a bed of rock

salt

and

spices.

Add your

caviar

on top and

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Lobster Soup with Black Truffles and

Sauteed Scallops
1

quart lobster stock

4 scallops,

still in

their shells

oz. black truffles

pint cream

Salt

and pepper

METHOD
Make

a flavorful lobster stock using 20 lobster shells, 20 fresh tomatoes,

and tarragon with water to

cover.

Reduce stock down to

through chinois. Remove scallops from

per.

Sear scallops

Add cream
salt

in

pan.

Chop

shell

quart and strain

and season with

salt

and pep-

black truffles fine. Dice the seared scallops.

to lobster stock and

simmer

for 10 minutes. Season stock with

and pepper.

TO PLATE
Add chopped

scallops

over and serve.

and black

truffles to

your soup cups. Pour hot soup

255

256

IRON CHEF

Grilled Lobster Salad with Avocado,

Tomato Concasse, and Basil Oil
3 whole lobsters
2 avocados
2 lemons
Olive oil
Salt

and pepper

4 whole tomatoes

5 bunches of basil
oz. chervil

/2

bunch parsley

20 chive points
1

/2

bunch tarragon

METHOD
season with

Split lobster tails in half,

olive

oil.

Place in

Blanch tomatoes

and pepper,

grill.

ice to cool. Peel skins off

all

liquid

from tomatoes.

Cut halves into half-moons. Take

ten seconds, refresh

blender with

cup

in ice

olive

and

tails

dice. Place in

avocado and

and blanch

You want to save the

in

slice in half.

boiling salt

lightly

with

oil.

oil

Remove

and

with lemon to taste and olive

herbs from stems and place

pepper, and olive

tomatoes and

Peel

water for
in

a bar

Puree for 5 minutes. Once pureed, place

Season and brush

shells.

toss the claws

basil

brush with

water. Ring out excess water, then place

oil.

strainer to catch the pulp.

in

lightly

boiling water for ten seconds.

Place on

bowl of

strainer to drain

from the

salt

in a

grill.

oil.

lobster

Once

Pick

all

in a

meat

grilled,

the fresh

bowl. Toss the diced tomatoes with

salt,

oil.

TO PLATE
Layer on plate

in

and fresh herbs.

the following order: diced tomatoes, avocado, lobster,

Drizzle basil oil

on top.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Lobster Ravioli with Corn Juice,

Sweetbread Medallions, and Sauteed

Abalone
3 whole lobsters

cup mascarpone cheese

V2

Salt

and pepper

8 ears of corn
6 sweetbread medallions

abalone

live

oz. chervil

M bunch

tarragon

U bunch

basil

bunch chives

M bunch

parsley

bunch thyme

/4

2 sheets pasta
1

egg

METHOD
Dice up lobster meat.

Season with

salt

Chop

herbs, toss with

needed. Juice 8 ears of corn, and

and

slice thin,

lobster.

the refrigerator until

Take abalone out of

them

first

with

flour.

Make your

ravioli

Use an egg to eggwash the sheets together. Cut out

desired cutter. Blanch ravioli

it is

strain.

in

shell,

clean

then julienne and saute with fresh chives. Saute sweetbread

medallions, dusting
filling.

mascarpone and

and pepper. Set mixture aside

in

boiling water. Slowly

reduced to a sauce consistency. Season with

salt

with lobster
ravioli

with

cook corn juice

until

and pepper.

TO PLATE
Layer

in

the following order

in a

medallion, and sauteed abalone

bowl: corn sauce,

ravioli,

sweetbread

257

258

IRON CHEF

Oven Roasted Lobster with Seared

Foie Gras, Braised Artichokes, Wild
Mushrooms, Port, and Fig Jus
6 lobster

tails

4 artichokes
6 2 oz. pieces of foie gras

3 cups assorted wild mushrooms

1

bottle port

6 large figs
1

bunch chives

bunch thyme

3 garlic cloves
4 pounds butter

METHOD
Clean artichokes so that
sixths.

spoons

Cook

in

butter,

all

you have

left

are the hearts. Cut each piece into

lemon water. Dice up mushrooms and saute with

thyme,

salt,

and pepper. Put port

in a

2 table-

pan and reduce by

/3,

then add fresh figs to port for about ten minutes, then remove. Add fresh
black pepper to reduction,
1

enough so that you

taste the pepper, then

tablespoon butter. Melt 4 pounds butter with

cloves garlic. Season the lobster tails with salt

add

bunch thyme and

and pepper, then add to

melted butter and cook for 5 minutes. Sear off foie gras.

