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I stumbled upon this when trying to look up the NHK Today’s Cooking episode with Chen that one of our users, Tuthead, speaks of, and found this. NTV caught up with Sakai after Chen passed away in March, and one could tell he was emotional as he paid tribute even if he kept it together.
It doesn’t have subtitles, so help with that would definitely be welcome. Also, I recommend watching on the YouTube mobile app because it allows Google Translate to be used on comments and one can read a bunch of thoughtful tributes from other Iron Chef fans.
This is definitely something I wanted to share because it combines a few things to say the least that we don’t see too often (or at least, things we didn’t see too often during Iron Chef‘s original run): Iron Chefs dealing with the loss of someone they know, Morimoto doing a full English interview and an Iron Chef being on CNN.
How it came about was definitely something that was all too understandable, though. When Anthony Bourdain died in 2018, Morimoto went on Quest Means Business in order to pay tribute to the No Reservations star, who had been a friend of his to the point that they’d worked together onscreen as well.
I expect some you folks may have seen this before, but wanted to put this up in case you haven’t. Sakai and Chen were interviewed in uniform while they were in Sydney for a 2010 Iron Chef event, and the topics they discuss include their time in Australia (including Sakai’s time working in Perth early in his career) and their time on the show during its original run. Watch until the end for some English (or Engrish, if you prefer) from both of them!
Our FIRST chef interview is Chef Philippe Batton, competitor on Iron Chef Japan in Battle Bacon. He graciously allowed us to interview him and we appreciate his time! Read on to learn about this amazing chef!
1/Looking at your time as a guest on the show, was there something that stood out that made Iron Chef something that you will remember, on-camera or off-camera? First I would like to say that this program was so well done, the shooting camera setting, the progress of the story of each series as well was perfectly organized and the story of each challenger was very interesting for the public.
2/Would you say that there has been a single greatest impact of Iron Chef on your career? If so, what has that impact meant to you? Of course it had an impact at the time because I won against iron chef SAKAI, because he was always winning against french chefs, the japanese customers really wanted to try my cuisine. I still have japanese customers who want to take pictures with me and come to my restaurant because I won. I am very happy because I am a french chef in a foreign country and it is very hard sometimes to make yourself famous and recognized.
3/What is your favorite book and why? I have plenty of books I like, I am not focused on only one same as movies, music or other hobbies, I think I am very open and willing to see many different styles. One I really liked was the name of the rose
4/Most of the Iron Chef Fans’ site’s members are culinary amateurs, used to our fair share of kitchen disasters throughout the years. Do you have a strong memory of struggling with a dish, ingredient, or technique that you could share? I would like to say that cuisine is a personal way of thinking and the appreciation of other people about some chefs’ cuisine is sometimes too much. I cannot say that I have a particular memory of struggling with any dishes. But the only technique everybody should pay attention when they are cooking it’s “always try your best, and cook with your heart”
5/What gave you the courage to pursue a culinary profession? The head chefs I met in my apprenticeship gave me this courage by their knowledge and sympathy. I thanks them all and in particular 2 great men, Bernard Noel my first head chef and the head chef of George V Pierre Larapidie.
6/Can you recommend a go-to song, artist, or short playlist that helps charge you up to do your best work? –
7/What advice would you give to people who want to enter the culinary field? Never give up.
8/What do you feel is the greatest thing you have learned about your profession between finishing school and this point in your professional career? Everything in this profession is great, you can go abroad, you can meet new people every day, you can enjoy giving pleasure to others by doing great food. And every day it’s a new challenge.
9/How has the pandemic focused your perspective on the essential nature of culinary-related careers? What do you feel is the best way for us as patrons to support your fellows in the industry? I think we learned from this crisis that we have to pay attention to what we eat and go back to the homemade natural cooking with home made ingredients and fresh products.Please everybody choose first the places where chefs used natural and good fresh products instead of going to cheap fast food. Think first about your health and not about money.
10/ What is the concept, restaurant, or project that you’ve been a part of that you’re most passionate about? My own project and business.
11/ Is there a charity or cause that you’re championing that those visiting our site can learn more about and give to? How has the mission of this organization impacted you? I think we should help orphans and give them a chance with our industry to find a family instead of being alone. I created the Epicurean World Master Chefs Society Japanese chapter when I first arrived in Japan and I chose an orphan house inside Tokyo and helped them by doing chefs events and charity dinner.
– Philippe Batton
Tiffany Ltd, Bistro Le Petit Tonneau
Our thanks to Chef Philippe Batton for his thoughtfulness and courtesy in answering our questions! Do you have a follow-up question for this chef? Are there other chefs you’re interested in hearing from? Leave a comment below this post!