The Next Iron Chef
Encyclopedia
The Next Iron Chef, is a limited-run series
on the Food Network
now in its fourth season. Each season is a stand-alone competition to select a chef to be designated an Iron Chef, who will appear on the Food Network
program Iron Chef America
.
In Season 1, eight chefs from around the United States
battled to be the next Iron Chef. The show debuted Sunday, October 7, 2007, and the hosts were Alton Brown
and "The Chairman", actor
Mark Dacascos
. Challenges one through five of the competition were held at the Culinary Institute of America
. Challenges six and seven took place in Munich
, Germany
and Paris
, France
respectively. The final challenge took place at the Food Network studios in New York City
, on the Iron Chef America set. The winner of The Next Iron Chef was Cleveland restaurant chef Michael Symon
.
Season 2 premiered on October 4, 2009, and featured ten chefs battling to be the newest Iron Chef. The show was based in Los Angeles before traveling to Tokyo for two episodes, and again hosted by Alton Brown
and "The Chairman" Mark Dacascos
. Following a final battle in Kitchen Stadium, Chicago-born Ecuadorian-American chef Jose Garces
, was selected the newest Iron Chef. Garces debuted as an Iron Chef on January 17, 2010, when he squared off against Seattle chef Rachel Yang.
Food Network began airing commercials for the third season of "The Next Iron Chef" in July 2010. It was later announced in an internet press release that Alton Brown and judge Donatella Arpaia
would return for season 3. Completing the judges panel are food writer and broadcaster Simon Majumdar and current Iron Chef Michael Symon
. Season 3 began airing on October 3, 2010 on Food Network. The winner of season 3 was Marc Forgione. Chef Forgione engaged in his first battle on November 28, 2010. By November 30th, 2010, Next Iron Chef's music composer Craig Marks released the soundtrack "Iron Chef America & The Next Iron Chef", which contains themes from all seasons of both shows.
Starting with Season 4, the eliminated chefs will be interviewed during the week following the episode airdate on ABC's The Chew
. The first castoff was interviewed on November 1, 2011.
, Bon Appétit
restaurant editor Andrew Knowlton
, and restaurateur
Donatella Arpaia
.
, food author and long-time Iron Chef America judge Jeffrey Steingarten
and sustainable food expert Anya Fernald.
, food writer and broadcaster Simon Majumdar and current Iron Chef Michael Symon
, winner of the Season 1 competition.
As the winner of the Secret Ingredient Challenge, Chef Estes was able to have a five minute advantage to grab ingredients from the "pantry" and start cooking.
As the winner of the previous challenge, Maneet Chauhan was able to assign the dishes to prepare to each chef. Mary Dumont, having come in last, received a one minute penalty assessed at the beginning.
As the winner of the previous challenge, Marc Forgione was able to replace one of his caught fishes with someone else. He replaced one of his scorpion fishes with Celina Tio's caught snapper as a result. Duskie Estes, having come in last, received a one minute penalty assessed at the beginning.
As the winner of the previous challenge, Celina Tio had a five minute head start in the 30-minute hunt for ingredients on the fair grounds. Maneet Chauhan, having come in last, received a one minute penalty assessed at the beginning of cooking.
Note: In this episode, Iron Chef Jose Garces
served as a guest judge, substituting for fellow Iron Chef Michael Symon.
(This episode was originally intended to be a double elimination. However, because there was a three-way tie for the second chef to be eliminated, the remaining four chefs were allowed to continue to the next round.)
, food writer and broadcaster Simon Majumdar, and Iron Chef Judy Joo
from Iron Chef UK.
Limited-run series
A limited-run series in television is a program with a predetermined end. The shortest form is the two-part or three-part "made for" television movie. A slightly longer form is a miniseries. The longest form of limited run series is the telenovela, which typically lasts about 120 episodes....
on the Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
now in its fourth season. Each season is a stand-alone competition to select a chef to be designated an Iron Chef, who will appear on the Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
program Iron Chef America
Iron Chef America
Iron Chef America: The Series is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's Iron Chef, and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed Iron Chef USA. The show is produced by Food Network, which also carried a dubbed version of the original Iron Chef. Like the...
.
In Season 1, eight chefs from around the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
battled to be the next Iron Chef. The show debuted Sunday, October 7, 2007, and the hosts were Alton Brown
Alton Brown
Alton Crawford Brown is an American television personality, author, actor, and cinematographer. He is the creator and host of the Food Network television show Good Eats and the mini-series Feasting on Asphalt and Feasting on Waves, and he is the host and main commentator on Iron Chef America...
and "The Chairman", actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Mark Dacascos
Mark Dacascos
Mark Alan Dacascos is an American actor and martial artist. He won numerous karate and various styles of kung fu championships between the ages of 7 and 18....
. Challenges one through five of the competition were held at the Culinary Institute of America
Culinary Institute of America
The Culinary Institute of America is a non-profit culinary college located in Hyde Park USA, founded in 1946. The CIA also has branch campuses in St. Helena, California, and San Antonio, Texas, as well as a campus in Singapore. It is a not-for-profit academic institution of higher learning...
. Challenges six and seven took place in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
respectively. The final challenge took place at the Food Network studios in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, on the Iron Chef America set. The winner of The Next Iron Chef was Cleveland restaurant chef Michael Symon
Michael Symon
Michael D. Symon is a James Beard Foundation Award-winning American chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. He is seen regularly on Food Network on shows such as Iron Chef America, Food Feuds, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate, as well as Cook Like an Iron Chef on the Cooking Channel...
.
Season 2 premiered on October 4, 2009, and featured ten chefs battling to be the newest Iron Chef. The show was based in Los Angeles before traveling to Tokyo for two episodes, and again hosted by Alton Brown
Alton Brown
Alton Crawford Brown is an American television personality, author, actor, and cinematographer. He is the creator and host of the Food Network television show Good Eats and the mini-series Feasting on Asphalt and Feasting on Waves, and he is the host and main commentator on Iron Chef America...
and "The Chairman" Mark Dacascos
Mark Dacascos
Mark Alan Dacascos is an American actor and martial artist. He won numerous karate and various styles of kung fu championships between the ages of 7 and 18....
. Following a final battle in Kitchen Stadium, Chicago-born Ecuadorian-American chef Jose Garces
Jose Garces
Jose Garces is an Ecuadorian American chef, restaurant owner, and Iron Chef. He was born in Chicago to Ecuadorian parents. He won in the second season of The Next Iron Chef....
, was selected the newest Iron Chef. Garces debuted as an Iron Chef on January 17, 2010, when he squared off against Seattle chef Rachel Yang.