TO PLATE
Place artichokes and

poached

figs

mushrooms down

on top. Put lobster down

plate with port sauce

and

serve.

in

middle of

plate,

then add

next, then the foie gras. Drizzle the

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Victorious Challengers from

Asia and Europe
Masamitsu Takahashi (Challenger 49)
Apprenticed in a top
18. After

own

level

Kyoto restaurant for 8 years, since the age of

apprenticing in restaurants in Hakata and Kochi, opened his

restaurant, Takahashi, in

Only natural,

Akasaka when he was

40.

fresh ingredients shipped straight

from the

local areas

are used in Takahashi's restaurant. If such ingredients cannot be had, he

will

turn

down even

Yeltsin's reservation.

His dishes are steeped in the

traditional Kyoto style of cooking.

Name

of restaurant: Takahashi

Phone: 03-3244-9806
Address: 2-17-52 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-1:30 P.M.; 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

Open: Monday-Saturday; closed holidays

Credit card: not accepted
Prices:

1,200-7,000 yen (lunch)/5,000-35,000 yen (dinner)

A missionary

of

Kyoto cuisine, he has

succeeded

in

impressing Yeltsin.

-T

259

260

IRON CHEF

Tetuo Hagiwara (Challenger 228)

Younger son of Uotoku,

a professional

a restaurant

owner

in Kagurazaka.

bowler until the age of 22. At 25, opened

Wanted

to

be

his restaurant,

Menosou.
Hagiwara
his

cooking

centrates

carries

isn't

on the Edo

presumptuous. Instead of relying on

on bringing the

Name

tradition of "chic" in his cooking, yet

of restaurant:

his skills,

he con-

best out of every ingredient.

Menosou

Phone:03-3267-8180
Address: 4-3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 5:30 P.M.-10:00 P.M.

Open: Monday-Saturday; closed holidays

Credit card: not accepted

Reservations: required for lunch

Prices:

5,000 yen (lunch)/10,000 yen (dinner)

true Edo chef, he never

forgets the importance

of chic in his cooking. He

never
solely

lets

on

himself rely

his skills; rather,

he concentrates on bringing the best out of every

ingredient.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Takatugu Sasaoka (Challenger 256)

Started with the restaurant Hasegawa; apprenticed at
restaurants. At 35,

opened

his restaurant

many of Japan's top

Sasaoka in Tangenji.

Sasaoka follows the teachings of Rosanjin. Most important are his

words "Cooking

is

not about destroying the ingredient's

flavors."

He even

uses wine at times to create spectacular dishes.

Name

of restaurant: Sasaoka

Phone:03-3444-1233
Address:

Nakamura Building

IF,

2-17-18 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Hours: 12:00 P.M.-1:00 P.M.; 6:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M.

Open: Monday-Saturday; closed holidays and the second and

fourth Saturday of the
Credit card:
Prices:

all

but

Amex

month

accepted

3,000-5,000 yen (lunch)/8,000-l 0,000 yen (dinner)

An ardent follower

of

Rosanjin's teachings,

he

is

the Prince of

Japanese cuisine.

t*

261

262

IRON CHEF

Tooru Komori (Challenger 274)

Honed

his skills

by working

Shinbashi since the age of

student of

Edo

cuisine.

Komori's cooking
tastes, as well as

Name

at different restaurants in

18.

Member

Nihonbashi and

of the 178-year-old Housei-kai;

At 48, became the head chef of Keyaki-tei.

is

based on his skilled use of the knife. Delicate

the heart of Edo, can be experienced through his dishes.

of restaurant: Japanese Restaurant Keyaki

Phone: 03-5467-1421
Address: Jubilee Plaza Building 4F, 5-8-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku,

Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:00 P.M.; 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.

Open: Monday-Saturday
Credit card: accepted
Prices:

2,500-7,000 yen (lunch)/8,000-l 5,000 (dinner)

He

is

the man, armed

with his extensive

knowledge of the
usage of knives,
will

who

help Edo cuisine

progress.

RESTAURANT GUIDE
Tomitoku Syuu (Challenger 8 &
Apprenticed, since the age of

18, at

II)

Chugoku Hanten. At

subhead chef of Keio Plaza Hotel's Nanyuan. At

37,

28,

made

became the

the head chef

of Heichinrou, located in Yokohama.

Shu
that

it

takes seasonal ingredients

never

Michiba

fails

in order to

Name

and

elevates their taste to such a level

to impress even the

avenge his brother's

of restaurant:

most

critical.

He

loss.

Canton Meisai Tomitoku

Phone:03-3497-3111
Address: CI Plaza B IF, 2-3-1 Kita Aoyama, Tokyo
Hours: 11:00 A.M.-9:30 P.M.

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: accepted
Prices:

1,000-1,500 yen (lunch)/15,000+ yen (dinner)

genius of Chinese

cooking, he controls

the "world of food

heaven."

challenged

263

264

RON CHEF

Yuuji

At

Wakiya (Challenger 33 &

15 years old, joined

Sanno Hanten

174)

in Akasaka.

