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Celebrating 25 Years Of The West Wing

OG Iron Chef America Returns TONIGHT, MAY 20TH

BW Manilowe

By BW Manilowe
in Iron Chef America [V]

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BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

From EW.com: Original Format Iron Chef America Returns Tonight, May 20, to Food Network Trailer Included at Linked Article

It's a 10-episode season. 

Premieres at 10PM Eastern on Food Network.

The first battle is between Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli & Chef Brittany Anderson ("Richmond, Virginia's Schnitzel Queen").

Chef Jet Tila is the new floor reporter.

Marc Dacascos Returns as The Chairman.

Sorry if the news is a bit late. I just found out.

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MerBearHou

MerBearHou

(edited)
11 hours ago, BW Manilowe said:

From EW.com: Original Format Iron Chef America Returns Tonight, May 20, to Food Network Trailer Included at Linked Article

It's a 10-episode season. 

Premieres at 10PM Eastern on Food Network.

The first battle is between Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli & Chef Brittany Anderson ("Richmond, Virginia's Schnitzel Queen").

Chef Jet Tila is the new floor reporter.

Marc Dacascos Returns as The Chairman.

Sorry if the news is a bit late. I just found out.

Thank you!  Had no idea.  Will catch it on repeat later tonight (yep, staying up later than I should).  I’ll watch this season primarily for Jet Tila — great addition to ICA.

Edited by MerBearHou
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Lura

Lura

This first episode of the new Iron Chef America was such a disappointment for me that I barely know where to begin.  As one who has watched and loved the old Iron Chef for years, there were so many changes that publicizing the show as "the original format" was misleading advertising, IMHO.

Alton Brown, with whom I've had a love-hate relationship for years, has sealed his fate into the hate column by dragging his ex-mother-in-law into his intro with a nasty barb about something insignificant.  Leave it to Alton to seize every opportunity to get a dig in, even involving his personal life.  Later in the show, he berated Jet Tila for forgetting to mention the challenger's potato dish, a minor overlook in an otherwise good start for Tila.

Now, TPTB have the chefs and each of their sous chefs giving commentary about the dishes they are helping to create.  In addition, the chefs now exchange friendly banter, a departure from the former chefs who were supposedly "in battle."  Why have the chairman send the chefs into battle when the chefs are soon exchanging food supplies and asking each other what they're preparing?  As for the judges, instead of four, there are two.  Two judges means that if one doesn't care for a given chef, that chef is toast.  For me, most of the judges were interesting people, and I enjoyed hearing what four of them thought.  The judges have been reduced to bare bones commentary about each dish -- over and done with.

The final blow was yet to come.  Alex Guarnaschelli gave an ad, right there on the set (paraphrased):  "Stay tuned for next week's Battle Gruyere.  See who wins!"

It's a new show, however you cut it, and the FN showed us yet again that they cannot leave well enough alone.  They had the best show on the network (IMHO), and they've revised it badly.  I want to cry.

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rab01

rab01

4 hours ago, Lura said:

The final blow was yet to come.  Alex Guarnaschelli gave an ad, right there on the set (paraphrased):  "Stay tuned for next week's Battle Gruyere.  See who wins!"

I thought that was just when they were joking around about a rematch and she was saying that the rematch would be another cheese, maybe one more to Alex's liking (?)

It did feel a little off to only have 2 judges, rather than 3.  Is this a permanent change or did they have to edit out another problematic judge like they did with John Besh during one of the Iron Chef Showdown episodes?

And, I wholeheartedly agree that Alton was being actively unpleasant during the broadcast.  His humor has always had a mean streak to it but it seems now to be curdling in front of our eyes.

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Rammchick

Rammchick

Alton's  divorce has changed him, I think.

I think Mike Symon was there.  The one that I didn't see was Jose Garces.  He's in hot water and recently went down in flames for not paying his bills.  Too bad, I'm sure he could use the money.

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nitrofishblue

nitrofishblue

I had to DVR the Sunday night show, finally got to see it this morning. I admit that I love Stephanie as an Iron Chef. Her food looked GREAT and she was composed. I certainly like her much more than Alex. Alex is one Iron Chef I wish would disappear. I tend to avoid her when she is a judge on Chopped by using mute or fast forward. I DVR Chopped since I am in bed at the time it is telecast. Right now, there are too many Iron Chefs. Which chefs are functional competing chefs? Who are gone?

