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Iron Chef

Season 2 1994
TV-G

  • 1994-01-08T15:00:00Z on Food Network
  • 45m
  • 1d 1h (50 episodes)
  • Japan
  • English
  • Reality
Iron Chef is an innovative cooking competition from Japan. Originally produced by Fuji TV, Iron Chef combined the excitement of a one on one sports competition with gourmet cooking. The title Iron Chefcomes from the original Japanese title, Ironmen of Cooking. This innovative game show was always popular in its native Japan, but it found international success when the Food Network bought the series and began airing English dubbed episodes. It became a cult classic as viewers were treated to exotic ingredients and innovative cooking techniques. No expense was spared. Chefs seemed to have almost limitless supplies of the most exotic and expensive gourmet ingredients. The competition is hosted by Chairman Kaga, an over-the-top master of ceremonies. He introduced a "secret ingredient" that the challenger and the chosen Iron Chef had to incorporate into every dish. Originally, the program was 30 minutes long, but it was soon expanded to an hour format. Each chef presented his/her dishes to a panel of 3-4 judges who rated the dishes to crown a winner. All of the competitions occurred in a specially designed "kitchen stadium". The New York Times once described Iron Chef as "kamikaze cooking". Iron Chefs and their competitors became celebrities in their own right. Storylines developed between groups determined to defeat the Iron Chefs. The show was so successful in English speaking countries that several spin-offs, specials, and updated versions were produced.

50 episodes

Season Premiere

1994-01-08T15:00:00Z

2x01 Michiba vs Shu Tomitoku (Pork)

Season Premiere

2x01 Michiba vs Shu Tomitoku (Pork)

  • 1994-01-08T15:00:00Z30m

The first episode of the second season of Ryouri no Tetsujin. It's the first battle of the new year. Shu Tomitoku is back to take on Michiba once again in the first rematch battle in Kitchen Stadium. The challenger tells Chairman Kaga he doesn't need to see all three Iron Chefs. Michiba alone is enough.

The challenger is a master of Chinese cuisine from Hong Kong. He has cooked for many celebrities including Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee.

This battle is the first to feature an amateur cook as challenger rather than a professional chef.

The challenger was a gymnast, then a professional boxer, then a highly trained French chef. He will be taking on Michiba.

We see an all-too familiar face for the first time in the intro to this battle. And as usual, Chairman Kaga is not happy with what he hears. Toshiro Kandagawa wants to take down the Iron Chefs, and he thinks he has the men to do it. The first challenger, Kouichi Taniguchi, began working for Kandagawa at the age of 18. You will enjoy his impressive knife work. He is ready to be the lead-off man in the batting order and get the Kanto vs. Kansai challenge started.

Second up is another hand-picked challenger from Kandagawa, Kazuyoshi Masaki. Michiba says he will not lose to such a young challenger. The second round of this Kanto vs. Kansai challenge is ready to begin with a theme that is handled differently by the regions.

Finally, it is time for the heavy hitter in the lineup to step up to the plate. This battle features the first competitive appearance from Toshiro Kandagawa. Despite the baseball theme, Kandagawa brings in 11 chefs with him, which The Chairman points out is enough to field a team in the J-League.

This is the debut episode of Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai. He is taking on French Chef Guy Shokr in an all-French battle.

It's an all Chinese cuisine battle between two second generation Chinese chefs: Iron Chef Chen Kenichi vs. Shinji Kondo. At first glance, the theme might seem a little difficult, but as Chairman Kaga mentioned, flour can be used in things like Gyoza and Ramen. How will these two chefs use the "magic white powder" (mahou shiroi kona)?

The challenger is a chef at a popular restaurant among the celebrities in Tokyo, Basta Pasta. It has been a while since they had an Italian cuisine challenger and The Chairman expects a "high-tension" battle.

We all know the history of Iron Chef Chen Kenichi and female challengers. This is the episode that started it all. She was the first female challenger to do battle in Kitchen Stadium.