Became

the assistant to

the head Chinese chef of Hilton Hotel at 25 years old. At 27,

head chef of Tachikawa's Recent Park Hotel. At

Honorary Iron Chef Ishinabe

dishes,

is

also adept at creating

summed up

Name

in a

37, joined forces

with the

to create Turandot, a restaurant that serves

French-Chinese cooking. Became head chef of

Wakiya

became the

this restaurant.

French and

Italian dishes.

His

word, are elegant.

of restaurant: Turandot

Phone: 045-682-0361
Address: Pan Pacific Hotel Yokohama, 2-3-7 Minatomirai, Nishiku,

Yokohama, Kanagawa

Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:30 P.M.; 5:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m.

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: accepted
Prices:

3,500 yen (lunch)/7,500 yen

(dinner)/a

la

carte

menu

available

genius of nouvelle
Chinois, he

young

is

the

rebel of

Chinese cuisine.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Meisei Sou (Challenger 84)

Started his apprenticeship at Shinbashi's Shisenhanten at the age of 18. At
22, joined
chef.

Huandu Fandian

in Mita.

The next

year,

promoted

to

At around that time, started going to the Imperial Household

head
as the

Chinese chef.

Sou cooks dishes

that were served in the Chinese

based on Szechwan cooking.

He

also incorporates

his cooking, creating original dishes that

skills

can

now be

Name

experienced

Court and that are

Cantonese elements in

do not bore your

at his restaurant

palette.

Mihi.

of restaurant: Mihi

Phone: 03-3453-3676
Address: 4-12-39 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:00 P.M.; 5:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M.

Open: Monday-Saturday; closed holidays

Credit card: accepted
Prices:

900-1,500 yen (lunch)/3,000-20,000 yen (dinner)

The envoy of the

mother of Chinese
cooking, Mrs. Ma, he
is

also the chef for

the Imperial Family.

His

265

266

IRON CHEF

Zyukyou Ryou (Challenger

Commenced
er,

Zyunou. At

Okura

231

&

232)

apprenticeship at 20 years old, 2 years after his older broth-

Hotel.

40, furthered his studies

Went on

to

become

under

his brother's tutelage at the

the head chef of Tori in the Hotel

Nikko Osaka. Became the head chef of Tougu

at the

the Hotel Nikko Tokyo

age of 54.

Ryou's cooking
reflects the true

step

at

is

a synthesis

between the old and the modern and

image of Cantonese cooking, which has always been one

ahead of the times.

Name

of restaurant:

Tougu

Phone: 03-5500-5500
Address: Hotel Nikko Tokyo 2F, 1-9-1 Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:30 P.M.; 5:30 P.M.-9:30 P.M.

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: accepted
Prices:

2,500+ yen (lunch)/7,000+ yen (dinner)

The younger brother

of the

renowned

Ryou brothers of
Cantonese

cuisine.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Kaken Sya (Challenger 262)

Apprenticed in over 40 restaurants in

Made

Hong Kong

since the age of 13.

the head chef of Heichinrou in Hibiya at the age of 32. At 46, pro-

moted

to director/ executive

head chef of Heichinrou.

Sya's dishes are indisputably art

edge and mastery of the

his gracious

Name

skills.

He

itself,

owing

to his extensive

has elevated further the tradition with

and dynamic cooking.

of restaurant: Heichinrou

Phone: 045-681-3001
Address: 149 Yamashitacho, Naka-ku, Yokohama,
Hours: 11:30 A.M -11:00

Kanagawa

P.M.

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: accepted
Price:

1,200-2,500 yen (lunch)/5,000+ yen (dinner;

The master of
Heichinrou, his dishes
are a true reflection of

the traditions of a

renowned

establish-

ment.

knowl-

267

268

IRON CHEF

Gyokubun

Sai (Challenger 273)

Started her apprenticeship at Peking Szechwan Hanten, a restaurant

catering to the Chinese government.

and quickly found herself cooking

other VIPs from

The

all

Name

the

for

Mao

Tse Tung,

for her skills,

Chou En

Lai,

and

over the world.

secret of Sai's

ral flavors to

Soon became famous

cooking

fullest. It is

of restaurant:

lies in

the usage of an ingredient's natu-

a fine example of Pekinese court cooking.

Kanmeiho

Phone:03-3224-1607
Address: Akasaka

New

Plaza

105, 7-6-47 Akasaka, Minato-ku,

Tokyo
Hours: 11:00 A.M.-2:30 P.M.; 5:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: accepted
Prices:

1,000-3,800 yen (lunch)/5,000+ yen (dinner)

Holder of the Culinary

Expert license, regarded
in

China as the ultimate

license.

god

and

is

in

She
her

is

revered as

home

a national treasure
level chef.

country

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Takeshi

Ookubo (Challenger 278)

Started his apprenticeship at the age of 18

at celebrated Cantonese restaurants.

and exhibited

his skillfulness

Met Kihachi Kumagai when he was

36 years old. Became the head chef of Kihachi China in Ginza

at the age

of 38.

Ookubo's strength
ments.

