# iron chef

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef/347015>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 4, 2006, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef/347015 "2006-03-04T04:25:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef/347015/1 "2006-03-04T04:25:28Z")

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On every episode of the iron chef, right before the battle the chairman would sream something that sounds like “Alla cuisine!”. What was he screaming, and what did it mean?

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**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef/347015/2 "2006-03-04T05:01:32Z")

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_Allez Cuisine_. French for Go Cook or Go Kitchen.

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**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef/347015/3 "2006-03-04T05:07:16Z")

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More than you ever wanted to know about \*[allez cuisine.](http://ifo.ironfans.net/faq/#allez) \*

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**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef/347015/4 "2006-03-04T07:23:49Z")

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I wonder if, since the “theory” is that it’s a mangling of the French phrase for “go cook!” (_allez cuisinez_), it might just as likely be a mangling of the French phrase for “to the kitchen!” (_a la cuisine_).

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**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef/347015/5 "2006-03-04T07:31:21Z")

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I love Iron Chef because you learn the Japanese name for all different foods.

For example, “caviar” in Japanese is…caviar.

“Asparagus” is…asparagus.

“Tofu” is…NOT tofu, like you’d expect! Kaga called it “Po” or something close (though maybe it was the brand name?)

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef/347015/6 "2006-03-05T18:52:18Z")

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> [@KGS](#):
>
> I love Iron Chef because you learn the Japanese name for all different foods.  
> …  
> “Tofu” is…NOT tofu, like you’d expect! Kaga called it “Po” or something close (though maybe it was the brand name?)

I always thought I might be less suspicious of tofu if the name didn’t sound like the funky gunk you scrape out from underneath your toenails. I don’t know if Po sounds any better, but the joints in New Orleans sell a lot of Po’Boys. 😉