Chairman Kaga speaks of two distinct "themes" used in Italian cooking depending on geography: Tomato in the South, Cheese/Butter in the North. The challenger follows the style of the North. Michiba will have to deal with another theme ingredient that is not used very often in Japanese cuisine, but he is comfortable working with anything.

The challenger is the first to come from Kyoto. Kyoto-style cuisine has a 1,200 year tradition. The challenger was picked by the chairman of the Kyoto Chefs Association. He decided to become a chef way back in elementary school after receiving a knife from his grandfather. Takahashi, "Kyoto style cuisine is basically mild. It is light in flavor. So I have confidence in controlling flavors at a very fine level."

Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Sakai must face a former apprentice. Which will prevail - Sakai's traditional methods or Nakagawa's nouveau "third wave" style?

Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Critic)

Commentator Dr. Hattori issues a challenge to Michiba and is rewarded with an incredible secret ingredient.

Judges: Joel Robuchon (Chef), Mai Kitajima (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Italian chef Hiromi was a legend. After beset by personal tragedy and financial ruin, he seeks redemption in Kitchen Stadium.

Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Politician), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Sakai faces the first sushi master in a fish battle for the ages.

Judges: Daijiro Hashimoto (Governor of Kochi), Mai Kitajima (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Hot-flame Chinese cuisine is the challenger's specialty.

Judges: Yasushi Akimoto (Music Producer), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

It's a rematch from the World Chinese Cooking contest. Kiyoshi won 3rd, but Chen won 2nd. This time it's war.

Judges: Yasushi Akimoto (Songwriter/Producer), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Critic)

Fermented soy beans are the featured ingredient in this battle between two master chefs.

The challenger is a certified Maestro of the the Japanese Cuisine Seminar Group, a Japanese chefs organization that has over 20,000 members. Michiba is also a certified Maestro and the leader of the group.

Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Ristuko Tanaka (Actress), Masaaki Hirono (Rosanjin Scholar)

Kandagawa brings his apprentice to kitchen stadium for a sweetfish battle.

Sea Urchin provides a young chef the chance to revolutionalize Chinese cooking.

Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

The challenger has been trained by two of France's most renowned chefs and now heads the kitchen at the chic Club NYX. Chairman Kaga decides on something different in presenting his first liquid theme ingredient.

Judges: Kazuyoshi Okuyama (Director), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

The challenger is a nomad. He's worked in 200 plus restaurants, so cooking in the new environment of Kitchen Stadium is no challenge.

Judges: Toshio Yamaguchi (Politician), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Knife skills will be put to the test in battle tuna. The challenger carries one of the longest knives in Japan.

Despite his father being against it, the challenger began to apprentice at age 17. He is well versed in Tea Ceremony dining. He is now head chef at a restaurant visited by many Japanese Prime Ministers. He has chosen to battle Michiba because he does not like the way the Iron Chef uses non-traditional ingredients in Japanese dishes.
The theme ingredient cost approximately $10,000.

Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Politician), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Critic)

Shimizu is a sous chef at the world famous Tour D'Argent. Both chefs appreciate the quality of these expensive lobsters.

Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto, Shyoko Tamura, Masaaki Hirano

Paul Bocuse sends two trusted apprentices to take not one, but two, iron chefs. This is the first time two Iron Chefs have been in Kitchen Stadium at the same time.

Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Politician), Kazuko Katoh (Actress), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano

Kitchen Stadium welcomes its first challenger from a top hotel kitchen: Mitsuru Saito, head of the Chinese kitchen at the All Nippon Airways Hotel Sheraton. He has cooked for celebrities and is known for thoroughly researching VIPs so as to be well-prepared.

Kandagawa sends another apprentice to take down the Iron Chef in this slippery battle eel, and this chef has talent; he is trained to use knives with both hands. If this challenger does not defeat Michiba, Kandagawa himself will come to Kitchen Stadium to challenge the Iron Chef.

Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Still smarting from his challenger's defeat in Sea Urchin Battle, leading gourmet writer Masuhiro Yamamoto sends another contender - Koyama, who is so popular he is a recurring character in a cooking-themed manga.

