360915 Tue Jan 16 20:30:41 -0800 2007 29 33 Food Media and News 0 2195006 Ok - appoint 4 new Iron Chefs, who are there for their talent and originality, and not for their boyish good looks and lack of charm. And just for fun, propose a secret ingredient. Since I'm feeling a little devilish, I'd love to see what they could do with ketchup. Or water. On the chef decision, I'd keep Mario, because he seems less distracted than many of Food Networks "stars" by the fame, and has kept true to his passion, which is cooking and food. Bobby, I would ax. He is conceited (standing on a cuttingboard???), and it irks me that he can't plate a dish without putting every color of the rainbow on it. I think Morimoto is talented but sometimes nuts (wasn't there a episode on the original show where he made spaghetti with ketchup in paper cones?), but he doesn't get called up much. Cat Cora is the token female, and she is just that. A token. Rarely gets called, and I think she is her #1 fan. I'm not sure who else is in her corner. I'd almost put Suzanne Goin in her place. This is a local preference of course, but having been to Lucques a couple times and AOC a couple more times, I haven't had a single dish I haven't liked or loved. Who are your choices? Tue Jan 16 20:30:41 -0800 2007 12912 sasha1 1 2195042 Iron Chef French: Daniel Boulud Iron Chef Italian: Anthony Susi Iron Chef Japanese: Masayoshi Takayama Iron Chef American: Thomas Keller (I know, I know, he does French, but how can you leave him off the list?) Tue Jan 16 20:39:15 -0800 2007 2195006 16490 Bostonbob3 2 2202947 It would take Keller an hour just to prepare and plate the amuse bouche! I love his food, but I don't think his style of cooking would adapt to the Iron Chef format. Thu Jan 18 19:38:43 -0800 2007 2195042 10793 Morton the Mousse 1 2195633 Iron Chef Nightmare: Sandra Lee Iron Chef Crockpot: Rachel Ray Iron Chef Grating: Paula Deen Iron Chef Creepy: The Hearty Boys Tue Jan 16 22:43:29 -0800 2007 2195006 12241 ooroger 2 2197310 LOL! Especially Iron Chef Creepy. Not only are they creepy, they prepare bad catering food. Wed Jan 17 14:49:49 -0800 2007 2195633 16490 Bostonbob3 3 4591270 <Not only are they creepy, they prepare bad catering food> Have YOU eaten their food? I have, and it was delicious. I don't watch their show, but when they were on TNFNS, I didn't think there was anything creepy about them. Mon Apr 13 09:10:39 -0700 2009 2197310 52499 ChefJune 2 2198177 i actually did laugh out loud just now and spit out my moroccan chickpea soup. Wed Jan 17 18:15:57 -0800 2007 2195633 57801 lollya 3 2198411 I propose a Deen Boys versus The Hearty Boys battle. I wouldn't actually watch it, but it would make for a train wreck of annoying personalities. Wed Jan 17 19:02:35 -0800 2007 2198177 16490 Bostonbob3 4 2200496 Do you think that's what they had in mind with the RR vs Giada? Thu Jan 18 02:57:34 -0800 2007 2198411 14710 heathermb 5 2201415 Or, as I called it, the Teeth versus the Lollypop Head. Thu Jan 18 13:53:55 -0800 2007 2200496 16490 Bostonbob3 1 2195693 Funny! Sandra Lee would drink herself into oblivion with her aquamarine coctails if the secret ingredient wasn't vanilla pudding. Tue Jan 16 22:57:33 -0800 2007 2195006 12912 sasha1 1 2195945 Iron Chef Local - Alice Waters Iron Chef Global - Jean Georges Vongerichten Iron Chef West - Thomas Keller Iron Chef East - Mario Batali - because I'd like to regularly see their cooking style. Battles I wouldn't mind seeing: Waters vs Boulud Vongerichten vs Nobu Keller vs Ducasse Batali vs Fergus Henderson Wed Jan 17 00:00:09 -0800 2007 2195006 18264 steinpilz 1 2196024 Alice Waters v. Wylie Dufresne doing Battle Egg or Potato would be fun to watch and judge. Wed Jan 17 00:34:24 -0800 2007 2195006 41818 Grubbjunkie 1 2196171 I'd like to see Thomas Keller v. Grant Achatz. Wed Jan 17 01:30:46 -0800 2007 2195006 16904 xfleetwoodx 2 2201407 Yeah, I would actually pay to