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Wings

Wings

2 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Mario Batali and Cat Cora have been gone for years. Word is Bobby Flay quit.

I’m glad Flay quit, nice guy, great cook but I am tired of Fresno chilies in everything.  You can’t swing a dead cat and not hit a SW or Mexican restaurant.

I am all for what they call southern CA style.  That wouldn’t work on iron chef, I was just sharing. :^)

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Yeah No

Yeah No

19 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

Loving Jet Tila on this.  Alton was much more pleasant, less bitchy in tonight’s Stephanie Izard episode.  Wagyu beef, yummm

I agree.  I love Jet Tila.  Didn't they have a new woman on last season?  I guess that didn't work out.  I didn't think she was that good.  I still wonder why Kevin didn't come back but I do still like Jet in the floor reporter role.

I have to admit I tend to forgive Alton for everything because I have liked him for around 20 years now.  He's like a member of my family by now.

The changes to the format haven't bothered me so much except I do think they should have 3 judges and do away with the quick first course.  I agree that they should have left everything like the original ICA.  If it ain't broke why fix it?

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Irlandesa

Irlandesa

On 5/21/2018 at 7:06 AM, Lura said:

The final blow was yet to come.  Alex Guarnaschelli gave an ad, right there on the set (paraphrased):  "Stay tuned for next week's Battle Gruyere.  See who wins!"

How is this an ad?

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

The changes to the format haven't bothered me so much except I do think they should have 3 judges and do away with the quick first course.

I bet the two judges is a way to save money.  Maybe Jet Tila should join the judging.  I do agree that he's good on the floor.  I'm okay with the quick twenty minute dish.  I think it's a good compromise as a way to shake the old format up just a bit but not too much.  And they got rid of the chairman's curve ball which I'm grateful for. 

Overall, I feel very satisfied with the current format.  It absolutely beats what they did last season.

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BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

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(edited)
On 5/28/2018 at 9:37 PM, Yeah No said:

I agree.  I love Jet Tila.  Didn't they have a new woman on last season?  I guess that didn't work out.  I didn't think she was that good.  I still wonder why Kevin didn't come back but I do still like Jet in the floor reporter role.

I have to admit I tend to forgive Alton for everything because I have liked him for around 20 years now.  He's like a member of my family by now.

The changes to the format haven't bothered me so much except I do think they should have 3 judges and do away with the quick first course.  I agree that they should have left everything like the original ICA.  If it ain't broke why fix it?

Yeah, they had a girl, Jaymee Sire, on as the floor reporter last season. But last season was actually the Iron Chef Showdown version of the franchise, which was basically (as I think some people described it in another thread) the Iron Chef franchise meets Beat Bobby Flay, along with the first season of Iron Chef Gauntlet.

I like Jet Tila as the floor reporter too. But I'm a little surprised he'd take the gig, unless he wanted more TV hosting type experience under his belt. I mean, he's already probably pretty busy, as he's Chef at 2 different restaurants &, probably among a lot of other things, he's a Culinary Ambassador to Thailand. I guess I thought a gig like floor reporter on ICA wouldn't be something he'd be interested in, maybe it'd be beneath him; although, he's done a lot of judging gigs on various FN shows & I think he's also done cooking segments on, like, various talk shows.

As for why Kevin's not the floor reporter anymore, I couldn't find anything online that talked about it, or said he was doing something else that would keep him from doing that. Maybe his contract was up after the last series of eps he did & he chose not to renew (or maybe FN opted not to renew his contract).

Googling still comes up with what's supposed to be a link to a profile for him at FN's website; & they still have a pic of Kevin up there with that, but whatever biographical info was there before isn't there now, no matter where you click (I think the only link is attached to his name; you can click it, but it doesn't leave that page where his name & pic are & there's a blank area where I think his biographical info's supposed to be).

He's on Facebook & Twitter, both under the name @DrinkingRobot. I don't know how much he posts himself, but both sites have the blue & white "Verified" check mark which at least indicates those are official accounts for him/connected to him.

His Facebook hasn't been updated for a few days, but going through some of the most recent posts it appears he's involved--as the Thirsty Traveler--with a rum company called El Dorado hosting rum tasting parties for the brand at various venues, I think mostly/all in Canada.