More than 200

lies in his

imaginative use of multicultural ele-

different sauces

from

all

over the world are uti-

lized.

Name

of restaurant: Kihachi China Ginza

Phone: 03-5524-0761
Address: 2-3-6 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 AM.-2:30 P.M. (lunch); 11:30 A.M.-4:00 P.M. (Sunday);
5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. (dinner)

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: accepted
Prices:

2,700+ yen (lunch)/5,500+ yen (dinner)

Recognized as a master of

Cantonese

sine

cui-

by the

restaurant Kihachi,

he employs sauces

from
world

all

over the

in his dishes.

269

270

IRON CHEF

Jacques Borie (Challenger 10)

Apprenticed

Continued

at

Le Grand Vefour since 1960; came to Japan in 1973.

his apprenticeship at the

MOF. Became

Hotel Okura. In 1983, awarded the

the head chef of L'Osier in 1986.

Borie rejected the kaiseki-style French cuisine and has remained

loyal to the classic dishes of

Name

French cuisine.

of restaurant: L'Osier

Phone:03-3571-6050
Address: 7-5-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 12:00 p.m. (lunch); 5:30 p.m. (dinner)

Open: Monday-Saturday; closed holidays

Credit card: accepted
Prices:

4,800-7,500 yen (lunch)/ 14,000-25,000 yen (dinner)

He won the French

award

for best chef,

the MOF.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Kyouko Kagata (Challenger

After graduating

21

&

251)

from the Woman's Nutritional College

in 1990, accepted

an offer from the Royal Park Hotel. Under Mitsuo Shimamura's tutelage,

went on

to

win the Toque D'or contest

Kagata's dishes go
their artistry.

Name

as the

youngest ever to do

beyond what the recipe

Feminine touches are evident

calls for

and shine

in her presentation.

of restaurant: Restaurant Goji

Phone:03-5428-1250
Address: 15-8 Hachiyamacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:00 P.M.; 5:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: accepted
Prices:

The

first

so.

1,200-2,000 yen (lunch)/900-3,200 yen (dinner)

female chef to

appear on the show,

she was also the

youngest chef to be
victorious.

in

271

272

IRON CHEF

Tadaaki Shimizu (Challenger 37)

Joined La Tour D'argent after going to France at the age of 24. After returning to Japan at the age of 27, appointed to vice head chef of the Japanese

branch of La Tour D'argent; became the vice head chef of the French
branch

at

Opened

la

age 28.

Two

Tourelle

years

later,

made head

when he was 38

Shimizu s dishes are

chef of the Japanese branch.

years old.

classical,

with

many

uses of artistic sauces.

Perfect dishes are available for a very reasonable price.

Name

of restaurant: La Tourelle

Phone: 03-3267-2120
Address: 6-8 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:30 P.M.; 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.

Open: Tuesday-Sunday
Credit card: accepted (dinner only)
Prices:

2,500+ yen (lunch)/7,000-10,000 yen (dinner)

He was the

first

Japanese to become
the vice head chef of

the world's most

famous French
restaurant.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Bruant (Challenger 38)

Joel

Born

in France. Started studying

French cuisine

at the

age of 13. Joined

the restaurant Paul Bocuse at 19 years old. Appointed as vice head chef

age of 24.

at the

Rengaya.
will

The same

Opened

year,

came

be thrown into throes of ecstasy

dishes

and

delightful sauces,

Name

to Japan as executive

his restaurant, Joel, at 32 years old.

head chef of

Your

five senses

after experiencing Bruant's skillful

which are strongly influenced by Bocuse.

of restaurant: Joel

Phone: 03-3400-7149
Address:

Kyodo

Building,

2nd

floor,

5-6-24

Minami Aoyama,

Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 12:00 P.M.-2:30 P.M.; 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: accepted

Other: Sea Bass Pie available a la carte (13,000 yen for two servings)
if

Prices:

reserved in advanced

3,800-7,000 yen (lunch)/8,000-18,000 yen (dinner)

The beloved student

of the

Emperor Paul

Bocuse, his sauces and

skills

delight your five

senses.

273

274

IRON CHEF

Artur Riitter (Challenger 45)

Mastered the basics of French cooking

at

Germany's National Culinary

School. Apprenticed in exotic places, such as onboard a luxury liner. After

serving as the executive head chef of a restaurant in Cannes,

a round-the-world culinary apprenticeship.

chef to the mayor of Paris at the age of 25.

and opened Chez

Came

embarked on

as the personal

to Japan at the age of 48

Sylvia.

Rutter's dishes, derived

of

Appointed

from designs he

creates, are small pieces

art.

Name

of restaurant:

Chez

Sylvia

Phone: 0424-74-3426
Address: 15-6-101 Higashi Honcho, Higashi Kurume-shi, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:00 P.M.; 5:00 P.M.-10:00 P.M.

