Iron Chef America (ICA)

I am a big fan of this cooking competition reality show.

Reality shows are the inventions of loud, crass and OTT Americans. The pioneers have to be the Bachelor/Bachelorette, as well as Survivor. It has now evolved to the Kardashians, Giuliana & Bill, Kimora etc. Well, those are mindless peeks into the equally mindless lives of American celebrities. I only enjoy the Amazing Race, and reality shows from the BBC. Except of course, ICA.

The original Iron Chef was the Japanese version, with a cheesy Chairman full of exaggerated expressions and poses at its helm. The American version is slightly understated but with a better looking Chairman. For folks new to this world, an Iron Chef is usually a top American chef chosen from a very exhaustive competition that features many mind boggling levels of culinary tests. In each episode, a Challenger, usually a top chef in his own right, picks an Iron Chef from a stable of 5, and enters into a 60 min battle to create 5 courses, using the Secret Ingredient. It can range from avocados, to bourbon, to figs, to beef. Some of these ingredients can really rack your head. One of it was chocolate and chile....yikes, that's one tough ingredient!

Of all the Iron Chefs, my favourite is Michael Symon. He has won 24 competitions and lost only 3. His dishes are always so innovative and unexpected, and has so many layers of complexities. That's what I am poor at. Layering flavours. The maximum I can go based on my own instincts is probably 3. Michael could layer up to 6 or 7 for just a simple sauce... Very much like Gary Kasparov playing chess. In your one move, Gary could visualise 14 possible moves. Genius.

I am looking forward to the new season of ICA featuring the latest winner of the Next Iron Chef, Marc Forgione. He is the youngest Iron Chef, and more importantly, came from a family with illustrious culinary legacies. Yups, he is the son of Larry Forgione, THE authority of American cuisine. I didn't know till I read up on his bio. His father was very good friends with James Beard, the father of American cuisine. The James Beard Foundation Awards is one of the highest award an American chef would hope to have in his career. Besides the Michelin stars...

Its on Food Network Asia.