Iron Chef – Season 6, Episode 5 – Onion – Full Episode

Chairman Kaga invites the very first diner cook to compete at Kitchen Stadium. Katsuo Omiya, trained in the French tradition, challenges Iron Chef Sakai to a tearful battle!

“Iron Chef” is an innovative cooking competition from Japan combining the excitement of a one-on-one sports competition with gourmet cooking.

#IronChef #cooking #competition #cookingshow #cookingcompetition #clips #best #classic #kobe #gameshow #Japan #Englishdub #chefs #culinary #battle #gourmet #announcer #comedy

[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC] KENJI FUKUI: Nearly a decade ago, a man’s fantasy became reality in a form never seen before, Kitchen Stadium, a giant cooking arena. The motivation for spending his fortune to create Kitchen Stadium was to encounter new original cuisines which could be called true artistic creations. Allez cuisine!

KENJI FUKUI: To realize his dream, he started choosing the top chefs of various styles of cooking. And he named his men the Iron Chefs, the invincible men of culinary skills. Iron Chef Japanese is Rokusaburo Michiba. Iron Chef French is Hiroyuki Sakai. Iron Chef Chinese is Chen Kenichi.

And Masahiko Kobe is Iron Chef Italian. Kitchen Stadium is the arena where Iron Chefs await the challenges of master chefs from all over the world. Both the iron chef and challenger have one hour to tackle the theme ingredient of the day, using all their senses, skills, creativity.

They’re to prepare artistic dishes never tasted before. And if ever a challenger wins over the Iron Chef, he or she will gain the people’s ovation and fame forever. Every battle– reputations are on the line in Kitchen Stadium where master chefs pit their artistic creations against each other. What inspiration will today’s challenger bring?

And how will the Iron Chef fight back? The heat will be on. TAKESHI KAGA: If memory serves me right, we have never had a cook of an everyday typical diner step into the Kitchen Stadium. The reason for this is that the menus are often plain and unchanging.

Thus the cooks rarely have the flexibility to handle the freestyle creativeness required. But recently, I’ve heard that there is a diner cook who thinks otherwise. He owns and runs one of the top three most popular diners in Japan, Restaurant Omiya in Asakusa, receiving formal training in French cooking, which enables

Him to offer many dishes that are far beyond, regular or plain Masuhiro Yamamoto, the top gourmet journalist, continues to give him three stars every year in his guidebook. MASUHIRO YAMAMOTO: Despite his extensive training in formal French cuisine, Omiya-san followed his personal belief to serve commoners right in downtown Tokyo.

When you try his sauces, you’ll enter a world that diners have never been in before. He is, in my opinion, one of the very best chefs you could hope to find in the world of everyday dining. TAKESHI KAGA: Interesting, so I’ve invited the man

To see for myself how good he really is, owner of Restaurant Omiya in Asakusa, Katsuo Omiya. Omiya entered the field of French cooking at age 18, leaving Japan at 26 and receiving training for three years in France and England. After returning to Japan, he continued his studies

In French-style cuisine, but in his 11th year as chef, he started to question the role and place of French cuisine in Japan. KATSUO OMIYA: It’s thought that French cuisine, you know, is mainly for the rich people. Uh, the idea of serving only rich people really started to bother me.

TAKESHI KAGA: Instead of opening a venue in a classy uptown area, he decided to put his convictions to the test by opening a diner in downtown Asakusa, an urban town deeply rooted in Japanese tradition, exploring French menus that go well with rice using foie gras and truffles in his regular diner menus,

Shaking up the old veterans of tradition. KATSUO OMIYA: The famous diners have an established style. And they’re bound to maintain their iconic menus, but I was new to this field. So I could do anything I wanted. I was very free. TAKESHI KAGA: He soon attracted the attention of critics such as Masuhiro Yamamoto,

Morio Mitan, and Toyo Hamamura. So alas, the big name of the common eatery will step into my Kitchen Stadium. And now, Omiya, show us your uncommon caliber as top diner cook in Japan. KATSUO OMIYA: There are a few guys like me in this field. Let’s surprise Sakai-san. I’ll win for sure. [MUSIC PLAYING]

KENJI FUKUI: Today, a man who calls himself a cook, not a chef at his own diner. Our guest calls herself an actress. Chizuru Azuma, welcome. CHIZURU AZUMA: My pleasure to be here. KENJI FUKUI: Let’s say it’s lunchtime. You’re at a diner. What type of dishes would you tend to order?

CHIZURU AZUMA: Mm-hmm, hashed beef on rice, omelette rice, gratin, pork cutlet, beefsteak. KENJI FUKUI: Wow, you like diners. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, I love– KENJI FUKUI: So you should have an enjoyable time today. CHIZURU AZUMA: Yes. KENJI FUKUI: And our commentator Dr. Yukio Hattori. Doc, welcome back. YUKIO HATTORI: Always a pleasure.

KENJI FUKUI: All right, let’s bring on Chairman Kaga. [APPLAUSE] KENJI FUKUI: All right, the first time we’ve ever had a cook from a diner, now entering Kitchen Stadium, challenger Omiya, set to show he can compete with the Iron Chefs. KATSUO OMIYA: Yes. KATSUO OMIYA: I’ll show you the spirits of the diner chefs.

[MUSIC PLAYING] KENJI FUKUI: Ascending in the Kitchen Stadium, the nation’s culinary leaders, your Iron Chefs Iron Chef Chinese Chen Kenichi, Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai, and Iron Chef Japanese Rokusaburo Michiba. Here they stand, the invincible men of culinary skills. KATSUO OMIYA: Yes, I do. KATSUO OMIYA: Sakai-san if you please!

