Firstly, awesome job by both chefs. This looks like food that I would really enjoy. Abalone ice cream may look nice, but I don’t think I’d like it.
More importantly, what is up with Rick Bayless’ lower jaw? He has a decided simian look to him, with what appears to be a white mustache and goatee, and a lower lip hugely out of porportion with his upper lip.
His food is wonderful, but he looks like a cro-magnon.
Bayless should have won, IMO. I think if they’d had 3 judges who knew what they were doing instead of just one, Flay would have lost big time.
I’m still of the opinion that the floor reporter is useless and that AB really needs help in the booth.
Buffalo was an interesting choice, just because it meshed well with both their styles.
Will this be on again? I’ve heard nothing but the best things about Rick Bayless, and I’d love to see him in action.
The floor reporter is a nice enough guy - as long as he doesn’t have to talk about cooking. He’s the host of a show called “The Thirsty Traveller”, also on the Food Network. It’s not too bad in small doses.
I agree that Bayless should have won - but at least this is authentic Iron Chef judging. The challenger got ripped off again and again in the Japanese version.
Did anyone else think Flay was his usual obnoxious self talking back to the judges? An I agree that AB could use someone to talk to. The interviews with the judges was lame. However, I enjoyed some chatter from the chefs I could understand.
Poor Rick. Well, there’s always Mexico.
Heh.
Anyway, it continues the tradition of Chicago talent not getting their due.
Yeah, he should have had a point or two knocked off for his attitude that the judges’ criticisms were uninformed and offbase.
I really enjoyed this. After the abortion that was the previous attempt at Iron Chef USA (the one with Shatner and the monster-truck-style commentators), it was really nice to see them go back to basics. It’s about the food, people. And Alton Brown is the perfect guy for his role.
The biggest area in which this version of the show suffers in comparison to the Japanese original (IMO) is that they seem to have lost the idea of courses and designing a meal, as opposed to just a collection of recipes. In the original, they’ll start with a soup or salad, move through different courses, and finish with a dessert or other closer. In this American version, it’s just a selection of different ways to treat the ingredient, without much coherent organization. Definitely not as satisfying from a culinary standpoint.
Oh, and yeah, Bayless should have won.
(Will definitely be watching this again. Nice job, Food Network.)
Two things stood out to me:
Did they only have to prepare one plate of each course? IIRC, the original Iron Chefs had to prepare as many dishes as ther ewere judges but I only saw one of each plate. That seems like a pretty big cop out if it’s true.
Re: the comments during tasting, I was struck by how the judges liked Bayless’ food and complimented him even if it wasn’t completely to their taste. In stark contrast 3 of the 5 dishes that Flay prepared were criticised by various judges for being prepared incorrectly. e.g. too rare, too tough, overcooked. If there’s a way to not cook Buffalo, Flay did it! I could give a flying flip whether something is pretty, it better damn well taste good and imho Bayless kicked butt in that regard.
I noticed that too, and assumed that the sous chefs (nice that they got names!) did it, since copying the plating is not creative.
I’m just as happy there were no deserts - I could imagine a Japanese Iron Chef doing buffalo ice cream :eek:
Don’t be silly, buffalo isn’t suited for ice cream … perhaps a sorbet?
No no no: buffalo chips.
(Better than buffalo super fudge chunk, I tell you whut.)