It’s been almost a year since I was officially announced as the webmaster of this site and it’s safe to say that, like the Spanish Inquisition, none of us expected it to turn out quite this way… 2020 may be wrapping up (and none too soon), but we’re looking forward to 2021 with great anticipation!
Firstly I want to thank everyone who has submitted a comment, a post, feedback, and so on for the site. My first responsibility is to safeguard the site, and my second is to be attentive to the needs of our community. Your interest matters and I always welcome your comments and critique. A very special appreciation goes out to those who have wished me and my family well during this unusual year.
Beginning in January of 2021, I will be starting the project that I’d dreamed of since the day I read the site was looking for a new webmaster: hosting the Internet’s most comprehensive Iron Chef Japan database, since, as many of you know, we are no longer allowed to host, archive, or link to Iron Chef episodes on the site. This project is going to take months to work out and will be rolled into this site by phases. Part of the speed of this challenge is driven by how often the show is continuously re-aired on available channels, and the other part is actually building the new database from information never before captured.
Being a source for Iron Chef Japan data will bring new interest to the site, but will also allow us to offer more expansive and interactive content from the site itself. As always, we appreciate your patience – because this work we’re putting in is a labor of love and not our full time jobs, we must all try to remain flexible on our output and expectations.
In the meantime, our site is as safe as its ever been: most of my work has been weeding bots out of our WP systems and keeping them from accessing the email addresses associated with our comment system. Along with keeping the site secure, the new programs we started this year are still ongoing at the same time: we have sent 45 requests for email interviews out to add to our Interviews section and we’re awaiting replies from the chefs or their agents or press persons. Also, we’re excited to post any submissions we receive from you for “Cook Like An Iron Chef”. Did you try out an Iron Chef’s recipe for the holidays this year? Post it in the comments!
Lastly, we wouldn’t be here without you! If you have any ideas for more options for the site, things you’d like to see, or feedback for the one free webmaster, please send us an email at ironcheffansinfo@gmail.com!
Scott Richardson
1 December, 2020