The Iron Chef

[Rían]

OK, who here loves the TV show "The Iron Chef"?

Having had 2 surgeries in 6 months, I've spent a bit of time recouping while watching tv, and I just LOVE that show! It's a great combination of over-the-top funniness (that Chairman Koga or whatever his name is, with his outlandish clothes and style) and really, REALLY talented chefs that do some AMAZING things with the ingredient for the day, which they unveil right before the chefs start (they're given one hour). I want to eat EVERYTHING they make! (well, except when the ingredient was octopus - yuck!)

Does anyone else like this show? Is it on outside the US? The BIG American/IronChef showdown is this weekend - Wolfgang Puck and 2 other chefs that live in America vs. the Iron Chef crew.

[Elvengirl]

Yes Rian, I've seen it several times. :)
As I have a sibling who wants to be a chef, the cooking channel is generally on. I love to see the deserts that they make and everything looks so creative and delicious.

I didn't know about the showdown this weekend, sounds interesting. :D Who are you rooting for?

[Nurvingiel]

Shouldn't this be in the Entertainment forum? I love that show too! :D

Iron Chef Chinese is my favourite, he's always like "The food is good? I mean... of course it's good!"

[Janny]

Didn't he terrorise Europe in the late 19 hundreds, then have a battleship named after him that was sunk? :p

[Lizra]

I have tried to watch that show several times, but it just doesn't "do it" for me. :rolleyes: I guess I'll try one more time, obviously I'm missing something! ;)

I like the show "$40 a day", and that same Rachel girl's "30 minute meals". She's talks and smiles so cute, and is very personable to watch. $40 a day is really interesting for the travel also. I always liked the "Great Chefs of ....." series too. Maybe because Iron Chef is so *foreign*....?

[sun-star]

Originally posted by Janny
Didn't he terrorise Europe in the late 19 hundreds, then have a battleship named after him that was sunk? :p

LOL :D

[Beruthiel's cat]

I've seen the octopus show!! It was unbelievable!!! I don't follow it regularly, but I love the Food Network and often watch it when there is nothing else to watch. (I think Emeril is a kick and Lisa and Dweezil are so cute!!! )

The mother of one of my girlfriends is from Japan and she and her husband are absolutely nuts about Iron Chef.

I think it's really off the wall, but great for a few laughs (the dubbing into English is hysterical!! ).

[Lizra]

I watched the Lisa and Dweezil show a bit once, and found it boring also! :rolleyes: What's wrong with me! :eek: I better give it another try. ;) My husband kept asking..."Are they playing guitar? Did he get the guitars out?" :D
I'm so in love with "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" right now. I'll try to appreciate these shows again though. I hate to miss out on good *non fictiony* TV shows! :)

[Andúril]

Originally posted by RÃ*an
OK, who here loves the TV show "The Iron Chef"?

Having had 2 surgeries in 6 months, I've spent a bit of time recouping while watching tv, and I just LOVE that show! It's a great combination of over-the-top funniness (that Chairman Koga or whatever his name is, with his outlandish clothes and style) and really, REALLY talented chefs that do some AMAZING things with the ingredient for the day, which they unveil right before the chefs start (they're given one hour). I want to eat EVERYTHING they make! (well, except when the ingredient was octopus - yuck!)

Does anyone else like this show? Is it on outside the US? The BIG American/IronChef showdown is this weekend - Wolfgang Puck and 2 other chefs that live in America vs. the Iron Chef crew. Sounds a bit like Ready, Steady, Cook! on BBC Food. Except they're given twenty minutes for a main course and ten for dessert.

[Ruinel]

I've been forced to watch it when visiting my dad. :mad: Squid ink ice cream? wtf? That's just nasty! :p

[Lizra]

There you go! That would lose me too! Squid! ICK! ;)

[Rían]

Originally posted by Beruthiel's cat
I think it's really off the wall, but great for a few laughs (the dubbing into English is hysterical!! ). That's one of the best parts!

"Kui-san! Kui-san!"

"Yes, Ohto?"

"Kui-san, the challenger is actually adding the octopus suction cups to his dish now!"


And the cheesy piano music at the end when they're announcing the verdict, and the famous line "whose cuisine reigns supreme?"