Food Network began airing commercials for the third season of "The Next Iron Chef" in July 2010. It was later announced in an internet press release that Alton Brown and judge Donatella Arpaia
Donatella Arpaia
Donatella Arpaia is an American restaurateur and a television personality who appears on The Food Network. Arpaia is a regular judge on The Food Network's Iron Chef America and The Next Iron Chef...
would return for season 3. Completing the judges panel are food writer and broadcaster Simon Majumdar and current Iron Chef Michael Symon
Michael Symon
Michael D. Symon is a James Beard Foundation Award-winning American chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. He is seen regularly on Food Network on shows such as Iron Chef America, Food Feuds, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate, as well as Cook Like an Iron Chef on the Cooking Channel...
. Season 3 began airing on October 3, 2010 on Food Network. The winner of season 3 was Marc Forgione. Chef Forgione engaged in his first battle on November 28, 2010. By November 30th, 2010, Next Iron Chef's music composer Craig Marks released the soundtrack "Iron Chef America & The Next Iron Chef", which contains themes from all seasons of both shows.
Starting with Season 4, the eliminated chefs will be interviewed during the week following the episode airdate on ABC's The Chew
The Chew
The Chew is an American talk show/cooking show that airs in the United States on ABC as part of the network's weekday daytime lineup, centering on food-related and lifestyle topics. The program also airs in Canada on the stations of the Citytv television system.It premiered on September 26, 2011 ...
. The first castoff was interviewed on November 1, 2011.
Contestants
- John BeshJohn BeshJohn Besh is the owner and executive chef at restaurant August in New Orleans, Louisiana , and owns six other restaurants: La Provence, The American Sector, Lüke , Besh Steak , and Domenica in the Roosevelt Hotel...
(New Orleans, LANew Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
); defeated Mario BataliMario BataliMario Batali is an American chef, writer, restaurateur and media personality. In addition to his classical culinary training, he is an expert on the history and culture of Italian cuisine, including regional and local variations. Batali co-owns restaurants in New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles,...
in Battle AndouilleAndouilleAndouille is defined as a coarse-grained smoked sausage made using pork, pepper, onions, wine, and seasonings. Andouille is French in origin, and was later brought to the United States through Louisiana by French immigrants. In the United States, the sausage is most often associated with Cajun...
in Season 3 of Iron Chef America. - Chris CosentinoChris CosentinoChris Cosentino is an American chef noted for his specialty, offal dishes, now considered haute cuisine by many, and his eco-consciousness. He is executive chef at Incanto in San Francisco. He was a competitor on The Next Iron Chef and has appeared on Iron Chef America. As of September 2009, he...
(San Francisco, CASan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
); lost to Batali in Battle Garlic, in Season 4. - Jill DavieJill DavieJill Davie is the Chef de Cuisine at Josie, a Los Angeles restaurant owned by Josie Le Balch. Davie has worked at Josie Restaurant since its founding in 2001. She has appeared as a prominent guest chef on several Food Network shows...
(Santa Monica, CASanta Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
) Chef de Cuisine at Josie in Santa Monica, California, and co-host of Fine Living's Shopping with Chefs. - Traci Des JardinsTraci Des JardinsTraci Des Jardins is an American chef and restaurateur who co-owns Jardinière, a French influenced California fine-dining restaurant in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, California; chef/partner of Public House, a sports pub serving local, sustainable classic pub food near AT&T Park;...
(San Francisco, CASan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
); defeated Batali in Battle Shrimp in Season 2. - Gavin KaysenGavin KaysenGavin Kaysen is executive chef at noted French chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud's New York City restaurant, Cafe Boulud....
(San Diego, CASan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
) Chef de Cuisine at El Bizcocho at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in California. - Morou OuattaraMorou OuattaraMorou Ouattara is an executive chef and former-owner of the now-closed Farrah Olivia restaurant in Alexandria, VA. Born and raised on the Ivory Coast in West Africa in a family with 33 children, he combines French, African and Middle Eastern cuisines. He has appeared on Iron Chef America, and was a...
(Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
) who lost to Bobby FlayBobby FlayRobert William "Bobby" Flay is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur and reality television personality. He is the owner and executive chef of 12 restaurants: Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, New York City, and the Bahamas ; Bar Americain in New York City and Uncasville, Connecticut; Bobby Flay Steak...
in Battle Peas in Season 3. - Aarón SanchezAarón SanchezAarón Sanchez is an American chef, the executive chef and part-owner of the restaurant Centrico. He has appeared on Iron Chef America, and is one of the few chefs whose battles have ended in a draw, tying with Masaharu Morimoto in "Battle Black Bass" in Season 2...
(New York, NYNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) who tied Masaharu MorimotoMasaharu Morimotois a well-known Japanese chef, best known as the third Iron Chef on the Japanese TV cooking show Iron Chef, and an Iron Chef on its spinoff, Iron Chef America. He is also known for his unique style of presenting food....
in Battle Black BassBlack bassMicropterus , is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is M. dolomieu, the smallmouth bass...
in Season 2. - Michael SymonMichael SymonMichael D. Symon is a James Beard Foundation Award-winning American chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. He is seen regularly on Food Network on shows such as Iron Chef America, Food Feuds, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate, as well as Cook Like an Iron Chef on the Cooking Channel...
(Cleveland, OHCleveland, OhioCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
) who lost to Masaharu Morimoto in Battle Asparagus in Season 2.
Judges
The contest was judged by food writer Michael RuhlmanMichael Ruhlman
Michael Carl Ruhlman is an American author. He has written 12 books of mostly nonfiction, the best known of which have been in collaboration with American chefs.-Personal:...
, Bon Appétit
Bon Appétit
Bon Appétit describes itself as "a food and entertaining magazine" and is published monthly. Named after the French phrase for "Enjoy your meal", it was started by M. Frank Jones in Kansas City in 1956...
restaurant editor Andrew Knowlton
Andrew Knowlton
Andrew Knowlton is the Restaurant Editor at Bon Appétit magazine, where he began working in 2000.-Early life:Knowlton was born in Gainesville, Florida and raised in Atlanta, Georgia.-Career:...
, and restaurateur
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
Donatella Arpaia
Donatella Arpaia
Donatella Arpaia is an American restaurateur and a television personality who appears on The Food Network. Arpaia is a regular judge on The Food Network's Iron Chef America and The Next Iron Chef...
.