Open: Wednesday-Monday; closed

first

and third Mondays of the

month
Credit card: not accepted
Prices:

5,000 yen (lunch)/10,000 yen (dinner)

The genius from

Germany,

who

has

mastered cuisines

from around the

world.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Etuo Jou (Challenger

Made

81

&

173)

the head chef of Lecrin in Ginza at 32 years old.

known around
It is

this time.

Opened Vincent

said that there were never

any

at

remain

Name

well-

45 years old.

leftovers

that he created. Jou's authentic French dishes,

sauces,

Became

on the

plates of dishes

which weigh heavily on

fiercely loyal to tradition.

of restaurant: Vincent

Phone: 03-3589-0035
Address: Inac Bldg.

B1F

Building, Bl floor, 5-18-23 Roppongi,

Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:00 P.M.; 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.

Open: throughout the year; closed

first

and second Sundays of the

month
Credit card: accepted
Prices:

3,500-6,000 yen (lunch)/7,500-12,500 yen (dinner)

big weight of the

Club de Trente, he

known

is

as the Jou of

Sauces.

275

276

IRON CHEF

Kazutaka Okabe (Challenger 83)

Began
at

his study of

French cuisine

at the

age of 19. Goes to France

when

25. Before his deportation due to an expired visa, travels around the

country, learning the

head chef of Enoteca

skills

in

of French cooking. Becomes the executive

Hiroo

after his return to Japan.

Not overly concerned by the beauty of

myriad charms of each ingredient

Name

in a

a dish,

Okabe

expresses the

dynamic manner.

of restaurant: Okabetei

Phone: 03-3479-5452
Address:

Grand Maison Nogizaka B1F, 1-15-19 Minami Aoyama,

Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:30 P.M. 6:00 P.M.- 10:00 p.m.

Open: Monday-Saturday
Credit card: accepted
Prices:

2,500-4,000 yen (lunch)/4,800--7,800 yen (dinner)

He goes to the
Tsukiji Fish

Market

by bicycle from
Hiroo.

He expresses

the charm of each

ingredient in a

dynamic manner.

c*

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Suganuma (Challenger

Toyoaki
Finds his

way

128)

to France at the age of 24; rejected

there. Undeterred,

becomes

by

all

the restaurants

a sushi chef at a sushi restaurant.

The

fol-

lowing year, succeeds in joining Le Due. At 26, becomes the head chef of
the Pierre Cardin Guest House.

Le Grand Comptoire,
ability allows

Name

him

at

Opens

age 34 and

is

his restaurant in

Shimokitazawa,

the executive head chef. Suganuma's

to create a classical, yet avant-garde cuisine.

of restaurant: Le

Grand Comptoir

Phone: 03-3410-7645
Address: Suehiro Building,

2nd

floor,

2-15-15 Kitazawa, Setagaya-

ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:00 P.M.; 5:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M.

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: accepted
Prices:

2,000-5,000 yen (lunch)/5,000-10,000 yen (dinner)

chef of astounding

ability,

he seeks to

bring out the cham-

ber music of French

dishes.

277

278

IRON CHEF

Philippe Batton (Challenger 137)

Apprenticed in Paris since the age of

ter

chef Philippe Grout.

Came

During that time, met the mas-

15.

to Japan

when he was 27

as a chef at the

Royal Park Hotel Palazzo. Becomes the executive head chef of Evelyne at
the age of 32.
Batton's classic yet innovative dishes outshine those of the other
chefs.

Name

of restaurant: Le Petit

Bedon

Phone: 03-5457-0086
Address: Hillside West

Bl, 13-13 Hachiyamacho, Shibuya-ku,

Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.; 6:00 P.M.

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: accepted
Prices:

3,600+ yen (lunch)

5,000-6,000 yen (dinner)

One of the top

French Chefs

Japan despite

| |1

.**>*

iiuniiw

young age.

in

his

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Toshiyuki Nakajima (Challenger 199)

Joined La Maree
Hikari-tei.

when he was 20

years old. At 24, joined Akasaka's

At 25, he went to France and the United States and spent 2

Amapora, La

years apprenticing abroad. Returning to Japan,

worked

Pure Piece in Nishi Azabu, and

Restaurant Lo a

becoming head

finally settled at

at

la

Bush,

chef.

Using seasonal ingredients, Nakajima's dishes are kind to the body.

Name

of restaurant:

The House of 1999 Restaurant

L'eau a la

Bouche
Phone: 03-3498-3001
Address: 4-2-9 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-1:30 P.M.; 6:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M.

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: accepted
Prices:

He

is

3,500-6,500 yen (lunch)/7,000-15,000 yen (dinner)

a chef that

sends out delicate

dishes in touch with

the changing
seasons.

