Over the next eight weeks, Food Network will be searching for the next person whose cuisine will reign supreme as they begin the search for The Next Iron Chef.  Eight renowned chefs from across the nation will compete in challenges to determine who will stand atop the sacred stage of Kitchen Stadium as a star of Iron Chef America.

Sure, there are a boatload of cooking competition shows out there: Top Chef, Hell's Kitchen, The Next Food Network Star.  But all of them pale in comparison to Iron Chef America.  The beauty of this great series is that it keeps the grand tradition of the original Iron Chef in tone.  The often operatic score that accompanies every whisk beat or radish dice adds such a heightened level of intrigue that it's impossible to resist. 

Also, the show has Alton Brown as a host, and that man is supremely awesome.  Not only is he a cooking whiz kid whose Good Eats makes for some of the most insightful and entertaining television around, but he has a film background and served as a camera operator on Spike Lee's School Daze.  Basically, the guy is one of my idols of awesomeness.

Unlike those other competition reality shows, this one has a good prize: become an Iron Chef.  Whoever wins can stand next to Mario Batali and Masaharu Morimoto and say, "I am one of you."  As someone who still gets chills thinking of Chen Kenichi killing and cooking a live turtle on the special 3000th plate special, I can think of no greater honor, unless it's being a Lower House Member who spends all his time judging Iron Chef competitions.  So now America, with an open heart and an empty stomach, I say unto you in the words of my uncle...ALLEZ CUISINE!

In the Next Iron Chef premiere, Alton Brown gave two challenges to the eight competing chefs.  First up, they were given a series of simple cooking tasks (break down a chicken, filet a whole salmon, etc) in less than 15 minutes, earning a set number of points for each one completed.  While Marou proved to have the fastest knife, cutting himself in the process, he made too many simple mistakes.  Meanwhile, Aaron Sanchez swept the competition, completing every task in the allotted time and getting a slight advantage in the first competition.

Next up, the chefs had to prepare two desserts in 90 minutes.  One was free-form, anything they wanted, though they were all told there was no sugar, butter or cheese.  The second dessert must be made with a specific savory ingredient.  Among the choices: tripe, squid and catfish.  The chefs all had a difficult time adapting, but for the most part, proved they all deserve to be there.  These aren't a bunch of amateurs who have three years experience as a sous chef in some small town diner.  These are experienced, world class chefs, all of whom are worthy of the Iron Chef title.

By the end of the first episode, one thing is abundantly clear: John Besh is the man to beat.  He was the runner-up in the first task, and won the dessert challenge.  Even more impressive was his choice of catfish as a savory ingredient, making a trio of catfish desserts all of which pleased the judges.  The title of Iron Chef is his to lose.

Eliminated in the first week of The Next Iron Chef was Traci Des Jardins, who could not overcome her choice of salmon.  The show airs every Sunday at 9pm on Food Network, with replays throughout the week.  I'll certainly keep watching, if only to see if one of the challenges involves eating a whole bell pepper.


-John Kubicek, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image courtesy of Food Network)