This past month was no doubt one of the saddest times for Iron Chef fans. If you’re on this site and reading this, then I’m guessing you already know, but on March 11th, Kenichi Azama, who we all know and love as Iron Chef Chinese Chen Kenichi, passed away from interstitial pneumonia at the age of 67.
Iron Chef fans will readily tell others that he was the only Iron Chef to serve throughout the entire series, the leader in career battles fought and battles won and also the runner-up to Sakai in the King of Iron Chefs series finale. Watching him strive to live up to the legacy of his father, Chen Kenmin – the one who popularized Szechuan food in Japan and known as the country’s deity of Szechuan cuisine – and succeed while also proving himself to be a true Iron Chef was and is amazing to watch. I have a lot of great memories of him, especially one of the most amazing battles in the show’s history and the battle Chen himself remembers the most: the legendary Battle Prawn against his old coach and Kenmin’s top apprentice Takashi Saito. Adding yet more to it, both chefs recreated Kenmin’s classic prawns in chili sauce, and Kenichi’s canapé style reproduction of the modern version including ketchup was both Takeshi Kaga’s favorite of the first 2,000 dishes and helped Chen win the only battle he fought in front of his mother Yoko.
According to a Shisen Hanten press release, Chen’s funeral is or was for close relatives only according to his will, and his family also declined receiving flowers, condolences and such, but a farewell party in his memory was also planned. Even writing this now, I still felt myself getting misty-eyed, but I want to make sure I pay my respects and I’d like to open this up so others here can share their memories and tributes. I also like to think I speak for Iron Chef fans the world over when I say that we thank him for all the memories and good food and will miss him dearly.
PS – It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Chen and Kobe, who was gone too soon, have already battled again in heaven with judges including Asako Kishi, Tamio Kageyama and maybe even Kenmin himself.
Some theme ingredients in Kitchen Stadium were things found in kitchens around the world like chicken or carrots, but some of the themes were uniquely Japanese. This weeks Episodes of the Week theme ingredients are items that are somewhat common in Japan but maybe not so much in other countries.
Natto (Fermented Soybeans) (221) – Iron Chef Rokusaburo Michiba vs. Kuniyuki Ishikawa
Mochi (Japanese Rice Cake) (302) – Iron Chef Chen Kenichi vs. Toshiyuki Nakagawa
Umeboshi (Pickled Ume fruits) (332) – Iron Chef Rokusaburo Michiba vs. Kenji Kaji
Mochi (Japanese Rice Cake) (501) – Iron Chef Sakai vs. Kan Kasahara (This episode did not air on Food Network)
Natto (Fermented Soybeans) (638) – Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto vs. Tatsutoshi Kumamoto
Sushi (722) – Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto vs. Keiji Nakazawa – The ingredients for this battle are: Tuna (Maguro), Anago (Eel), Kanpyo (Dried gourd shavings), Egg, Kohada (Japanese shad).
The following episodes may be found by searching our video database: 221, 302, 332, 638, 722
Shigeru Miyamoto never made an appearance on Iron Chef, but his most famous creation would have been right at home as a judge on the episodes featured in this week’s Episodes of the Week. (For those of you who do not know, Shigeru Miyamoto is the designer who created Mario for Nintendo.) This week’s episodes of the week theme is Mushrooms. I don’t remember any of the judges suddenly growing larger or gaining an extra life after eating any of these mushrooms, but I’ll probably watch the episodes again just to make sure. 🙂
As one might expect from a cooking show based in Japan, a country that is a group of islands, fish was an often used theme ingredient on Iron Chef. It was used more than 15 times during the run of the show. Here are some of the highlights.
Salmon (101) – Iron Chef Ishinabe vs. Go Maruyama – The very first episode of Iron Chef. (This episode did not air on Food Network)
Sea Bream (204) – Iron Chef Michiba vs. Tanabe (This episode did not air on Food Network)
Red Snapper (607) – Iron Chef Morimoto vs. Hirayama – The first battle for Iron Chef Morimoto and the very first dubbed battle that ever aired on Food Network
New in the Database this week: 222, 607, 620, 630, 640
We also would like to bring your attention to a new addition to Beyond Kitchen Stadium. It is a clip from the Daily Show that features footage from the Red Snapper (607), the debut episode of “Naughty Morimoto.”
You all know the foods we’re talking about. The foods that mysteriously end up wrapped in their napkin. The foods that make kids willingly leave the table to do homework rather than eat. The foods that make them whine as soon as they see them on the plate. The theme for this week’s Episodes of the Week post is “foods that most kids hate.”
Turnip (303) – Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai vs. Koji Yamada – The challenger was an apprentice of Iron Chef Ishinabe and is a chef at Ishinabe’s restaurant, Queen Alice. (Be sure to watch the BKS video spotlighting Queen Alice Restaurant.)
Liver (318) – Iron Chef Chen Kenichi vs. Lee Myong Suk – The challenger is an evangelist for Royal Korean Cuisine. Another female opponent for Chen.
Broccoli (321) – Iron Chef Rokusaburo Michiba vs. Etsuo Jo – The challenger is known as the “God of Sauces”
Spinach (414) – Iron Chef Chen Kenichi vs. Katsuaki Mori – The challenger has been recognized as a Cavalier of Cheese Tasters.
Broccoli (609) – Iron Chef Masahiko Kobe vs. Mario Frittoli – The challenger is a student of one of Italy’s pasta masters.
You can find the following episodes by searching our video database: 303, 318, 321, 414, 609
There were many special episodes of Iron Chef over the years. Despite the fact that the later FN show introduction mentioned and showed clips from some of these specials, most of them never aired on Food Network. (If anyone has any tapes of any of these specials, we will buy them from you. Contact us.)
Hong Kong Special (313) – This special never aired on Food Network
1995 Iron Chef World Cup (339) – One of the challengers from this special, Pierre Gagniare, later did battle in the France Battle Special. We have a very short Beyond Kitchen Stadium video of Kaga’s entrance from this special. This special never aired on Food Network.
France Special (415,416) – This special featured two battles fought in a castle in France.
Beijing Special (441) – We have a Beyond Kitchen Stadium video of the opening from this show. This special never aired on Food Network.
1996 New Year’s Special (452) – This battle apparently had 100 judges. This special never aired on Food Network.
1997 Iron Chef World Cup (538) – The challenger from the final Kitchen Stadium battle, Alain Passard, was a part of this special. This special never aired on Food Network.
2000th Dish Special (631) – This battle featured the all-French team vs. all-Chinese team.
Morimoto Retrospective (709) – Two hour special that showed Michiba and Morimoto touring New York City, then a battle between Nakamura and Morimoto. The only clip from this special I have seen is our BKS clip of Michiba announcing the theme ingredient, tamago (egg). This special never aired on Food Network.
Indonesia Expedition (720) – This special never aired on Food Network.
The Millenium Special (801) – This special never aired on FoodNetwork.
New York Battle (802) – The memorable first battle between Morimoto and Bobby Flay.
21st Century Special (901) – Memorable for the shaved headed Kandagawa and the Morimoto/Flay rematch.
Japan Cup 2002 (1001) – This special featured the shocking news that Chairman Kaga had “died” from eating bad fugu. This special never aired on Food Network. (We have added this episode to the database since this was written. Go check it out now.) (1001a, 1001b)