# Do you like Iron Chef America? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 14, 2006, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465 "2006-07-14T13:47:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/21 "2006-07-14T18:37:11Z")
**Seymour** here you go, the [Iron Chef](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006IWYRS/sr=8-2/qid=1152902053/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-8281042-7763026?ie=UTF8) book from Amazon on sale for $4.99. ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/22 "2006-07-14T18:45:42Z")
Truly I like both, but I must confess the fun factor of the original is missing (and probably undoable) in the American version. ---
**Author:** ![Seymour\_Gams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Seymour\_Gams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seymour_Gams)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/23 "2006-07-14T18:51:47Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] **Seymour** here you go, the [Iron Chef](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006IWYRS/sr=8-2/qid=1152902053/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-8281042-7763026?ie=UTF8) book from Amazon on sale for $4.99. [/QUOTE] [Maeby] Marry me! [/Maeby] ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/24 "2006-07-14T19:04:48Z")
[QUOTE=Seymour Gams] Thank God ICA got Jewel to judge. I hear she used to make great poptarts in her van by the river. [/QUOTE] I wasn’t commenting on the fact that it was a “non-foodie” brought in to judge, I was commenting on the fact that someone who’s profession is a fortune teller is a substaintial enough of a celebrity to be a judge on a popular show like that in the first place. At least Jewel has talent, all the fortune teller lady does is spew whatever BS she feels like spewing that day. ---
**Author:** ![Seymour\_Gams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Seymour\_Gams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seymour_Gams)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/25 "2006-07-14T19:33:57Z")
[QUOTE=bouv] I wasn’t commenting on the fact that it was a “non-foodie” brought in to judge, I was commenting on the fact that someone who’s profession is a fortune teller is a substaintial enough of a celebrity to be a judge on a popular show like that in the first place. At least Jewel has talent, all the fortune teller lady does is spew whatever BS she feels like spewing that day. [/QUOTE] I could argue Jewel’s talent with you but that is more opinion than anything. I’m assuming they didn’t just pluck that fortune teller off the street, she probably had some sort of fame. If they find a elementary school janitor that knows more about food than Jewel, I think he’d make a better judge. How would you feel if Dionne Warwick came on as a judge? Just wondering… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/26 "2006-07-14T19:34:23Z")
> [@Wile E](#): > > I agree the original is a lot more campy, which maybe unintentional for the Japanese. Well, there may be some unintentional “camp” in the English dubbing, but basically, no, it’s not unintentional. The Japanese version is funny, and intentionally so, on many levels: - The tasting judges always include one beautiful actress, usually fairly dumb; and there’s that fortune-teller, who’s popular in Japan. They’re not food experts, they’re just celebrities. That adds to the humor. - In Japan, it is very rude to be critical of someone’s work (like a meal) in front of the person. Thus, when the judge (an actress) says to the professional chef, “I think it needs more salt,” that’s very funny to the Japanese. It’s still funny to Americans, if you think about it a minute. - The ingredients often include stuff that’s totally wacky – wasn’t there a live octopus battle? Japanese will eat all sorts of things that Americans would think yucky. That’s funny. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/27 "2006-07-14T19:41:32Z")
I agree that the absence of jowly bint Kazuko Hosoki from ICA is worth about seventeen points in its favor. I’ve been a fan of the original for years, and ICA is very slowly coming up to its level. The closer it gets to the original, the better it becomes. Allowing the challenger to call out his or her Iron Chef opponent (even though it’s mostly theater, like on the original) is one good change. The ingredients have also been getting better and better; in radical contrast to the original, which would put thousands of dollars worth of raw material on the stand, ICA stayed low-budget for a while because they weren’t sure the show would catch on (mushrooms; squash; hamburger?). Lately, though, things have gotten better; the bacon battle was fun, and when they do save money, they at least keep it interesting (frozen peas was a neat idea). Best of all, it’s clear that as the show has developed, the chefs keep raising the bar on one another, and the dishes have gotten more and more interesting. Wylie Dufresne may not have won, but it’s great that he got a chance to strut his stuff. Two gripes about ICA: I don’t like the fact that ties are left unresolved, and I don’t like the unmoderated nature of the scoring. (The two times I’ve seen Martin Yan as a judge, there are always fractional points in the totals. Whole numbers or nothing. Take a stand, Yan.) ---
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/28 "2006-07-14T19:42:51Z")
I have to admit that I watch the Food Network fairly often. I like Iron Chef America quite a bit. I love to watch Mario because he always looks like he’s having a good time. Bobby Flay is slowly growing on me though I thought him unbelievable arrogant at first. Morimoto is just brilliant and I’d like to see more battles with Cat Cora. What I want to know is what’s up with choosing the Iron Chef for each battle? Sometime the chairman chooses and sometimes they let the contestant choose. Why the difference? I wish they had the 30 minute tie-breaker like ICJ did but I guess American television could never stand for those scheduling problems. ICJ is classic. Never gets old. Now I want to get that book. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/29 "2006-07-14T19:49:01Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] The book had a list of every battle, every ingredient, every contestant and every outcome. It also went into some of the back story and off camera stuff that is edited out of the translated version. Apparently there are a lot more soap opera elements to the show in Japan. The chairman takes it very seriously when “his” Iron Chefs lose. [/QUOTE] So, like, there’s attempted sabotage of secret ingredients, betrayal, and chefs being hit with folding metal chairs? I’d totally watch that show! ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/30 "2006-07-14T19:55:21Z")