KENJI FUKUI: Yes, it’s Sakai. Omiya following through, given his background as a French chef. He’ll battle it out against Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai, one of the first chefs to fuse Japanese techniques with French recipes. Sakai leads the way for French cuisine in Japan. Artistic to boot, he’s known as the Delacroix

Of French cuisine. But the cook’s confident he can beat the chef. [MUSIC PLAYING] TAKESHI KAGA: Yes, onions. If memory serves me right, in France, chefs have a saying on how to draw out the sweetness of onions. And it goes like this. “Let them take a nap in the shade.”

This means before you cook onions, make sure you let them sit in the shade for a while and let them discharge excess water and the stinging flavor. By doing this, they mature, thus heightening the sweetness of the onions. Preparation begins even before you peel, so let them take a nap in the shade.

KENJI FUKUI: Challenger number 80 doesn’t call himself a chef, instead a cook at an everyday diner. Challenger Omiya does have a background in French cuisine against Iron Chef Sakai. Onion’s the theme. We are set. Let’s get it on. Allez cuisine! KENJI FUKUI: Bang a gong. We are on.

An after-you gestures, the challenger to Sakai. So the Iron Chef is first up there, but quickly challenger Omiya closing the gap. And Azuma-san, with onions the theme, what dishes come to mind for you? CHIZURU AZUMA: Well, normally I love it whole, doing it in chicken bouillon. KENJI FUKUI: Mm-hmm. YUKIO HATTORI: Mm-hmm.

CHIZURU AZUMA: Something that draws out the sweetness. Don’t you think? YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, you’re quite right. KENJI FUKUI: And right now, Doc, onions are in season or, at least, they should be. YUKIO HATTORI: Well, from March to May, it’s the season in Japan for the new onions, yeah,

So they’re very light and tasty right now. Actually they’re quite good raw at this time. CHIZURU AZUMA: Mhm. KENJI FUKUI: All right, and three types of onions available– white, yellow, and red. See if we can get word from Ohta what the men have opted for. Iron Chef there has mostly yellow

With a couple of red onions. YUKIO HATTORI: Right. CHIZURU AZUMA: No button onions? KENJI FUKUI: None in that pan that he has. YUKIO HATTORI: Not that I can see, no. KENJI FUKUI: Could go back for some later. The three types are actually yellow, red, button onions. [LAUGHTER] CHIZURU AZUMA: Pretty good.

KENJI FUKUI: And already look at this. YUKIO HATTORI: Wow. KENJI FUKUI: Omiya, speed to burn. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, wow. YUKIO HATTORI: That’s, uh, one of the more common ways of– of getting the thin onion slices. KENJI FUKUI: Unbelievable. YUKIO HATTORI: Wow, look at how thin they are, yeah.

CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh. YUKIO HATTORI: That’s great. CHIZURU AZUMA: Goodness. KENJI FUKUI: And, of course, at the diner speed, being able to do things rapidly is so important for a short-order cook. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, right, that’s one of the– one of the main things for them. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, the Iron Chef is, uh–

YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, I think he maybe heard you comment earlier. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, chicken and onion mesh very well. KENJI FUKUI: Well– YUKIO HATTORI: They do. KENJI FUKUI: –no wonder you’re an author of cookbook. [LAUGHS] CHIZURU AZUMA: Don’t mention that. KENJI FUKUI: All right, the challenger now in–

YUKIO HATTORI: It’s a– a menu of sorts. KENJI FUKUI: Yeah, challenger Omiya apparently writing up a menu, taking a page from Iron Chef Michiba. And, um, mhm, look at this. CHIZURU AZUMA: Mhm. YUKIO HATTORI: Wow. CHIZURU AZUMA: Sketches. KENJI FUKUI: Drawing something there. A wine glass, it appears. YUKIO HATTORI: It’s quite intriguing–

CHIZURU AZUMA: It shows appetizer, perhaps. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, it’s what looks like. KENJI FUKUI: All right, today’s challenger Katsuo Omiya, owner cook of one of the best diners in the old town district of Tokyo. He’s had formal training in French cuisine. And experience– once serving as a chef

At a top hotel in New Zealand, similar jobs in England and France. YUKIO HATTORI: Um, what’s he doing there? He’s drawing a picture of the dish, it looks like. KENJI FUKUI: Yeah, and I don’t think we’ve ever seen a chef do something like that. And now back with the Iron Chef Sakai here.

And what’s he doing? Tying up the onion? YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, that would be to probably dump it into a soup later. KENJI FUKUI: The whole thing. YUKIO HATTORI: Exactly. CHIZURU AZUMA: He’s doing this to maintain the shape? YUKIO HATTORI: Right, right. CHIZURU AZUMA: Huh, this is how you do it.

I’ve always thought you pour the soup gently over and without flipping it and upside down, and stuff like that. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, that’s– that’s one way to do it. That’s another method as well. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: From the floor, Shinichiro Ohta, go. SHINICHIRO OHTA: You know, I asked

Iron Chef Sakai what he thinks about the tasting ingredients. And he said, well, onions are definitely an advantage for the challenger. I mean, I do use onions at my restaurant, but mostly as a garnish. KENJI FUKUI: All right, thanks, Ohta. So he doesn’t sound too happy with the theme.

In fact, uh, neither man looked pleased when the theme was unveiled. And the challenger still working on the drawings of the dishes that he’s about to make. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, that one he’s got there looks like a croquette. CHIZURU AZUMA: Ah, that’s a must-have at those places.

KENJI FUKUI: OK, a croquette dish then. YUKIO HATTORI: And with truffles is what he’s got there. Look at that. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, my, sounds good. KENJI FUKUI: That’s a rich croquette. Now back with Sakai, onions on pan. YUKIO HATTORI: And doing it this way, you kind of enhance the sweetness of the onions.