And that terrible violin music when they're showing the dishes that have been prepared - just hysterical! But oh, those dishes .... (except the squid and octopus ones, but those are rare)

THen some of those tasters ... "I just want to be alone and reflect on this dish...."

[Rían]

Originally posted by Andúril
Sounds a bit like Ready, Steady, Cook! on BBC Food. Except they're given twenty minutes for a main course and ten for dessert. That sounds fun, too, but what I like about this show is that they usually prepare 4 to 6 dishes (all containing the theme ingredient) that are entirely different. Last night the theme was duck, and the challenger even made a dessert out of it! (prob. not as good as the squid ink ice cream, tho :eek: *passes some to Ruinel* )

[Beruthiel's cat]

Originally posted by Andúril
Sounds a bit like Ready, Steady, Cook! on BBC Food. Except they're given twenty minutes for a main course and ten for dessert.


Actually, that show was on the Food Network here for awhile. I remember seeing it about 3 1/2 years ago, when I was recovering from surgery!!!

[Sister Golden Hair]

Moving to the Entertainment forum.

[Count Comfect]

I (and especially my father) watch that show a lot. It's hilarious, especially the poor dubbing out of the Japanese. The voices... are great. And of course, the dishes are fascinating.
My favorite bit was a couple days ago I saw (a rerun, they have to be, since they stopped being new in 1999 with the occasional special now) with this exchange:

"Kui-san?

Yes, Ohto?

Challenger Ohto says he is sure he can win"

May not be an exact quote, but the way he said Challenger Ohto was like he had no idea it was the same name as he had. I may not explain that well, but it was hilarious on the spot.

[Insidious Rex]

The food network is one of the few reasons I ever watch anything besides news and sports on tv now. And yeah ive been an iron chef nut for a while now. its just so funny yet so good at the same time. and all you squid and octopus haters can stop being culture biased the stuff is great when prepared by master chiefs. Id kill to work on the set of that show and get to eat some of the food or take it home.

Have you seen the ones where they would give them multiple items? Those are hysterical. Its always something that just you would never think to put in the same sentence. "The foods for the day are.... RUTABEGA! SEA URCHIN! and.... KIWI FRUIT!!

[Rían]

No, I've never seen the multiple items ones - sounds interesting!

[Nerdanel]

I've seen it a few times (never the entire show, though).

What I find strange and interesting is that the show is dubbed. That never happens in Finnish television! But it's not dubbed to Finnish; but English.
I've never understood why they dub movies, shows etc. My friends and I always laugh when we're abroad and watch television.:D It's sad.

[Lizra]

So is this poor dubbing done on purpose, or is it just lame? (Are you laughing at them or with them? )

I see why I didn't "get" the show :D ...I didn't realize it was supposed to be a comedy. ;)

[Rían]

Let me give you a little scenario that might help you decide on the comedy issue:

On the beginning of one of the American competitor shows (Bobby Flay, a chef in NY), it shows a close-up of Chairman Kaga (is that his name?) holding a juicy American hamburger, complete with a little American flag on a toothpick sticking into the bun, while the announcer solemnly intones the bio of Bobby Flay. After about 15 seconds of him solemnly contemplating the burger, he takes a big bite, and the tomato and lettuce fall out!

But the chefs themselves are very serious, and amazing! Esp. some of the wonderful presentation of the food. As IRex says, "its just so funny yet so good at the same time". Hubby and I were just busting up last night at one of the tasters saying that a particular dish was so good, he didn't even want to comment on the food, but instead just quietly contemplate it by a fire in a chateau.

I don't know if the dubbing is intentionally funny; I think all dubbing tends to be funny just because of cultural differences and language nuances. I was just looking at a translated site today on Elvish hearaldry (sp?) and there were a couple of doozies!

[Count Comfect]

I do believe Iron Chef dubbing is intentionally funny. Just a feeling I've picked up from what I've seen about what the Food Network was trying for. But I have no evidence.
Regardless, it is funny.

[Insidious Rex]

oh yeah of course they do it that way on purpose. in fact they hire english speaking actors and have them mimmick even the subtle social interactions between the announcers and between the judges and the cooks. thats part of what makes it so funny. its surreal and yet its a study in a different culture AND an amazing display of cooking ALL at the same time.

[Rían]

Tonight's the big kickoff of the Americans vs. Iron Chefs weekend!