# Iron Chef America - De Laurentiis vs Ray **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 13, 2006, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251 "2006-11-13T16:09:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/21 "2006-11-14T16:57:32Z")
Um. I’ll take Giada. You guys can share your Rachel. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/22 "2006-11-14T17:37:18Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] I don’t blame you. Any body who would serve that ought to be flogged. Creamed reindeer gallbladders should always be served with pond scum, not tree bark! [/QUOTE] Yes, but dandelion was the secret ingredient, and everyone knows that dandelions don’t match well at all with pond scum, but are complemented perfectly by tree bark. It was a tough decision for the Iron Chef. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/23 "2006-11-14T17:41:44Z")
IIRC, the secret ingredient in the SNL skit about the show was eel farts. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/24 "2006-11-14T18:00:14Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] IIRC, the secret ingredient in the SNL skit about the show was eel farts. [/QUOTE] Eel farts were used, but the theme ingredient was shark heads. “Blue jeans on fire! Chevrolet Elvis! Blue jeans on fire! Okay! Let’s go!” ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/25 "2006-11-14T19:28:37Z")
[QUOTE=D\_Odds] They were both on their best behaviour through this match. Ray was way too busy to do any obnoxiously perky bits, but she can’t control the latent perkiness. Flay probably wanted to get into Giada’s pants, so he wasn’t being a surly asshole. Batali, as usual, was just having a grand ol’ time. This is fun for him, and it shows. [/QUOTE] I spent the whole episode wondering if they’d been in each others pants. Surprisingly, I had no such thoughts about Batali and Ray. But since they lost, I don’t think Flay’s getting lucky. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/26 "2006-11-14T19:45:02Z")
Alton was in Nashville? And I missed it? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Grossbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba8739/32.png) [@Grossbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grossbottom)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/27 "2006-11-14T19:58:22Z")
[QUOTE=Dangerosa] I spent the whole episode wondering if they’d been in each others pants. Surprisingly, I had no such thoughts about Batali and Ray. But since they lost, I don’t think Flay’s getting lucky. [/QUOTE] See, I got the vibe that he wanted a piece of that and she was tolerating him so she could get paid. Then I got the vibe that she wanted me to chain her up in my kitchen wearing a schoolgirl outfit, so who knows what’s up with that. ---
**Author:** ![Paranoid\_Randroid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paranoid_randroid/32/18_2.png) [@Paranoid\_Randroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paranoid_Randroid)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/28 "2006-11-14T20:06:59Z")
[QUOTE=Lemur Catta] What is really needed is for Alton Brown to step down from the announcers box so we can have a Brown/Ray smackdown and finally lay to rest any doubts who the true King of the Food Shows is… [/QUOTE] It’s kind of funny you mention that: When he was in Lexington, KY’s [Joseph Beth](http://www.josephbeth.com/Default.aspx?StoreId=1&TabIndex=0&Tabid=1&p=y) promoting _[I’m Just Here for More Food](http://www.amazon.com/Im-Just-Here-More-Food/dp/1584793414/sr=1-3/qid=1163534533/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/102-4371843-6081761?ie=UTF8&s=books)_, someone asked him which Food Network chef he’d prefer to take on in Iron Chef. He said he didn’t think of himself as chef - but if it came down to it, he’d be willing to “throw down with Rachel Ray”. That made me happy. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/29 "2006-11-14T21:00:05Z")
[QUOTE=DeVena] :eek: You have sniffed AB. I must now form a cult around you. [genuflecting]All hail, **GingerOfTheNorth**! [/genuflecting] [/QUOTE] Uh. Okay? [QUOTE=Grossbottom] See, I got the vibe that he wanted a piece of that and she was tolerating him so she could get paid. Then I got the vibe that she wanted me to chain her up in my kitchen wearing a schoolgirl outfit, so who knows what’s up with that. [/QUOTE] Why were ou wearing a schoolgirl outfit? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/30 "2006-11-14T22:57:36Z")
[QUOTE=Paranoid Randroid] He said he didn’t think of himself as chef - but if it came down to it, he’d be willing to “throw down with Rachel Ray”. That made me happy. [/QUOTE] Why? Because he proved he’s heterosexual? ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/31 "2006-11-14T23:21:46Z")