Contestant progress
| Episode | | 1 | | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Comments | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Challenge | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| Michael | IN | IN | WIN | IN | WIN | WIN | IN | WIN | The Next Iron Chef |
| John | IN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elimin: Attain Greatness |
| Chris | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | IN | OUT | Elimin: Lead and Inspire | |
| Aarón | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elimin: Pressure | ||
| Morou | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elimin: Resourcefulness | |||
| Gavin | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | ||||
| Jill | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elimin: Simplicity and Innovation | ||||
| Traci | IN | OUT | Elimin: Speed and Artistry | ||||||
- (WIN) The chef won the series
- (WIN) The chef won the challenge.
- (OUT) The chef lost that week's Elimination Challenge and was out of the competition.
Episode 1
- Challenge 1: Speed
- A speed challenge in which chefs are required to debone a chicken, fillet a salmon, open enough coconuts to produce two cups of coconut milk, shuck six oysters and clams, french a rack of lamb, and slice off a 4 inches (101.6 mm) strip of daikonDaikonDaikon , Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, also called White Radish, Japanese radish, Oriental radish, Chinese radish, lo bok and Mooli , is a mild flavoured, very large, white East Asian radish...
thin enough to read newsprint through within 15 minutes. - WINNER: Aarón Sanchez
- Challenge 2: Artistry
- Chefs are challenged to make desserts: one with any available ingredient and the second featuring savory ingredients. Each chef selects one of the following savory ingredients: catfish, tripeTripeTripe is a type of edible offal from the stomachs of various farm animals.-Beef tripe:...
, beef shoulder, chorizoChorizoChorizo is a term encompassing several types of pork sausages originating from the Iberian Peninsula.In English, it is usually pronounced , , or , but sometimes ....
, duck confitDuck confitDuck confit is a French dish made with the leg of the duck.While it is made across France, it is seen as a speciality of Gascony. The confit is prepared in a centuries-old process of preservation that consists of salt curing a piece of meat and then poaching it in its own fat.To prepare a confit,...
, bacon, salmon roeRoeRoe or hard roe is the fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses of fish and certain marine animals, such as shrimp, scallop and sea urchins...
, or squid based on the order of their finish in the Speed challenge. The chefs are not allowed to use butter, sugar, or cheese unless they make it themselves. - WINNER: John Besh
- ELIMINATED: Traci Des Jardins
- First aired: October 7, 2007
Episode 2
- Challenge 3: Simplicity
- The chefs have 30 minutes to prepare six one-bite (amuse-bouche) dishes that best exemplify their style of cooking. Because of his win in the Artistry challenge in Episode 1, Chef Besh is given the advantage of selecting his ingredients first, and also selecting the order in which the chefs present their dishes. The chefs serve as judges for each other's dishes. Chef Sanchez misunderstands the rules and fails to finish plating more than a single serving of his dish, deciding during the judging to give his dish to Chef Besh for tasting.
- WINNER: Michael Symon
- Challenge 4: Innovation
- After a brief introduction to the special ingredients and appliances (and with some tutelage by chef Wylie DufresneWylie DufresneWylie Dufresne is the chef and owner of wd~50 restaurant in Manhattan. Dufresne is a leading American proponent of molecular gastronomy, the movement to incorporate science and new techniques in the preparation and presentation of food.-Early life:...
in a special guest appearance), the chefs have 90 minutes to "play" with these items in order to incorporate them into their cooking style. The chefs then have 90 minutes to prepare a dish using innovative ingredients (e.g., xanthan gumXanthan gumXanthan gum is a polysaccharide, derived from the bacterial coat of Xanthomonas campestris, used as a food additive and rheology modifier, commonly used as a food thickening agent and a stabilizer...
, liquid nitrogenLiquid nitrogenLiquid nitrogen is nitrogen in a liquid state at a very low temperature. It is produced industrially by fractional distillation of liquid air. Liquid nitrogen is a colourless clear liquid with density of 0.807 g/mL at its boiling point and a dielectric constant of 1.4...
) and innovative appliances (e.g., thermal immersion circulatorThermal immersion circulatorA thermal immersion circulator is an electrically powered device that circulates and heats a warm fluid kept at an accurate and stable temperature. It is used in process, environmental, microbiological, hazardous waste, and other laboratories...
, Anti-griddle) to prepare a single dish for the judges. With his win in Challenge 1 of this round, Chef Symon is able to select his ingredients first and had a dedicated set of cooking equipment, while the other contestants have to share a common set. - WINNER: Chris Cosentino
- ELIMINATED: Jill Davie
- First aired: October 14, 2007
Episode 3
- Challenge 5: Resourcefulness (Double Elimination)
- The chefs are divided into pairs. Each chef selects ingredients for his partner and places the ingredients in a sealed cooler. The chefs are taken outdoors, where each chef has 60 minutes to prepare two dishes with the items located in his cooler and the limited ingredients at his individual station. In addition, the chefs are only able to use a single charcoal grill to cook their dishes. With his win in the previous challenge, Chris Cosentino is given the privilege of deciding the pairings of contestants.
- WINNER: Michael Symon
- ELIMINATED: Gavin Kaysen and Morou Ouattara
- First aired: October 21, 2007
Episode 4
- Challenge 6: Creativity Under Pressure
- The remaining four chefs learn that they will be traveling to Germany for this week's challenge. At the Munich airport, the chefs are taken to LufthansaLufthansaDeutsche Lufthansa AG is the flag carrier of Germany and the largest airline in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried. The name of the company is derived from Luft , and Hansa .The airline is the world's fourth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried, operating...
's catering facilities where their next challenge is to create the ultimate first class meal for passengers, to be finished and presented to the first class cabin of a long-haul jet. They have 90 minutes to prepare a minimum of three dishes. - WINNER: Michael Symon
- ELIMINATED: Aarón Sanchez
- First aired: October 28, 2007
Episode 5
- Challenge 7: Lead and Inspire
- The remaining three chefs continue the overseas portion of the competition as they fly to Paris for the next challenge. The chefs must create a meal representing their interpretations of classic American foods, to be served at a dinner hosted by the United States Ambassador to France, with guests including a number of noted French culinary figures.
- WINNER: Neither remaining chef was declared the winner.
- ELIMINATED: Chris Cosentino
- First aired: November 4, 2007
Episode 6
- Challenge 8: Attain Greatness
- The final competition tales the form of a head-to-head competition in Kitchen Stadium in a traditional Iron Chef AmericaIron Chef AmericaIron Chef America: The Series is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's Iron Chef, and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed Iron Chef USA. The show is produced by Food Network, which also carried a dubbed version of the original Iron Chef. Like the...
battle. The secret ingredient os swordfish. Judges Ruhlman, Knowlton and Arpaia are replaced in the on-air tasting portion of the judging by current Iron Chefs Bobby FlayBobby FlayRobert William "Bobby" Flay is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur and reality television personality. He is the owner and executive chef of 12 restaurants: Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, New York City, and the Bahamas ; Bar Americain in New York City and Uncasville, Connecticut; Bobby Flay Steak...