279

280

IRON CHEF

Keiji

Went

Azuma

(Challenger 208)

to France at the age of 26

famous

restaurants.

head chef of

L'ile

Azuma's
His charm

lies

Name

and apprenticed

Returned to Japan

at

at Trois

Gros and other

30 years of age; became the

de France.

dishes,

heavy on sauces, convey the yesteryears of France.

in the authentic, classical dishes.

of restaurant:

L'ile

de France

Phone:03-5485-2931
Address: Taihan Building,

2nd

floor,

3-6-23 Kita Aoyama, Minato-

ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:00 P.M.; 6:00 P.M.-9:30 P.M.

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: accepted
Prices:

1,500-3,500 yen (lunch)/2,500-9,000 yen (dinner)

Earning the acclaim

of the French, his

dishes are authentic

and are not swayed

with the times.

RESTAURANT GUIDE
Hiromi Yamada (Challenger 27)

Began

his apprenticeship at the age of 18;

years old. Returned to Japan

Pasta.

Opened his own

and accepted

Three years

later,

when he was 28

head chef of Pasta

Azabu named Vinocchio

at the

the culinary world for a period of time.

appeared on Iron Chef and revealed a legendary dish,

which was forever etched

in

Yamada now pursues

Name

left

to Italy

a position as

restaurant in Nishi

age of 35. After a car accident,

went

our memory.

his

own

style

of Italian at Ristorante Hiro.

of restaurant: Ristorante Hiro

Phone: 03-3486-5561
Address:

Place B1F, 5-5-25

Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Hours: 12:00 P.M.-1:30 P.M.; 6:00 P.M.-8:30 P.M.

Open: throughout the year; closed for lunch on Mondays and

Tuesdays
Credit card: accepted
Prices:

1,800-4,800 yen (lunch)/ 6,500-8,000 yen (dinner)

The legendary chef

who

created

"cold pasta."

281

282

RON CHEF

Kouji Kobayashi (Challenger 52)

At 22 years of

age,

commenced

his study

when he was

renowned Vissani

in Italy

tion of head chef.

Became

30.

a truck driver

of Italian cuisine. Joined the

At 30, promoted to the posi-

when he returned

to

Japan in

1991.

Never creating the same dish twice, Kobayashi's cooking

solely

on the inspiration he

Name

feels

when he

lays his eye

on an

is

based

ingredient.

of restaurant: Marie

Phone: 03-3446-9700
Address:

New Towa

Building,

1st

floor,

5-2-9

Minami Azabu,

Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 12:00 P.M.-2:00 P.M. 6:00 P.M.-11:00 P.M.

Open: Monday-Saturday; closed holidays

Credit card: accepted
Prices:

1,800-4,800 yen (lunch)/6,000-7,500 yen (dinner)

He

is

a legendary

chef, as well as the

beloved pupil of
Italy's

genius

Gianfranco Vissani.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Takamasa Uetake (Challenger

Started working at Belle
in

Harajuku.

chef

his

way to

summer house

at the

age of 30;

Made

Mare

at the

148)

age of 20. Later worked at Pasta Pasta

Italy at the age

of 25. Became the personal

of Benetton's owner. Returned to Japan

at the

became the executive head chef of Bigollosso.

Uetake's dishes,

made of numerous

types of olive

oil,

are

worth the

experience.

Name

of restaurant:

Canoviano

Phone: 03-5456-5681
Address: 2-21-4 Ebisu Nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 12:00 P.M.-2:00 P.M.; 6:00 P.M.-10:00 P.M.

Open: Tuesday-Sunday
Credit card: accepted
Prices:

A true

3,000 to 5,000 yen (lunch)/6,500 to 8,000 yen (dinner;

magician

manipulating over
100 different olive
oils

harvested from

the symbol of peace,

the olive tree.

283

284

IRON CHEF

Hironobu Tujiguchi (Challenger 267)

Started his apprenticeship at the age of 18.

30 to further his
seas. In

1997

skills.

won

Won

to France at the age of

prestigious awards both in Japan

the world cup of desserts, the

Tujiguchi leads the path to a

ed

Went

new

and over-

Coupe de Monde.

era of pastries with his liberat-

ideas.

Name

of restaurant:

Mont

Saint Clair

Phone: 03-3718-5200
Address: 2-22-4 Jiyugaoka, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Hours:

1:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (coffee shop);

1:00 A.M.-7:00 P.M. (cake

shop)

Open: Thursday-Tuesday; closed the third Tuesday of the

month

Credit card: not accepted

Prices:

650 yen (tea)/200-500 yen (cake)

A young

genius

who

has stood at the

peak of over 10,000

patissiers.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Tadamichi Ota (Challenger

Joined

Nakanobo Zuien,

1981. In

110)

located in

1982, appointed Vice

Arima Onzen,

Association, an association with over 20,000

There
cooking

is

style

no chef
is

in Japan

as

its

head chef

in

Chairman of the Japanese Culinary

who

members.

does not

know

of Ota's name. His

not conservative; rather his novel ideas and sensitivity

create an avant-garde style.

