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All Episodes Talk: Buns of Steel

Meredith Quill

By Meredith Quill
in Iron Chef America [V]

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NikSac

NikSac

Same here GaT, although I did have fun watching them cook in this one.  I might eat that coconut dessert actually.  It seemed like way too many things in one dessert, but it sounded pretty good. I probably would've done what that one judge did when she kind of took it apart and tried each element separately.  None of the rest of the food on either side sounded very good at all, though. I'm slightly curious if any of it tasted better than it sounded, because it sure didn't sound good. I was feeling a little sorry for the judges.

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Padma

Padma

I haven't seen ICA for so long I assumed it was a re-run. New on Sat night was weird, esp. as it was Flay v Morimoto (plus sous A. Anderson and Simon Majumbar, Donatella as one of the judges, etc. Didn't seem like an ep to just throw away but I guess they need time for non-cooking shows like Cutthroat Kitchen and Next Food Network 'Star'.

 

I wasn't thrilled by the theme--elevated bar food--but with Morimoto participating it turned out to be quite enjoyable.

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GaT

GaT

I think they're keeping this show on only because they can brag about their "Iron Chefs". They trot them out on every other show they have, so whether or not the ratings are good, keeping this show going is worth it to them.

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GaT

GaT

I'm watching the latest show (which they scheduled for midnight) and it's Alex Guarnaschelli against Marc Forgione with bartenders making dishes inspired by the 60s. It's still on so I don't know who wins, but if anybody still thinks they don't know what the themes are before the show.Chef Forgione gave the judges copies of a letter his father wrote to James Beard, & used dishes from James Beard's house. How long in advance did he have to know what the show was going to be in order to get hold of those? They can't possibly believe we'll think he just happened to be able to get them.

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HalcyonDays

HalcyonDays

I find ICA has become too gimicky. I miss the old pre-bowtie Alton Brown dispensing information about the secret ingredient. Now he just seems mean and tired and so over it. Even Kevin Brauch is so done with it. I hate the "Culinary Curveball". What a waste of time. I do laugh because I can tell Bobby Flay hates it too. There are too many Iron Chefs now and the judges are meh. So many of them are non-culinary people, and seen so out of place. I actually miss Jeffery Steingarten? What the heck?

 

Also, at this point, the appeal for challenging chefs seems to have faded. I think they are having a hard time finding challengers.

 

On Food Network Canada, for some reason they only air sporadic episodes. It happened about two or so years ago, they stopped showing the entire season. So unless it's a ICA special or the challenger is a Canadian chef, no new episodes. So sad.

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SophiaD

SophiaD

I saw one of the new episodes right after watching one of the older ones, and the contrast was just *glaring*.  Alton used to be charming and geeky.  The judges used to be knowledgeable and make intelligent, if sometimes overly snarky, comments.  Most importantly, the food and the chefs preparing it were allowed to be the real stars of the show.  I loved watching Morimoto do something crazy with fish, or see Batali put together five, perfectly-assembled courses of mouthwatering yumminess.

 

Now, it's just silly and boring.  Even the special effects, like whoosh sound when the Chairman turns his head are exaggerated.  It seems as if it's trying to follow the gimmicky reality-show path, when it was a true original, insteading letting the other shows do what they want and letting Iron Chef be Iron Chef.

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Lura

Lura

I love taping the reruns on the Cooking Channel, although sometimes they run the same shows over and over (typical of their rerun policy.)  I used to watch the Japanese version of the show, and I'm hooked now on the American version.  Last night I watched

Battle Spinach between Flay and an Asian chef from Las Vegas.  It wasn't the best show by a long shot.  The Asian chef seemed more interested in winking at the television audience than cooking, and he paid the price for it when the winner was announced.  Despite the corny jokes from Alton and the sometimes know-it-all judges, I'm hooked on the show.  I think it's one of the best shows on either food network because it's all about cooking.