, Cat CoraCat CoraCatherine "Cat" Cora is a Greek-American professional chef best known for her featured role as an "Iron Chef" on the Food Network television show Iron Chef America.-Early life:...
and Masaharu MorimotoMasaharu Morimotois a well-known Japanese chef, best known as the third Iron Chef on the Japanese TV cooking show Iron Chef, and an Iron Chef on its spinoff, Iron Chef America. He is also known for his unique style of presenting food....
. The three judges and the three Iron Chefs collaborate to determine the winner. - WINNER: Michael Symon
- ELIMINATED: John Besh
- First aired: November 11, 2007
Contestants
- Nate Appleman (Executive Chef and partner, Pulino's Bar and Pizzeria, New York City); lost to Michael Symon in Battle Suckling PigSuckling pigA suckling pig is a piglet fed on its mother's milk . In culinary, a suckling pig is slaughtered between the ages of two and six weeks. It is traditionally cooked whole, often roasted, in various cuisines...
in Season 7 - Dominique Crenn (Chef de Cuisine, Luce at The Intercontinental Hotel, San Francisco)
- Brad Farmerie (Executive Chef, Double Crown, Madam Geneva, PUBLIC, The Monday Room, New York City); defeated Cat Cora in Battle Maple Syrup in Season 7
- Amanda FreitagAmanda FreitagAmanda Freitag is a New York chef and frequent guest on Food Network television programming.-Early career:Following graduation from the Culinary Institute of America in 1993, Freitag took a position at Vong New York working under chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. In 1994, she left Vong to cook at...
(Executive Chef, The Harrison, New York City); lost to Bobby Flay in Battle Alaskan King Crab in Season 7 - Jose GarcesJose GarcesJose Garces is an Ecuadorian American chef, restaurant owner, and Iron Chef. He was born in Chicago to Ecuadorian parents. He won in the second season of The Next Iron Chef....
(Executive Chef and owner, Amada, Tinto, Distrito, Chifa, Village Whiskey, Philadelphia); defeated Bobby Flay in Battle Melon in Season 6 - Eric Greenspan (Executive Chef and owner, The Foundry on Melrose, Los Angeles)
- Jehangir MehtaJehangir MehtaJehangir Mehta is the executive chef and owner of New York City restaurant Graffiti. He is also the author of the 2008 HarperCollins cookbook "Mantra: The Rules of Indulgence," offers a cooking class at his restaurant for children 4-14 called "Candy Camp" designed to build interest in more...
(Executive Chef and owner, Graffiti, New York City); lost to Masaharu Morimoto in Battle Coconut in Season 7 - Seamus Mullen (Executive Chef and partner, Boqueria Flatiron and Boqueria Soho, New York City)
- Holly Smith (Chef and owner, Cafe Juanita, Poco Carretto Gelato, Kirkland, WA)
- Roberto Trevino (Executive Chef and owner, Budatai, San Juan, Puerto Rico); lost to Mario Batali in Battle Catfish in Season 1
Judges
The judges are restaurateur Donatella ArpaiaDonatella Arpaia
Donatella Arpaia is an American restaurateur and a television personality who appears on The Food Network. Arpaia is a regular judge on The Food Network's Iron Chef America and The Next Iron Chef...
, food author and long-time Iron Chef America judge Jeffrey Steingarten
Jeffrey Steingarten
Jeffrey Steingarten is a leading food writer in the United States. He has been the food critic at Vogue magazine since 1989. His monthly columns in Vogue have earned him a National Magazine Award, and nearly a dozen James Beard Awards and nominations...
and sustainable food expert Anya Fernald.
Contestant progress
| Episode | |1 | | 2 | | 3 | 4 | | 5 | |6 | 7 | 8 | Comments | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Challenge | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | |
| Jose | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | WIN | IN | WIN | The Next Iron Chef |
| Jehangir | IN | IN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | IN | OUT | Elim: Imagination |
| Seamus | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elim: Integrity | |
| Amanda | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elim: Umami | ||
| Nate | IN | WIN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | IN | WIN | OUT | Elim: Pressure | ||||
| Roberto | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | |||||
| Dominique | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | OUT | Elim: Adaptability | ||||||
| Brad | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elim: Innovation | |||||||
| Holly | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elim: Simplicity and Interpretation | |||||||||
| Eric | IN | OUT | Elim: Memory and Fearlessness | |||||||||||
- (WIN) The chef won the series
- (WIN) The chef won the challenge.
- (OUT) The chef lost that week's Elimination Challenge and was out of the competition.
Episode 1
- Challenge 1: Memory
- The Chairman presents each chef with an ingredient associated with their past, and challenges them to make a dish, to be presented family-style, that represents who they are.
- WINNER: Jose Garces
- Challenge 2: Fearlessness
- The Chairman assigns each chef an exotic ingredient he or she may not have used before. Exercising his advantage, Chef Garces was allowed to exchange the ingredients of two chefs: Chef Crenn and Chef Mullen.
- WINNER: Nate Appleman
- ELIMINATED: Eric Greenspan
- First aired: October 4, 2009
Episode 2
- Challenge 3: Simplicity
- In this challenge, the Chairman gives each chef the choice of one traditional cooking vessel from one of a variety of countries; each is designed for a one-pot style of cooking. After 45 minutes of cook time, the contestants must taste and judge their fellow competitors' dishes.
- WINNER: Jehangir Mehta
- Challenge 4: Interpretation
- In the next challenge, Alton Brown assigns each chef a specific traditional dish from one of three countries; Greece, France and Italy. Each chef is given one hour to create their own interpretation of the dish they were assigned.
- WINNER: Seamus Mullen
- ELIMINATED: Holly Smith
- First aired: October 11, 2009
Episode 3
- Challenge 5: Innovation, Part I
- In this challenge, the chefs are sent in pairs to various restaurants in the Los Angeles area where they must taste the restaurant's signature dish, and then are tasked to duplicate the dish from scratch in 10 minutes. The owners of the restaurant determine which of the two competitors' dishes are closest to the original. The winner is allotted an additional 5 minutes in the next challenge.
- Assignments:
- Vietnamese: Beef PhoPHOPHO may refer to:* Primary Health Organisation* Potentially hazardous object, an asteroid or comet that could potentially collide with Earth...