Name

of restaurant:

Nakanobo Zuien

Phone: 078-904-0781
Address: 808 Arimamachi, Kita-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo-ken

Hours:

11:30 A.M.-3:30 P.M.

(day trip);

1:00

(overnight trip)
Credit card: accepted
Prices:

With 300

18,000+ yen (day)/30,000+ yen (overnight)

disciples,

he reigns over the

Ota faction from the
inner

chamber of
Kansai.

p.m.-12:00 p.m.

285

286

IRON CHEF

Miturou Harada (Challenger 226)

Began

his apprenticeship at the age of 18.

renowned

restaurants.

old. In 1985,

his skill in various

Appointed head chef of Yoshida Sanso

at

38 years

became the head chef of Kyoto Brighton Hotel Hotaru.

Harada breathes new

new and

Developed

life

into the heart of Kyoto cuisine with his

novel dishes.

Name

of restaurant:

Hotaru

Phone:075-441-4411
Address: Nakadachiuri, Shinmachi, Kamigyouku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Hours: 7:00 A.M.-10:00 A.M.;

1:00 A.M.-12:30 P.M.; 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.

Credit card: accepted

Prices:

2,000-3,700 yen (lunch)/8,000+ yen (dinner)

He

carries

on

his

back the reputation

of a first-class hotel.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Yoshimi Tanigawa (Challenger 286)

Started his apprenticeship in Kyoto at the age of 15.

Working

restaurants, mastered the art of Kyoto cuisine. At 31,

restaurant in the

Shimokamo

at

opened

various
his

own

area of Kyoto.

Tanigawa guards the basic belief of Kyoto cuisine by preparing

dishes so that the flavors of the ingredients are straightforward. There are

no

extra

frills

Name

on

his dishes; they are purely to

be enjoyed for their

taste.

of restaurant: Kichisen

Phone:075-711-6121
Address: 5 bancho, Tadasunomori, Shimogamo, Sakyoku, Kyotoshi,

Kyoto

Hours: 12:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M.; 4:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.

Open: throughout the year

Credit card: not accepted
Prices:

8,000 yen (lunch)/14,000 yen (dinner;

He prepares the

most sophisticated
Kyoto cuisine
of Kyoto.

in all

287

288

RON CHEF

Kazuhiko

Tei

(Challenger 6)

Graduated Nan High School and Kansai Gakuin University. Mastered

culinary arts in Taiwan and

Hong Kong. At

24 years old, became the chef

of Ryoutan. Has served as lecturer of Japanese televisions

Today's

Cooking for 35 years.

With pride
must be two

in his vast

knowledge and experiences,

sides to cooking; attacking

and

ous over Kenichi during Battle Octopus, with his

live

Tei claims "there

protecting."

He was

victori-

mastery over the

skillful

animal.

Name

of restaurant: Mr. Tei's Taiwanese Restaurant Ryutan

Phone: 06-6341-3040
Address: Osaka Ekimae Dai 3 Building

B1F

1-1

Umeda,

Kita-ku,

Osaka
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-10:00 P.M.

Open: Monday-Saturday
Credit card: accepted
Prices:

630-1,260 yen (lunch)/4,000 yen (dinner)

A chef

at the

peak of

the Kansai Chinese

world, he
first

was the

to ever win

against an Iron Chef.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Kazunari Takada (Challenger 210

&

211)

Entered, at the age of 29, Kanazawas Tsuruko as a chef in charge of boiled

dishes.

There mastered the

art of

Kaga

cuisine.

Opened

his restaurant

Toshihisa at 36 years old.

Takada creates

flawless dishes that satisfy the discerning palettes of

the people of Kanazawa. His dishes, derived from dashi, are straightfor-

ward but bottomless

Name

in their depth.

of restaurant: Toshihisa

Phone:0762-47-4111
Address: 4-13-37 Arimatsu, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa-ken
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:00 P.M.; 5:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M.

Open: Thursday-Tuesday
Credit card: accepted
Prices:

He

2,500-5,000+ yen (lunch)/8,000-l 5,000 yen (dinner)

carries with

him

the future of the

tradition of
cuisine.

Kaga

289

290

RON CHEF

Fumiaki Satou (Challenger 219)

Started his apprenticeship at the age of 18;

chef of

Motoyu

at

Ureno Onsen

Sato's creations

and the

worthy of the beautiful

ing.

became the

executive head

in Saga in 1991.

vessels create a

receptacles,

harmonious

unit.

His

skills,

uphold the basics of Japanese cook-

Exceptional dishes created with the abundant harvests of Saga can be

experienced here.

