The Next Iron Chef: Redemption (aka The Return of the Rejected All-Star Chefs)

[ilovepaydays]

This thread was fun last year, so it should be this season as well. They are showing a marathon of last season on Food Network all afternoon and evening today.

Food Network: The Next Iron Chef official page

Here are the chefs who are returning for one more chance:
Nate Appleman
Duskie Estes
Elizabeth Falkner
Amanda Freitag
Eric Greenspan
Alex Guarnaschelli
Tim Love
Jehangir Mehta
Spike Mendelsohn (I thought he was TERRIBLE last season - why is HE back?)
Marcel Vigneron

Thoughts before the premiere tomorrow? I wished Marcus Samuelson from last season was back - his biography was a GREAT read!

[Reuven]

I like Faulkner and Freitag, the rest? Meh. Can’t say I’m in any rush to see Chef Ego Mendelsohn, or Marcel "Legend in His Own Mind" Vigneron

[skatesindreams]

I'm rooting for Alex Guarnaschelli, who has proved an able assistant to Geoffrey Zakarian on "Iron Chef" this year.

I too, miss Marcus Samuelsson.
With the success of his book; and a new restaurant, he's probably very busy.
However, I hope they ask him again.
He has a unique "world view" about food/cuisine, that would make him a wonderful "Iron Chef"

[jeffisjeff]

No Marcus? No Ming?

[skatesindreams]

Can’t say I’m in any rush to see Chef Ego Mendelsohn, or Marcel "Legend in His Own Mind" Vigneron

So true!

What qualifies them to even be considered for "Iron Chef".
They don't have the background, yet.
I watch "Iron Chef" to see how well experts handle challenging ingredients and time management issues.
I'm not interested in temper-tantrums.

I miss Ming, also.

[kwanfan1818]

I'd only seen the show intermittently before the second half of last season, but in the first couple of episodes, Mehta came across as egotistical as anyone else on the show. I think it's interesting that Appleman said something like, "I don't do innovation: I'm a classic chef." A third of the Iron Chef marks are based on creativity, so shouldn't he be on Top Chef Masters? That said, I loved his take on the bahn mi.

I like watching Guarnischelli, and even though I don't eat 2/3 of what they all cook, her food looks interesting to me. I know she was pissed off/sulky at Faulkner for not given her much responsibility during last year's final, but Faulkner only had AG for 10 minutes later in the meal, and sometimes, another hand is more distraction than being given an extra ingredient. Guarnischelli and Zakarian are colleagues on "Chopped," (at least), and I think because he knows her and what she can do that he was willing to give her more. Plus, she's got a judge in her bag, unless she blows it. In the little clip preview for next week's show, Faulkner expresses her doubts about Guarnischelli; it would be nice to see that comment in context, because I have a girl-crush on AG, even if I think Faulkner would be a Iron Chef.

Re: "Chopped," Duskie Estes reminded me of a "Chopped" contestant: scattered, stressed, and insecure. If I were a producer looking for an Iron Chef, as opposed to whatever this show is about, I'd be looking for someone who could come up with creative things, but also be a leader, or at least be someone who could inspire other chefs. I can't imagine her leading a team on Iron Chef under pressure of a contest, not just in her own kitchen. Hoarding an ingredient to support "the girls?" Ugh, barf-worthy. A few of the others I have to wonder about, too.

If I knew how to cook and were one of the helper cooks on the show, ideally I'd want the Iron Chef to be someone who was considerate and respectful under pressure, who would give me responsibility and not be a jerk if something blew up, and who would be a great person from whom to learn. Those are the IC's I like to watch as well.

PML at Zakarian's reaction when Majumdar said that if Faulkner had made the Monte Cristo sandwich with French Toast ice cream in last year's finals, she might be the judge and Zakarian might be the contestant.

[jeffisjeff]

I'd only seen the show intermittently before the second half of last season, but in the first couple of episodes, Mehta came across as egotistical as anyone else on the show. I think it's interesting that Appleman said something like, "I don't do innovation: I'm a classic chef." A third of the Iron Chef marks are based on creativity, so shouldn't he be on Top Chef Masters?

Yeah, Appleman is apparently working at Chipotle now (which is and ). Is that "classical"?