KENJI FUKUI: All right. CHIZURU AZUMA: He’ll do this until the onions become golden brown, right? YUKIO HATTORI: Right, exactly. KENJI FUKUI: All right, and coming into the battle, the Iron Chef French winning at an 85% clip, 17 wins, just three losses, winner of his last seven in a row.

And his last time out, coming out on top in a hard-fought caviar battle, his fifth win so far this year. Today– being challenged by a cook, but not a man to be taken lightly here. And now this is, uh– CHIZURU AZUMA: Is that– SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes.

SHINICHIRO OHTA: Yeah, that’s a small block of chestnut wood. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, I see. SHINICHIRO OHTA: A chestnut woodblock, uh-huh. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, so he’ll be smoking something. KENJI FUKUI: All right, so the challenger will have a smoked item. CHIZURU AZUMA: Uh, of onions. [CHUCKLES] KENJI FUKUI: Smoked onions? CHIZURU AZUMA: Yeah. [LAUGHTER]

YUKIO HATTORI: Uh, no I think it’s probably the abalone that was out there. CHIZURU AZUMA: OK. KENJI FUKUI: All right. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, of course, smoked onions would be wild. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Challenger Omiya gave me his thoughts on the onions. He said they’re not bad.

They’re quite sweet, but unfortunately, I also feel they would be a bit too watery if I tried to saute them. KENJI FUKUI: All right, thanks. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, OK, we’ll have to see what he means by that. KENJI FUKUI: And besides the onion, the challenger’s forehead and face beginning to get a bit

Watery and breaking a sweat. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, and he’s doing it as well there. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, yeah, that’s why I’m starting to smell the sweet aroma of onions from here. KENJI FUKUI: Yes, on both sides. And the Iron Chef’s stir fry– initial saute is loading in the butter right there.

CHIZURU AZUMA: Already becoming translucent. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, this process is called “sueur” in French. It means sweat in English basically. And cooking terminology though– it means to cook in fat or butter over a fire. KENJI FUKUI: Very nice. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, you can make them sweat basically as you draw out the sweetness.

CHIZURU AZUMA: Not to burn them, right? YUKIO HATTORI: That’s important, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: All right, and here just onions, correct? Nothing else in there? CHIZURU AZUMA: Nothing, no. YUKIO HATTORI: Nothing, no. KENJI FUKUI: All right. YUKIO HATTORI: Now this would be probably used for various dishes later.

KENJI FUKUI: OK, and now back with the challenger here, rice cooker. CHIZURU AZUMA: Rice. KENJI FUKUI: Rice cooker. Yes, they’re going to get that one going. CHIZURU AZUMA: Mm-hmm, yes. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, uh, onion rice? I don’t know about that. [LAUGHTER] CHIZURU AZUMA: You let onions for peel off, don’t you?

YUKIO HATTORI: All right, that’s true. Yeah, yeah, but that’s– that’s a little simple for this battle. KENJI FUKUI: Well, how about hashed beef on rice? YUKIO HATTORI: OK, that could be. That could be, yeah. CHIZURU AZUMA: But he’d have to give it a twist for the show. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes.

SHINICHIRO OHTA: Yeah, I went right to the source for the answer to that. The challenger says he is preparing the rice for a Hayashi rice dish or hashed beef on rice. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, hashed beef on rice. You called that one. Way to go. KENJI FUKUI: Well, onions are usually

Used in a beef hash or good dish from a diner cook, you’d think? YUKIO HATTORI: That’s true, with onions as the base. KENJI FUKUI: Right, and I’m sure his would be a notch or two above the average, which you’d get a regular diner.

And now back on the Iron Chef’s side, two pans of onions, cooking away the Iron Chef right there. And now back on the Iron Chef’s side, two pans of onions, cooking away. Sakai right there, man alive. Throw that out. And let’s see here. Look at that. YUKIO HATTORI: It was burning on.

SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: The challenger was having trouble with the electric rice cooker, so he’s completely giving up on that and is gonna try again using a gas burner in a pot. Back to you. KENJI FUKUI: My goodness, rice cooker down. And that’s happened once before, so Omiya

Having to resort to a deep pot on the stove to cook his rice. But you’d imagine he has, uh, coped with this type of emergency before in his diner where speed is of the essence. Situations got the man mumbling to himself, however, taking it to heart right there.

And now, let’s see the Iron Chef– Iron Chef Sakai slicing up some tilefish. CHIZURU AZUMA: Tilefish and onions. It doesn’t ring a bell if you ask me. YUKIO HATTORI: No, I was going to say the same thing. KENJI FUKUI: Not a conventional pairing. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes.

SHINICHIRO OHTA: Just a quick note. Iron Chef Sakai tells me that he’s shooting for four dishes today. KENJI FUKUI: All right, Iron Chef gunning for a quartet of, uh, onion-themed dishes and wait to hear how many the challenger is aiming at completing. YUKIO HATTORI: Mm-hmm.

KENJI FUKUI: I think he did have four illustrations on his menu, if I’m not mistaken. YUKIO HATTORI: I think so. Now if you notice the challenger here working on the potatoes. KENJI FUKUI: All right, for the croquettes then. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, yeah, the croquette. Now the– the main question is, of course,

How he combines the theme, the onions in with this. KENJI FUKUI: OK, an exquisite croquette to me made by Omiya. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Challenger Omiya, talking about the tactics he’ll be using today

To try and win this battle, says, Sakai-san tends to prepare chilled or cold dishes a lot of the time, so I’m going to focus on warm food, hot-cooked meals that will create a contrast. CHIZURU AZUMA: Wow. YUKIO HATTORI: Wrong. KENJI FUKUI: Well, try again. OK, Sakai says that’s not the case,

But, uh, Omiya does have something in mind. Mhm, maybe both chefs trying to play some head games here, get into the other guy’s head, see if he can rattle them as Sakai continuing to shake and flop. CHIZURU AZUMA: Wow, he has quite a few things. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes.