Name

of restaurant: Ureshino

Onsen Motoyu Hatsuhana

Phone: 0954-42-1200
Address: 2202-8

Ooaza Shitayadocho, Ureshinomachi, Fujitsu-gun,

Saga-ken
Hours: 11:30 A.M.-1:30 P.M.; 5:00 P.M.-8:30 P.M.
Credit card: accepted
Prices:

2,000-5,000 yen (lunch)/3,000-10,000 yen (dinner)

"manipulator of

receptacles," he

appreciates the

essence of Arita-yaki.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Takeshi Kajimoto (Challenger 240)

Started his apprenticeship at the age of 18; learned the basic
dashi. Served as a chef of boiled dishes. In 1993,

Tokiwa

in

One
suit

of

skills

of

became the head chef of

Yamaguchi Yuda Onsen.

of the characteristics of Kajimoto's dishes

new and

lization of dashi

Name

is

his constant pur-

innovative flavors. At the base of this pursuit

made from

is

his uti-

various types of konbu.

of restaurant: Nishi

no Miyabi Tokiwa

Phone: 0839-22-0091
Address: 4-6-4

Hours:

Yuda Onsen, Yamaguchi-shi, Yamaguchi-ken

11:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M.

(day trip); 3:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.

(overnight trip)
Credit card: accepted
Prices:

A virtuoso

6,000+ yen (day)/ 15,000-35,000 yen (overnight)

of konbu

seaweed, he

is

con-

stantly in pursuit of

new and

innovative

flavors.

291

292

RON CHEF

Seiya Masahara (Challenger 272)

Commenced

apprenticeship at the age of 18; taught the basics of

Japanese cuisine by master chef Tadamichi Oota at

Nakanobo Zuien. At

33,

Arima Onsen's

became the head chef of Yuhara Grand Hotel

Hakkei in Okayama.

Masahara s dishes are

vests.

This characteristic

Name

is

traditional, using a wealth of

mountain har-

evident in his seasonal hotpots.

of restaurant: Yuhara

Grand Hotel Hakkei

Phone:0867-62-2211
Address: 1572 Houei, Yuharamachi, Maniwa-gun,

Okayama-ken

Hours: 11:30 A.M.-2:30 P.M. (day trip); 3:00 P.M.-l 0:00 P.M. (overnight
trip)

Credit card: accepted

Reservations: required for weekdays

Other: ask about
Prices:

weekend hours

5,000+ yen (day) 17,000-23,000 yen (overnight)

A master
cooked

of dishes

in pots,

he

excels in the foundation of Japanese

cooking.

RESTAURANT GUIDE
Takaya Nakazawa (Challenger 120)
Joined

Honkon-en

and perfected

his

Chen Kenmin,

in

Meguro

at

mastery of his original sauces. Striving to outdo the

created over 50 different sauces,

Nakazawa's habitual words

to

your customers." He

Name

22 years old. At 44, journeyed to China

is

are,

all

of which are

"be nice to your ingredients, be nice

a pioneer of a

new Chinese

cuisine frontier.

of restaurant: Chinese Restaurant Sanchou, Rikuchyabo

Phone 0559-78-1021
:

Address: 614 Hirai, Kannamicho, Tagatagun, Shizuoka-ken

Hours: 11:30 a.m.-2:00 P.M.; 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Open: February, April, June-December

Credit card: not accepted
Prices:

2,700+ yen (lunch)/4,000-9,000 yen (dinner)

Unable to forget

his

experience of Chen

Kenmin's

chili

prawns,

he continues to pursue
the re-creation of

Kenmin's flavors.

late

artistic.

293

294

IRON CHEF

Hiroshi

Went

Yamanobe (Challenger

to France at the age of 23,

France. Returned to
in Ginza.

Became

committing to

Japan and apprenticed

his

memory the

Maree de Chaya,

Shonan boom. Yamanobe

Chez Yamanobe located

flavors of

at restaurants such as Lecant

executive head chef of Hayama's La

the restaurant responsible for the

the head chef of

116)

in

is

presently

Fukushima. French cuisine,

centered around the freshest ingredients, can be sampled here.

Name

of restaurant:

Chez Yamanobe

Phone:0241-68-3585
Address: 1316 Tatemoto otsu, Yunokami Aza, Ooaza, Shimosatocho,

Aizu-gun, Fukushima-ken
Hours: 12:00 P.M.; 6:00 P.M.

Open: throughout the year;

may be

closed

on holidays

Credit card: accepted

Prices:

3,500-5,000 yen (lunch)/8,500-10,000 yen (dinner)

He single-handedly
guarded the culture
of Shonan back in

the 1980s.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to:

Manami Mizutani
Isshin Ogaeri

Yukio Hattori
Hideaki Takahashi
Atsushi

Nakayama

Michiko Nakamura

Akihiko Saito
Keiko Kawashima
Tsukihiko Sato

Tomoyuki Yoshida
Fumihiko Sakai
Yuusuke Oodate

Tomoyuki Sekiguchi
Dai Mitsuya
Kiyoyuki Ichimaida
Hattori Nutrition College

Setsuko Yuuki
All the challengers

Tatsuo Ito
restaurants

Keiko Enseki

and

their

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