As for Twitter, about a week ago Kevin posted this, in response to a Tweet which had actually been Tweeted to Alton asking him why Kevin isn't on the new ICA eps.

https://mobile.twitter.com/drinkingrobot/status/1000188298000814080?s=21

He says in his Tweet (which I copied exactly as he wrote it, typos & all, except for adding a (sic)--spelled incorrectly, basically--after his first grammatical/spelling error), talking to Alton I'm pretty sure,

Quote

Me to (sic). Goose misses his Maverick. Is it because I'm #Canadian Cheers!I #iCA #ironchefamerica

Edited by BW Manilowe
Fixing various & sundry things in the post.
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rab01

rab01

I just caught the Wagyu episode too and the editing of the judging session was really over-the-top to hide the results. They showed light criticism of many of Stephanie's dishes and huge praise for all of her challengers' (even that ugly burger) but Stephanie ended up winning pretty much every category. 

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meowmommy

meowmommy

On 6/4/2018 at 12:17 PM, nitrofishblue said:

GZ got his butt beat real bad even though he had a two point lead from the first dish.

Geoffrey acted like he he had it in the bag.  You don't often see a come from behind victory, especially when it's the IC with the initial lead.  I liked the battle because it felt closer to the old time ICA with few of the unnecessary frills they added later (except for the quick first dish).  The judges weren't annoying (although there should still be three instead of two), and Alton toned down his snarkiness.  Jet isn't everyone's favorite Canadian, but he does fine and uses his chef's knowledge to good purpose.

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nitrofishblue

nitrofishblue

No comments yet on Sunday 's show? It was a bit underwhelming. I personally am not a fan of Marc F. He covers a piece of tuna with pastry and roasts it. Wow, lots of effort there. Not fond of having just two judges. The judging would be fairer with more input. The best show so far is the one from the week before when big head GZ  got his butt beat.

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dleighg

dleighg

I was kind of amazed that a plain old piece of grilled swordfish on a green sauce got a perfect score. I do expect things to look at least somewhat "fancy". I thought MF was graded on a curve.

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jcbrown

jcbrown

I watched and was underwhelmed, as well. On a semi-related note, I just used a Forgione recipe for steak a couple of weeks ago and it was delicious. Had this intense sauce that reduced over three hours and included an entire bottle of red wine, ruby port, veal demiglace, and blueberries. Also bleu cheese on the finished product. Soooo good. So that recipe made me like Forgione more, though I still think he would look better with a less stupid haircut.

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suebee12

suebee12

Two things about this Iron Chef. How many of y'all recognized Tanya from Top Chef last season? I did immediately. The second thing is that I found the knife work amazing. I'm lucky if I can chop off the top of a veggie and not cut myself.  When one of the chefs just cut the center of the fish out, rolled it away and made it look easy! I did think that the challenger's presentations were much prettier than MF's but the scores said differently, so what do I know?

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Mockingbird

Mockingbird

26 minutes ago, Gbb said:

Who won? My DVR cut off at “the winner is...” ?

Iron Chef Izard. Which felt like vindication, since, although I was only sort of paying attention, I thought I heard the challenger claim he had more technical skill than she does. 

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mlp

mlp

I wonder how long ago this episode was filmed.  The last time I saw a picture of Michael Voltaggio, he looked like a 70 y/o wino who'd been sleeping on the street.  He looked a lot better tonight except for the hat.  I know I'm old-fashioned but I still think a gentleman doesn't wear his hat indoors - not that I think of Michael V. as a gentleman.  Anyway, I wonder if he's looking better or getting worse.

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joanne3482

joanne3482

11 hours ago, Mockingbird said:

Iron Chef Izard. Which felt like vindication, since, although I was only sort of paying attention, I thought I heard the challenger claim he had more technical skill than she does. 

He said she only won because of the Kitchen Stadium aspect of things - basically game play and ability to work super quick. In the real world he would have beaten her. Something about him gave me the willies. He looked like a serial killer.

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dleighg

dleighg

I know that the contestants know a lot more ahead of time than is implied about the secret ingredient (thus so just the right fish can be requested to be in the refrigerator). But give me a break-- the challenger had little hooks to hang his little egg-shaped appetizers on the "surprise" Bonsai tree? Seriously.....