(Chefs Crenn and Garces) - Korean: DolSot BibimbapBibimbapBibimbap is a signature Korean dish. The word literally means "mixed meal." Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul and gochujang . A raw or fried egg and sliced meat are common additions. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating...
(Chefs Appleman and Mullen) - Thai: Green Curry with Fish Balls (Chefs Freitag and Mehta)
- Chinese: Pork and Vegetarian DumplingsJiaoziJiǎozi 餃子 or 饺子 , bánh bột luộc , gyōza , Mo:Mo: or Momocha म:म: or ममचा , or pot sticker is a Chinese dumpling widely spread to Japan, Eastern and Western Asia.Jiaozi typically consist of a ground meat and/or vegetable filling wrapped into...
(Chefs Trevino and Farmerie)
- Vietnamese: Beef Pho
- WINNERS: Chefs Appleman, Crenn, Frietag and Trevino
- Challenge 6: Innovation, Part II
- The chefs must use inspiration from their visit to local restaurants to re-interpret a traditional American dish.
- WINNER: Seamus Mullen
- ELIMINATED: Brad Farmerie
- First aired: October 18, 2009
Episode 4
- Challenge 7: Adaptability
- The Chairman presents the chefs with a challenge to test their ability to adapt: prepare two Mexican-inspired dishes, one sweet and one savory, using a surprise ingredient: tamarindTamarindTamarind is a tree in the family Fabaceae. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic .-Origin:...
imported from Mexico. Each chef has 90 minutes total to shop at Los Angeles' Grand Central Market and to cook their dishes. Late in the cooking period, host Alton Brown added a twist, when he conveyed the Chairman's wish to have a drink featuring tamarind added to the meal. - WINNER: Jehangir Mehta
- ELIMINATED: Dominique Crenn
- First aired: October 25, 2009
Episode 5
- Challenge 8: Pressure, Part I
- An Indian chef tests how well the remaining contenders perform under pressure. The chefs are to make a one-bite vegetarian representation of the taste of India. As winner of the previous challenge, Chef Mehta has first choice of ingredients.
- WINNER: Nate Appleman
- Challenge 9: Pressure, Part II
- The chefs are to make a 5 course Indian dinner. This is a double-elimination challenge. As winner of the previous challenge, Chef Appleman has first choice of the protein ingredients and takes all of the red snapper.
- WINNER: Jose Garces
- ELIMINATED: Roberto Trevino and Nate Appleman
- The remaining 4 chefs receive plane tickets to travel to Tokyo where the next episode takes place.
- First aired: November 1, 2009
Episode 6
- Challenge 10: Umami (Deliciousness), Part I: Yakitori
- The chefs must create five yakitoriYakitori, grilled chicken, is commonly a Japanese type of skewered chicken. The term Yakitori can also refer to skewered food in general. Kushiyaki , is a formal term that encompasses both poultry and non-poultry items, skewered and grilled...
, each with umamiUmamiUmami , popularly referred to as savoriness, is one of the five basic tastes together with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.-Etymology:Umami is a loanword from the Japanese meaning "pleasant savory taste". This particular writing was chosen by Professor Kikunae Ikeda from umai "delicious" and mi ...
. - Guest Judge: Iron Chef Masaharu MorimotoMasaharu Morimotois a well-known Japanese chef, best known as the third Iron Chef on the Japanese TV cooking show Iron Chef, and an Iron Chef on its spinoff, Iron Chef America. He is also known for his unique style of presenting food....
- WINNER: Jehangir Mehta
- Challenge 11: Umami (Deliciousness), Part II: Five Flavors of Rice
- The chefs must create five dishes featuring five flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. Each dish must feature rice in some fashion, and be served in a traditional Japanese BentōBentois a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container. Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquerware...
box. - Guest Judge: Dr. Yukio HattoriYukio Hattoriis best known as an expert commentator on the Japanese television show Iron Chef. Hattori is also the fifth president of the Hattori Nutrition College; the Iron Chef end credits mention that the program is "produced in cooperation with" the College. Hattori received a Ph.D. in medicine from Showa...
, Director of the Hattori Nutrition CollegeHattori Nutrition Collegeis a prominent cooking school in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. The current Principal is Dr. Yukio Hattori.In the Japanese TV show Iron Chef, the Hattori Nutrition College provided students to assist the competing chefs in cooking duties. Dr. Hattori himself was the show's culinary commentator. Dr...
. Dr. Hattori was a commentator on the original Japanese Iron ChefIron Chefis a Japanese television cooking show produced by Fuji Television. The series, which premiered on October 10, 1992, is a stylized cook-off featuring guest chefs challenging one of the show's resident "Iron Chefs" in a timed cooking battle built around a specific theme ingredient. The series ended...
. - WINNER: Jose Garces
- ELIMINATED: Amanda Freitag
- First aired: November 8, 2009
Episode 7
- Challenge 12: Integrity
- Personal expression through food.
- Guest Judges: The Chairman, Dr. Yukio Hattori
- FINALISTS: Jose Garces, Jehangir Mehta
- ELIMINATED: Seamus Mullen
- First aired: November 15, 2009
Episode 8
- Challenge 13: Imagination
- The final challenge was a traditional head-to-head Iron Chef battle. The secret ingredient was racks and ribs, and featured beef, pork and buffalo meat.
- Guest Judges: The Chairman, Masaharu Morimoto, Bobby Flay, Michael Symon
- WINNER: Jose Garces
- ELIMINATED: Jehangir Mehta
- First aired: November 22, 2009
Contestants
- Marco Canora (chef and owner of Hearth, Terroir and Terroir TriBeca in New York City)
- Bryan Caswell (chef and owner of Reef, Stella Sola and Little Bigs in Houston, Texas)
- Maneet Chauhan (chef at Vermillion in Chicago, Illinois and New York), lost to Masaharu Morimoto in Battle Leeks in Season 8
- Mary DumontMary Dumont-Background:Before joining the kitchen at Harvest, Dumont was the founder and executive chef of The Dunaway Restaurant at Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and was named Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine in 2006 while there....
(Executive Chef at Harvest in Cambridge, Massachusetts), lost to Cat Cora in Battle Milk and Cream in Season 5 - Duskie Estes (chef and owner of Zazu Restaurant and Farm, Bovolo and Black Pig Meat Company in Sonoma County, California)
- Marc Forgione (chef and owner of Marc Forgione in New York), sous chef for Laurent Tourondel, winner of Battle Goat Cheese in Season 3
- Andrew Kirschner (Executive chef at Wilshire in Santa Monica, California)
- Mario Pagán (chef and owner of Chayote and Lemongrass in Puerto Rico)
- Celina Tio (chef and owner of Julian in Kansas City, Missouri)
- Ming TsaiMing TsaiMing Tsai is a Chinese-American fusion cuisine chef, restaurateur, and Emmy Award-winning television personality.Tsai currently hosts Ming's Quest, a cooking show featured on the Fine Living Network, and Simply Ming on American Public Television...