Is anybody else as completely immature as me? In last weeks “pea” battle, at the unveiling Flay very seriously reached into grab one to taste, but my mind immediatly switched to Beevis and Butthead mode, and I started cracking up. “Hehe Bobby Flay just took a pea on camera” ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/31 "2006-07-14T20:09:02Z")
I agree that the show is getting better as it goes along. The chefs (Iron Chefs and challengers alike) seem more willing to go along with the humor of the show. As a result, it’s becoming more, dare I say it, campy. But in a good way. Little details like The Curse of the Ice Cream Machine, for example. We really need to find something that matches the drama of the Ohta Faction saga of the original show, though. Perhaps we could have the Alice Waters Clan, consisting of the grand dame’s acolytes? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/32 "2006-07-14T21:10:24Z")
[QUOTE=xnylder] We really need to find something that matches the drama of the Ohta Faction saga of the original show, though. Perhaps we could have the Alice Waters Clan, consisting of the grand dame’s acolytes? 😃 [/QUOTE] That would be great. That skinny NY chef who chain smokes would be a hoot. Put him vs Racel Ray or Emeril, both of whom he hates. Overall, I think ICA is as good or better than the Japanese version. I am awed by Mario Batali. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/33 "2006-07-14T21:27:01Z")
[QUOTE=wolfman] Is anybody else as completely immature as me? In last weeks “pea” battle, at the unveiling Flay very seriously reached into grab one to taste, but my mind immediatly switched to Beevis and Butthead mode, and I started cracking up. “Hehe Bobby Flay just took a pea on camera” [/QUOTE] That reminds me of the recipe on how to make leek soup: “First you take a leek”. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/34 "2006-07-14T21:51:34Z")
There is one judge on ICA who would vote for Flay if he made peanut butter and jelly. Everytime they are on together she hates the challenger and\* loves \* Bobby Flay. “OOOOOOO this is the best, most delicious, incedible, awesome food I have ever tasted” Don’t recall her name, too lazy to look it up. She wrote Untangle my Chopsticks, or something similar. I like ICA, but forget it’s on. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/35 "2006-07-15T02:49:21Z")
[QUOTE=DanBlather] That would be great. That skinny NY chef who chain smokes would be a hoot. Put him vs Racel Ray or Emeril, both of whom he hates. [/QUOTE] Anthony Bourdain? I don’t know if he has enough of a sense of humor for this show. It would be a hoot to see him try to keep his cool on live TV, though. Another concept they could reprise from the original Iron Chef was that episode in which Dr. Yukiyo Hattori, the nutritionist commentator, volunteered as challenger. I’d love to see Alton or Kevin on the line! ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/36 "2006-07-15T03:10:58Z")
I like both Iron Chefs, and I heart anything Alton Brown does. The one thing I think would improve both shows is to have each competitor taste the other competitor’s dishes. It’s only fair if they’re being judged against other they should know why one or the other won. As for Flay’s other show, I don’t like Flay and I don’t like the show, but I will say that the two battles I saw Flay lost both and did say that specialists are usually better than any generalist. StG ---
**Author:** ![Heckxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@Heckxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heckxx)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/37 "2006-07-15T04:23:23Z")
[QUOTE=velvetjones] What I want to know is what’s up with choosing the Iron Chef for each battle? Sometime the chairman chooses and sometimes they let the contestant choose. Why the difference? I wish they had the 30 minute tie-breaker like ICJ did but I guess American television could never stand for those scheduling problems. [/QUOTE] In the first two seasons, the chairman picked the challenger’s opponent. In the newest third season, the challengers get to pick their opponent. But you have to realize that it is ALL fixed anyways. Sometimes the challengers get the opponents they want, sometimes it just isn’t possible due to the massive scheduling involved. And sometimes I’m sure, the FN guru’s pre-choose a combination that creates a most interesting battles. You are right that the 30 minute tie breaker would just be impossible to schedule. It was bad enough on ICJ, that the judges had to stick around longer for another eating, etc. I think they’re may be a new season in which the tie’s get to rechallenge. But you also have to realize that FN tries to de-emphasize the importance of who won and who lost. As Alton Brown always seems to say at the end of every episode, “There are no real losers..everyone’s a winner here!” I also will say that I enjoy ICA’s progression to become more and more like the orginal Japanese show. If ratings are good enough, I’m sure they will eventually find a counterpart to the Otha Faction..I can’t for that to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/38 "2006-07-15T04:24:47Z")
While any time Alton is onscreen is a good time, I just can’t get into ICA. The original had a certain panache, a certain fun oddness, a certain Japanese…osity that the American version just can’t duplicate. Get the cranky fortune teller to taste, then we’ll talk. ---
**Author:** ![motomoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@motomoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motomoon)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/39 "2006-07-15T04:26:40Z")
I have much love for ICJ and respect Alton Brown, but I simply refuse to watch ICA on principal. Perhaps it was the William Shatner special that did it, or perhaps the preposterousness of ICJ is what makes it great. In time I’m sure I will come around and actually watch an episode of ICA, but first I would have to get cable again 😉 “Fuku-san!” ---
**Author:** ![supervenusfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@supervenusfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supervenusfreak)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465/40 "2006-07-15T04:53:38Z")
I like the show. It made good late night viewing when I was at work. As with most Food Network programs, I usually watch it when I am channel surfing late at night, or on weekend mornings. I’ve never seen the original Japanese program, but it does sound very interesting. As for Bobby Flay? Wholesomely cute in a Rachael Ray kind of way, but very overexposed on the network. Give me Alton Brown and his quirkiness any day… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-iron-chef-america/364465.md?page=3)