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nitrofishblue

nitrofishblue

Watching Stephanie work is great and that was a close win since she was 2 points behind because of the first dish judging. I notice that NO ONE commented on the show from the week before where Alex was competing. Her win was rather blah. I don't know which person I am more sick of seeing; Martha or Alex.

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meowmommy

meowmommy

I liked that Mark D. made a reference to Stephanie having won many competitions.  As close as FN will ever come to acknowledging the awesomeness that was her victory on Top Chef.

I'm so glad that the original recipe has been restored, more or less, that I'm coming to terms with the 20 minute dish.  It has occurred to me that it also saves the judges from having to eat ten consecutive dishes to where they're probably sick of it all by dish # 7 or so.

But it was awkward that the challenger brought up the first part of his course, then Stephanie brought up hers, and then he came back with the next part and did his presentation while her food sat there.

5 hours ago, nitrofishblue said:

I notice that NO ONE commented on the show from the week before where Alex was competing. Her win was rather blah.

Thought about it but didn't have much to say.  Alex always seems to get her win, going all the way back to her "win" over Amanda Freitag.

21 hours ago, Mockingbird said:

Which felt like vindication, since, although I was only sort of paying attention, I thought I heard the challenger claim he had more technical skill than she does. 

You heard right.  And then after he took the lead for the first course, he got really cocky.  While Stephanie just hunkered down and did her job.

Just a petty gripe on my part, but I wish they wouldn't put the IC's name in the title of the episode.  I like to be surprised by who's competing.  Not that they'll ever again roll off the pantheon of culinary giants, because they would have to admit that BF and Morimoto aren't there any more.

20 hours ago, mlp said:

The last time I saw a picture of Michael Voltaggio, he looked like a 70 y/o wino who'd been sleeping on the street.  He looked a lot better tonight except for the hat. 

With that hat, he could have been Spike.  Those tats everywhere are just nasty.  I'd rather have seen Bryan.

Have they ever considered bringing back the delightfully irritatingly crotchety Jeffrey Steingarten?

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mlp

mlp

Quote

Have they ever considered bringing back the delightfully irritatingly crotchety Jeffrey Steingarten?

I've thought about that myself.  I always enjoyed him on the show except when he was being crotchety just to do so.  I re-read his books once in awhile because they're great fun.  I've been thinking that he must be pretty old by now and maybe isn't up to a show but I just checked Wikipedia and learned, to my shock, that he's only 76.  I thought he was much older.  

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nitrofishblue

nitrofishblue

Is it GZ aim to get the judges drunk while they taste his food? Last night he made TWO cocktails instead of hi usual one. I know a drink is good with a meal but alcohol can affect the taste buds. Sort of does a dishonor to the competition if they serve after his serving.I know that may seem petty but I feel the judges need to be a bit clear headed and be fair to both chefs.

I have never eaten artichokes so I couldn't really get a feel for the dishes. Most looked OK but nothing seemed to impress me. The baklava GZ made was the one dish that looked good.

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Peper81

Peper81

I watched the most recent episode last night with GZ and, quite frankly, I didn't see him doing a whole lot of cooking at the very end.  Even the camera was mostly focused on his one sous chef.  You could see GZ wandering around in the background asking the other chef questions and then wandering back to his front station.  It was weird.  The one sous chef seemed to do most of the work (I think he did the lion's share of that pasta dish cooked like a pie (sorry can't remember the name of it).  I wasn't terribly awed by what he created either.  

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mlp

mlp

I enjoyed tonight's episode.  I liked seeing smug Alex get taken down by a significant margin and I liked the challenger except for his icky, bushy beard.  I loved the look on his face when he won and then one of his sous chefs rushed up and actually picked him up off the floor.  They were all so happy to win.  

I also loved Susan Feniger and Jonathan Waxman as judges.  The Chairman made me laugh when Susan asked him if he liked something and he just said, "Switzerland."  LOL

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Christina

Christina

I won't quote the post since it is right above mine, but ITA with @mlp's post. Every word except I would have probably been more negative toward Alex. It's not that I dislike her a lot or anything, and I recognize her skill in the kitchen, she's just smug.

