[Sca-cooks] Iron Chef America

[Michael Gunter]

Well, I finally have my own place and got cable. Yay me!
Well, soon as I had the chance I tuned into FoodTV
and saw Iron Chef/America.

To tell the truth, I'm impressed. They are taking the basic
elements of the Japanese version and making it their own.
Totally unlike the earlier incarnation that was an insult to
both the original version and America in general.

I do wish that FoodTV could feature cooks other than their
core stable. But, probably other real chefs are a bit too busy
running restaurants to spend time on some show that has
only half a chance of succeeding.

The battle I watched was against Booby Flay and Rick Bayless.
For those of you who don't know Rick, he's probably the foremost
proponent on Mexican cuisine in North America. He brought south
of the border food beyond Tex-Mex and has explored all aspects
of current Mexican food. Highly respected restauranteur and author.

I sat back and prepared to watch Booby get schooled by a master.

Unfortunately they gave Booby something he was comfortable with:
Meat. During the battle Booby showed his snappish-ness, whiny
attitude, incompetance and "I know better than the diner" attitude
we have all come to know and love with him.

When it came time for the tasting, at least one panelist didn't like
each dish. But Booby told them why they were wrong, even going
so far as to tell one panelist "Well, it was right for me." Whereas
Rick, when confronted with a panelist who didn't care for one of
his dishes, responded that it was the panelist's right to not care
for it.

Rick showed class, Bobby showed his ass.

Now, here's the problem....I agreed that Booby should have won.

Man, that's like me going to a George Bush rally.

I do feel the panelists liked Rick's dishes better. There were far
fewer complaints about toughness, etc...

But Booby....I shudder to say this.....showed more variety and
imagination in his dishes. Rick stuck to his strengths with various
regional dishes from Mexico wheras Booby not only created Southwestern
dishes that he specializes in, but also added elements of oriental and
Indian cuisine. His "deconstructed buffalo salad" was creative as an
example.

The final tally had both Booby and Rick in a dead heat with Booby winning
by one point in creativity. And I had to agree.  I feel so....violated.....

Of course, let's give Booby something like eggplant and watch him crumble
into a sobbing heap like Malfoy getting punched by a girl.

All in all, so far I like the new treatment of an old classic.

Gunthar