So Cal Iron Chef Report  
**SPECIAL**	March 5, 1999

"NY Special Fair"

Greetings, Iron Chef fans:

This is the report on Iron Chef special, "NY Special Fair" aired originally
in Japan on March 5,1999.

This is not the usual confrontation in the Kitchen Stadium. Rather, this
special show took place in New York, on February 22, 1999.
[See, the last Iron Chef in NY special is actually the second IC show
they did in New York City. This one's the first! -ICR]

It has been one year since Masaharu Morimoto took over as 3rd Iron
Japanese Chef. His record has been 12-3 and presented 76 dishes. His
radical, yet creative style stirred controversy at times but for better
or for worse, he had made his presence known.
But being an Iron Chef takes toll. Unbeknown to most, he hit the wall,
and has been suffering alone, about how to proceed from here.

The Gourmet Academy decided to send a man to advise Morimoto: The
original Iron Japanese chef, Rokusaburo Michiba.
(Of course, if you are naive enough to believe all that, don't change a
thing. You might be the happiest person on earth).

Michiba showed up at Nobu at NY. It is apparently located in what used
to be a warehouse district. They mentioned that the place is so popular,
you have to wait for 3 months for the reservation.
Michiba talked with Nobu Matsuhisa, the owner of Nobu (he also has
Matsuhisa here in Beverly Hills):
"Chefs wants to do what he likes to do. But once you are on TV show,
people look at you and criticize you for whatever you do. Morimoto
suffers from that; he no longer knows if he is doing it right".

Morimoto offered a dinner to Michiba.
 - Abalone and Halibut gut Mousse
 - Kobe Beef Culpaccio, NY Style
 - "Botan" shrimp in Spicy Sauce

Michiba liked abalone very much "Abalone is best done not too softly
just like this".
He also offered "Food is best left with own flavor; using too much
flavoring destroys the essence". I couldn't tell if he was saying
Morimoto uses too much sauce or he was agreeing.

He also added, "I enjoyed the meal. You are doing good. From now on, you
needn't suffer about the outcome (of the battle). You just do what you
feel is the best".

Now, next thing he knows, Michiba got sucked in by Morimoto on monthly
luncheon with 15 gourmet eaters in New York City. And Morimoto and
Michiba are the guest chef. "I came here for a break; I don't intend to
work here, you know". Ah, but to no avail. The Iron Chef Emeritus
couldn't turn down the opportunity to impress the World's best gourmets.

Next day, the two chefs hunted around town for the ingredients.
They went to Korea Town, China Town, and ultimately ended up in Harlem
(don't try this at home!).
They stopped by at Soul Food restaurant "Sylvia" and had dinner of:
  - Fried Cat Fish
  - BBQ Rib  (Michiba said "it's good!")
  - Sassy Rice
  - Colored Green (cooked spinach dish)

Morimoto negotiated with the shop owner so they can offer sushi to their
regulars. He had some material brought in from Nobu and made sushi
dishes (mostly tuna sushi; the store owner liked spicy tuna roll). It
looked as though some never tasted or even seen sushi before (almost at
the end of this millennium? That's hard to believe) or they are good
actors. They seemed have enjoyed the raw fish, but if any of them spat
out the foreign food, well, they wouldn't have shown it on TV,
would they?

Now, back to the cook-off. They titled this luncheon "February 22
Special Fair". Obviously that was the day the event took place. The guests
included Nina Zagat, the wife of editor of Zagat magazine (US version
of Michellin guide -- see www.zagat.com), Florence Fabricate, Food
columnist for NY Times, Gray Coon, ex-chef at Les Venus restaurant, and
some executives at Food Channel (what a coincidence, huh?)
The party was held at "Next door Nobu", a bistro next door to Nobu.
The preparation took place late the night before. Michiba did his famous
menu writing (he used to write down the menu using Japanese brush and
ink before every confront he did as Iron Chef; it became a legend).

- Baked Baby Oyster (Michiba's dish)
  Materials prepared for this luncheon focused primarily on local
  products, something that cannot be acquired in Japan. This is one of
  them. The oyster is shipped from Seattle. It is smaller than common
  oyster, but is void of fishy smell and tastes good.
  Michiba sprayed brandy on it and set afire for visual effect.
  It was a hit with the gourmets.

- Vegetable Consomme Hari-Hari Style (Morimoto's dish)
  This is the second time the name "Hari-Hari" showed up (see Battle# 268
  Oyster Confront). I didn't know what Hari-Hari meant then, and I still
  don't.
  It must be good stuff, though. Those gourmets liked it.
  One said "I liked Mizuna - no English translation, directly it means
  wet vegetable. looks kind of like parsley) on top of foie gras".
  Ah, so the secret flavor of vegetable soup is foie gras!

- Sauteed Fish and Abalone (Michiba's dish)
  Michiba's intention was to impress these New Yorkers with his own
  style, not to adjust to their taste. He was confident with this
  dish, but one serious miscalculation was made here.
  The dish was to be eaten with chop sticks (these gourmets do
  use chop sticks, but not well enough), but apparently was too
  difficult for them. So many left-over came back to the kitchen.
  [Gad, don't these gourmets know that chop sticks are eating 
  utencil of civilized people? - ICR]

- Mizuna and Seafood Salad (Morimoto's dish)
  Morimoto tries to recover from the setback they suffered with this
  fresh salad dish. But the eaters wanted the shrimp well done, not
  rare like the way he served. Apparently, there is a gap between
  Japanese taste and their guests.

- Broiled Grouper (Two's combination dish)
  This is today's entree, and also the one they count on the recovery.
  Grouper is a giant fish popular in Florida (and apparently so in NY).
  You don't expect to find one in Japan; I don't know if there are many
  restaurant around in LA that serves this fish. It is a white meat
  fish with remarkably delicate taste.
  What the two chefs did, was to add liquid candy (mizu-ame) to sweeten
  the sauce to match to the taste of their guests.
  Later Gray Coon (the chef) said "I liked the sauce very much, and
  thought about how they made it; I couldn't figure it out".
  But the two chefs didn't like to just bend to serve their customers. 
  They have self expression to make... So they also cooked the fish 
  heads and served from that, too. I bet those gourmets never tasted 
  fish head before; at least not knowingly.

- Big Apple Comport (Morimoto's dish)
  This is Morimoto's original desert dish. By this time, all guests
  are completely enjoying themselves with a few sakes on them.

Nina Zagat said of the meal, "These were nothing like I've ever tasted
before. I wish these two chefs open their restaurant here in NY".  Well,
Mrs. Zagat, one of them do, and your magazine reviewed it (Nobu)
already.

Anyway, Michiba and Morimoto were happy when they learned the Grouper
dish was a success and Michiba was caught saying, "All right! I'll come
and work here!!!". Of course, he didn't mean that.

Now, after the party, he sat with Morimoto and presented with the gift
he brought. The box is written "Gusetsu" -- "Equip the Clumsiness".
Deep. He said it means not to pad oneself with hallow skills; present
yourself as is. OK. It will take me a long time to interpret that.
In the box was Michiba's treasured book, "Japanese and Western Cooking
for Four Seasons" published in Taisho era (some eighty years ago). It is
said that though the book is old, its contents are remarkably fresh,
even today. Morimoto thanked Michiba for his thoughtfulness, then he was
shocked by Michiba's next words.

Michiba suggested he takes challenge from the 2nd Iron Japanese Chef,
Komei Nakamura.
Well, that'll be the next week's special confront.

Till then, ciao.

-ICR