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The chairman has received a letter from the challenger asking for a battle in Kitchen Stadium. At 6 feet tall, the challenger is an imposing figure in the kitchen. He is known as Wajima’s Benkei, named after a famed warrior from the 12th century. Among his tools is a 3-ft knife.
The theme ingredient is a special delicacy of the Sea of Japan. The annual yield of this crab is only about 10. They are so large, they are brought in from the back of Kitchen Stadium. A couple of the Takaashi-Gani (also known as the Japanese Spider Crab) in the tank a 3m in length!
This episode is in Japanese with English subtitles.
The challenger is a popular guest on TV known as the “Wandering Chef.” He has been training since the age of 15 and is known for his decorative style.
Because of the nature of the theme ingredient, this battle will feature special rules. The challenger will prepare his dishes as usual, cooking straight through the 60 minutes. The Iron Chef will stop after 50 minutes, then resume for the final 10 minutes of cooking after the challenger’s dishes have been tasted.
This episode is in Japanese with English subtitles.
The challenger is only the second sushi chef to do battle in Kitchen Stadium. He began working at age 15. He has worked at restaurants in Japan and Australia. Can Chen come out on top?
Conger Eel (Live ingredient warning) – Toshizo Tsugawa vs Iron Chef Chen Kenichi
Original Japanese airdate: 8/16/1996
This episode is in Japanese with English subtitles. (The audio quality is not good, but this is the only copy of this episode I have. Sorry.)
After you’ve revived yourself from fainting from shock that I’ve posted an episode, download it and enjoy. 🙂
Episode 605OA
Daikon Radish – Hiroyuki Sakai vs. Fumiaki Sato
Original Japanese airdate: 2/6/1998
This episode is in Japanese with no subtitles.
Sgt. Pepper taught his band to play. No, that’s not it. Let me try again.
It was 20 years ago today, October 10, 1993, that Chairman Kaga opened Kitchen Stadium and the world was first introduced to Ryouri no Tetsujin. We were lucky enough to have been able to get our hands on that first episode (and the next 20 or so that followed it) earlier this year.
Thank you Iron Chef for 20 great years.
(I’ll have a few more non-FN episodes posted in the next day or so, including a couple of 85 minute versions.)
We have finally reached the end of the original episodes that were rebroadcast in Japan the last few months.
Iron Chef 209 – It’s an all Chinese cuisine battle between two second generation Chinese chefs: Iron Chef Chen Kenichi vs. Shinji Kondo. At first glance, the theme might seem a little difficult, but as Chairman Kaga mentioned, FLOUR can be used in things like Gyoza and Ramen. How will these two chefs use the “Magic White Powder” (Mahou Shiroi Kona)? (Left = Strong Flour (Kyorikiko), Right = Weak Flour (Hakurikiko). (Click HERE to read about the types of Flour typically available in Japan.)
Iron Chef 210 – The challenger is a chef at a popular restaurant among the celebrities in Tokyo, Basta Pasta. (Sorry I don’t have more information about it. Almost every search for this restaurant lead to results for the New York City location.) It has been a while since they had an Italian cuisine challenger and The Chairman expects a “high-tension” battle.
And did The Chairman make a “Tomato, Tomahto” joke in the theme announcement? I thought he said “Ue kara yonde. Shita kara yonde. Onaji.” I think that means “Read from the top. Read from the Bottom. Same.” (And now that I think about it, Japanese would be read top-to-bottom as opposed to left-to-right, so that would make sense. I’m sure Miwa will set me straight. 🙂 )
Iron Chef 211 – We all know the history of Iron Chef Chen Kenichi and female challengers. This is the episode that started it all. She was the first female challenger to do battle in Kitchen Stadium. You may remember the challenger from her second appearance on the show, episode 637. She is now running Bistro Aoi Shokudou (Bistroあおい食堂). (Click HERE, HERE, HERE for more info. All pages in Japanese, but you can still look at the pictures.) She is “The Princess of Cooking,” Kyoko Kagata. (A rose for the challenger. Kaga is quite the charmer.)
Iron Chef 212 – Chairman Kaga speaks of two distinct “themes” used in Italian cooking depending on geography: Tomato in the South, Cheese/Butter in the North. The challenger follows the style of the North. (HERE is a tabelog page about La Colomba. I can’t find anywhere that says where the challenger is currently working.) Michiba will have to deal with another theme ingredient that is not used very often in Japanese cuisine, but he is comfortable working with anything.
One of the really unfortunate consequences of the cancellation of the new Iron Chef is that the rebroadcasts of the original episodes was also cancelled. I think we are fortunate to have the 22 original episodes from that first and second season now available to us. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed bringing them to you.