SHINICHIRO OHTA: Yeah, here on the Iron Chef’s frying pan, we have the following ingredients– onions, garlic, green peas, broccoli and champignon mushrooms. KENJI FUKUI: All right, and more in there. It looks like some cream– CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah. KENJI FUKUI: –added in there. And the sauce ended up nicely.

And now the oven here on Sakai side– CHIZURU AZUMA: Mhm. YUKIO HATTORI: What’s he doing? Oh, toast. KENJI FUKUI: OK, maybe getting ready for a spread. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, looks like. CHIZURU AZUMA: Like canape? YUKIO HATTORI: Uh, yeah, something like that, could be. KENJI FUKUI: All right, now, mhm, check this one out.

YUKIO HATTORI: OK, wow. CHIZURU AZUMA: It’s onion soup. YUKIO HATTORI: Delight’s almost like that, isn’t it? KENJI FUKUI: Nice-looking onion soup there. YUKIO HATTORI: Like an onion gratin maybe. Like an onion gratin soup, yeah? CHIZURU AZUMA: Uh-huh, you mean the one with bread and melting cheese on top? KENJI FUKUI: Sounds good.

YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, there’s the bread on top, so that– that’s probably why he’s toasting it. KENJI FUKUI: OK. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, yeah, that makes sense. Hey, we just figured something out. [LAUGHTER] CHIZURU AZUMA: The challenger’s onions are almost golden brown. KENJI FUKUI: Right there in the pan, yes.

CHIZURU AZUMA: Has he been making the same thing, gratin soup? YUKIO HATTORI: Uh, could be for his beef hash. KENJI FUKUI: You think so? YUKIO HATTORI: I– I think. I know this is really kind of hard to tell right now. KENJI FUKUI: Now back with Sakai,

The creamy creation with some raw onion pieces there and going on top of the skin on the cutting board on his side. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: These white sheets are called [FRENCH].. Uh, they’re used for wrapping things. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, and it’s a flour base, right,

Made from– from a dough. And it’s for wrapping like you mentioned, like, uh, spring roll sheets in Chinese cooking. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, yes. KENJI FUKUI: All right, they are quite thin, too. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, they are. And as, again, mentioned, made from– from flour.

KENJI FUKUI: OK, now back with the challenger, Omiya, still on it here. CHIZURU AZUMA: Mhm, I know. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, this is going to taste good. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, good things take time, really. YUKIO HATTORI: You know, you should try this when you make curry. It’s actually great.

CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, yes. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah. CHIZURU AZUMA: Yeah, you could make it like that without charring it. YUKIO HATTORI: Right. KENJI FUKUI: So– so you’ve got to stay on top of it then. YUKIO HATTORI: That’s right, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: All right, 30 minutes

Gone, 30 to go into the second half of this onion battle and Sakai– rolling, rolling, rolling. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, did he add cheese to it? KENJI FUKUI: Cheese in there. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, I think that’s ready to be cooked now. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? YUKIO HATTORI: Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Azuma-san’s observation is absolutely correct.

The Iron Chef has sprinkled Goya cheese onto these. KENJI FUKUI: Got it, thanks. And you got it. And it looks just like a spring roll. CHIZURU AZUMA: Is he going to fry this? KENJI FUKUI: Doc? YUKIO HATTORI: Mhm, fry or bake, not sure. KENJI FUKUI: All right, now here is Omiya’s um–

Let’s– this one here, the– YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, the croquette, right, with the mashed potatoes. CHIZURU AZUMA: Croquette. KENJI FUKUI: OK. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, OK. Oh, in truffles? KENJI FUKUI: Truffles, too, yes. CHIZURU AZUMA: Mhm, and loaded them, too. YUKIO HATTORI: A truffle croquette. CHIZURU AZUMA: You look happy.

KENJI FUKUI: Hey, not too often you’d get this at a time, huh? CHIZURU AZUMA: No, you don’t. KENJI FUKUI: It’d be a bit pricey, too. That’s for sure. YUKIO HATTORI: That’s true. All right, look at this now, the– KENJI FUKUI: Back to Sakai. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah. KENJI FUKUI: OK. CHIZURU AZUMA: Well–

YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, look at the color. KENJI FUKUI: And this is going to be an onion gratin. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, yeah, onion gratin soup. CHIZURU AZUMA: Onion gratin soup. KENJI FUKUI: And it’s a done deal now? YUKIO HATTORI: Well, no he’ll– he’ll float the– the toast

Of the bread in this and then put some cheese over top of it. KENJI FUKUI: All right, that looks great to the steam. Coming off that one, it should draw raves and now the lid coming off the pressure cooker. Still on the Iron Chef side and chicken in there.

And it looks like that’s got a pretty good heat treatment with the chicken and the onions. CHIZURU AZUMA: Maintaining their shape. It’s so soft. Inside is best. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, that’s true. That is the best way. KENJI FUKUI: And could be one whole onion per taster.

YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, and the– the consommé ought to be great, right? So– hey, hang on. What’s he doing now? He’s– oh, he’s putting it in there. OK. KENJI FUKUI: Mhm. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, so I guess he’ll pour this soup later into the bowls. KENJI FUKUI: I’ll tell you what.

I’d have to say, Doc, we are seeing Sakai do much more work, more stuff than usual in his approach today with the onions. YUKIO HATTORI: Very much so. Yeah, he’s doing a lot more– how should we say? I guess intricate word would be– would be the term to use here.

