I’m sure almost everyone has seen the devastation and desperation in Japan as the result of an 8.9 magnitude earthquake that hit late Friday afternoon. If anyone has news regarding the chefs and cast of Iron Chef, please share it in the comments and I will add it to this main post.
If you have ever considered donating to this site, I encourage you to instead click here to go to the American Red Cross to make a donation to the relief effort.
Keith
This made me think of the two episodes that I remember having a challenger with a direct connection to the 1997 Hanshin Earthquake:
The owner of a partially destroyed restaurant re-opened to cook for her neighborhood – Tofu – 314
The son of a prominent Chinese chef who closed his restaurant after the earthquake destroyed it is the challenger – Dried Scallop – 502
UPDATE (3/12): Morimoto-san has posted on his twitter that he is on his way to Japan. With the time difference he may be there now. Here is a link to his twitter account. He has since posted this update: “Thank you for your prayers. I came to Japan yesterday; my family and friends are fine. My heart goes to people in Tohoku region.”
UPDATE (3/16): Occasional Judge Atsushi Akimoto, with the immensely popular girl groups he has created, has reportedly donated 500 million Yen ($6.18 million) to relief efforts.
‘T was the night before Christmas and in old K.S.
All the Iron Chefs were stirring, it’s what they do best.
The ovens were lit and the theme was prepared.
In hopes that the Chairman soon would be there.
A handsome man enters. The women go ga-ga.
I knew in a moment that it must be Kaga.
His jacket, eye catching. His style, quite unique.
His friends, we’ll see later to offer critique.
The stars of the show from their podium came.
The announcer Fukui called each one by name.
On, Kobe, the youngest. On, Morimoto!
Now, Sakai! Now, Chen. Stand in front of your photo.
With skills of great masters the chefs start at their task.
If there’s something we want to know, Ohta will ask.
Sakai with his circle molds. Chen with his wok.
Kobe makes pasta. Morimoto will shock.
The Chairman just smiles as he exits the scene.
Happy Christmas to all and Allez Cuisine.
(Apologies to Clement C. Moore for butchering his Christmas classic.)
It is Christmas in Kitchen Stadium, and we have several Christmas themed battles for this week.
- Chicken Battle (110) – Ishinabe vs. Borie – This is the only Ishinabe battle that ever aired on Food Network. It was the very first Iron Chef Christmas battle from back in season 1.
- Strawberry Battle (249) – Sakai vs. Waki – Dr. Hattori calls this challenger a genius.
- Oyster Battle (348) – Sakai vs. Groult – The challenger was the second MOF winner to do battle in Kitchen Stadium. The first was Jacques Borie from the Chicken Battle above.
- Turkey Battle (647) – Morimoto vs. Ogue – The challenger trained under a famous 3-star French chef. (We also have the original Japanese version of this episode. Be sure to check out the Christmas-style music during the recap of dishes and announcement of judges.)
- Chestnut Battle (541OA) – Kobe vs. Seki – While not officially a Christmas battle, I can’t help but think of The Christmas Song when I saw the theme listed. Did they roast these chestnuts on a open fire? Watch and find out in this ICC Exclusive from 1997.
I am finishing some episode conversions and uploads tonight. We get some new subtitled episodes from the greatly-under-represented-in-our-database year 1997. Check back tomorrow after you’ve finished opening presents for all the goodies.
tuthead
24 December, 2010
Hey kids,
I hope you’ve been good this year because Kaga Claus is on his way with a bag full of new subtitled episodes for you to enjoy this Christmas. Check back under the Kitchen Stadium Christmas tree later this week for your special gifts.
tuthead
18 December, 2010
Hi Everybody,
October 10th will mark 17 years since the debut of Iron Chef in Japan. Most of us here found the show only after it began airing on Food Network in the US. Some people saw the show in all it’s subtitled glory in the early days of its American run in select local markets. And I imagine a lucky few even saw it during its original Japanese airing.
So, what is your Iron Chef story? How did you find the show? What hooked you and made you a fan? Have you ever met an Iron Chef or challenger, or eaten at one of their restaurants? How did you end up here?
On the 10th, I will have some new Japanese language episodes posted. (And maybe even a extra surprise or two.) Until then, let’s fill up the comments with our Iron Chef stories.
Keith
In case you missed this comment, I thought I’d make a new post out of it:
tetsujin070561 Says:
July 20th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
As the “anonymous” contributor of the recent run of “new” IC battles, I must say that I am extremely disappointed with King Tuthead. He does not keep me or the users of this site informed as to the possible posting of new battles, ignores my e-mail to him offering to help with the postings, and offers few explanations for his protracted absence here. Of the last batch of five battles I mailed him, he has posted just three over a span of FOUR MONTHS.
I’m sorry to have to say this, but until this site is straighted out, there will be NO MORE NEW BATTLES at ironcheffans.info.
I can appreciate that one might be overwhelmed with excessive work obligations, but that is no excuse for the utter lack of any explanation to me or to you all. Good luck finding a new source of IC battles, King Tuthead.
I’m sorry I screwed it up for the rest of you regarding the “new” episodes. I would love to have seen them, and I hope we do see them some day.
I will be the first to admit that this site has slipped down my list of priorities over the last 6-8 months. This site has always been, and will always be, a hobby for me. I obviously have not been able to commit to it as I did when I launched it in February 2008. Don’t worry. I have no intention of taking the site down any time in the foreseeable future, so you don’t have to start furiously downloading episodes. I will post the two remaining subtitled episodes within the next seven days.
Keith
Has anyone seen this show yet? I have downloaded the first episode, but I haven’t watched it yet. I will put that first episode up for download if there is any interest in seeing it. (I don’t plan to put up any other episodes of the series, but I thought people might be curious.)
UPDATE: I’m three minutes into the episode, and I can already tell I will not be able to watch it. It’s definitely patterned after Iron Chef America as opposed to Iron Chef. If you want to see it, I’ll put it up, but I don’t think it’s a show for me. (I should probably give it more than 3 minutes to impress me, but it’s just so painful to watch!)