Mario Batali is my favorite Iron Chef America.... I used to admire the artistry of Bobby Flay til i saw Iron chef america Chocolate and coconut... in this episode, Mario- now deemed the BEST Iron Chef America...was full of personality. he chatted with the announcers when he could add to their play by play.. Batali worked hard and exemplified the iron Chef moniker. He worked the kitchen stadium while sticking to his specialty. batali is the italian chef but he extends to the whole meditarean area.. he is at his best with the flavors of italy.. Tuscany, Scilian and the rest.. that is why Batali is hte best
Mario Batali
True Italo-philes know Molto Mario is the king of authentic Italian eats.
Stats
From: Seattle
Restaurants: Babbo, Lupa, Otto, Esca, Casa Mono, Bar Jamon, Bistro Du Vent
Cuisine: Italian, Spanish, and French
Interests: Family, travel, golf
Ideal secret ingredient: Seafood
Culinary inspirations: Alain Ducasse, Emeril Lagasse, Bobby Flay, Wolfgang Puck, Jeremiah Tower, Alice Waters
Ideal judge: Bart Starr or Jeremiah Tower, two of my heroes
Culinary secret weapon: Vin cotto or balsamic vinegar
Favorite restaurant: Pearl Oyster, Mesa Grill, or Gray’s Papaya
Favorite food: Anything anyone else makes
Food you won’t go near: Durian
Weirdest thing you've ever eaten: Fried grasshoppers
Favorite food destination: Bologna for lasagna, Brodo for tortellini
Alternative dream job: Pool boy in Malibu
Bio: Bobby Flay
"I'm going to put a new and colorful twist on southwestern cuisine," said Bobby Flay, host of Food Network's Hot Off the Grill with Bobby Flay,FoodNation, and Boy Meets Grill, just before the 1991 opening of the now-celebrated Mesa Grill. Since then the flame-haired man from Manhattan has earned critical acclaim, including Gael Greene's choice of Mesa Grill as best restaurant in 1992. Mesa Grill's two-star review in The New York Times reported that "the sassy fare at Mesa Grill surpasses anything of its kind elsewhere in New York."
The recognition that Bobby has gained at Mesa Grill for his mouthwatering dishes has built his reputation as a major force not only in New York's culinary scene but also nationwide. In May 1993, Bobby was voted the James Beard Foundation's Rising Star Chef of the Year, an award that honors the country's most accomplished chef under the age of 30. The French Culinary Institute, his alma mater, honored him in 1993 with its first-ever Outstanding Graduate Award, which recognizes the school's most accomplished alumni. And his first book, Bobby Flay's Bold American Food (Warner Books, 1994), won the 1995 International Association of Culinary Professionals award for design. Not one to rest on laurels, Bobby has authored three more cookbooks:From My Kitchen to Your Table (Clarkson Potter, 1998), Boy Meets Grill (Hyperion, 1999) and Bobby Flay Cooks American (Hyperion, 2001).
Bobby fell into cooking at the age of 17 when he took a job at New York's Joe Allen restaurant. Eventually, he so impressed the management that Joe Allen paid his tuition to the prestigious French Culinary Institute. But French cuisine was not to be Bobby's destiny. After restaurateur Jonathan Waxman introduced him to southwestern ingredients, Bobby -- instantly drawn to indigenous American foods such as black and white beans, chiles and avocados -- was determined to explore the possibilities of southwestern cuisine as an important and distinct culinary style for America.
From 1988 to 1990, Bobby experimented with his new culinary passion at New York's Miracle Grill, where his colorful southwestern creations earned him something of a cult following. When Bobby's own Mesa Grill opened its doors in 1991, his reputation as a major New York chef was sealed. He continued to soar with Bolo, his second New York restaurant, which Bobby (Bo) and partner Laurence Kretchmer (Lo) opened in November 1993. Dedicated to exploring Spanish cuisine, Bobby's innovative menu at Bolo dazzles adventurous palates daily.
Bobby's latest restaurant, Mesa Grill Las Vegas, will open in summer 2004 in Caesar's Palace. His newest cookbook, Boy Gets Grill, will launch this spring.
Bio: Masaharu Morimoto
Born in Hiroshima, Japan, Iron Chef Japanese Masaharu Morimoto trained in a sushi restaurant before moving to the US in 1985 at the age of 30. After working in several restaurants, he joined the highly acclaimed Nobu restaurant in New York City.
Morimoto polished his craft in New York's melting pot and became a state-of-the-art world chef. His cutting-edge cuisine attracted the attention of Iron Chef's producers, who invited him to become a Japanese Iron Chef. His skill, which outshines the trademark diamond stud in his left ear, has been recognized all around the world. While his cooking has Japanese roots, it's actually "global cooking" for the 21st century. His unique fusion cuisine takes advantage of Japanese color combinations and aromas and uses Chinese spices and simple Italian ingredients, while maintaining a refined French style of presentation.
"Cooking is entertainment," proclaims the revolutionary. Morimoto's attitude is evident in his dishes, which retain a sense of fun and a bit of spice.
Morimoto opened his own restaurant, Morimoto, in Philadelphia in 2002.