CHIZURU AZUMA: And what’s he going to do with the soup in the pressure cooker? YUKIO HATTORI: Uh, yeah, I see what you’re getting at. That would be a waste to– to, uh, throw that out, yeah. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Yeah, I don’t know if you noticed or not,

But there was a funny smell coming from the challenger side. The cause of that we found out was the hot steamer he placed on the floor has burnt the floor. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, look at that. KENJI FUKUI: Something’s burning, baby. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, no. [LAUGHTER] KENJI FUKUI: Smell that burning over here.

YUKIO HATTORI: That’s, uh– CHIZURU AZUMA: That’s a pretty good burn. YUKIO HATTORI: Good scorch mark there. KENJI FUKUI: Steam is pretty hot there. YUKIO HATTORI: That was obviously very hot to do that, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: But the- the challenger– hey, it’s not his floor. He carries on.

YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, the type of container that he was using– they’re designed to actually hold heat. I mean, hold it very well, so– KENJI FUKUI: Well, they did that. YUKIO HATTORI: –worked, yeah. Oh, look now. What’s this? CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, he’s peeling them. YUKIO HATTORI: What– wait, wait. CHIZURU AZUMA: In water?

KENJI FUKUI: Now what is this all about? I wonder. CHIZURU AZUMA: Mhm. YUKIO HATTORI: OK. KENJI FUKUI: Incredible. YUKIO HATTORI: Well, the consommé is obviously penetrated the entire thing right to the center, right? KENJI FUKUI: OK, but why would he want to do this? CHIZURU AZUMA: Wait, wait.

Is he planning to use the outer skin only? YUKIO HATTORI: Um, he– what– what’s he doing? CHIZURU AZUMA: I’m lost. [LAUGHTER] KENJI FUKUI: Don’t look here. CHIZURU AZUMA: I’m totally lost. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, I was– that– that’s the only way we know is we don’t know. KENJI FUKUI: What?

Yes, we’ve got no idea what he’s up to here. CHIZURU AZUMA: He’s cooling them. KENJI FUKUI: Well, yes, cooling him down right now. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, is that– that– wait, what does that mean? Uh, for something else maybe? CHIZURU AZUMA: Uh, like a bowl? YUKIO HATTORI: Could be.

I don’t know. I am so lost. [CHUCKLES] CHIZURU AZUMA: And look, look, he– he’s cut them in half. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, well, it doesn’t help me at all now. KENJI FUKUI: All right, we’ll just have to wait and see what he– what he’s gotten in store now. Here, challenger Omiya– truffle croquettes.

SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Yeah, the combination of ingredients making up these croquettes, uh, that the challenger is working on, other than mashed potatoes, of course, includes red wine, port wine, chopped truffles, bacon and onion. KENJI FUKUI: Wow, thanks, Ohta. Luxurious set of truffle croquettes,

Of course, with a healthy amount of onions included, today’s theme ingredient in case you joined us late. Croquettes– very popular menu item at your basic everyday diner. And Omiya is– SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: –making a rather richer version. Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Yeah, I have the answer

To that question of why the Iron Chef was rinsing those cooked onions. He simply said, hey, they were too hot to handle, OK? And the reason why he cut them in half is because he says they weren’t done yet. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, that’s why. KENJI FUKUI: All right, we’ll accept it.

We’ll take it. YUKIO HATTORI: So basically he is on the same track as we thought from the beginning, right? SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: OK, now adding this– go ahead. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Yeah, this is called tororo. It’s a product of seaweed. And, uh, he says he’s going to deep fry it.

CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, OK, well, they don’t use things like this in France. CHIZURU AZUMA: Some chefs roll things with this and fry them. KENJI FUKUI: But, uh, he is frying it on its own there. YUKIO HATTORI: That’s right, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: So that’s got to be oil in there.

YUKIO HATTORI: Uh, it certainly looks like. KENJI FUKUI: But they’re not too hot. CHIZURU AZUMA: In low temperature. SHINICHIRO OHTA: And Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: There’s a pot on the challenger’s side containing a purplish, reddish brown sauce. That’s demi-glace sauce. Kitchen Stadium has a supply of canned sauces to save time,

But he chose to make his own despite the time limit. And the ingredients that he used were tomato paste and veal broth. YUKIO HATTORI: OK. CHIZURU AZUMA: And I thought he had brought it in from his restaurant, already prepared. YUKIO HATTORI: I guess he just wanted

To do it right in front of everybody here in the Kitchen. KENJI FUKUI: OK, and both chefs really picking it up as we near the home stretch of this one. CHIZURU AZUMA: Is this a stewed one? No? The stewed item? YUKIO HATTORI: I– I think they are the stewed ones, yeah?

KENJI FUKUI: OK, and now given them a pan fry treatment there. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, a little saute action. KENJI FUKUI: Oh, and adding that. YUKIO HATTORI: So then the soup from the pressure cooker will be poured on top of this. KENJI FUKUI: All right. YUKIO HATTORI: I’m guessing.

KENJI FUKUI: OK, and quickly taken that one away. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, we’ll have to wait and see what happens. KENJI FUKUI: OK, and now adding some of the soup or broth. And, uh, I guess he’ll bring this onion saute back to the snow. YUKIO HATTORI: Onion sautee. CHIZURU AZUMA: Into the oven?

KENJI FUKUI: Frying pan and all. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, that– that’s pretty much normal. KENJI FUKUI: Making room and in it goes, but, uh, no way you could do this with the– uh, you know, with the average oven at home. YUKIO HATTORI: No, that’s true. KENJI FUKUI: All right, now with Omiya here.

CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, grated onions. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, yeah. CHIZURU AZUMA: Mhm, for sure, those will make you cry. KENJI FUKUI: This is onion? Not– not a radish? YUKIO HATTORI: No, no, onions. Yeah. KENJI FUKUI: Man alive, I’d be in tears by now. CHIZURU AZUMA: Definitely.

KENJI FUKUI: No wonder it’s the assistant doing it over there. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, I don’t envy his job. CHIZURU AZUMA: Poor guy. KENJI FUKUI: And already, the assistant’s getting all teary-eyed over there, but no use crying over grated onions. And 15 minutes left and boy, they are water-laden, these onions.

And Omiya was right about that. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: I asked challenger Omiya how he’s being on time. And his reply was, hey, this is nothing compared to the scrambling we go through every day. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh. KENJI FUKUI: Of course, a diner full of hungry customers

At lunchtime– it must be a madhouse in the kitchen. YUKIO HATTORI: Crazy in there, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: And he had a taste test there of the demi-glace sauce, which goes to the heart and soul of a diner. And it looks like it’s just about done.

He’s put a lot of work into it, made his own. No ready-made for this guy. CHIZURU AZUMA: Is the grated onion going to be used for dressing? YUKIO HATTORI: Um, I don’t have an answer for that. Dressing– so you’re saying a salad then? CHIZURU AZUMA: Yeah, could be a salad.

KENJI FUKUI: Well, look at this. It’s got to be a salad right there. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh, oh, with caviar. Wow. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, OK, then. You’re right. It could be a dressing. KENJI FUKUI: OK, and might this be the one he drew first in for the wine glass. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, right.

Oh, you– good guess. Well done over there. So I think you’re right, yeah. Yeah, I think it’s definitely gonna be the dressing. KENJI FUKUI: Dressing of grated onions. And now Sakai at the blender and inside there. YUKIO HATTORI: No idea what– SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes.

SHINICHIRO OHTA: The ingredients the Iron Chef is blending together are onions, which were cooked in the pressure cooker. And are you ready for this? Sugar. KENJI FUKUI: Whoa! And another step in the process, but still doesn’t help us tell where Sakai is going with this one. YUKIO HATTORI: Not in the least, no.

CHIZURU AZUMA: Look at the challenger. KENJI FUKUI: All right, unloading in a hurry. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, so this is the onion gratin soup, right? I think, yeah, definitely. So– so both chefs are the same then. CHIZURU AZUMA: So it wasn’t beef hash. This turned out to be the soup.

KENJI FUKUI: All right, but, uh, Ohta did report he’d have hashed beef on rice. CHIZURU AZUMA: That’s right, mm-hmm. YUKIO HATTORI: So– CHIZURU AZUMA: I’m not saying he was lying. YUKIO HATTORI: So what happened to the beef hash? KENJI FUKUI: We’ll have to wait and see. CHIZURU AZUMA: Guy, you got it right.

KENJI FUKUI: Yes, the Iron Chef’s side– the spring rolls. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, yeah. Well, that’s why they get the big show business dollars. Uh, that’s going in there CHIZURU AZUMA: Even with butter. KENJI FUKUI: You didn’t mention the butter. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, you can do that with pastry, right?

KENJI FUKUI: OK, buttered up, and into the oven it goes. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, look he’s making it there. Wow, so– so this is his beef hash. KENJI FUKUI: All right. CHIZURU AZUMA: He’s using a different set of onions. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, really? KENJI FUKUI: Now are you sure this

Is going to be the hashed beef? YUKIO HATTORI: I’m– yeah, the– that means I missed something. CHIZURU AZUMA: So the report was accurate. KENJI FUKUI: OK, well, without the beef hash, the rice wouldn’t mean a whip. CHIZURU AZUMA: Mhm, yes. KENJI FUKUI: All right, now with the challenger,

Flame all on his side of the Kitchen, packing heat, 10 minutes left. The flames are flying. All right, and the challenger– whoa! Flame all on his side of the Kitchen, packing heat. 10 minutes left in the battle. The flames are flying. Whoa, now over to Sakai. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes.

CHIZURU AZUMA: Yeah, this item the Iron Chef has placed on these plates is a mixture from the blender, the onions from the pressure cooker, the sugar and fresh cream. KENJI FUKUI: All right, thanks, Ohta. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh. KENJI FUKUI: And look, topping it with caviar. YUKIO HATTORI: OK, I can see. Wow.

CHIZURU AZUMA: Sweetened? YUKIO HATTORI: I wonder– I wonder what this is going to taste like. It looks good. KENJI FUKUI: And the red item maybe tomatoes over there. YUKIO HATTORI: I think you’re right. KENJI FUKUI: Yes, I wonder how this will taste.

YUKIO HATTORI: OK, now– oh, can we get a shot of the, uh, croquettes? OK, and it– it’s going– oh, actually he’s putting it in there. OK. CHIZURU AZUMA: This is the Iron Chef’s tilefish. KENJI FUKUI: Yes, resting on top there. YUKIO HATTORI: So it’s all starting to come together now. Oh, OK.

KENJI FUKUI: Platform of a stewed onion and the layers of onion have been flavored by consommé there. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: And perhaps some sauce to go over that one. CHIZURU AZUMA: Mhm, it looked that way. KENJI FUKUI: Yes. YUKIO HATTORI: So I think you–you called it. There we go.

CHIZURU AZUMA: We’re finally getting a picture of what he was intending to do. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, yeah. CHIZURU AZUMA: And the challenger is adding onions to his beef hash. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, quite a lot of them there too, isn’t it? KENJI FUKUI: And they look raw, cooked them up a bit.

And they should add a nice textural component to the dish. Omiya’s hashed beef, everyone, looking forward to find out how the taste of that one goes down. And right there, his truffles croquette being deep fried, laced with the liberal sprinkling of chopped-up truffles. Omiya, nearing completion of a couple of his dishes.