Chen faces the second female chef in kitchen stadium. She is a television icon to many Japanese housewives. Both chefs enjoy fame. One's an Iron Chef, the other hosts a popular cooking show. Spuds will fly in battle potato.

Considered the bad boy of French cooking, Nakazawa takes on Michiba in a battle of culinary rebels. The challenger earned the nickname Hound Dog after a 2 hour argument with Joel Robuchon (in French) about his food. He has over 10,000 recipes written down in French. He writes in French, thinks in French, and even says he dreams in French.

Judges: Yasushi Akimoto (Song Writer), Julie Dreyfus (Actress),Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Aguri Suzuki (Race car driver) and Ukyo Katayama (Race car Driver) recommend the hybrid French-Italian challenger.
Osako is a heavyweight contender out to challenge Iron Chef Chinese in this mushroom battle.

The challenger is a German-born French cuisine specialist. The challenger has traveled through numerous countries collecting recipes and cooking for VIPs. Will his deficiency in the Japanese language hinder his cooking?

Judges: Shigesato Itoi (Copy Writer), Kazuko Katoh (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Hiroi is a Nouvelle French Chef set to battle cutting edge Japanese master Michiba.

Kitchen Stadium becomes a temple of food as a Buddhist Priest enters to demonstrate his vegetarian Shojin food skills for the Autumnal Equinox in the Yam Battle.

Chen must face a man who was his father's trusted apprentice. When they both prepare his father's signature dish, who will win?

Sakai attempts to use a traditional "Japanese" ingredient in his French cuisine

The 50th battle in Kitchen Stadium.

The challenger is the best in Hong Kong and considered one of the top three chefs in all of China. He says he has never lost in a competition he has entered. Can he keep his winning streak going in Kitchen Stadium?

Judges: Shigesato Itoi (Copy Writer), Ryuichi Sakamoto (Composer), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic)

The challenger, a great Italian talent, was thought to have disappeared in disgust over the poor quality of Italian restaurants in Japan, earning the moniker "Mad Kobayashi". He makes his return in a surprise kitchen stadium appearance.

Michiba attacks a rising young apprentice from his hometown who critics have nicknamed "Little Michiba", in this angler assault. He uses the borderless cooking approach that made Iron Chef Michiba successful.

Because of the time required to filet the theme fish, this battle is 15 minutes longer than usual.

Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Lower House Member), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic)

An actor known for his cooking skills wants a chance to see what it is like to battle in Kitchen Stadium. Two months ago, he appeared as a judge. Now, he steps in as a challenger.

Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Lower House Member), Hisoko Monda (Actress), Masaaki Hirano (Rosanjin Scholar)

Quail is the perfect secret ingredient...for the challenger. Can Sakai compete against this master of wild game cooking?

This challenger is the right hand man of famous chef Zhou Tomitoku. He won the bronze medal at the All China Cooking Skills Contest, beating out 300 other chefs.

Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Culinary Critic)

Because of the delicate nature of the theme involved, a special Noodle Rule is invoked for this and all future noodle/udon battles. The Iron Chef must retire from the kitchen after 50 minutes as the challenger completes his dishes and presents to the judges first. As that occurs, the Iron Chef returns to complete his final ten minutes of preparation just before presenting to the judges.

The challenger is a favorite of the manager of the Yakult Swallows baseball team. He is the chef at the hotel where they stay when they come to Osaka to play the Hanshin Tigers. He was once the head chef at the Japanese embassy to Morocco. He is skilled at preparing Cajun food. Many members of the Yakult Swallows are present to watch the battle.

Judges: Tamio Kageyama (Novelist), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Critic)

Christmas day brings a strawberry battle and a female competitor. Sakai has a poor track record against women competitors. Will victory be his Christmas present?

Season Finale

1994-12-22T15:00:00Z

2x50 Mr. Iron Chef 1994: Preliminaries

Season Finale

2x50 Mr. Iron Chef 1994: Preliminaries

  • 1994-12-22T15:00:00Z30m

The three battles that make up the "Mr. Iron Chef 1994" tournament. Four challengers battle each other and the winner faces an Iron Chef in the first episode of the next year.

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