see that. How about El Bulli staff versus French Laundry staff. Thu Jan 18 13:50:06 -0800 2007 2196171 11826 Phaedrus 3 2201421 I would pick El Bulli to win, but only because they have a full arsenal of odd chemicals and aerosols they could use as weapons againt Keller. Thu Jan 18 13:56:06 -0800 2007 2201407 16490 Bostonbob3 1 2196482 Battle of the Food Icons: Iron Chef French: Julia Childs Iron Chef Italian: Marcella Hazan Iron Chef "American:" Alice Waters Iron Chef Vegas: Wolfgang Puck Wed Jan 17 03:26:47 -0800 2007 2195006 14710 heathermb 2 2197288 What would the secret ingredient be in the Julia Child battle? Formaldehyde? Wed Jan 17 14:43:38 -0800 2007 2196482 16490 Bostonbob3 3 2197357 Yuck! No, but since this is a *fantasy* posting, I'd love the chance to see her square off in the kitchen against one of today's food icons. Wed Jan 17 15:05:25 -0800 2007 2197288 14710 heathermb 1 2197361 How about Julia Child versus James Beard? "Battle of the Graveyard Stars." Wed Jan 17 15:06:49 -0800 2007 2195006 16490 Bostonbob3 1 2200875 In Roto League fantasy mode, I'll go right to the match ups: Battle High & Low - Keller vs Flay Battle Old School vs Hip & Lip - Pepin vs Bourdain Battle Showmen - Yan vs Emeril Battle Food Nerds - Alton Brown vs Chris Kimball Notes: Flay might do better then you think, Keller might not like the environment/set-up...everyone would love to see Flay destroyed Bourdain would have a a difficult time "getting it up" against someone he respects...talker vs. non-talker Yan and Emeril, similar: hams of a different flavor, it would be weird but both can cook Brown vs Kimball...just because you could - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Bonus Tag Team Grudge Matches Keller & Kimball vs Flay & Brown Yan & Bourdain vs Emeril & Pepin Thu Jan 18 05:01:56 -0800 2007 2195006 27275 ML8000 2 2201225 Wasn't there an Emeril episode where that essentially happened? Emeril invited Yan on the show and Yan totally out-showmanshipped (ok I'm making words up now)him? Thu Jan 18 09:29:25 -0800 2007 2200875 10862 Kuisine 3 2203122 Indeed there was and I admit to copping the idea...but it did lead me to think it would be great match up esp. w/ Emeril out for revenge. Thu Jan 18 20:13:31 -0800 2007 2201225 27275 ML8000 4 2203155 Ooo, Emeril out for revenge? Don't forget, he's from Fall River, Mass., home of Lizzie Borden. Thu Jan 18 20:21:24 -0800 2007 2203122 16490 Bostonbob3 2 2201411 I think Bourdain and Pepin would be choking their respective partners at the end of the Grudge match. That's good TV though! Thu Jan 18 13:52:10 -0800 2007 2200875 11826 Phaedrus 1 2201140 Yan/Bourdain I can oddly see. Emeril/Pepin-oh.my.gawd! The mind reels! It hasn't even happened I am already ordering the sympathy flowers for Pepin. ML8000, you have a sick and twisted mind. Marry me? Thu Jan 18 07:07:06 -0800 2007 2195006 10896 chaddict 2 2203291 Marriage? Only if Flay officiates and follows up with catering from a "Throwdown! With Bobby Flay" show and it's Thai food. You are right about Yan/Bourdain. I think they'd both get the joke (unlike others chefs) and milk it just right. Thu Jan 18 20:52:09 -0800 2007 2201140 27275 ML8000 1 2201246 I'd watch these match ups--- Iron Chef Mamas: Mary Ann Esposito vs. Lidia Bastianich Iron Chef Lab Experiments: Harold McGee vs. Shirley Coriher Iron Chef Pie Fight: Three Stooges vs. Soupy Sales Iron Chef Chocolates: David Lebovitz vs. Jacques Torres Iron Chef Food Critics: Virbila vs. Levine Iron Chef McSteamy: Curtis Stone vs. Tyler Florence (hey, it's my fantasy!) Iron Chef In The Sky: Careme vs. Escoffier Thu Jan 18 11:00:44 -0800 2007 2195006 63648 la vida dulce 2 2201414 If you're going to go that far, how about Brillat-Savarin against Ferran Adria? Thu Jan 18 13:53:51 -0800 2007 2201246 11826 Phaedrus 1 4590810 John Besh Tracy De Jardins Iacopo Falai Kenny Shopsin Mon Apr 13 05:58:03 -0700 2009 2195006 13951 sgordon