Today, we bring to you the second half of the 1997 Iron Chef World Cup. (Part 1 is here.)
Alain Passard vs. Koumei Nakamura in the final of the 1997 Iron Chef World Cup.
It starts with Michiba going on a visit with Nakamura. Michiba says, “Iron Chef Nakamura has lost his way.” It even sounded like he said something about his dishes not tasting good. Was he really knocking Nakamura that much? They visit a farmer who has been farming eggplants for 30 years. They cut a round eggplant off the stalk and take a bite from it while still out in the field.
Nakamura looks on as Michiba gives him a demonstration, concluding with a lesson about finding good flavors from different ingredient combinations. (Although it almost looked like Nakamura was just adding things for the sake of adding them.) Perhaps Michiba agrees because he tells him there is too much flavor. (or too many flavors?)
The last thing we see before the battle is the presentation of a hand-made knife to Nakamura. His name is carved into it by the knife maker himself. We know that Michiba personally chose Nakamura to be his replacement, but we really see the way he mentors him in this episode.
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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
New in the database this week: 221, 302, 332, 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. 🙂
- Mushroom (234) – Iron Chef Chen vs. Hideki Osako
- Matsutake Mushroom (239) – Iron Chef Sakai vs. Masamitsu Takahashi
- Matsutake Mushroom (336) – Iron Chef Michiba vs. Minoru Noda – This battle featured one of the few American born challengers to visit Kitchen Stadium.
- Shiitake Mushroom (409) – Iron Chef Chen vs. Takaya Nakazawa
- Mushroom (444) – Iron Chef Chen vs. Daniella Ozik (This episode did not air on Food Network)
- Matsutake Mushroom (537) – Iron Chef Kobe vs. Fujio Imai (This episode did not air on Food Network)
- Maitake Mushroom (642) – Iron Chef Kobe vs. Takatsugu Sasaoka
- Porcini (643) – Iron Chef Morimoto vs. Marco Molinari – This episode is best remembered for the way the challenger makes his pasta.
- Jumbo Mushroom (727) – Iron Chef Kobe vs. Shoji Yamaoka
You can find the following episodes by searching our video database: 234, 239, 336, 409, 642, 643, 727
New in the database this week: 234, 336, 642, 643
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)
- Sweetfish (222) – Iron Chef Michiba vs. Hanato
- Sea Bass (228) – Iron Chefs Chen/Michiba vs. Bruant/Furutaka – A tagteam battle in Kitchen Stadium
- Angler (243) – Iron Chef Michiba vs. Kawada – This battle is 15 minutes longer than usual because of the theme ingredient
- Sardine (325) – Iron Chef Chen vs. Noda
- 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
- Sweetfish (620) – Iron Chef Morimoto vs. Miyanaga
- Carp (630) – Iron Chef Chen vs. Miyazawa
- Saury (640) – Iron Chef Sakai vs. Nagayama
The following Fish themed episodes may be found by searching our Video Database:
222,
228,
236,
243,
245,
317,
325,
328,
405,
411,
607,
620,
630,
640
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
New in the database this week: 303, 318, 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)
The following episodes may be found by searching our video database: 415/416, 631, 802a, 802b, 901.
New in the database this week: New York Battle (802a/b), 21st Century Special (901)
We have several related videos in our Beyond Kitchen Stadium collection. Be sure to go check them out as well as the new episodes we have this week.