Clock management– no problem for him today. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, and the onions on top there. Look at that. It looks so good, doesn’t it? KENJI FUKUI: OK, back on the Iron Chef’s side, sauteed onions. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, yeah. CHIZURU AZUMA: Fried onions. KENJI FUKUI: OK, fried. CHIZURU AZUMA: Yeah.

KENJI FUKUI: Love, deep fried onions. CHIZURU AZUMA: I know. KENJI FUKUI: A great snack with the brew or two. YUKIO HATTORI: Yeah, yeah, and we got another fried item here. CHIZURU AZUMA: And look, a shake– YUKIO HATTORI: The– the right– the, uh tororo kombu, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: The fried, shaved kelp.

Ooh. CHIZURU AZUMA: Oh. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, he was, uh, really planning ahead, wasn’t he? Look at that. KENJI FUKUI: So the fried kelp– final destination right there. And now the challenger’s truffle croquettes have come off. Man alive, a sizzling golden brown, three minutes left. YUKIO HATTORI: Oh, I love to try this one.

KENJI FUKUI: Oh, the color and the crispy surface. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Fukui-san? KENJI FUKUI: Yes. SHINICHIRO OHTA: Talking about details on the challenger’s side, one of the assistants is taking time to pickle some button onions. And it looks like they’ll be served as a garnish for the hashed beef on rice dish.

Back to you. KENJI FUKUI: All right, button onions to be pickled. YUKIO HATTORI: That’s a good idea, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: And now let’s see the Delacroix, yes, of French cuisine. He is in his element right there. Sakai, continuing to paint. CHIZURU AZUMA: Yeah. KENJI FUKUI: Iron Chef Sakai right up close.

And what an eyeful, the colorful presentation of this one. CHIZURU AZUMA: It is so beautiful. KENJI FUKUI: Incredible. YUKIO HATTORI: And I believe that final topping there is basil. KENJI FUKUI: Right here on the challenger’s side, basil leaves on top of the croquette and looked like they’ve been fried.

YUKIO HATTORI: It does, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: Simply superb-looking, the truffle croquette or croquette unlike any other. And now here is one of his key dishes, the hashed beef, which will go on with rice later. Look at that one. YUKIO HATTORI: And, you know, he was

Kind enough to add like a– an icon dish of diner chefs. KENJI FUKUI: Yes, emphasizing what he is and where he comes from. YUKIO HATTORI: Right, and that demi-glace sauce looked great, didn’t it? KENJI FUKUI: Yes, and look at– in front there, the volume of onions in the soup.

YUKIO HATTORI: Wow, but this– this can be a soup. CHIZURU AZUMA: Are these pickled onions? YUKIO HATTORI: Uh, maybe. They could be, yeah. KENJI FUKUI: OK, the pickled onions then. YUKIO HATTORI: You’re right. You’re right. OK, that makes sense then. KENJI FUKUI: OK, they are in front.

And now a minute to go, the final 60 seconds, Sakai, having to step it up in the last minute of this battle against a man who cooks at his own diner. He doesn’t refer to himself as a chef. And now challenger Omiya going over his illustrated menu,

Making sure everything is to his liking, apparently done with his cooking. The Iron Chef also beginning to ease up. It looks like they’re– they’ve got all the cooking out of the way on their side as well. Challenger Omiya’s hashed beef, a typical dish,

Uh, one would encounter at a diner to go with rice. Challenger says diner cooks shouldn’t be dismissed lightly. And he has shown us some pretty good stuff today. Less than 30 seconds, a battle between the Iron Chef French who has his own restaurant on the top floor of a high rise

Overlooking Central Tokyo versus challenger Omiya who’s chosen to serve ordinary folks at his diner in the old part of town. Yet he’s attracted the attention of several gourmets for his favor. And he’s surely got the Iron Chef’s attention today. The final seconds ticking down on this one. And that’s it. The cooking’s done.

The onion battle is over. [APPLAUSE] Very nice job. Oh, thanks very much. And you seem to be on top of things pretty much all the way. Oh, not at all. INTERVIEWER: No? It was quite short. I was just doing my best. yeah. INTERVIEWER: Oh, really?

My theme today was to satisfy the palates of a discerning gourmet. They’re used to eating fine French food. INTERVIEWER: Uh-huh. And they just happened to step into my place for lunch. INTERVIEWER: OK. And I had to prepare for five people at once. INTERVIEWER: All right, and the flavor?

I’m not sure. INTERVIEWER: So you’re not sure if you’ll win then? I’ll win. INTERVIEWER: Oh, you’ll win? Yeah. You looked focused as usual. How’d the time go? Mm, well, it was onions today. INTERVIEWER: Uh-huh. It wasn’t tough. INTERVIEWER: Oh?

But the item cooked in the pressure cooker didn’t turn out so well. INTERVIEWER: Oh? I miscalculated the time required for that, but I managed to pull it off. INTERVIEWER: Uh-huh. The onions are sweet, you know? So there wasn’t much to do when, uh– when it comes to the actual flavoring.

INTERVIEWER: OK, I see. But we, chefs, have to add something to serve them, you know? INTERVIEWER: Right. So I made four dishes. INTERVIEWER: Right, and now that it’s done, how did the dishes turn out? Oh, they’re perfect. INTERVIEWER: Perfect. KENJI FUKUI: Challenger Omiya is offering four dishes.

First, onion and seafood appetizer. The crispy texture of onions is highlighted in this light seafood appetizer which uses smoked abalone and sea urchin roe. Second, onion gratin soup. Omiya will serve this dish with confidence. The dish is enhanced by the carefully sauteed onions, which provide so much depth.

