Cook Like An Iron Chef

[BubblyOne]

Is anyone else enjoying this show? I've seen all the the episodes so far and it's actually good. Michael Symon is low key, there are no boring family stories and he is turning out some good food. I made the crab tacos the other night for friends and they were excellent. Plus, he doesn't look too bad in a t-shirt and jeans:)

[Jeanne]

Sorry that I'm bring up such an old post but have to say - I love Michael Symon - he's great and yes I had hoped John Besh would win the competition but he has proved himself as a great cook too. BUT - I hate the set. I tend not to watch it because of it. It is way too dark as others have said - not only the walls and kitchen itself but the lighting with the shooting. Can't stand it and wish it would be changed.

[paulj]

They only produced one season of 13 episodes. His current series is Symon's Suppers

[Jeanne]

I've seen it - that show I like.

[Shrinkrap]

Why does it seem to have a bad time slot? I never seem to catch it.

Oh! looks like it only lasted a season.

[EWSflash]

I'm glad the show is on, because I watched it a few times, I kinda like it, and also I've realized I don't hate Mike Symon like I thought I did. He was on my local morning show as a call-in a couple of weeks back and was very engaging and funny.

I wish he didn't have that psychotic laugh, though.

[Shrinkrap]

I saw the egg episode today, and my mouth was watering for the duck egg yolk ravioli. Is that in the cookbook? I assume the yolk is akin to soft boiled. Anybody know the timing on that?

[sibeats]

So bummed that I don't get the Cooking Channel, this show sounds great. I did just notice that the Food Network is airing an episode of it next week. Anyone know if it is just a one time thing to build interest for the Cooking Channel or if they will be showing more of them on FN?

[decolady]

I didn't get to see the whole corn show before and watched it today. The fresh corn crepes looked pretty good to me. I think I might try those but use a crab filling.

[thew]

i like the show. i like that its just very direct and to the point cooking. i think the dark simple set emphasizes that.

[Shrinkrap]

I like it. He sure does like Fresno chilies

[jmcarthur8]

I love this show. I've seen a few episodes, and am impressed with the menus and the format.

[decolady]

While he is my least favourite of the Iron Chefs (I was pulling for John Besh to win that spot) I have been watching the show. I, too, find the set too dark for my tastes, but those crab tacos looked great! I do like that he is a real chef teaching things.

[EWSflash]

Was Symon one of the contestants along with Aaron Sanchez? I've always been a fan of Sanchez

[ipsedixit]

I like the show because I like Symon.

But I don't think the show lives up to its moniker of "Cook LIke An Iron Chef" ... nothing that Symon does really mirrors what an Iron Chef has to do, except for making multiple dishes from one single ingredient (but lots of cooking shows do this, incl. the one by Roger Mooking).

Good show, nonetheless.

[The Dairy Queen]

He does frequently say that the food has to be the star of the dish and appears to be trying to be true to that goal. But, yeah, I think you're right.

The show makes me curious about his cookbook. Has anyone tried it?

Also, I agree with the person above who said the set is really dark. It is! I find the set a little distracting, but, not so distracting that I won't watch!

~TDQ

[ipsedixit]

This is going off on a tangent, but this post got me thinking.

Why aren't the dishes in Iron Chef America judged "blind" or anonymously?

I think knowing which judge's dish you are tasting would bias the results. Why not have each panel judge the 5 (or 6) courses blind?

I know I would be inherently biased for Symon, and maybe against someone like Flay or Battali.

[therealdoctorlew]

It has already been reported that the Iron Chef show is to some degree rigged. The guest chef does not really pick the Iron Chef (only one is present on the set), and the two chefs know in advance what the secret ingredient is. That allows the planning and coordination with the sous chefs. It is also logical to assume that the dishes are made more than once, for the "beauty shot" and also to be hot (or cold) and ready to eat over the judging period, which has obviously been edited as to time. Bias is not much to consider under these circumstances.

[ipsedixit]

I knew that. But none of that changes how the panel might judge the dishes if they were doing it "blind."

[paulj]

Does 'blind' judging help in the BF Throwdowns?

[ipsedixit]

I believe that's the crux of the show.

[youngho]

What? Would they take some sort of amnestic medication to make them forget the part where they're watching the chefs actually prepare their food?

Besides, the Chairman would no longer get to alternate between What was your approach to the secret ingredient?" and "What was your inspiration for the secret ingredient?"

[ipsedixit]

The judges could be secluded.

I could care less about what the Chairman does, unless of course it's watching him get impaled by a hot bbq skewer straight in the eyes.

[thew]

my understanding is they know of 3 or so possible ingredients of which one is the one chosen

[bsims76]

True, but the story I read (complete internet hearsay, of course) said they give the show three shopping lists of additional ingredients based upon the 3 possibilities - and the show doesn't make much effort to hide what was purchased on set. So... they know they're getting one of three prior to arrival, and can pretty much tell which of those it'll bee when they arrive on set.

[paulj]

Because who wins is really not that important. The Japanese show puts it this way: "If [the challenger] wins, he will win the people's ovation for ever."

[ipsedixit]

But this is Iron Chef America ... and, really, the American version is so far removed from the original Japanese one that even a shared name is sort of comical.

[mangetoutoc]

Well put! ICA can never hold a candle to the original. Even the English overdubbing kind of fudged it for me. Give me the old version in Japanese with a few subtitles, though they didn't even have those when I started watching it, and I'm a happy, happy girl.

[BubblyOne]

Maybe they can get Sandra Lee to do a liitle makeover, lol.

[EWSflash]

That makes me laugh out loud even as chills are running up my spine!

[chezboop]

I have his cookbook. It's excellent, although not a lot of recipes from the show, at least the ones that have aired thus far, are included. I highly recommend the book, great tips and recipes!
One criticism of the show...What's with the slo-mo everytime oil is poured or a lemon is squeezed. Other than that, love the kind of industrial feel to the set.

[SDGourmand]

I like the the show but I find him kind of monotone and the set is way to dark for me. It's like he's cooking in a basement. Overall good show with great recipes, will continue to watch..

[The Dairy Queen]

I saw part of the corn episode last night and everything he was doing looked really delicious.

But, now you have me craving crab tacos!

~TDQ

[BubblyOne]

Not cheap, but good! As soon as the weather cools off, I'm doing the lobster chowder. That looked wonderful.
I think I like the fact that like Anne Burrell, he is a real chef and not just a personality. You won't find boxed cake mix or taco seasoning here, thank God!

[The Dairy Queen]

Agree! I catch Anne Burrell once in awhile and boy does she have a unique outlook on life. Pretty goofy, which is fun to watch. But, I do seem to learn things from her, which is good.

~TDQ

[dach]

I'd watch it but I don't get it. It's on cooking channel right? I Hope they get it on food tv.

[BubblyOne]

Yep, Cooking Channel.