For some reason, I am liking evil Mehta. I didn't watch the season he was on previously, but it seems like he could be a fun evil. And he is kind of cute.

[kwanfan1818]

Mehta is definitely wonderful to look at. (But maybe with the mute button on.)

I'm kind of sad that Tim Love is gone. I liked listening to him.

[skatesindreams]

I was very impressed with Mehta's skills during his original appearance.
He seemed to have both classic technique; and the ability to innovate/think outside the box, which I think matter on Iron Chef,

kwanfan1818, ITA with your perspective.

[kwanfan1818]

I just watched the "Transformation" episode, where each chef had to create something out of canned meat or fish.

For the record, the two chefs in the Chairman's Challenge were my least favorite, and I wasn't sad to see either of them in the bottom two. After they finished cooking with their ingredient -- lobster -- they decided to plate their dishes together. One was a soup, in a bowl on the plate, completely discrete, and the other was a cold, savory dish. It's not like they cooked two dishes together or mixed them together or cooked separate parts of one dish, or that the two dishes ran together.

This put just about everyone's knickers in a knot -- the other chefs were bitching about how this disrespected the concept of the competition, of being an Iron Chef, the show, the judges and how they were arrogant, and the judges and Alton Brown were whining about how Iron Chefs don't do things together, how they have to compete against each other, etc.

I think what they did was pretty cool: they did their best, and they put their plates side-by-side, and asked the judges to do their freakin' job, to judge the dishes against each other. It's not like they never give feedback to a chef in front of the others, and, because they each have only one dish, unlike Iron Chefs/contestants who show five in a row before the switch to the other chef, and it cut out maybe a minute or so between tastings, had they plated them separately.

Instead of making a decision, as if there was some terrible rule breaking, they took it to the Chairman (unseen). It was like the judging panel had the back curtain opened on them, and they crumbled. Wankers.

[skatesindreams]

All of that said, kwanfan, I wasn't sorry to see Spike go; and I won't be sorry when Marcel does, also.
I wish they had eliminated both of them.

In their arrogance, they wanted "all or nothing".
Both should have paid the price.

[kwanfan1818]

I wish they had eliminated all the men and left Frietag, Guarnischelli, and Faulkner.

[duane]

I think what they did was pretty cool: they did their best, and they put their plates side-by-side, and asked the judges to do their freakin' job, to judge the dishes against each other.

My sentiments exactly.

I'm so glad Marcel stayed! I don't know why, but I like the guy!

[merrywidow]

I wish they had eliminated all the men and left Frietag, Guarnischelli, and Faulkner.

Be patient. I can actually seeing the 3 ladies as the final 3 with Faulkner being the next Iron Chef. They are due to have another woman on the show.

[jeffisjeff]

I wish they had eliminated all the men and left Frietag, Guarnischelli, and Faulkner.

They can keep Mehta around too...

[emason]

Instead of making a decision, as if there was some terrible rule breaking, they took it to the Chairman (unseen). It was like the judging panel had the back curtain opened on them, and they crumbled. Wankers.

Well, since the Chairman doesn't actually exist, but is just an actor hired for a role (same actor who plays Wo Fat on Hawaii Five O), you can't really take it all that seriously. In fact, you can't take the show as a whole all that seriously.

Meanwhile, I am rooting for Mehta and Falkner. Freitag bores me silly and Alex G. I can take or leave.

[skatesindreams]

The majority of the chefs who have been associated with/appeared on the program seem to take the title/position seriously.
I believe that chefs enjoy competition; and seeing how they "stack up" one to another.

[jeffisjeff]

I definitely am rooting for Chef Mehta now. With either of the women as second choice (only because ICA needs a woman chef). If Chef Chemical or Chef Chipotle win this, I will be so .

Oh, and did anyone else spot Johnny Weir on the Celebrity Cook-Off commercial? I can't stand Rachel or Guy, but I might just have to watch...

[emason]

I am rooting for Chef Mehta also; I hope I haven't jinxed him. Love Celebrity Cook-Off, so I will be watching for sure.

[centerstage01]

I didn't know I was cheering for her so hard but I was honestly crushed for Chef Faulkner. I had her pegged to win the whole thing. Now I'm totally behind Freitag and/or Guarneschelli to win. The three men left aren't worth it.