In the Audience of Iron Chef America

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Recently, I joined the studio audience for a taping of Iron Chef America. I knew both teams of chefs: Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (see Super Chef, chapter 5) versus Iron Chef Bobby Flay. While all of us signed away our rights to write about what happened or what the secret ingredient was, there is still the audience story. We were told to arrive by 7:30 a.m. at the studio. In the second of two waiting rooms, Bobby came out to meet and greet. Then, crew led audience members out in groups to sit down, and we sat through segment shoots of the president's greeting of the contestants Susan and Mary Sue, his choosing of the iron chef to combat, and the revealing of the secret ingredient. The actual kitchen battle really took only one hour. Even from the audience section -- right behind the spice rack on the Iron Chef side of the studio -- the frenetic pace of both chefs and camera crews as they raced about the half-hidden set were exciting. We got an extra bang the when a camera cable caught on fire and momentarily added its own pungent smoke to that of the cooking food. Flat screens showed one of the sous chefs peeling a hard boiled egg, while Alton Brown made light of the cable disaster. It is amazing to watch how parts of a dish are brought together on a plate from scattered places all over the kitchen. Logical steps begin to reveal themselves in the flurrying parade of preparation. It was like a three-ring circus, with something exciting all the time in each ring. To watched one was to miss the others, but that is part of the magic, circus or kitchen. Besides, it was marvelous to see a gaggle of top chefs at work rather than interviewing them. For Foodies (or unfed breakfasters, take your pick), it was hard to keep seated throughtout. The smell is intoxicating, even for savory foods at 8:00 a.m. As the shooting wrapped by lunch time, I was horrified to see the crew dump all the food into the trash. I guess next time I'll come as a judge -- I can't watch, hear, and smell all that food without tasting it! Previous articles on Bobby Flay: Bobby Flay: Married and Motivated The Passing of Mr. "Easy-Bake Oven" Previous articles on Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger: Results: White House Woman Chef Catch the Milliken and Feniger Top Ten Profile: Mary Sue Milliken & Susan Feniger for White House Chef Vote for White House Woman Chef Results of White House Chef Vote Mary Sue Milliken: California Beats Japan Elections West: First Drinks on Mary Sue and Susan Halloween Mexicana: Day of the Dead a la Super Chef New York Welcomes 'Cool Comedy - Hot Cuisine' Mary Sue & Susan: California's Restaurateurs of the Year Previous articles on Iron Chef America: Today Show Emulates Iron Chef America Cat Cora Wins on Iron Chef America Anita Lo Defeats Mario Batali on Iron Chef America Cat Cora, Anita Lo: Sexing Up Iron Chef America Iron Chef Pizza Wars: Batali vs. Puck Bobby Flay: Married and Motivated Ming Tsai TV Cat Cora: Iron Chef America's First Lady Roberto Trevino: Viva Aguaviva Nancy Silverton and Mario Batali's Mozza Iron Chef America: Running on Empty World AIDS Day II: Iron Chef Cat Cora More Reality TV Chefs (Or Less)? Real TV Cooking? Kitchen Confidential a la Sex and the City Molto Mario Massacres Mahi Iron Chef: America vs. USA Tags: reality TV --> back to superchefblog