You know who I’d like to see on Iron Chef America (or better yet, with his own Food Network show)? Rick Bayless. He is an amazing chef on PBS who specializes in Mexican food, and his show always involves a lot of travel to various locales across Mexico and explorations into the cultures that produce the recipes. His cookbooks are amazing, and I hear his restaurants in Chicago are to die for. I think he was a guest on Emeril’s show once, but I’d like to see him move beyond PBS (where he is shown sporadically) and hit a larger audience on Food Network. Then again, didn’t Nigella Lawson finally get her own Food Network show? When is it on? I still have yet to see her! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/32 "2006-11-14T23:25:59Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] You know who I’d like to see on Iron Chef America (or better yet, with his own Food Network show)? Rick Bayless. He is an amazing chef on PBS who specializes in Mexican food, and his show always involves a lot of travel to various locales across Mexico and explorations into the cultures that produce the recipes. His cookbooks are amazing, and I hear his restaurants in Chicago are to die for. I think he was a guest on Emeril’s show once, but I’d like to see him move beyond PBS (where he is shown sporadically) and hit a larger audience on Food Network. Then again, didn’t Nigella Lawson finally get her own Food Network show? When is it on? I still have yet to see her! [/QUOTE] I’m pretty sure he has already been on Iron Chef America against Bobby Flay. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/33 "2006-11-14T23:27:56Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] You know who I’d like to see on Iron Chef America (or better yet, with his own Food Network show)? Rick Bayless. He is an amazing chef on PBS who specializes in Mexican food, and his show always involves a lot of travel to various locales across Mexico and explorations into the cultures that produce the recipes. His cookbooks are amazing, and I hear his restaurants in Chicago are to die for. I think he was a guest on Emeril’s show once, but I’d like to see him move beyond PBS (where he is shown sporadically) and hit a larger audience on Food Network. [/QUOTE] Bayless was already on Iron Chef America. The result was: Flay 25, Bayless 24. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/34 "2006-11-14T23:35:30Z")
OK. Well I still think he should have his own FN show. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/35 "2006-11-15T14:26:00Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] OK. Well I still think he should have his own FN show. [/QUOTE] I’ve been to one of Batali’s restaurants (Po) and one of Flay’s (Mesa Grill). Surprisingly, both chefs were at their respective restaurant that day. With their TV shows, book writing, managing multiple restaurants, and personal appearances, it was very surprising. If memory serves, at the time I went to their restaurants, they each only had one show, and Batali had 3 restaurants, Flay 2. Still, that’s a lot of juggling of their schedule. These guys work hard. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/36 "2006-11-15T17:32:11Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] Then again, didn’t Nigella Lawson finally get her own Food Network show? When is it on? I still have yet to see her! [/QUOTE] Nigella’s show (called \*\*Nigella Feasts \*\* or something like that) is on the Food Network on Sundays. Noonish (Check your local listings.). ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/37 "2006-11-15T17:44:27Z")
> [@](#): > > You know who I’d like to see on Iron Chef America (or better yet, with his own Food Network show)? Rick Bayless. He is an amazing chef on PBS who specializes in Mexican food, and his show always involves a lot of travel to various locales across Mexico and explorations into the cultures that produce the recipes. His cookbooks are amazing, and I hear his restaurants in Chicago are to die for. I ate lunch at Frontera the last time I was in Chicago, and the salsa alone was worth the trip. I was a little surprised that even though it was lunchtime, and even though I was in the more downscale Frontera (rather than the tonier Topolobampo next door), Rick himself walked through the dining room to make sure everything was OK. He had pretty obviously been back there cooking. And Rick totally pwned Flay on ICA, and I say that as a big fan of Flay’s food. ---
**Author:** ![Heckxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@Heckxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heckxx)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/38 "2006-11-16T02:22:35Z")
That Tag Team battle drew in record viewings for the food network, I read in a news article. Highest viewership the network has ever recieved. 5.8 Million peeps i believe ---
**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/39 "2006-11-16T02:30:36Z")
[QUOTE=DoctorJ] I ate lunch at Frontera the last time I was in Chicago, and the salsa alone was worth the trip. I was a little surprised that even though it was lunchtime, and even though I was in the more downscale Frontera (rather than the tonier Topolobampo next door), Rick himself walked through the dining room to make sure everything was OK. He had pretty obviously been back there cooking. And Rick totally pwned Flay on ICA, and I say that as a big fan of Flay’s food. [/QUOTE] If mexican food is your thing, there is no one better than Bayless. The man is to Mexican food what Batali is to Italian, but without the smug. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251/40 "2006-11-16T04:14:25Z")
[QUOTE=The Swan] If mexican food is your thing, there is no one better than Bayless. The man is to Mexican food what Batali is to Italian, but without the smug. [/QUOTE] You think Batali is smug? Wow. I’ve never gotten that vibe off him. I always thought of him as kind of down-to-earth. Flay, on the other hand, is to smug what Fabio is to nipples. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-america-de-laurentiis-vs-ray/380251.md?page=3)