(chef and owner of Blue Ginger in Wellesley, Massachusetts), defeated Bobby Flay in Battle Duck in Season 1
Judges
The judges are restaurateur Donatella ArpaiaDonatella Arpaia
Donatella Arpaia is an American restaurateur and a television personality who appears on The Food Network. Arpaia is a regular judge on The Food Network's Iron Chef America and The Next Iron Chef...
, food writer and broadcaster Simon Majumdar and current Iron Chef Michael Symon
Michael Symon
Michael D. Symon is a James Beard Foundation Award-winning American chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. He is seen regularly on Food Network on shows such as Iron Chef America, Food Feuds, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate, as well as Cook Like an Iron Chef on the Cooking Channel...
, winner of the Season 1 competition.
Contestant progress
| Episode | | 1 | | 2 | | 3 | | 4 | | 5 | | 6 | | 7 | 8 | Comments | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Challenge | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | |
| Marc | IN | IN | IN | WIN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | The Next Iron Chef |
| Marco | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | IN | WIN | WIN | WIN | OUT | Elim: Honor |
| Ming | IN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | WIN | IN | IN | OUT | Elim: Seduction | |
| Celina | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | ||
| Bryan | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elim: Inspiration | |||
| Maneet | IN | IN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elim: Respect | |||||
| Duskie | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elim: Transformation | |||||||
| Mary | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elim: Resourcefulness | |||||||||
| Mario | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elim: Innovation | |||||||||||
| Andrew | IN | OUT | Elim: Ingenuity | |||||||||||||
- (WIN) The chef won the series.
- (WIN) The chef won the challenge.
- (OUT) The chef lost that week's Elimination Challenge and was out of the competition.
Episode 1: Ingenuity
- Secret Ingredient Challenge (Secret Ingredient: Bread): Each chef must make a sandwich expressing his or her culinary style
- WINNER: Duskie Estes
- Chairman's Challenge: Cook a dish on the beach, using tropical ingredients. Their dish must feature the one food they would want to have on a deserted island.
As the winner of the Secret Ingredient Challenge, Chef Estes was able to have a five minute advantage to grab ingredients from the "pantry" and start cooking.
- WINNER: Ming Tsai
- ELIMINATED: Andrew Kirschner
- First aired: October 3, 2010
Episode 2: Innovation
- Secret Ingredient Challenge (Secret Ingredients: Coffee and Donuts): Create a breakfast transforming these two ingredients.
- WINNER: Maneet Chauhan
- DISADVANTAGE: Mary Dumont
- Chairman's Challenge: Roadside diner classics
As the winner of the previous challenge, Maneet Chauhan was able to assign the dishes to prepare to each chef. Mary Dumont, having come in last, received a one minute penalty assessed at the beginning.
- WINNER: Marc Forgione
- ELIMINATED: Mario Pagán
- First aired: October 10, 2010
Episode 3: Resourcefulness
- Secret Ingredient Challenge (Secret Ingredients: Pickles): Create a "portable snack" expressing the ingredient's versatility.
- WINNER: Marc Forgione
- DISADVANTAGE: Duskie Estes
- Chairman's Challenge: Create two dishes that revolve around the fishes the chefs caught. Chefs who were short on fish were also allowed to use sardines as a focus ingredient too.
As the winner of the previous challenge, Marc Forgione was able to replace one of his caught fishes with someone else. He replaced one of his scorpion fishes with Celina Tio's caught snapper as a result. Duskie Estes, having come in last, received a one minute penalty assessed at the beginning.
- WINNER: Marco Canora
- ELIMINATED: Mary Dumont
- First aired: October 17, 2010
Episode 4: Transformation
- Secret Ingredient Challenge (Secret Ingredients: Condiments): Each chef is assigned to transform a selected condiment, such as mayonnaise, ketchup, or ranch dressing, into a dish featuring the condiment.
- WINNER: Celina Tio
- DISADVANTAGE: Maneet Chauhan
- Chairman's Challenge: At the San Diego County Fair, each chef must transform ingredients found at the fair's concession stands into three dishes: one fried, one on a stick, and one grilled. All dishes must be prepared on a large outdoor grill.
As the winner of the previous challenge, Celina Tio had a five minute head start in the 30-minute hunt for ingredients on the fair grounds. Maneet Chauhan, having come in last, received a one minute penalty assessed at the beginning of cooking.
- WINNER: Celina Tio
- ELIMINATED: Duskie Estes
- First aired: October 24, 2010
Episode 5: Respect
- Secret Ingredient Challenge (Secret Ingredient: Potatoes)
- WINNER: Marco Canora
- DISADVANTAGE: Marc Forgione
- Chairman's Challenge: Each chef was challenged to cook four dishes; one each representing the northern, southern, eastern and western regions of the United States.
- WINNER: Ming Tsai
- ELIMINATED: Maneet Chauhan
- First aired: October 31, 2010
Note: In this episode, Iron Chef Jose Garces
Jose Garces
Jose Garces is an Ecuadorian American chef, restaurant owner, and Iron Chef. He was born in Chicago to Ecuadorian parents. He won in the second season of The Next Iron Chef....
served as a guest judge, substituting for fellow Iron Chef Michael Symon.
Episode 6: Inspiration
- Secret Ingredient Challenge (Secret Ingredient: Chocolate): The chefs were given two hours to create a dessert display.
- WINNER: Ming Tsai
- Chairman's Challenge: Each chef was tasked with creating his or her own buffet display and was given 3 hours to create three hot and two cold entrees. As winner of the previous challenge, Ming Tsai was given a one-minute head start on selecting his ingredients.
- WINNER: Marco Canora
- ELIMINATED: Bryan Caswell
(This episode was originally intended to be a double elimination. However, because there was a three-way tie for the second chef to be eliminated, the remaining four chefs were allowed to continue to the next round.)
- First aired: November 7, 2010
Episode 7: Seduction
- Secret Ingredient Challenge (Secret Ingredient: Liquor): Create a cocktail along with a suitable bar food snack to associate with the drink.