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dleighg

dleighg

Just watching Alex G vs Sutherland now. I always crack up at those little convos after the "secret" ingredient is revealed. That's quite a lot of mind reading going on-- you do a lamb samosa-- you do a lamb curry. Yeah go!  Like that's seriously enough to impart exactly what you have in mind. I really don't know why they include that as it's so eyeball-rolling.

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MerBearHou

MerBearHou

(edited)

Justin Sutherland was one of the most likeable contestants I've ever seen on FN and oh, I was rooting for him to beat the perennial winner Alex G.  Truly thrilled when he won!

I don't dislike Alex at all, but I actively dislike that she ALWAYS has to win on any FN show ever.  I hope to see Justin again -- to me, he is the whole package:  talented, great with his team, super personable but not over-the-top, a very strong chef.

Edited by MerBearHou
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nitrofishblue

nitrofishblue

Now that was a good one. Loved Alex getting pissed at her sous chefs. Things really didn't go well for her. Burning her Lamb in the pressure cookers was a new one. 

what is with the judges getting involved with the chefs? They are there to judge not interfere. Sue and Waxman know better than that.

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Yeah No

Yeah No

22 hours ago, mlp said:

I enjoyed tonight's episode.  I liked seeing smug Alex get taken down by a significant margin and I liked the challenger except for his icky, bushy beard.  I loved the look on his face when he won and then one of his sous chefs rushed up and actually picked him up off the floor.  They were all so happy to win.  

I also loved Susan Feniger and Jonathan Waxman as judges.  The Chairman made me laugh when Susan asked him if he liked something and he just said, "Switzerland."  LOL

Yep, me too on actually liking seeing Alex lose because she always has to win.  I kept imagining what Justin would look like without the beard.  He's very good looking and talented.  I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him.

And me too on liking Susan and Jonathan as judges.  I'm glad shows like this keep chefs like them on the air as I feel like I'm following them through my life.  They were funny together.

I don't always catch every episode of this new incarnation of IC, but it's obvious to me that everyone involved is very happy it's back and missed it a lot.  It really shows that this is a labor of love for them.  And I'm happy too.  By now it feels like tradition.  I know I'm old when James Beard award winning chefs say they grew up watching IC.  I forget that I first started watching the Japanese version over 20 years ago.

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meowmommy

meowmommy

22 hours ago, mlp said:

I also loved Susan Feniger and Jonathan Waxman as judges.  The Chairman made me laugh when Susan asked him if he liked something and he just said, "Switzerland."  LOL

Really nice when they invite well known, high end chefs to be their judges instead of pop culture figures and food bloggers.  

16 hours ago, dleighg said:

I always crack up at those little convos after the "secret" ingredient is revealed. That's quite a lot of mind reading going on-- you do a lamb samosa-- you do a lamb curry. Yeah go!  Like that's seriously enough to impart exactly what you have in mind. I really don't know why they include that as it's so eyeball-rolling.

Definitely a FF moment for me.  They really want us to think they just planned that menu in those ten seconds?  Yeah, right.

4 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

I don't always catch every episode of this new incarnation of IC, but it's obvious to me that everyone involved is very happy it's back and missed it a lot.  It really shows that this is a labor of love for them.  

Alton seems a lot less nasty and a lot more relaxed in this newest iteration of ICA.  Glimmers of his old self.  I liked that Jet explained the difference baking soda vs baking powder makes to pH.  Very much Good Eats!

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MerBearHou

MerBearHou

(edited)

I also think Alton and Jet are really getting their back-and-forth dialogue / banter down.  Alton is much more fun while still doing his pseudo-stern thing as the Grand Overseer of this Kitchen Stadium and Jet is just the best IMO and provides a wonderful balance.  Love him and am so glad he’s got this bigger forum.  Got a kick out of Jet corralling Susan and Jonathan from behind like a shepherd. 

Edited by MerBearHou
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nitrofishblue

nitrofishblue

Just got the chance to watch last nights show. I felt the outcome was a bit surprising after listening to the judges' comments. They seemed to really love Wolen's dishes and dinged GZ dishes. Sad that we can't taste the food and all we have is our eyes and ears to form an opinion. I enjoyed this episode since the product was clams. I have just started eating clams so I got an education on preparation.

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