I happened to stumble upon a new episode of Iron Chef America on the Food Network HD, expecting the usual stretched and upconverted HD . But unlike all of the other previous seasons, the new season is in HD for the first time. While some of the shows on Food Network HD are in poor stretchovision, it's good to know that one of their signature series has decided to be in true high definition.

Nice. I personally don't watch this show, but I know people who do. Good job FN.

I'm a big fan of the original Iron Chef. But I enjoy Iron Chef America too. And being in HD is always a plus.

So I say unto you, Allez cuisine!:D

Yup, new graphics and very nice not seeing the 4:3 stretched

Finally! This is great. Watching Symon vs. Culinary Students and it's in HD.

I notice on the schedule for season 7, this show has an "H" after the episode number. Designates HD I presume? Hopefully all the Iron Chefs are HD from here on!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/episode_archive/0,1904,FOOD_32078_438,00.html

BTW, "The Chairman" is currently on Dancing With The Stars.

Now that's in HD, they need to replace Kevin Rausch with Erin Andrews!

Next IRON Chef premier last night was HD as well.

Finally. Sheesh. After all these years.

Here's hoping to fewer Bobby Flay and Car Cora battles, and to more Morimoto and Batali battles.

Rudy

Finally. Sheesh. After all these years.

Here's hoping to fewer Bobby Flay and Car Cora battles, and to more Morimoto and Batali battles.

Rudy

I'm guessing with adding another Iron Chef at the end of this new series, that one of the originals will be retired. Prolly Morimoto or Batali as they seem to be on the least.

If you look at the current season 7, Batali hasn't been on the show at all and Morimoto has only been on 3 times (one of those was the Thanksgiving special).

Cat Cora has been on 6 times (inc Thanksgiving and Chocolate specials) Bobby Flay has been on 7 times (inc Thanksgiving special)
Michael Symon has been on 10 times (inc Thanksgiving, Chocolate, and Culinary Institute specials)

I'm guessing with adding another Iron Chef at the end of this new series, that one of the originals will be retired. Prolly Morimoto or Batali as they seem to be on the least.

If you look at the current season 7, Batali hasn't been on the show at all and Morimoto has only been on 3 times (one of those was the Thanksgiving special).

Cat Cora has been on 6 times (inc Thanksgiving and Chocolate specials) Bobby Flay has been on 7 times (inc Thanksgiving special)
Michael Symon has been on 10 times (inc Thanksgiving, Chocolate, and Culinary Institute specials)
I thought I had read somewhere that the Food Network was cutting ties with Mario at the end of this season, so most likely he is the one that'll be replaced. What a pity that will be too. I understand that he was planning to do something on PBS. Maybe his show in Spain was it. I'm not sure. I'm also not certain where I saw this, so don't hold me to it.

I badly crave to see Mario back in the kitchen. He has such an enormous capacity for teaching. Not just cooking but technique as well. There's really no one else out there. Jose Andres is such a great chef, but his show on PBS in unwatchable. And Ming Tsai who made fantastic food on his Food Network show East Meets West, is now on PBS and does the same absurd Quick-n-Easy nonsense that they do on the Food Network. Five ingredients and one pot. :rolleyes::mad:

Also notice how they stopped showing the battle records for each Iron Chef. :eek::D It would not at all surprise me to learn that Cat and Bobby have lost the most battles percentage wise, not quantity wise. This is of course the reason guest chefs pick them more often. If you remember, on the Japanese show the chef with a poor winning record got replaced. Iron Chef America should adopt the same principle.

Rudy

Somebody keeps with Wikipedia article updated pretty well for Iron Chef America. Even has the percentages (Cat Cora sucks, but morimoto is only one battle over the .500 mark)...

Linky (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Chef_America#Iron_Chefs)

Cat Cora had babies, so that could be an exit point for her.

Somebody keeps with Wikipedia article updated pretty well for Iron Chef America. Even has the percentages (Cat Cora sucks, but morimoto is only one battle over the .500 mark)...

Linky (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Chef_America#Iron_Chefs)

Cora beat Michael Symon when he was a challenger in his pre-Iron Chef days.

IMHO, John Besh got robbed. He should've been the first next Iron Chef. Dude beat Batali for crying out loud.

I thought I had read somewhere that the Food Network was cutting ties with Mario at the end of this season, so most likely he is the one that'll be replaced. What a pity that will be too. I understand that he was planning to do something on PBS. Maybe his show in Spain was it. I'm not sure. I'm also not certain where I saw this, so don't hold me to it.