- WINNER: Marco Canora
- Chairman's Challenge: Seduce the judges by creating three luxurious dishes featuring one luxury protein. Each chef selected a safe containing an unknown quality ingredient in turn, before collecting additional ingredients from four fine dining restaurants in 30 minutes. Marco Canora had the advantage to trade his unopened safe for another chef's ingredient, along with selecting at which restaurant each chef will begin gathering ingredients. Canora traded his unopened safe for Tsai's ingredient: Wagyū beefWagyurefers to several breeds of cattle genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to producing a high percentage of oleaginous unsaturated fat. The meat from wagyu cattle is known worldwide for its marbling characteristics, increased eating quality through a naturally enhanced flavor, tenderness...
. - WINNER: Marco Canora
- ELIMINATED: Celina Tio, Ming Tsai
- First aired: November 14, 2010
Episode 8: Honor
Secret Ingredient: Thanksgiving Feast (heritage turkey, white pekin duck, venison, lobster)- WINNER: Marc Forgione
- ELIMINATED: Marco Canora
- First aired: November 21, 2010
Contestants
- Anne BurrellAnne BurrellAnne W. Burrell is an American chef, TV personality, and instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. She is the host of the Food Network show Secrets Of a Restaurant Chef and co-host of Worst Cooks in America, where she is currently undefeated thus far...
(Host of Secrets of a Restaurant Chef and Worst Cooks in America, also sous-chef for Mario Batali on Iron Chef America); while being partnered with Michael Symon both defeated Cat Cora and Robert Irvine in Battle Deep Freeze in Season 9 - Michael ChiarelloMichael ChiarelloMichael Chiarello is an American celebrity chef specializing in Italian-influenced California cuisine. He hosts the cooking show, Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, on the Food Network and hosts NapaStyle on the Fine Living Network...
(Owner of Bottega Restaurant, Napa Valley; host of Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello) - Elizabeth Falkner (Owner of Citizen Cake and Orson, San Francisco); lost to Cat Cora in Battle Honey in Season 3. Also has appeared on Food Network Challenge
- Alex Guarnaschelli (Chef and Owner, Butter and The Darby, New York; Host, Alex’s Day Off, Judge, Chopped); lost to Cat Cora in Battle Farmers' Market in Season 5
- Chuck HughesChuck Hughes (chef)Chuck Hughes is a Canadian chef, television personality, and restaurateur. He is the chef and co-owner of Garde Manger and Le Bremner, located in Old Montréal, with partners Tim Rozon and Kyle Marshall Nares...
(Chef and Owner, Garde Manger, Montreal; Host, Chuck’s Day Off [Cooking Channel]); defeated Bobby Flay in Battle Canadian Lobster in Season 9 - Robert IrvineRobert IrvineRobert Irvine is a celebrity chef who has appeared on a variety of Food Network programs, including Dinner: Impossible, Worst Cooks in America, and Restaurant: Impossible.-Career:Irvine began his cooking career upon enlisting in the Royal Navy at the age of fifteen...
(Chef and Owner, Robert Irvine’s eat!, Hilton Head Island; Host, Dinner: Impossible, Restaurant: Impossible, Worst Cooks in America); has lost twice while being partnered on special holiday episodes of Iron Chef America - Beau MacMillanBeau MacMillanBeau James MacMillan is an American chef and television personality. He is the executive chef for Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, an upscale resort in Arizona, and its featured restaurant, elements. Nicknamed "BeauMac,"-Personal life:...
(Executive Chef, Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, Phoenix; Host, Worst Cooks in America); defeated Bobby Flay in Battle American Kobe Beef in Season 3 - Spike Mendelsohn (Chef and Owner, Good Stuff Eatery, Washington D.C.; Host, Kelsey & Spike Cook [Food2.com]; contestant on Top Chef (season 4)); lost to Michael Symon in Battle Prosciutto in Season 8
- Marcus SamuelssonMarcus SamuelssonMarcus Samuelsson is a Swedish chef and co-owner of Aquavit restaurant in New York City and C-House Restaurant, located in the Affinia Hotel in Chicago.-Early life and career:...
(Chef and Owner, Red Rooster Harlem, New York; Judge, 24 Hour Restaurant Battle, Chopped, Next Food Network Star); lost to Bobby Flay in Battle Corn in Season 6 - Geoffrey ZakarianGeoffrey ZakarianGeoffrey Zakarian is a chef, restaurateur and author.Zakarian began his culinary career at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York...
(Chef and Owner, The National and The Lambs Club, New York; Judge, 24 Hour Restaurant Battle, Chopped); lost to Masaharu Morimoto in Battle Sardines in Season 8
Judges
The judges for season four are current Iron Chef Michael SymonMichael Symon
Michael D. Symon is a James Beard Foundation Award-winning American chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. He is seen regularly on Food Network on shows such as Iron Chef America, Food Feuds, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate, as well as Cook Like an Iron Chef on the Cooking Channel...
, food writer and broadcaster Simon Majumdar, and Iron Chef Judy Joo
Judy Joo
Judy Joo is an American chef and television personality. She is currently one of the four Iron Chefs on the cooking show Iron Chef UK and a judge on the Food Network show The Next Iron Chef....
from Iron Chef UK.
Contestant progress
| Episode | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anne | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | ||||
| Michael | IN | CO | IN | WIN | IN | ||||
| Elizabeth | IN | IN | WIN | IN | CO | ||||
| Alex | IN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | ||||
| Geoffrey | WIN | IN | IN | CO | IN | ||||
| Marcus | CO | IN | IN | IN | OUT | Elim: Storytelling | |||
| Beau | WIN | IN | CO | OUT | Elim: Improvisation | ||||
| Chuck | IN | IN | OUT | Elim: Ingenuity | |||||
| Robert | IN | OUT | Elim: Transformation | ||||||
| Spike | OUT | Elim: Resourcefulness | |||||||
- (WIN) The chef won the series.
- (WIN) The chef won the challenge.
- (CO) The chef competed in and won the cook-off.
- (OUT) The chef lost that week's elimination challenge and cook-off and was eliminated from the competition.
Episode 1: Resourcefulness
- Chairman's Challenge: "Heat and Meat" (Secret Ingredient: Pork) Chefs are paired in teams of two, with Chef Spike choosing the teams. The teams are taken to a remote wilderness location and asked to create fire from scratch, and then make two dishes that demonstrate resourcefulness. The least successful team is sent to the Secret Ingredient Showdown.
