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April 13, 2004
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Review time
If you only watch one TV show this year, then you've got to get yourself a better TV set. And once you do, you've absolutely got to watch Japan's gift to the world of TV: The Iron Chef. There is absolutely no better show on TV. I've not found it here in HK, but once my father-in-law and I stumbled across it one Saturday evening while waiting for the footy, I've been hooked. It's a combination of gladiator and gastronome, of challenge and cooking, of man and maitre d'. I've never been a fan of cooking shows - Jamie Oliver makes me sick, Nigella Lawson licking her fingers is just unhygienic and the Two Fat Ladies were lucky to live as long as they did with so much cream and butter in everything. But this show is different. Watch it for the cooking and enjoy the commentary, the bad dubbing, the oh-so-Japanese challenges (e.g. "Chef Mizumo has spent 8 months alone in a monastery preparing for this challenge"). However like all the good shows (Simpsons aside) it's no longer in production. I demand they bring it back. The world needs more shows like this. posted by Simon on 04.13.04 at 05:48 PM in the
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Absolutely!!! The original ran for some 5 years I think, and for heaven's sake stay away from the abomination where someone tried to clone the Iron Chef concept for the US market. William Shatner hosted, and it was like watching all the worst bits of WWF wrestling. One of my favorite things about the original show is that all of the chefs are actually likable, whereas in the new version they come across as arrogant jerks. I'd never before hoped to see a knife slip. Unwatchable crap. posted by: Ted on 04.13.04 at 09:20 PM [permalink]They made an American version? There's just no way it could have been a patch on the original. I'm glad I'm not alone in this obsession. posted by: Simon on 04.14.04 at 12:35 PM [permalink]We are huge fans of the cheese-cake female actress judge who every week without fail, takes a taste, smiles and puts a hand to her mouth to prevent herself from spitting it out, and the dubbed voice then says 'wonderful' posted by: paul on 04.14.04 at 04:13 PM [permalink]Have you watched the episode with Bobby Fray from the US flied in to challenge the Japanese Iron Chef (can't remember his name all of a sudden)? When the big bang came at the end of the cooking time, Bobby Fray jumped on the counter and stood on a cutting board waving his hands. The Japanese Iron Chef was so mad and upset as he believed such act showed no respect to the food, kitchen, the tools, etc., basically unacceptable from a professional chef. Quite a scene!! posted by: J on 04.15.04 at 02:19 AM [permalink]I missed that one! I do remember they brought in an American chef from San Fransisco who's only Japanese was "get out of the way". He ran around like a maniac doing almost everything by himself, and won. posted by: Ted on 04.15.04 at 09:45 PM [permalink]I hear you fatboy, saw one episode late last year and was absolutely gobsmacked. The show reaches new heights in hard hitting drama, rags-to-riches stories and good ol' fashioned competitive cooking. Despite the show's briliance, I felt the ability of the 28kg wringing wet Japanese actress to accurately rate the Chinese chef's signature Szechuan Chicken was called into question as she looked like she had never eaten anything more substantial than 1/2 a snow pea her entire life. Call me fussy if you will, but it's kind of like getting Angel from Home and Away to judge a milkshake comp posted by: charlie on 04.16.04 at 07:15 AM [permalink]That'd be the same judge who eats, puts her hand to her mouth to prevent herself from vomitting, and then pronounces it "wonderful", as Paul pointed out. That's quality TV. posted by: Simon on 04.16.04 at 09:04 AM [permalink]Nice one, plenty of food for thought there. posted by: Kitchen Equipment Online on 09.13.04 at 03:17 AM [permalink] |
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