It's always a stretch when people compare lower budget Asian shows to Hollywood.In fact, it's a stretch to say that anything in Asia would have better shows than the United States.However, there are plenty of exceptions.For one, Iron Chef in Japan was the best ever made.People may watch Iron Chef America but it was the original Iron Chef that started the reality tv craze.And of course Japan's Iron Chef had ingredients that could easily cost $50,000 per episode.Seafood that we would learn about more so than cook.
That's because the ocean has more creatures than ever on land.And Japan's Iron Chef hosted three different chefs of different origin.One was Iron Chef Japan, Iron Chef China and Iron Chef French.All three just made completely different foods and used different knives.
Most of you may know that Iron Chef America is basically all the same style cooking except Morimoto who's from the original show.In 2013, things have changed.Iron Chef has spawned many versions.In Japan, a new show on Fuji TV started and failed.Iron Chef Australia also started.Iron Chef UK started.And Iron Chef America continues.Heck they even have Iron Chef Vietnam this year.
However it's Iron Chef Thailand that surprises me the most.Who would have thought that unlike the other shows, Thailand would return to the origins.Instead of borrowing Food Network's platform, they've bypassed it to resemble the original Japanese show.The show hosts a standard actor but is laced with beautiful actresses and even professionals as hosts and judges.The show also has three Iron Chefs using Thai, French, and Japanese cuisine.
What makes this show special is the ingredients.They've mastered all the different possible ingredients and lined them up with great challengers.Just recently I've seen giant fresh water stingray, alligators, live phuket shrimp, to salmon and trout.They also focus on ingredients that might be familiar to the chefs but are completely outside of home cooking.And that was the appeal of Iron Chef.It focused on educating you at home about ingredients.Let me just say that Battle "Apple" in America won't satisfy my need for education.Apple pie just won't cut it for me.
So far, Iron Chef Thailand has decided to post every episode for free on YouTube.So every week you get a new episode.The problem is that there is no official translation for the show.Luckily some episodes they air have Japanese challengers and that makes 50% understandable to me.The fun part is the two special episodes which brought back Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai and Iron Chef Chen Kenichi.They both represented the best of the times.Morimoto continues his quest on the American show, but I'm hoping he'll showcase his stuff on Thailand.
What's my verdict on the show?It's the best show on TV in a long time.It's not diluted down to appeal to American audiences.It's not even worried about translations.And the showcases the ingredients which even stumps the chefs.I can say this.I'm a realist and understand that the original Iron Chefs haven't competed in 13 years.With that said, it's easy to say any of the new chefs can easily defeat the old Iron Chefs.That was evident when Sakai lost to the new Iron Chefs.Also Chen Kenichi lost to Iron Chef Thailand rather easily as well.
Morimoto will never be touched.His performances just get better.Unlike 13 years ago, he's move so far ahead that his plating and his style is studied and even incorporated across American chefs.
I could easily tell you about the three new Iron Chefs in Thailand but they never focus on them.In fact, they are there as elements of their show.Rather than showcase the Thai chefs, these promoters bring in more famous challengers and even past Iron Chefs.That's also an appeal to the show.It's the "what if" factor.In the end, I can watch the new Iron Chef Thailand weekly without hesitation.And believe me, if you watch the show, you'll forget you can't understand the language.You'll just be amazed at how they take the ingredient and make such beautiful dishes.
Battle Giant Grouper - I remember Jeremy Wade catching one of these on River Monsters!
Iron Chef Sakai appeared on Thailand for there 30 minute Signature Dish series. The women know and adore him as the original Iron Chef.
This was epic.Iron Chef Thailand verses Iron Chef Chen Kenichi in Battle Goose.
Iron Chef Chen Kenichi was showcased on Signature Dish series - Mapo Tofu
Of course seeing the new Iron Chef show brings backs memories.So I'll post a few of the original series.If you are in your 20 s, you'll have no clue what I mean, but trust me the Iron Chef origins is the best!
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