- Teams
- Spike Mendelsohn and Marcus Samuelsson
- Anne Burrell and Robert Irvine
- Alex Guarnaschelli and Elizabeth Falkner
- Geoffrey Zakarian and Beau MacMillian
- Michael Chiarello and Chuck Hughes
- WINNERS: Geoffrey Zakarian and Beau MacMillian
- BOTTOM TWO: Spike Mendelsohn and Marcus Samuelsson
- Secret Ingredient Showdown: With the choice of two mystery ingredients: canned tuna and scallops, Chefs Spike and Marcus choose the ingredient under the red cover: scallops. They are given 30 minutes to produce one dish of Iron Chef quality.
- WINNER: Marcus Samuelsson
- ELIMINATED: Spike Mendelsohn
- First aired: October 30, 2011
Episode 2: Transformation
- Chairman's Challenge: "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" (Secret Ingredient: Ballpark Food) The chefs go to Petco ParkPETCO ParkPetco Park is an open-air ballpark in downtown San Diego, California, USA. It opened in 2004, replacing Qualcomm Stadium as the home park of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres. Before then, the Padres shared Qualcomm Stadium with the NFL's San Diego Chargers...
, home of the San Diego PadresSan Diego PadresThe San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, where they are asked to produce Iron Chef ballpark fare. The chefs are given 15 minutes to gather necessary ingredients from ballpark vendors and 60 minutes to transform two stadium classics. Because they won the first Chairman's Challenge.Chefs Zakarian and MacMillian are given an additional five minutes for gathering ingredients. The two least successful chefs are sent to the Secret Ingredient Showdown.
- WINNER: Alex Guarnaschelli
- BOTTOM TWO: Robert Irvine and Michael Chiarello
- Secret Ingredient Showdown: Peanuts
- WINNER: Michael Chiarello
- ELIMINATED: Robert Irvine
- First Aired: November 6, 2011
Episode 3: Ingenuity
- Chairman's Challenge: "Let's All Go to the Lobby" (Secret Ingredient: Movie Theater Snacks) The chefs are taken to the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles and asked to create two gourmet dishes, one sweet and one savory, demonstrating ingenuity in 60 minutes. Because she won the second Chairman's Challenge, Chef Guarnaschelli is allowed to select her candy and chose the other chefs' candy. The two least successful chefs are sent to the Secret Ingredient Showdown.
- Chocolate Covered Raisins: Chef Guarnaschelli
- Malt Balls: Chef Falkner
- Popcorn: Chef Hughes
- Gummy Candy: Chef Chiarello
- Cinnamon Candy: Chef Zakarian
- Root Beer: Chef Burrell
- Chocolate Covered Caramels: Chef Samuelsson
- Sweet and Sour Candy: Chef MacMillan
- WINNER: Elizabeth Falkner
- BOTTOM TWO: Chuck Hughes and Beau MacMillan
- Secret Ingredient Showdown: Tofu
- WINNER: Beau MacMillan
- ELIMINATED: Chuck Hughes
- First Aired: November 13, 2011
Episode 4: Improvisation
- Chairman's Challenge: "Food is Funny" (Secret Ingredients: Octopus, Kumquats, Tortillas, and Marshmallows) The chefs go to The ImprovThe ImprovThe Improv is a comedy club franchise. Originally, it was a single venue founded in 1963 by Budd Friedman and located in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City on West 44th near the SE corner of 9th Ave. A second location was opened in 1974 at 8162 Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax District...
in Los Angeles where comedian Kevin Nealon tests their ability to improvise by selecting a disparate list of ingredients for them to cook with: octopus, kumquats, tortillas, and marshmallows. The chefs must cook a dish using all four ingredients in 45 minutes. Because she won the third Chairman's Challenge, Chef Falkner is given five extra minutes to start the preparation of her dish. The two least successful chefs are sent to the Secret Ingredient Showdown.
- WINNER: Michael Chiarello
- BOTTOM TWO: Geoffrey Zakarian and Beau MacMillian
- Secret Ingredient Showdown: Coconuts
- WINNER: Geoffrey Zakarian
- ELIMINATED: Beau MacMillian
- First Aired: November 20, 2011
Episode 5: Storytelling
- Chairman's Challenge: "New York on a Plate" The six remaining hopefuls arrive at Grand Central TerminalGrand Central TerminalGrand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
, where they are tasked with creating culinary stories based on iconic New York City landmarks. Each chef is assigned a different landmark to use as inspiration for their dish. The chefs draw postcards to determine which location they are to use for their dish. Because he won previous Chairman's Challenge, Chef Chiarello is given the choice of landmarks. The chefs have 20 minutes to shop at the Grand Central Market and 45 minutes to cook for six people (the original four judges, along with Iron Chef Marc ForgioneMarc ForgioneMarc Forgione is an Iron chef and owner of restaurant Marc Forgione. He was born on December 16, 1978 and raised in Bellerose, New York. Chef Forgione competed on and won season three of The Next Iron Chef in 2010.-Early life:...
and Chef Charlie PalmerCharlie Palmer (chef)Charlie Palmer is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and author. He is best known for his namesake Michelin star restaurant Aureole in Las Vegas and sister restaurant in New York. He has received three Michelin stars. Palmer appeared as a guest judge on Top Chef season 6 and has previously...
). The two least successful chefs are sent to the Secret Ingredient Showdown.
- Statue of Liberty : Chef Chiarello
- Times Square: Chef Zakarian
- Broadway: Chef Samuelsson
- Empire State Building: Chef Guarnaschelli
- Central Park : Chef Burrell
- Brooklyn Bridge : Chef Falkner
- WINNER: Anne Burrell
- BOTTOM TWO: Marcus Samuelsson and Elizabeth Falkner
- Secret Ingredient Showdown: Bagels
- WINNER: Elizabeth Falkner
- ELIMINATED: Marcus Samuelsson
- First Aired: November 27, 2011
Episode 6: Risk
- Chairman's Challenge: "Food Auction" (Secret Ingredients: ) The five remaining chefs are brought to an auction house, where they must bid on ingredients. Then, each chef places a bid on the shortest amount of time they think they can create a dish with each ingredient presented. The two least successful chefs are sent to the final Secret Ingredient Showdown of the season.
- WINNER:
- BOTTOM TWO:
- Secret Ingredient Showdown:
- WINNER:
- ELIMINATED:
- First Aired: December 4, 2011
Episode 7:
- Chairman's Challenge: "Hampton's Beach Cookout" (Secret Ingredient: ) The penultimate challenge takes place in the Hamptons, where the four remaining chefs cater a beach cookout. After a double elimination, the two surviving chefs go onto the Finale.
- FINALISTS: and
- ELIMINATED: and
- First Aired: December 11, 2011
Episode 8: (Finale)
- Secret Ingredient:
- WINNER:
- ELIMINATED:
- First Aired: December 18, 2011