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Post by Toxic Chocolate on Feb 5, 2008 22:30:45 GMT -5
Well, looking around this board, I couldn't find anything about these charismatic (if slightly mad) group of challengers. Why not? Sure, they're a group, but they're still challengers, eh?
Not sure whether that's due to lack of interest or the fact most of these threads are borderline ancient, but anyway.
My favourite was Canzoniere(sp?) in Battle Tomato. He was cocky, handsome, cheeky and an exceptional cook. A favourite quote of mine from him: "There's no way the true Roman flavours I create will lose to Kobe's feminine dishes!" {To which, if you're interested, Kobe replies "they're not feminine, they're sophisticated!"}
But then there's Gemmoli, who threw a half-made pizza crust up to the rest of his group halfway through his match... {Which, suprisingly, they caught and began flinging around themselves...}
Or how about Frittoli {and his beautiful wife} ...? I was half expecting Kobe to lose this battle by being distracted by her! xD
Comment, chat, complain, commence! Go on, don't be shy.
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Post by herringchoker on Feb 6, 2008 17:14:48 GMT -5
Those Italian chefs sure were characters, weren't they? I wonder if in the end all of them suffered a bit from the same problem - they were so authentic to Italian cuisine that they didn't take the Japanese preferences into account. Kobe would certainly have had an edge in that department.
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Post by Toxic Chocolate on Feb 6, 2008 17:39:50 GMT -5
They certainly added a new spice to the battles, that's for sure.
That could have been a problem, I didn't think of that... The Japanese are renowned for being extremely finicky eaters. It's all those soy beans, I bet. xD I would die to eat Gemmoli's pizza, though... I don't think the traditional Japanese tastebuds would be used to the flavours of Italian cuisine. So yes, Kobe would certainly have an edge there. But all of those guys worked in Japan... So maybe they tried to... not Japanese-ify their cuisine, to see if that gave them an edge? It didn't seem to work, though. Either that or Kobe was just better than them! xD
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Post by herringchoker on Feb 7, 2008 14:20:38 GMT -5
There's no doubt of Kobe's abilities - you don't get to be an Iron Chef while in your 20's unless you're good. And he trained at one of the best restaurants in Italy.
As you might have guessed, Kobe is pretty much my fave of the Japanese IC's. Partly because he's closer to my age than the others, and partly because of how much I love Italian food.
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Post by Toxic Chocolate on Feb 8, 2008 3:36:44 GMT -5
Good is a bit of an understatement, isn't it? I regret not being able to go to Enoteca while I was in Florence, though... But I think I would have had a heart attack at all the pink, even before I looked at the prices! {Especially seeing as one of my dollars is worth about 30 eurocents...} Yes, I could tell. He's my favourite too, for much the same reasons you have. That and I think he's utterly hilarious.
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Post by herringchoker on Feb 8, 2008 14:31:05 GMT -5
Ow, that is a nasty exchange rate.....I understand your dilemma. But at least you've been to Europe - I've never travelled outside North America (not for lack of desire, I might add).
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Post by Toxic Chocolate on Feb 9, 2008 6:52:52 GMT -5
It was a while ago, though. And I've been extremely lucky, going to Europe and Japan before I have even turned 18! I'd like to visit North America, but I don't think that's going to happen for a couple of years. xD If you ever do get the chance to go overseas, though, go with a tour group. My parents chose Insight, but I don't know if you have that over yonder. But anyway, they organise things really well. Like when we were in Rome, they arranged it so instead of going to the Colosseum at midday when all the other groups went there, we went there earlier. Simple, but it made a huge difference. {and our guide spoke almost every language of the countries we went to. That's, what, English, French, Italian, German, Dutch, Czech... Not including dialects. Crazy.}
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Post by herringchoker on Feb 9, 2008 11:00:17 GMT -5
I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the tips!
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Post by Toxic Chocolate on Feb 10, 2008 1:01:29 GMT -5
No problem~! And don't take it personally if you get pushed and shoved in a crowd. xP
Now, back to the Big Leagers. Who was the one who went against Morimoto in the porcini battle? His name escapes me, but he was nuts. xD
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Post by tuthead on Feb 10, 2008 11:36:56 GMT -5
It was Marco Molinari, episode 643. We don't currently have that one up for download yet, but it is in the list for an upcoming update.
And remember that there is a full episode list at ironcheffans.info where you can find challenger names, theme ingredients, and original airdates. [/shameless plug]
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Post by Toxic Chocolate on Feb 11, 2008 1:32:53 GMT -5
That's the one! His pasta-making was insane. Pity it was a mushroom battle... I hate fungus of every kind. {Mind you, I haven't come across truffles yet, but I have a long time to go.}
Just out of curiousity, I heard something about FN not showing any 1997 battles... Is this true? IwanttoseeKobe'sfishspermbattle. {Also, I will love you forever when I see Kaga unveiling a bunch of bananas. You have no idea how happy I was to see that episode blued out.}
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Post by herringchoker on Feb 11, 2008 15:08:48 GMT -5
I don't have the info in front of me; if someone else doesn't come up with it first, I'll check once I get home this evening.
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Post by herringchoker on Feb 13, 2008 18:54:37 GMT -5
OK, I finally remembered to look this up. You're right, TC. FN has a gap from JAD 06/07/96 through 02/27/98. We've never seen most of Nakamura's reign as IC Japanese 2, nor the first part of Kobe's tenure.
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Post by Toxic Chocolate on Feb 13, 2008 19:23:41 GMT -5
Those bastards. If they don't show it, we don't get to see it either! I'm not so worried about Nakamura, {because, frankly, he scares the living daylights out of me} but there are dozens of other battles I really would like to see. I was kidding about the Soft Roe battle, honestly! I wouldn't want to see two grown men cook with the seminal fluids of a fish! xDDD
But anyway. I would check this myself, but the site's blocked... Does that mean FN's never broadcasted Morimoto's first battle?
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Post by tuthead on Feb 13, 2008 19:41:49 GMT -5
Edit: (Which site is blocked? Our site is blocked?) ironcheffans.info/wordpress/?page_id=21Morimoto's first battle was Episode 607 - Red Snapper (2/27/1998) I believe they started the Food Network run of the series with Morimoto's first battle (hence the strange voices on some of the people.) It wasn't until after they exhausted the Morimoto era that they went back and started broadcasting the Michiba era. Unfortunately, they stopped buying battles before they really got into the Nakamura era. Only 6 Nakamura battles aired on Food Network.
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