I badly crave to see Mario back in the kitchen. He has such an enormous capacity for teaching. Not just cooking but technique as well. There's really no one else out there. Jose Andres is such a great chef, but his show on PBS in unwatchable. And Ming Tsai who made fantastic food on his Food Network show East Meets West, is now on PBS and does the same absurd Quick-n-Easy nonsense that they do on the Food Network. Five ingredients and one pot. :rolleyes::mad:

Also notice how they stopped showing the battle records for each Iron Chef. :eek::D It would not at all surprise me to learn that Cat and Bobby have lost the most battles percentage wise, not quantity wise. This is of course the reason guest chefs pick them more often. If you remember, on the Japanese show the chef with a poor winning record got replaced. Iron Chef America should adopt the same principle.

Rudy

Mario is certainly gone from ICA. Even when he wasn't competing during the last many episodes he was still part of the introductions. In the last ep (Symon vs culinary students) he was gone from intros.

And you couldn't be more wrong about the best/worst of the iron chefs. By winning % Batali is the best but is now gone so actually Symon is the best (but only has 10 battles), then Flay (65%+ but has nearly 40 battles) while Cora and Morimoto are barely in the 55% range. If they were going to can any of the iron chef's Cora should be the one to go, she has marginal conceptual skills and iffy technique. While Morimoto may not have a great record his ideas and technique are impeccable.

Of course since they need a female iron chef to stay PC Cora won't be going anywhere.

Edit: Actually jefbal's links have the exact numbers.

Only problem I have is food network pushing their own food network "stars" instead of getting top talented chefs from across the land like the japanese version did.

The japanese version always made sure they had best chefs in their shows.

And you couldn't be more wrong about the best/worst of the iron chefs.

Ouch. That sounds a bit harsh. I got one (Cat) of the two correct.:) No?
By winning % Batali is the best but is now gone so actually Symon is the best (but only has 10 battles), then Flay (65%+ but has nearly 40 battles) while Cora and Morimoto are barely in the 55% range. If they were going to can any of the iron chef's Cora should be the one to go, she has marginal conceptual skills and iffy technique. While Morimoto may not have a great record his ideas and technique are impeccable.

Couldn't possibly agree with you more there, on both Cat and Morimoto. I still have visions of Cat breaking down a whole fish while completely destroying it. Incidentally we have plenty of female chefs in US, that can do the Iron Chef job well.
Only problem I have is food network pushing their own food network "stars" instead of getting top talented chefs from across the land like the japanese version did.

The japanese version always made sure they had best chefs in their shows.
Good point LW. Maybe good cooking isn't the goal food network executives are pursuing.

Rudy

Good point LW. Maybe good cooking isn't the goal food network executives are pursuing.

Rudy

Absolutely absurd. So you aren't completely smitten by Cat and Bobby because their winning percentages don't meet your criteria for a good chef. And you criticize the Food Network for not being interested in good cooking because they don't use a chef from Outer Mongolia that you particularly like.

Let's see. Food Network is really dumb for wanting to make some money and use the people on their staff that they pay. FN has a lot of talent. Maybe not all the best, but plenty to go around. FN is very successful despite your rather bizarre criticism of them and your conclusions about their goals. Now just why is FN so successful? Oh, I get it. They are just foolin' everyone, but you see through that facade.

For the record, I really enjoy Cat and Bobby's presentations. And Mario's also. Morimoto's not so much. Symon is great. And these feeling have NOTHING to do with their winning percentages. I don't give a rat's a** about %.

Last night's episode was back to stretch-o-vision. Having missed last week's battle, I have yet to see what this show could be like in HD. :(

Last night's episode was back to stretch-o-vision. Having missed last week's battle, I have yet to see what this show could be like in HD. :(

Maybe I'm misremembering, but I thought I saw ICA in HD back when FoodNetwork-HD first appeared, when it was a dedicated HD channel and before they began simulcasting. Everything on it was in HD back then.

Last night's episode was back to stretch-o-vision. Having missed last week's battle, I have yet to see what this show could be like in HD. :(

Yea, they aired the episodes out of order. Alton had gained back about 20 pounds from last week to this week and Mario was magically part of the Food Network family of Iron Chefs again last night so I'm thinking this ep was taped a while back but for some reason they didn't air it until after the new season debuted 2 weeks ago.

Yea, they aired the episodes out of order. Alton had gained back about 20 pounds from last week to this week and Mario was magically part of the Food Network family of Iron Chefs again last night so I'm thinking this ep was taped a while back but for some reason they didn't air it until after the new season debuted 2 weeks ago.

Yup, color me disappointed. Hope for better this coming week