Third is onion and truffles croquette. The combined aromas of truffles and butter and the flavor of the light tomato sauce all help accentuate the flavor of the onions in the croquette. And he wraps it up with his signature dish, hashed beef on rice. He boldly chopped the onions up to make bigger pieces

To allow the tasters to enjoy their flavor and the thick sauce. And the pickled onions on the side should also be a delight. Iron Chef Sakai is also offering a set of four dishes. First, onion mousse with caviar. It was originally planned as an ice cream,

But he changed gears and made this mousse, topped with caviar to be served as his opener. Onion gratin soup, a dish the challenger also made and served second, but Sakai’s cheese is different. And the soup’s flavor is lighter. Third, onion rolls, spring flavor, a creative solution to accentuating all aspects of onion’s

Aroma, texture and flavor. Asparagus and broccoli make the overall experience even more joyful. Last, stewed onion and roast tilefish. This great match between tilefish and onions should be an eye-opener. The crispy fried onions and kombu add a savory touch to the union. Down to the local diner for wholesome,

Hearty food, everyday food for everyday people. But the diner in this old part of Tokyo is a cut above the norm. The owner cook happens to be an accomplished French cuisine chef, today’s challenger Katsuo Omiya. And the diner cook is attempting to knock off Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai.

Chairman Kaga unveils the theme that win or lose, could make a grown man cry– onions. Challenger Omiya finishes a set of four dishes that would do any diner proud. Iron Chef Sakai offers up a stirring set, a quartet of his own. And now the moment of truth, tasting and judgment.

On the panel today for the onion battle are former lower house member Shinichiro Kurimoto, actress Chizuru Azuma, and culinary historian Masaaki Hirano. First, the dishes of challenger Omiya. SHINICHIRO KURIMOTO: Oh, this is very smooth. And the smoked abalone– it’s great too, matched so well with the sweetness of the sea urchin roe.

This is what’s light. It’s a great salad. Great depth there. CHIZURU AZUMA: Normally, salads using raw onions tend to be rather bitter or stimulating, but this one doesn’t have that. And, um, yet, it’s not too sweet. The onions are not too aggressive. They’re mild.

Well, it is refreshing, but in terms of flavor, this is simply moderate. KATSUO OMIYA: But please be careful. It’s hot. Some people might say that this is too salty or a bit too thick. That’s a great diner dish. It’s got everything. That’s great, but, again, you know,

Some might say that this is a bit too salty. Uh, for me, this is really how an onion gratin should be. Thank you very much. MASAAKI HIRANO: If you could have mashed the potatoes a little more. KATSUO OMIYA: It was my intention not to go that far. MASAAKI HIRANO: I see.

Now the flavor of the croquette itself had just a bit more impact. I think this light tomato sauce really– well, it would have worked a bit better here. Now overall, I think the flavor is just– well, it’s just a bit weak in my opinion. Well, you had gratin before this.

And next, I feature a beef hash, so I didn’t want to make everything heavy. I made the croquette light. KENJI FUKUI: And his signature dish, hashed beef on rice. Let’s see how the tasters react to it. I love the onions in this beef hash. They are crispy in texture.

And as I bite them, the sweetness comes out each time. It’s bold, but it’s packed so nicely. This is wonderful. It’s outstanding. It speaks of your soul and pride as a diner chef. Fantastic work. KENJI FUKUI: And now up the dishes of Iron Chef Sakai.

SHINICHIRO KURIMOTO: But it says a lot more body than I thought. Now, this is made of onions only, right? HIROYUKI SAKAI: Yes. SHINICHIRO KURIMOTO: I’ve never had this before. Now, how come restaurants don’t have such great dishes on their menus? This is great. CHIZURU AZUMA: The mousse alone would be too sweet,

Perhaps almost like a dessert. But the saltiness of caviar does it. It makes it into a real nice dish. HIROYUKI SAKAI: This is relatively light, so please add garlic toast and cheese to enjoy it to its fullest. Uh, for me, actually this is– well, it’s a bit weak. Now, I’d say this–

Well, it could be better perhaps if you served it later on, not right now. Yeah. I think you worked too hard trying to make it light. For me, the silhouette of the flavor is still a bit fuzzy. I was thinking about the cheese

To be added later, hoping that the saltiness would be just right. Yeah. KENJI FUKUI: Now, Sakai will serve his third dish, the onion rolls. Well, this is definitely an onion dish. The aroma, the texture– well, and the sweet juice that comes out when you eat it. I think Sakai-san added mushrooms and–

I’m not sure, but they– they come out one by one. I don’t know how– how you can put this. It’s– well, a kaleidoscope of flavors. Yeah. HIROYUKI SAKAI: Actually if the pressure cooker agreed with me, I was planning to serve a whole onion. Oh, this onion is so nice.

But the tilefish– well, if you ask me, it’s overpowered in this despite its volume. Frankly, I’m enjoying the tilefish, but I did want to try the whole onion. [CHUCKLES] The visual impact would have been quite different. Mm-hmm. HIROYUKI SAKAI: I needed 15 minutes more. [CHUCKLES] KENJI FUKUI: Onion battle– verdict is coming.

How about it? Will a grown man cry? [APPLAUSE] KENJI FUKUI: Today a challenger some deemed is unworthy, yet when it was all said and done, he showed he belonged. Challenger Omiya, proving diner cooks do have something special to offer. Iron Chef Sakai, hoping to hold on. Who takes it? Whose cuisine reigns supreme?

[APPLAUSE] KENJI FUKUI: It’s the Iron Chef Sakai, does hold on and wins it, the onion battle. Omiya, making some wonderful dishes, proving his caliber, more than a cook. He is a chef, but full realization of all the layers of potential in the theme ingredient achieved today by Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai.

[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]