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blackwing

blackwing

I miss the "classic" Iron Chef and Iron Chef America episodes.  You know, the ones that focused on one secret ingredient.  Where all the dishes had to feature that ingredient.  I loved seeing the different ways the ingredient could be used.  Now, ICA is a joke.  There's no one on one battles anymore.  It's always two Iron Chefs vs. two Iron Chefs, or one IC and somebody vs. one IV and somebody.  Why?  There's no longer a secret ingredient, now it's a theme.  Like "Foods of the 1960s".  WTF.  There's such a thing as Foods of the 1960s?  And there has to be an idiotic "Culinary Curveball".  Why?  I don't watch ICA because I want to see gimmicks like on Cutthroat Kitchen.  I watch for the food.

 

What has happened to this show?

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HalcyonDays

HalcyonDays

The show, just like the Food Network itself, has become a parody of itself and all about the gimmick. It's sad really. I loved watching for Jeffery's snarking judging, and the amazing meals these chefs made out the secret ingredient. It was always fun. Some of the special themes were good, like Battle Thanksgiving and the such, but now there is no substance. It's Flay yelling at his obnoxious sous chef, or the stupid culinary curveball or judges who are not worthy to judge anything commenting on the food. I used to love ICA (when they showed the entire seasons here) and it's really gone downhill now. It's like it's still a cheap show to make for them, some chefs get exposure, good ratings I guess and it's easy work for the Iron Chefs, so what the hell! Keep it going. I want them to go back to the classics.

 

Good food, proper judging and no gimmicks.

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GaT

GaT

(edited)

So they’re having a big “Tournament of Champions” where the Iron Chefs battle each other. A big deal, right? So when do they put it on? 4:00 AM on Saturday morning. Yeah, that's prime viewing time. This show is only on to feed their other cooking shows.

Edited by GaT
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Lura

Lura

This is still my favorite show on TV.  I absolutely love it!  I'm sorry to see it relegated to re-runs, but I watch them faithfully, especially the ones with Bobby Flay.  Not always, but often, he draws some of the biggest chefs in the country to battle him.  Bobby's sous chef -- the one with the dark hair, ponytail and glasses -- almost never fails to get on my nerves.  She is so sassy and disrespectful, but I think he keeps her because she works fast.  I like Mario's episodes, too.

 

No sooner had Geoffrey and Alex been made Iron Chefs, they went toreruns.  What was that about?  Did the FN want to honor two of its own and then close the show?  It makes no sense!

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GaT

GaT

 Has this show been cancelled?  I haven't see an episode in forever.  They usually do a Thanksgiving episode, Christmas episode or both and nada this year.

They had a Thanksgiving episode, Flay/Symon vs Zakarian/Guarnaschelli. It comes up sporadically, usually around 2 AM.

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SophiaD

SophiaD

The Cooking Channel is showing some of the holiday challenges tonight - a new one for this year, and a few of them from years' past.  Wow, these are incredibly over-the-top.  I haven't seen too many with the "Culinary Curveball," and I don't really care for it.

 

Bobby Flay was a judge on one of them, and he was a very good judge, surprisingly affable.  Not to be shallow or anything, but he was totally rocking his suit.

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SophiaD

SophiaD

I think it was a new one, only because Comcast listed its airdate as 12/13/14.  It featured an "Food Network" vs. "Cooking Channel" matchup.  Inserting spoiler, although the show has aired, at least here. 

As if the outcome was any doubt, given that ICA is on the Food Network. 

Plus, it featured Nadia Giosia, who only made her Food Network debut this past summer. 

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Lura

Lura

Hello, friends,

 

"Iron Chef" is my favorite show on the FN or the CC, yet I didn't know there was a forum for it.  I looked once in the past and didn't find it, so I assumed there wasn't one.  I'm glad to see that I was wrong.

 

I wrote to the FN a couple of months ago, asking why they always showed re-runs and the same ones, at that, but I got no answer.  (Not surprised)!  Then today, when programming shows for this coming week, I saw that there was no Top Chef scheduled.  It makes me wonder whether the CC has dropped it altogether.  If so, I am one unhappy viewer.  Maybe if more people wrote to the FN at their website, we could find out what the plans are for the show.  It's one of the last real cooking shows on the network now since everything seems to be D-list game shows. 


 

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